Notes:

NOTE 1./
The Lovell's Prince Edward Island Directory 1871: From the Collection of Donna Johnston Collings:
Lovell's Directory was a directory of professionals and businessmen and other inhabitants in Prince Edward Island, published in 1871, with listings by town or geographic region.

Georgetown

A well laid out and pretty town in township No. 54, parish of St. George, county of Kings. It is the chief town of the county, and situated at the extremity of a narrow neck of land six miles in length, being divided from the mainland by Cardigan and Brudenell Rivers. The harbour is one of the best on the Island, capable of receiving the largest vessels afloat, and open for navigation the greater part of the year. Principal business of Georgetown is shipbuilding and the export of country produce. The Supreme Court holds its sittings here in February and July. There is a light house on Panmure Island at the entrance to the harbour, and a harbour light on St. Andrew's Point. Steamboat communication is had weekly with Charlottetown, and Pictou, Nova Scotia, fare $1.50; mail stages run semi-weekly to Charlottetown, fare $1.; a ferry plies to Peter's Shore every fifteen minutes, fare 2c. The New York, Newfoundland, and London Telegraph Co., has an office here. Distant from Charlottetown 30 miles. Mail tri-weekly. Population 760. There is a Royalty attached to the town as in the case of Charlottetown and Princetown.

Hession, Michael - J.P. (Justice of the Peace) Also General Importer and Produce Dealer, Farmer
Hession, Tho's G. - farmer, constable

NOTE 2./ 1881 Prince Edward Island Census: <>

SURNAME GIVEN NAME AGE RELIGION LOT
HESSION THOMAS 48 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION DORETHIA 82 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION WILLIAM A. 8 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION NELLIE 22 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION MICHAEL 53 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION MARGARET 4 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION JOHN THOMAS 7 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION HANNAH 30 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION GILBERT 83 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION FREDERICK 1 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION EMMET 2 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION EDMUND 5 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION HELLEN 42 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN

NOTE 3./
1901 Georgetown, Kings District, Prince Edward Island Census
Family or Household:Name of each person in family: Age on 31st March, 1901:Sex : Relation-
ship to head of family or household: Single, married, widowed or divorced: Month and date of birth: Year of birth: Age at last birthday. <>

3 115 Hession Thomas M Head M Feb 23 1833 68
4 115 Hession Hannah F Wife M Nov 19 1848 52
5 115 Hession William M Son S Sep 8 1870 29
6 115 Hession John M Son S Nov 26 1873 28
7 115 Hession Edmond M Son S Jun 15 1875 26
8 115 Hession Emmett M Son S Nov 15 1878 23
9 115 Hession Fredrich M Son S Jul 28 1880 20
10 115 Hession James M Son S Jan 15 1883 18
11 115 Hession Gertrude F Daughter S Apr 15 1890 11
12 115 Hession Stephen M Son S Oct 2 1891 10

NOTE 4./ Name: Gertrude Hession living with father in 1911 census
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Single
Age: 22
Birth Date: Apr 1889
Birthplace: Prince Edward Island
Family Number: 155
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Father's name: Thomas
Tribal: Irish
Province: Prince Edward Island
District: Kings
District Number: 139
Sub-District: Georgetown, Burnt Point, Georgetown Royalty
Sub-District Number: 35
Place of Habitation: Georgetown
Census Year: 1911
Page: 18
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Thomas Hession 78

NOTE 5./ New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957

Name: Thos Hession
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1832
Age: 18
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Ship Name: New World
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Date of Arrival: September 27, 1950
Line: 5
Microfilm Serial: M237
Microfilm Roll: M237_92
List Number: 1109

Thomas married Hannah CUMMINGS on 30 Oct 1870 in Prince Edward Island. Hannah (daughter of Malcolm CUMMINGS and UNKNOWN) was born on 19 Nov 1848 in Prince Edward Island, Canada; died on 22 Feb 1904 in Georgetown, Kings, PEI; was buried on 29 Feb 1904 in St. James cemetery, Georgetown, PEI. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

NOTE 1./ History Of PEI Just prior to the Hession arrival {No Hessions were enumerated in 1841 census}

About the 1841 Census

The colony of Prince Edward Island grew swiftly through the first half of the nineteenth century. It was a time when emigrants poured out of the British Isles. Many Scots came because of the foreclosure of their ancient rights on the land. Irish made the perilous crossing of the North Atlantic owing to worsening economic conditions and in the late 1840s because of famine. The English and Welsh emigration, though not as dramatic, was steady and brought many new farmers, shipbuilders and merchants.

The increase was so rapid that the government had lost track of just how many people there were in the province. Earlier census were of little assistance. The last had been held in 1833 but even as little as eight years later the Island population had boomed.

As important as the people were the other things that were included in the "statistical survey". The degree to which the Island was producing crops and livestock, the number of schoolhouses and grist mills and distilleries, the number of deaf, blind and insane. All of these were seen as important for planning for the community.

There was not universal agreement about the census. Prince Edward Island was in the middle of periodic concern about the land tenure system which saw almost all of the land owned by large landlords and leased rather than sold to the tenants. This made the colony different from others in North America where the usual pattern was freehold tenure with farmers owning rather then renting their land. The legislation was held up while the House of Assembly and the Legislative Council debated what should be asked. The upper house wanted more questions which would show how landowners were receiving little return on their investment. The result was a compromise. The resulting census included questions about the repayment of passage money advanced to tenants and not repaid.

In the early summer of 1841 the census takers traveled the Island counting people, sheep and potatoes among other things. They were paid 10 shillings per hundred persons and 20 shillings per township for traveling expenses. Most earned less than 20 pounds for their efforts. The statistical results were published as an appendix to the Journals of the House of Assembly in 1842 and the original books were relegated to attic storage. Over the years, because of moves and carelessness many volumes were lost.

NOTE 2./ 1881 Census: Prince Edward Island 1881 Census
Official Website of the Government of Prince Edward Island 1881 Census <>

SURNAME GIVEN NAME AGE RELIGION LOT
HESSION THOMAS 48 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION DORETHIA 82 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION WILLIAM A. 8 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION NELLIE 22 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION MICHAEL 53 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION MARGARET 4 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION JOHN THOMAS 7 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION HANNAH 30 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION GILBERT 83 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION FREDERICK 1 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION EMMET 2 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION EDMUND 5 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN
HESSION HELLEN 42 ROMAN CATHOLIC GTN

Gilbert married Dorethia CAHAN. Dorethia was born about 1798 in Ireland; died on 23 Nov 1890 in Prince Edward Island; was buried in St James cemetery, Georgetown, PEI. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Malcolm married UNKNOWN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Mary EDDY. Mary died in in North River, P.E.I.. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]