Capt. John ‘of Longfield’ Burton

The "Burton Chronicles of Colonial Virginia", p 30, explain that brothers John and Thomas Burton acquired Cobbs jointly, but since John later appears to have been seated at Longfield, his brother Thomas occupied Cobbs by himself. The Cobbs plantation consisted of 350 acres on the north bank of the Appomattox and just to the west of the Bermuda Hundred.

Disputed origins

It is unclear if the father or parents of the brothers Burton emigrated to Virginia in the 1600s, or, in the alternative, fathered Thomas "of Cobbs" Burton and this man, John Burton, in England, most likely in the 1620s, with Thomas and John then immigrating to Virginia either before or after the marriage of John and his wife, and either with or without one or both parents. There are no records to support any of these possible scenarios. In any case, Thomas, John, and John's wife and kids are all in Virginia by the time that Thomas and John jointly acquire the Cobbs plantation in 1656. That purchase is the first fact which clearly associates Thomas, John, and their relatives with Henrico County, Virginia. Anything earlier is speculation derived from unconnected records which cannot be clearly linked to any of those people who ended up at Cobbs.

While many sources exist on the life of Thomas and his brother, John, and their descendants, as described in the Burton Chronicles[1], everything about their parents and heritage is purely a guess at best.

Given this amount of uncertainty, it seems we would be better off detaching Capt. John ‘of Longfield’ Burton as son of Captain Richard Burton & Katherine Burton.

Biography

John "of Longfield" Burton

• b. 1632
• d. April 1, 1690
• Marriage 1 Rachel b: ABT 1635 in ENG Married: ABT 1650

Children

1. Mary Burton, b: abt 1650 in Henrico Co., VA. Married 1) John Davis 2) William Glover
2. Anne Burton, b. abt 1652, d. bef 1690
3. Rachel Burton, b: ABT 1654 in Henrico Co., VA From the will of her brother, John, it is known that Rachel had 3 illegitimate children, gender unknown, born before 1679.
4. John Burton, Jr. b: ABT 1656 in Henrico Co., VA. Married Mary.
5. Robert "of Longfield" Burton, b. Abt 1658, Henrico County, Virginia, USA, d. abt 1724.
6. Robert "of Longfield" Burton, b. Abt 1658, Henrico County, Virginia, USA b: BET 1654 AND 1656 in Henrico Co., VA
7. William "of the Level" Burton, Sr., b. Abt 1660, Henrico County, Virginia, USA. Married Mary? Parker?
8. Benjamin Burton b: ABT 1662
9. Dau Burton, b. c1664, VA d. Bef 1690, Henrico County, Virginia, USA. Married William Hatcher, Jr.

John Burton and Thomas Burton were the two immigrant brothers who came to Charles City County, Virginia around 1652. John Burton of "Longfield" and Thomas Burton of "Cobbs."

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/af/individual_record.asp?rec...

• Name: John "of Longfield" BURTON
• Sex: M
• Birth: ABT 1632 in England
• Death: 1 APR 1690 in Henrico Co., VA
• Reference Number: 1550

Will of John Burton:

• To son Robert land & plantation where I lived,
• to son William plantation where he lives,
• to daughter Rachel bed as it stands and what is in my chest,
• to granchild Mary Davis cow & calf,
• to grandson William Davis a calf,
• to granchild Elizabeth Davis 300 lbs tobacco which John Davis promised to pay me for 6 hogs. If he does not pay, the hogs go to my daughter Mary Glover, and she is to pay her daughter the 300 lbs tobacco.
• To Mr. Glover all my corn,
• to grandchild Elizabeth Davis a pewter bason & a small copper drinking pott and a chest,
• son Robert to be executor.
• dated 12 Feb. 1689, witness: William Glover, James Morris and Richard Perrin. Probated April 01, 1690]
• Source, from "Colonial Wills Henrico Co., Virginia, Part 2, 1737-1781" by Benjamin B. Weisiger III, page 27.

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The following Burton landowners are listed in the 1780 Land Book of Mecklenburg, Virginia: Abraham Burton, 285 acres; Benjamin burton, 100 acres; Hutchins Burton, 115 acres; Captain John Burton, 687 acres; John Burton, 727 acres; Josiah Burton, 150 acres; Captain Peter Burton, 407 1/2 acres; Robert Burton, 500 acres; and Thomas Burton, 385 acres. All of these Burton's were the great-grandchildren of the two immigrant brothers. --Source, Burton Genealogy of Marlene Burton DeLung & Peggy Burton Rich; Salem, Virginia; published on-line.

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Source, from the book, EARLY VIRGINIA FAMILIES ALONG THE JAMES RIVER: Their Deep Roots and Tangled Branches, Henrico County--Goochland County Virginia Compiled by LOUISE PLEDGE HEATH FOLEY, Volume One. Page 18 [Abstracts of Land Patents of Henrico County and Goochland County, including selected patents from Charles City, Chesterfield, and Powhatan Counties 1624--1732] Patent Book Number 5.

“JNO. BURTON, 700 acs. Henrico Co., 22 Mar. 1665/6, p. 479, (585). 300 acs. Nly. on a great swamp, Sly. towards land of ALICE EDLOWE, Widdow, Wly. over the river & Ely. into the woods, called by the name of the old feild; 300 acs. another parte joyning on the head of the Long feild pattent, beg. at a white oake marked 4 wayes at the extent of the deviding line of JNO. BURTON & JNO. DAVIES running along the greate slash S.E. by S. & c. 600 acs. granted to ROBT. CRADDOCK & by HOELL PRISE, his Atty., should unto JNO. COX, who assigned to sd. BURTON, & 100 acs. due for trans. of 2 pers: ANN COLEMAN, MARK WMS. (WILLIAMS)."

This is where the "LONGFIELD" name for John came from, that is, from the "Long feild pattent."

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Source, LINEAGES & GENEALOGY NOTES, by Mrs. Harry Joseph Morris (Louise Elizabeth Burton) 1967, in the Memphis, Tennesee Library. Courtesy, Janice Mauldin Castleman posting to GenForum: July 11, 1998.

"John Burton patented "Longfield" in 1665 and was called "John of Longfield." The children were all born in Henrico County, Virginia. After John married in Charles City Co., VA, he took out a patent for 700 acres in Henrico on the "long field" beside Cornelius Creek in Lily Valley, about 7 miles from the present city of Richmond, VA on 22 March 1666. In 1684, he divided his land by gift of deed to his sons, and gave the remaining lands to his sons named in his will dated 12 Feb. 1689, probated 01 Apr. 1690. His wife was not mentioned in his will and may have died previously, date unknown."

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--Source, VIRGINIA MAGAZINE XXXIII pp 317-318, courtesy of Janice Mauldin Castleman posting to GenForum: July 11, 1998.

“The following comes from Nancy Jamerson Weiland: "In the orphan's court of 1677, an accounting is given of the cattle belonging to John Jameson, an orphan, by John Burton. '4 cows, 2 heifers, in all six to be kept and ordered for the use of the said orphans at the direction of John Burton, it being his owne gift.' We cannot determine the relationship between Burton and Jameson. John Jameson's mother was the daughter of Robert Porter of Henrico who died in 1651. Her husband Jameson must have died just previous to this accounting in the orphans court in 1677. On October 23, 1690, John Jameson patented 89 acres of land adjoining Burton and in the same year action was brought against him by William Burton 'for that he had made a breach of coven, in not covering some houses.' John Jameson died in 1726 (Goochland, then Henrico) and his will mentions his wife Elizabeth and his daughter Elizabeth. His widow married Arthur Moseley; by 1747 his daughter was married to Samuel Hancock, Jr.

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Source, from the book, EARLY VIRGINIA FAMILIES ALONG THE JAMES RIVER: Their Deep Roots and Tangled Branches, Henrico County--Goochland County Virginia Compiled by LOUISE PLEDGE HEATH FOLEY, Volume One. Page 22 [Abstracts of Land Patents of Henrico County and Goochland County, including selected patents from Charles City, Chesterfield, and Powhatan Counties 1624--1732] Patent Book Number 6.

"JOHN DAVIS (DAVIES), 500 acs. Henrico Co., 1 Oct 1672, p. 426. 300 acs. adj. JOHN BURTON: includ. nigh half the long feild over the brass Spring &c., half of patt. granted ROBERT CRADOCK & by HOWELL PRICE, Atty. of sd. CRADOCK, sould to JOHN COX, who assigned to sd. BURTON; 300 acs. due sd. DAVIS; 200 acs. for trans. of 4 pers: ABELL GOWER, WM. GOWER, JOHN CLARKE, ANN MALEY."

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--Source, from the book, EARLY VIRGINIA FAMILIES ALONG THE JAMES RIVER: Their Deep Roots and Tangled Branches, Henrico County--Goochland County Virginia Compiled by LOUISE PLEDGE HEATH FOLEY, Volume One. Page 22 [Abstracts of Land Patents of Henrico County and Goochland County, including selected patents from Charles City, Chesterfield, and Powhatan Counties 1624--1732] Patent Book Number 6.
"RICHARD PERRIN, 740 a., 1 R., 24 P., Henrico Co., N. side James Riv., 13 May 1673, p. 445. 474 acs. called the Worlds End; from JOHN BURTON's house down the riv. 12 ft. below Cornelius' Cr., granted to Capt. MATHEW EDLOE 2 Oct. 1656 & sould to sd. PERRIN; 266 A., 1 R., 24 P. at the head &c. Trans. of 5 pers: STEVEN LEWIN (or LEWIS), THO. STANBRIG, NAN the maide, JONA. FISH, THO. MASON."

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--Source, from the book, EARLY VIRGINIA FAMILIES ALONG THE JAMES RIVER: Their Deep Roots and Tangled Branches, Henrico County--Goochland County Virginia Compiled by LOUISE PLEDGE HEATH FOLEY, Volume One. Page 29 [Abstracts of Land Patents of Henrico County and Goochland County, including selected patents from Charles City, Chesterfield, and Powhatan Counties 1624--1732] Patent Book Number 7.

"THOMAS TAYLOR, Planter, 1053 acs. Henrico Co., at Harahadocks (harahadox); N. side of James Riv. 21 Oct. 1687, p. 633. Beg. on the river, a little below the orchard, by land now, or late, JOHN COX's along path to 4 Mi. Cr.; over the Roundabout Sw; to land now or late FRANCIS REDFORD's; to BURTON & TAYLOR's river land, to Harahadox Cr. mouth at the river, &c. 631 acs. due THOMAS TAYLOR (the uncle, late dec'd) by patt., 23 sept. & descended to the above named THOMAS; 422 acs. lying parte within & parte contiguous to sd. 631 acs., due the nephew THOMAS for trans. of 9 pers; GEORGE DICK; THOMAS LAWRENCE; CTSAR. GUV. ABASSE; GEORGE COOKE; one child MARIA. Marginal note: 'Fees & seale charged.'"

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References

• GEDCOM Note. He lived in Longfield, Henrico Co., VA Linked to Kevin Baggett.
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188279553/john-burton cites
• - Virginia Colonial Land Office. Patents of the Colonial Land Office, 1623-1774. Richmond [VA]: 1934, 1977, 1979.
• - Harrison, Francis Burton,. Burton chronicles of colonial Virginia : being excerpts from the existing records, particularly relating to the Burtons of the valley of the James and Appomattox, with especial reference to the ancestry of Jesse Burton of Lynchburg (1750?-1795). Darmstadt : L. C. Wittich, 1933.
• - Knox, Nellie M. Starkey. Genealogy of the John Pleasant Burton family. Loveland, Colorado: Knox, 1991.
• - National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century, and Jeanne J. Tabb. Ancestor Lineages of Members, Texas Society, National Society Colonial Dames Seventeenth Century. [Texas?]: Clearfield Co, 1991.
• - Coxe, Simeon O. Adventurers and Planters at Arrowhattocks: A Genealogy of the Coxe, Hutchins, Burton Families of Henrico County, Virginia. 1964.
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Burton-309
• http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db...
• https://hatcherfamilyassn.com/getperson.php?personID=I40453&tree=Wm...