Listed in some accounts as arriving in Plymouth in 1628, but he is not listed in Great Migration (meaning there is no evidence of his presence before 1634). At any rate, he moved from Plymouth to Windsor in 1639 or so. He was admitted to the Windsor Church 3 May 1640 and served as a jury at Hartford 1640-1643, 1645 and 1647. He later served as a deputy to the general court and attended 46 sessions of the General and Particular Court before the union of the Connecticut and New Haven colonies. He and his sons John Jr, Thomas and Nathaniel were all freeman in Windsory by 1669 (NEHGR Vol. 5). In 1648, he established Bissell’s Ferry connecting Windsor and East Windsor. He was the first settler on the east side of the river.

Recorded in the 1640 Town Records at Windsor in the list of “First Settlers of Windsor, five years after their removal from Dorchester.” (NEHGR 5:365) [The list includes people who arrived after 1635, such as those who came with Huit in 1639]

John died at the home of his son Nathaniel. The memorial in the Palisado Cemetary reads: “Heare lyeth the body of John Bissell deceased Oct. the 3rd, 1677 in the 86th year of his age.”[ [676]]

Savage Dict of N.E. Settlers: JOHN, Windsor 1639, the progenit. of many disting. men, is said to have come from Eng. with Rev. Ephraim Mewett, was rep. 1648-57, and d. 3 Oct. 1677, aged 85, had John, Thomas, Samuel, Nathaniel, Mary, and Joice, of wh. Nathaniel, b. 24, bapt. 27 Sept. 1640, was perhaps the only one b. on our side of the ocean. His w. d. [[vol. 1, p. 187]] 21 May foll. and his next w. d. 29 Nov. 1665; but of both the names are unkn.[ [500]]

web: b. perhaps Oct 30, 1591, possibly in Huntington, Somerset as the son of Richard Bissell. About 1627 he married Elizabeth Thompson who was born about 1596 in England and died May 21, 1641 at Windsor, CT. He probably came with Rev Ephraim Mewett. He married Mary Drake and perhaps some others. He came to Plymouth, MA in 1628 and removed to Windsor in the 1630s. He is said to have operated a ferry at Windsor in the 1640s and perhaps had an inn. He was a representative from 1646 to 1657 Around 1660 he was involved in the establishment of East Windsor. He died at Windsor Oct 3, 1677.  (http://members.aol.com/randsherm/family/bissell2.html)

Invt. œ520-16-03. Taken 22 October, 1677, by Daniel Clarke, Benjamin Newbery, Return Strong. Will dated 25 September, 1673: I John Bissell of Windsor doe make this my last Will & Testament: I give to my daughter Mary, the wife of Jacob Drake, œ10; to my daughter Joyce, wife of Samuel Pinney, œ30. I give to my son John œ50. The remainder of my estate after my just debts and funeral charges are paid, with 20 shillings a peice to each of my grand children naturally descending from my foure sons and two daughters, I bequeath to my four sons, John, Thomas, Samuel, and Nathaniel. The remaynder of my estate to be equally divided. I appoint my sons John and Thomas Bissell to be executors. I desire Deacon John Moore and Daniel Clark to be supervisors.
Witness: John Moore sen., Daniel Clarke.
John X Bissell. Ls.
Court Record, Page 165--6 December, 1677: Will approved.

Samuel’s mother (whose death date is on this record) was likely the first wife. Mary in most sources is the second wife.

Jones ( [676]) refers to “Mathew Grant’s List”, which says “John Bissell’s wife is one of four persons who died in Windsor in the year 1641. She left 6 children all the way from 6 months to 10 or 12 years of age. She, herself, was perhaps close of 35.”