The Grissom name comes from the Gresham surname. You will not find any ancestors abroad with the name of Grissom. Those who came to the Americas and later wanted to distinguish themselves from the loyalists probably changed the spelling of their name to Grissom. Census takers wrote down what they heard. Many of our names got changed that way.
Our immigrant ancestors, John Gresham came to Virginia in 1635 and Edward Gresham was in St. Kitts in 1635 and later in 1650 to Virginia, were thought to have grown up in Titsey Manor in Surrey England about 20 miles south of London. Their father is thought to be Sir Edward Gresham who was born about 1590/94. Titsey Manor is now run by the National Trust.
Sir Thomas Gresham was the founder of the Royal Exchange. It was opened by the Queen in 1571 as a sort of Elizabethan shopping mall. The main building features a huge, gilded grasshopper on the roof: Gresham's personal badge.
More information on the Gresham ancestors can be found at "grissom MyFamily" and "Grissom MyFamily" web sites.
The following was published by SANTA CLARA COUNTY HISTORICAL & GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY in Vol. II, No. 3, Mortui Vivos Docent, January 1966 --- [User responsible for all copyright compliance] (The following genealogical records are included because of their connections with members of the Captain Andrew Cathey Wagon Train:)
GRESHAM (GRISHAM-GRISSOM) GENEALOGY
In 1913 Mr. Alexander Taylor Strange, a Gresham descendant compiled a historical sketch entitled "The Greshams of America and Across the Sea". From the Foreword of his book I quote the following:
If these short annals prove of value to the present and future generations of Greshams and tend to create an interest in their ancestral forefathers, who for many generations were distinguished in diplomacy, in philanthropy and in high Christian manhood and womanhood, then the ambition of the writer will be satisfied. --Alexander Taylor Strange Hillsboro, Illinois, 1913
Among those who went from Normandy to England in 1066 wit William the Conqueror were Edward De Grasse and his son Edward II. The elder DeGrasse was engaged in the Battle of Hastings. Later, when he became a landowner, he dropped the prefix De and added the word ham. Under this modified name a Coat-of-Arms was received which distinguished and dignified the family for many generations. The Coat-of-Arms consisted of a grasshopper on a greensward. The French word gres means green. Sir Thomas Gresham was knighted and became an important personage in affairs of state and diplomacy. In 1641 John Gresham, Gent., with his wife and son John, emigrated to America. They settled in Arundel Co., Maryland. From that beginning the Greshams have spread to almost every state in the Union. The correct spelling is 'Gresham,' but some families use 'Grisham' and same 'Grissom.'
The ancestry of Frances Gresham, who m. John Boyd Hammond, cannot be traced further than her grandfather without doing more research. It may well be that Frances is a descendant of Edward De Grasse of Normandy who went to England in 1066 with William the Conqueror.
1. JOHN GRISHAM Sr., b. ________ in Virginia, served in the Revolutionary War, moved to Pendleton, South Carolina, before 1790. The first Court Session held in Pendleton was on 2 April 1790 and John Grisham Sr. was a member of the Grand Jury. He married _______________________________. SONS: John DAUGHTERS: Ref.: So Lives the Dream, by Pearl Smith McFall: "Col. JAMES GRISHAM was a member of the Building Committee for The First Episcopal Church built in Pendleton, 1822. JOSEPH GRISHAM was a founder of the Pendleton Farmers Society organized in June 1815. He owned many thousand acres of land and vas a very progressive farmer." These may have been brothers of JOHN GRISHAM SR.
2. JOHN GRISHAM Jr., b. in Virginia in 1759, served in the Revolutionary War, moved to Pendleton, South Carolina, in 1822. He m. (1) Martha Holbert and (2) Nancy ________________ SONS: Joseph, William, Ezra, Reuben. DAUGHTERS: Frances and Malinda.
3. FRANCES GRISHAM, b. 6 Feb. 1798 in Virginia, d. 7 Dec 1876 in Cathey's Valley, California. She m. John Boyd Hammond, b. 9 Aug 1791 in North Carolina, d. 6 Feb 1876 in Fresno County, California. They were m. 12 Aug 1819 in Pendleton, S. Car., and were in Saline Co., Arkansas, in 1833. John Boyd Hammond was the son of William and Sarah (Boyd) Hammond. SONS: Andrew, William. DAUGHTERS: Martha, Ekiza, Amanda, Susan Mary. (See Hammond Genealogy)
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(This portion of the article was continued in Vol. III, No. 1 July 1966) ------------------------------ (Continuation of THE JOHN BOYD HAMMOND JOURNAL)
April 15 (Wednesday) Came 11 miles, crossed two of the boggy creeks, one on a toll bridge. The bottoms were very muddy. There is a great quantity of Bodark Trees in the bottoms, the prairies are very good farming land. Weather good, all well.
April 16 Came 14 miles thru a beautiful, rich prairie and camped on a large creek. Nothing occurred worthy of note, all in good health and Spirits. The Indians are very much like the people of Ark., only they dress better and with few exceptions are as white and speak as good English.
April 17 Came 14 miles - all well - camped in an open prairie.
April 18 Came 16 miles, crossed Red River and passed Fort Preston 6 miles back.
April 19 Came 11 miles. Nothing occurred worthy of record. We are now in Texas. There are a great many places for excellent farms. It is thin settled but no doubt will be settled thick within 2 years. Timber is scarce in places. This County is called 'Gracin.' (Grayson Co., 30 miles north of Dallas)
April 20 Came 5 miles. Stopped to let the women have time to wash and let the oxen have some time to rest.
April 21 Came 10 miles. Susan was sick today, was taken unwell yesterday. Camped on an open prairie - 4 wagons together. Harris Rowland sold his odd steer to Benjamin Wills. He run off from the drove today and is lost and no hope of regaining him.
April 22 Came 15 miles. Camped on the Dry Fork of Elm Creek, a beautiful stream. Three miles back we passed the last house in Texas where the whites live. We are past the lower Cross Timbers and near the upper ones. The part of Texas we have passed is very beautiful farming country, well calculated to be a rich country some time. We are now 47 miles from Ft. Preston. Susan is better this evening.
April 23 Came 17 miles and camped at Elm Creek. We are now fairly in the Plains. This creek is the water of Trinity River. Yesterday we passed a little village, called Gainsville, the County Seat of Cook Co. We are now past all white settlements. There is 7 or 8 wagons before us. We are 10 in all from Sabine Co., but one, a Mr. Hall, from Pope Co."
(Here the journal ends. Why this part was not sent to Ark. with the other part might be explained by assuming that certain people left the party at this point and returned to Ark.)