Tom, we will never know for sure who fired first and if you returned fire at all. Crime scene investigation didn't exist as we know it. 1918 was a long time ago. I believe the Power boys, your employers, that you did not return fire. It is a pity the original court proceedings were lost. I believe the sheriffs handled their part poorly. You were sentenced for murder and spent your remaining life in Florence, Arizona prison. The boys received pardons from the Governor of Arizona after 42 years, I believe the longest sentence served by anyone in the State of Arizona. Tom you were in prison until the day of your death in 1957. You were neither pardoned nor was your grave site kept up. A man deserves better than this.

I visited Toms' grave today, March 1, 2008. The grave is nicely cleaned, thank you Greg for that. It was easy to find. Just drive in and stay on the main road, his grave is in the first row on the left well into the property. Its about the second large section. I'll make a project to bring semipermanet decoration to help people find it.

This, from Page Johnson; sent 03/17/11.

Johnson, Page to me
show details Mar 15 (2 days ago)

Hi Bill

I saw your "note" to Tom J. Sisson you left on Find-A-Grave after a friend sent me an electronic version of the WANTED Poster for Tom J. Sisson (I am a Sisson descendent). In any event, my friend thought it humorous knowing my Sisson connections. Although I am not directly related to Tom J. Sisson. I was intrigued enough to do a little digging. I not a member of Find-A-Grave. You may add this if you like.

Regards,

Page Johnson


Here is what I have found:

Thomas "Joseph" W. Sisson was born June 9, 1869 in Livonia, Sherburne County, MN. The last child of Russell and Mary (Hagebone?) Sisson. Russell Sisson served as a Private, Co. H, 57th Pennsylvania Infantry during the Civil War. He appears on Special Census of Veterans 1890, Big Lake, Sherburne Co., MN and Minnesota STATE Census of 1895, Ward 12, Minneapolis, MN, age 80. He died sometime after 1895, but before 1900, as he does not appear in the Census of 1900.
Census of 1870 - Livonia, Sherburne County, MN, Roll: T132_10; Page: 650; Image: 550; Family History Library Film: 830430.
Sisson, Russell age 53, M,W, Farmer, (birthplace) NY
Sisson, Mary, 43, F,W, Keeps House, (birthplace) NY
Sisson, Lewis, 16, M,W, Works on Farm, (birthplace) NY
Sisson, Adelia, 14, F,W, At School, (birthplace) PA
Sisson, Lucretia, 10, F,W, At School, (birthplace) PA
Sisson, Thomas J.W., 1, single, (birthplace) – MN
Wood, Seth R., 1, M,W, (birthplace) – MN

Census of 1880 – Livonia, Sherburne, Minnesota; Roll: 633; Family History Film: 1254633; Page: 174A; Enumeration District: 64; Image: 0352.

Sisson, Russell, 65, M,W, Farmer, (birthplace) PA, (father's birthplace) PA, (mother's birthplace) PA
Sisson, Jos. C., 11, M,W, At Home, (birthplace) MN, (father's birthplace) PA, (mother's birthplace) PA

Census of 1900 - Precincts 3, 9, and 11, Cochise, Arizona Territory; Roll:T623_45; Page:3A; Enumeration District: 6.

Snow, Bud, Head, M,W, Nov. 1863, 31, S, (birthplace) MO, (father's birthplace) KY, (mother's birthplace) KY
Burleson, Bev., Lodger, M,W, Mar. 1884, 16, S, (birthplace) TX, (father's birthplace) TX, (mother's birthplace) TX
Burleson, Frank, Lodger, M,W, Feb. 1888, 12, S, (birthplace) TX, (father's birthplace) TX, (mother's birthplace) TX
Tisson, T.J.,Lodger, M,W, Jun.1869,30, S,(birthplace) MN, (father's birthplace) PA, (mother's birthplace) PA

Minnesota Territorial Census of 1885 - Minnesota State Population Census Schedules, 1865-1905. St. Paul, MN, USA: Minnesota Historical Society, 1977. Microfilm. Reels 1-47 and 107-164. (Roll MNSC_44, p. 10)

Sisson, Russell , 60, M,W, (birthplace) PA, (served as a soldier in federal army during rebellion) yes.
Sisson, T.J., 17, M,W, (birthplace) MN

Census of 1910 - Roll: T624_39; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 0049; Image: 1371; FHL Number: 1374052.

Sisson, Tom J., Head, M,W, 40, S, (birthplace) – MN, (father's birthplace) – PA, (mother's birthplace) – PA, (occupation) Plumber, O.A. (on his own account), (can) read and write.
........................................................
March 15, 2017
this from Lee Ann Powers
Research Assistant.
Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum.
Miami, Arizona
their suggestion:
-------------------------
I found an article in the April 20, 1918 Daily Arizona Silver Belt, page 4, probably copied from a Clifton or Safford newspaper, about Tom Sisson's Cavalry record, and thought someone would like to read it. Anyone wanting a digital copy can contact me at the museum:

Tom Sisson Was Once An Old Cavalryman

Clifton, Ariz., April 20 -- Tom Sisson, who with John and Tom Powers murdered three Graham county officers on the upper Aravaipa creek on Sunday morning, February 10th, and whose trial is to be held here soon, was an old cavalryman. Some twenty of twenty-five years ago he was Sergeant Sisson of the 1st Cavalry, then stationed at old Fort Grant, on Indian duty. it was the duty of the cavalry in those days to ferret out the hiding places of the Apaches and in hunting for these elusive Indians Sisson and his comrades became familiar with every rock and crevice of the mountain ranges of eastern Arizona, and it was to these old haunts that he led the Powers boys after the brutal murder of the Graham county peace officers, and it is due to his knowledge of the country that they were able to evade the hundreds of man hunters on their trail these three weeks past.

Lee Ann Powers
Research Assistant
Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum
Miami, Az.

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