Biography of Harry Franklin Sisson

Having become identified with the textile industry in New England, immediately following his graduation from high school, Mr. Sisson has continued to be successfully active in this field. During his long career, covering some thirty-five years, he has been connected at different times with various well known and important textile mills in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and during the last twenty years he has served as superintendent of mills owned by the B. B. & R. Knight Company. Mr. Sisson is widely known in the textile industry and enjoys a high reputation as an able executive. He is a member of numerous fraternal, social and civic organizations and in every respect represents the highest type of useful and upright citizen.

Harry Franklin Sisson was born at Fall River, Massachusetts, July 14, 1878, a son of Franklin P. and Helen M. (Chapman) Sisson. His father, now deceased, was born at Fall River, Massachusetts, and was engaged there in the gents’ furnishings and tailoring business until his death. His mother, still living, is a native of New York City.

Mr. Sisson received his education in the public schools of his native city and, having graduated from Durfee High School, took a special textile course in one of the schools devoted to this type of instruction. Having completed his education, he became associated with Hargrave’s Mill, No. 1, Fall River, Massachusetts, where he remained for five years. Next he spent five years with the Arkwright Mills, likewise at Fall River, and then five more years with the New England Cotton Yarn Company at Taunton, Massachusetts. In 1910 he became associated with the B. B. & R. Knight Company and in the following year he became superintendent of the Clinton Mill at Woonsocket. He remained there until 1912, when he became associated with the Centreville Manufacturing Company, of Centreville, continuing there until 1917. He then became superintendent of the Royal Mills, West Warwick, the largest mill owned by the B. B. & R. Knight Company. He is a member of the West Warwick Chamber of Commerce, the West Warwick Lions Club, and the West Warwick Country Club, of which latter he is a governor. He is also active in fraternal affairs, being a member of Warwick Lodge, No. 16, Free and Accepted Masons; Landmark Chapter, No. 10, Royal Arch Masons; Narragansett Council, Royal and Select Masters; and Providence Lodge, No. 14, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In politics he is a supporter of the Republican party, while his religious affiliation is with the Unitarian Church. He finds his chief recreations in horseback riding and golf.

Mr. Sisson married, in 1900, Agnes C. McKeon, a native of Taunton, Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. Sisson are the parents of one daughter, Helen Ruth Sisson.

Source: Carroll, Charles. Rhode Island: Three Centuries of Democracy, vol 3 of 4. New York: Lewis historical Pub. Co., 1932.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Pin It on Pinterest

Scroll to Top