My grandmother once told me that one of her ancestors was Philip Paul Bliss. I am trying to trace this back and determine if this is accurate. My grandmother's name was Helen McCray Doll and she was born in Cowgill, MO in 1904. Does anyone have any leads for me?
Thanks so much,
Cindy

Do you mean Philip Paul Bliss the hymn writer? Here's a page with info: http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/biorpbliss.html and another one at http://pdmusic.org/bliss.html

If so, Philip Paul Bliss is a descendant of the Rhode Island line of Bliss families and Helen McCray is a descendant of the Hartford line of Bliss families.

Here's what the genealogy by Ty Bliss shows:

Hartford Line
Thomas Bliss + Margaret Hulins
Nathaniel Bliss + Catherine Chapin
Samuel Bliss + Sarah Stebbins
Nathaniel Bliss + Mary Morgan
Pelatiah Bliss + Jemima Hitchcock
Zadock Bliss +Sarah Cushman
Zadock Bliss +Keziah Haskins
John Quncy Adams Bliss + Jane Weaver
Sarah Agnes Bliss + Millard Fillmore McCray
Helen McCray

Rhode Island Line
George Bliss + Ann Shaw
John Bliss + Damaris Arnold
William Bliss + Barbara Phillips
John Bliss + Reliance Babcock
Isaac Bliss + Lydia Doolittle
Philip Paul Bliss

This was SO helpful! Thank you very much. My mother found something in her papers that mentions Zadock Bliss so I feel certain that we are in the Hartford line and not the Rhode Island line as I previously thought. Thank you again for helping me.
Sincerely,
Cindy Erickson, granddaughter to Helen McCray Doll

glad to help.

I should have typed John Quincy Adams Bliss.

oh, yes i noticed that but that was no big deal. the information you provided was invaluable. I do wish we were related to the great hymn writer but maybe sometime in the future i'll have time to research the other Bliss family and find out some cool stuff.

Can you help? My Gramma was Gertrude Bliss. Her brother was Asher Bliss. Her mother Carrie Bliss. I know Phillip Paul Bliss is her great uncle..who is in between? Do you know what happened to the children of PP Bliss after he and his wife died? Thanks, Michele

Hi Michele,

PP Bliss is not my line so I would defer to another to answer about his children. According to the genealogy, Philip Paul b. 1872 and Geroge Goodwin, b. 1874 were raised by their mother's sister, Mrs. John S. Ellsworth at Orwell Hill, PA. Both married and had no children.

Re your line:

the parents of Gertrude and Asher Bliss are: Nelson Woodford Bliss of Napoli, NY, b. 4.22.1874 at South Valley, NY, the son of Asher Hendiece Bliss, Jr. and Anna Eliza Woodford of Napoli. He was first married to Belle Francisco who was born in Spetermber 1878 in NY state.

He was afterwards married to Mrs. Eva McKenzie and had:

Gertrude

Anna, who married William H. Lockwood and resided at Little Valley, NY

Carrie Avis

Asher



Nelson Woodford Bliss's descent is from:

Thomas Bliss (immigrant) + Margaret Hulins

Nathaniel Bliss + Catharine Chapin

Samuel Bliss + Sarah Stebbins

Nathaniel Bliss + Mary Morgan

Pelatiah Bliss + Sarah Crowfoot

Simeon Bliss + Lucy Southworth

Rev. Asher Hendiece Bliss + Cassandra Hooper (she is a Mayflower descendant thru Isaac Allerton so you would be eligible for Mayflower Society membership thru her line)

Asher Hendiece Bliss, Jr. + Anna Eliza Woodford

Nelson Woodford Bliss b. 1874

Note, this line is considered the Hartford line so you would have to connect PP Bliss (RI line) to determine the relationship.

Hope this helps and hope I got it typed in correctly. BTW, try your library to see if it has Aaron Tyler Bliss's genealogy of the Bliss Family in three volumes. It has many pages of information about your line.

Are you searching for the children of Philip Paul Bliss the religious song writer? My grandmother was Ella Louise Bliss and her brother was Philip Paul Bliss. I believe they were the grandchildren of Philip Paul bliss the song writer. I have old pictures of him on glass and metal plates. I also have letters written in 1850's. Let me know if I can help. My grandmother was Ella Louise Bliss, Her mother was Lucille McKinley (maiden) married to Philip Paul Bliss and after his death she married again and was Lucille McKinely Little.

Hi there, Thanks for writing. Yes, I thought I was related to Philip Paul Bliss. But further research shows me that I am descended from the Hartford Line which is Thomas Bilss, Nathaniel Bliss, Samuel Bliss, Nathaniel (again), Pelatiah Biss, Zadock Bliss, Zadock (again), John Quincy Adams Bliss and then Sarah Agnes Bliss who was my great grandmother. Perhaps however, you and I are related way, way back? Have you researched enough to know whether the Hartford Line of Bliss(mine) and the Rhode Island Line of Bliss (yours) were related originally?
It has always been a legend in our family that we were related to Philip Paul Bliss, the hymn writer so it was quite a disappointment to find out that wasn't really the case.

Hi Thanks for your reply. My grandmother is the one that told me we were related to Philip Paul Bliss. Her brother was named after him. My grandmother was from Warren/Cleveland area of Ohio. My grandmother was Ella Louise Bliss and married Bernard Terry in 1936. Her mother was Lucilla Mckinley (Maiden name and she was related to the President Willian Mckinley) She married a Bliss who died in the war in the early 1900's. She then married a Little. They were all from the Ohio area and that is as far back as I know. There was another bliss that was in the Spanish American war. I have pictures of him but I'm not sure who he is. I also have some old letters he wrote home during the war to his family in the 1850's. I have always wanted to find out who he is. Maybe we are related in some way.