Does anyone have info on the line that went into Arkansas.
The British pronunciation of Cecil sounds closer to Sessell or Cissell than
See-Sill that we Americans would say. In a time of non standard spelling
and illiterate or semi-literate, it was common for someone to spell a name
three or more different ways in one document. Basically, the Catholics
became Cissells and the Protestants remained Cecil-though there are
exceptions and some other variant spellings. Over time, many of the
Catholics converted to other faiths. Don't know much about the Arkansas
crowd.
Melissa T. Alexander
ma.da(a)gte.net
Edmonds, WA USA
-----Original Message-----
From: MEHALFORD(a)aol.com [mailto:MEHALFORD@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 1999 7:19 PM
To: mada(a)cmc.net
Subject: Cissell info
Thanks for the information that you send to me via my friend's email
pstrode(a)netscape.net. I have collected some info on James Ambrose and James
S. from my aunt Kakie Cissell McCoy 's notes who is dead now and from
Kentucky Jim, but I still do not have dates of death or where the two are
buried. Do you have any idea as to why James S. Cecil changed his name to
Cissell?
My dad was John Robert Cissell, his dad was John Bert Hill Cissell, and his
dad was John Cissell (no middle name on tombstone) He is buried in Bassett
cemetery in Bassett, Mississippi County. Arkansas. John Bert Hill Cissell
(changed his name to Bert Hill Cissell when he was 21. I do not know why. He
is the only Union Soldier buried in Bassett, finally recognized by the
daughters of the Confedercy about five years ago.
I am new at genealogy and I did not even know that Cissells exited outside
of
Arkansas. Boy did I get a surprise. If you do not mind, I would like for you
to send me the additional info that you said you had on Ignatius Cissell or
anything else that you might have on the Cissell family.
Would love to converse with you. I will pick up my emails about once a week
at my neice's house.
Thank you,
Mary Cissell Halford