Samuel Sessions worked for Thomas Dudley for around 16 years in Roxbury, Massachusetts then became a freeman and purchased land from the Indians in Andover for 6 English pounds and one coat. He married and raised a large family. He became one of the first settlers in Andover in 1647 and lived to be 92. This is mentioned as information only because Samuel is from the same place as our ancestors and our ancestors followed four years later, making it quite probable they were of the same family line.

John Sessions was born in England in 1672 and came to Boston in 1694 as secretary to the governor of Massachusetts. Alonzo Sessions was governor of Michigan. The governor of Rhode Island was a Sessions, whose father was Nathaniel who died in 1771.

Our ancestor, George, was born about 1595-1600 and married Ellen Rider on July 24, 1620 in England. They had a son, Thomas, who was born 1625. They came to America on the ship Abonaventure in 1635 when George was 40 years old. A Philadelphia register shows him, in fact, arriving and taking a stage down to Virginia, Warwick County. It is possible he could be a brother to Samuel Sessions who came to America in 1620 with Thomas Dudley. In Virginia his son (or grandson), Thomas, built the oldest house in Yorktown, Virginia. It is now known as the Sheild House. It is Dutch Colonial style, no nails used and a beautiful house facing the water. A few years later the family moved further south to an area between Wilmington, North Carolina and Georgetown, South Carolina. George engaged in rice and indigo culture. It is rumored that George was a brother to Samuel mentioned above but no proof has been found to my knowledge to verify that.

It appears that George was the father of Thomas born 1625 in England, as well as another son also named Thomas born circa 1650 who died 1707 or 1708.

Thomas Sessions, a son of George, engaged in rice and indigo culture and had a cheese factory. He lived between the two cities mentioned above. He had 3 daughters and 7 sons: Nancy, Hannah, Sally, Jay, John, Richard Sr., (1771-1851), Aber, Tom, Solomon, Ransom and Joe.

Record searches indicate John was born in 1711 and was a son of Thomas. He married a lady with the last name of Ransom. It is now known that John Sessions was a native of North Carolina and that he was a patriotic son in establishing America's liberty from British domination. The family is first heard from in Sampson County, North Carolina where he and one Richard Sessions, supposedly a brother, are on record.

[At this point there has to be one or two missing connections that we must try to find.]

Thomas Sessions born 1741 between Georgetown, South Carolina and Wilmington, North Carolina, married Martha Wingate, who was born in Wilmington, North Carolina. Her father is John Wingate born abt 1719 in Chowan County, North Carolina, who married Hannah Sessions born abt 1723 in New Hanover County, North Carolina. John's father is Edward Wingate who married Anne Blount of Chowan Co., North Carolina on 2 September 1758, in Craven Co., Prince George Parish, North Carolina. Edward's father was John Wingate born about 1656. John's father was Edward Wingate whose wife is Mary of Lower Norfolk Co., Virginia. Edward's father was Edward Wingate who had land in Norfolk County in 1700.

Thomas and Martha Sessions had the following children:

Nancy born 1761	Solomon born 1768	Thomas born 1775
Hannah born 1763	John born 1769	Ransen born 1777
Sally born 1765	Richard born 1771	Joe born 1779
Zey born 1767	Abner born 1773

Many Sessions people held prominent positions especially up North. There were governors, legislature members, judges, lawyers, many clergy, teachers, businessmen, shipping, farmers, manufacturers, etc.

A Reverend John Sessions, DD lived in Oakland, California. On May 26, 1871, a Mr. Poor told him, "I believe the name of Sessions has always stood high in the country." A. M. Sessions was Lt. Governor of Connecticut when it was a colony. A man of Woodstock said to a Mr. Sessions of Union—"We have a new minister, he is a smart man. His name is Sessions." He replied, "If he is a Sessions, I know he is a smart feller."

There is a Sessions Elementary School, 2150 Beryl, Pacific Beach, Ca. 92109. This is located near San Diego, California. It was named after Kate Sessions. She is known as the Mother of Balboa Park in San Diego. She introduced flowers, shrubs, etc. in the park. She was also a scientist as well as a nursery person. She raised an orphan boy, Victor Rouetto. He made the remark that she hypothesized the poinsettia making it possible for us to use it today as our Christmas flower. She was born in 1857 in California and died March 24, 1940. Her parents were both born in Connecticut, so she must be from the Samuel Sessions side of the family.

According to records (not sure they are proven) but it seems our ancestral line would be thus: John Sessions born 1499, son Thomas md Agnes Chapman in 1551, son Richard born 1567 md Jane son William born 1594 and George born 1596. George left England for America in 1635, age 40, son Thomas born 1625, son Richard abt 1648, Thomas abt 1670, son John born 1711, or son George born 1714 ?? then Thomas born 1743, son Solomon born 1767 then Richard born 1799, Thomas Broady born 1809 etc.

This would be a challenge to prove if these are right. Some have Thomas, son of John born 1711, others put Thomas son of George born 1714. These two must have been brothers. Can you solve the mystery and find proof if these generations are correct?

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