The Hessian Family of Gloucester, Massachusetts
Numerous variations of the Hessian surname are found in the town records, including Hassen, Hessan, Heshan, Hasen, Hisoun, Hushin, Hushing, Huson, etc.
Dennis "Hushin" is first seen in the US in the 1850 Gloucester, MA census, a fisherman aged 22. He married in 1852, and on 24 Oct 1856, had completed the process of becoming a naturalized citizen. In Sept of 1857, his first wife died only four days after giving birth to twins, one of them stillborn. He would remarry a year and a half later, his second wife having four children.
Dennis "Hushin" is first seen in the US in the 1850 Gloucester, MA census, a fisherman aged 22. He married in 1852, and on 24 Oct 1856, had completed the process of becoming a naturalized citizen. In Sept of 1857, his first wife died only four days after giving birth to twins, one of them stillborn. He would remarry a year and a half later, his second wife having four children.
| Dennis Hessian and 11 other crew members of the schooner Victor left port on 3 March 1882, headed for George's Bank. A large fleet of fishing vessels were located there when a gale struck them on St Patrick's Day. One by one, the battered ships returned to Gloucester, and gave their reports on the terrible storm. By April, only two schooners had not returned, the Victor and the Northerner. Now 6 weeks overdue, they were officially reported as lost on 11 April. |  Boston Journal, 4/11/1882 |
Genealogical Summary of the Dennis Hessian Family of Gloucester, Massachusetts
DENNIS HESSIAN was born 11 Aug 1827 in Bruff, County Limerick, Ireland, the son of Daniel Hessian. He died on 17 March 1882, lost in a gale while fishing at George's Bank. He was twice married: first to MARY WALDRON (or WALDEN/WALDON), on 25 Nov 1852 in Boston, MA. The daughter of Matthew and Ellen Waldron, she was born ca 1825 in "Killham" or Lanby/Sanby, Ireland, and died 14 Sept 1857 in Gloucester, MA. He married second, on 21 May 1859 in Gloucester, to HANNAH WALDRON, the daughter of John Waldron.
Dennis had the following children, all born in Gloucester, MA:
i. CATHERINE HESSIAN, b. 8 Sept 1853; d. 5 Aug 1908 in Portsmouth, NH. Married 17 Mar 1871 in Gloucester, MA to ISAAC C H PRIDHAM.
ii. ELLEN HESSIAN, b. 24 Apr 1855
iii. JOHN HESSIAN, b. abt Aug 1856; d. 4 Oct 1857 in Gloucester
iv. stillborn male (twin), 10 Sept 1857
v. MARY HESSIAN (twin), b. 10 Sept 1857; d. bef Mar 1861.
by his 2nd wife:
vi. MARY HESSIAN, b. 26 Mar 1861; d. 20 Apr 1865 Gloucester, MA
vii. MARY HESSIAN, b. 25 Feb 1866; d. bef 1920. Married ca 1895 to ALEXANDER JOHNSON. They had one daughter, Honora "Nora" Isabelle Johnson, b. 1900 in Gloucester.
viii. MICHAEL HESSIAN, b. 2 June 1868; d. 24 Feb 1912 in Gloucester. Buried Oak Hill Cemetery
ix. HONORA "NORA" MARGARET HESSIAN, b. 5 Nov 1869; d. 28 Mar 1943 in Middleton, MA. Married on 23 Jan 1900 in Gloucester to FREDERICK K MARTIN. They had two children, 1. Helen Lucy Martin, b. 27 Sept 1901 in Glouc., 2. Frank, d. 12 Apr 1903, aged 2 mos, 21 das.
[3/23/14 UPDATE: Below are the Naturalization papers of Dennis Hessian (aka Huson). He arrived in Boston in April 1844 at age 17. The passenger lists for this month seem to be missing, unfortunately]
DENNIS HESSIAN was born 11 Aug 1827 in Bruff, County Limerick, Ireland, the son of Daniel Hessian. He died on 17 March 1882, lost in a gale while fishing at George's Bank. He was twice married: first to MARY WALDRON (or WALDEN/WALDON), on 25 Nov 1852 in Boston, MA. The daughter of Matthew and Ellen Waldron, she was born ca 1825 in "Killham" or Lanby/Sanby, Ireland, and died 14 Sept 1857 in Gloucester, MA. He married second, on 21 May 1859 in Gloucester, to HANNAH WALDRON, the daughter of John Waldron.
Dennis had the following children, all born in Gloucester, MA:
i. CATHERINE HESSIAN, b. 8 Sept 1853; d. 5 Aug 1908 in Portsmouth, NH. Married 17 Mar 1871 in Gloucester, MA to ISAAC C H PRIDHAM.
ii. ELLEN HESSIAN, b. 24 Apr 1855
iii. JOHN HESSIAN, b. abt Aug 1856; d. 4 Oct 1857 in Gloucester
iv. stillborn male (twin), 10 Sept 1857
v. MARY HESSIAN (twin), b. 10 Sept 1857; d. bef Mar 1861.
by his 2nd wife:
vi. MARY HESSIAN, b. 26 Mar 1861; d. 20 Apr 1865 Gloucester, MA
vii. MARY HESSIAN, b. 25 Feb 1866; d. bef 1920. Married ca 1895 to ALEXANDER JOHNSON. They had one daughter, Honora "Nora" Isabelle Johnson, b. 1900 in Gloucester.
viii. MICHAEL HESSIAN, b. 2 June 1868; d. 24 Feb 1912 in Gloucester. Buried Oak Hill Cemetery
ix. HONORA "NORA" MARGARET HESSIAN, b. 5 Nov 1869; d. 28 Mar 1943 in Middleton, MA. Married on 23 Jan 1900 in Gloucester to FREDERICK K MARTIN. They had two children, 1. Helen Lucy Martin, b. 27 Sept 1901 in Glouc., 2. Frank, d. 12 Apr 1903, aged 2 mos, 21 das.
[3/23/14 UPDATE: Below are the Naturalization papers of Dennis Hessian (aka Huson). He arrived in Boston in April 1844 at age 17. The passenger lists for this month seem to be missing, unfortunately]
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