Anna Elizabeth Clark

Anna married John Taliaferro Sisson on August 28th, 1854. George Northam performed the ceremony. Their bond was issued in Westmoreland County on August 18th. They went on to have eleven children.

The 1860 census shows the family in Richmond County near the Stony Hill post office. John works as a farmer but has no real estate listed. His personal estate is valued at $400. Three children are already listed.

During the Civil War John served as a Sergeant in Captain Murphy's Company which was attached to the Bureau of Conscription. The company was never mustered and it appears John never left the Northern Neck.

The 1870 census shows the family still in Richmond County near the Warsaw post office. John is listed as a farmer, he now owns land valued at $2,000, his personal property is worth $400. In 1871 Totuskey Baptist Church was organized and Anna, John and her father, Hempsel were all listed as founding members.

The 1880 census shows John still farming in Richmond County. He and Anna are marked as being unable to read or write. Seven of their children are living with them including daughter Juddie and her new husband Willie Franklin. Louis King and 14 year old white male is listed as living with the family and working as a laborer. They also have a 40 year old black woman named Ann Johnson living with them, she is listed as a servant. Black children Gertrude Johnson, 4 and Blanch Jones, 1 are listed too. Anna's father, Hempsel Clark age 70 is listed in the house next door.

When Kirkland Grove Baptist Camp opened in 1892 John and Anna built one of the first cottages or "tents" on the property. The only known picture of Anna is large group group picture from 1893 in front of the "Taliaferro Sisson Cottage." She is standing in the back corner and is only partially visible.

John died on July 15th, 1899 and was buried at the Totuskey Baptist Church cemetery. The census of 1900 shows Anna as the head of the household with only her youngest son George T. Sisson living with her. She is noted as a widow with 11 children and eight still living. Her work is given as farmer and her son as a farm laborer. She is shown as owning her home mortgage free.

Anna died February 25th, 1905 according to her headstone. She was buried at Totuskey Baptist Church Cemetery.