John Burroughs, I

Family

Descendants of John BURROUGHS: Generation One < link >

1. John1 BURROUGHS was born circa 1617 in England.1

He married (first) Joanna JESSUP, daughter of John JESSUP and Joanna KERRICH, in Stamford, Fairfield Co, CT. He married (second) Elizabeth (PETTIT) REED, daughter of Thomas PETTIT and Christian MELLOWS, as her second husband. He died in Aug 1678 in Newtown, Queens Co, NY, (some Internet sources say 3 Aug).1

Some sources have John BURROUGHS of Newtown as the son of Reverend Jeremiah BURROUGHS. Jeremiah, however, was born about 1599 or 1600 and therefore was very likely not the father of John. Also, Jeremiah died 13 Nov 1646 in London and John was in New Haven CT by 1644.

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Burroughs-298

John Bourroughs was born in England in about 1617.[1][2][3] He died in 1678[4][3] in Newtown, Queens, New York, which is now the Elmhurst section of Queens.

According to James Riker, "upon his removal to Newtown, [John] became a leading man, and being a skillful penman, a quite rare accomplishment in those days, he filled the office of town clerk for eleven years. He appears to have been a resolute character, and a warm advocate of popular rights..."[5]

He married twice. His first wife is thought to be Joanna Jessup,[3] whom he wed in Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. They had four children: Joanna about 1641, Jeremiah about 1642, Joseph about 1644 and Mary about 1649. His second wife was Elizabeth (Pettit) Reed, widow of Thomas Reed, and possibly the daughter of Thomas and Christian (Mellowes) Pettit. John and Elizabeth had a son John Jr. b. 1665 at Newtown.

John Burroughs of Newtown, Queens Co, NY, left a will dated 2 Jul 1678. The will mentioned his wife, son Jeremiah, son Joseph, son John (a minor not yet 21), daughters Joanna Reeder and Mary Burroughs.[6]

His son, Jeremiah Burroughs, was executor, witnesses were Thomas Petit and Gershom Moore. An inventory of the estate of John Burroughs was taken on 29 Aug 1678 in Queens Co, NY.

Research Notes

England and Immigration

No certainty exists about John Burroughs's birthplace or year of immigration to the New World. At one point this biography showed an unsourced birth date of December, 1611. The 1617 year comes from two separate court depositions: one from 13 August 1667 court deposition in which John was "aged about 50 years" and another official record from January of 1675 that said he was 58 years old.[1] [7]

Several sources state that John was the man of a similar name found at Salem by 1637.[4][8][9] According to Steve Warling, this was John Barrows Barrow-99 who arrived on the Mary Ann and later lived in Plymouth. Robert Charles Anderson states that this John Burroughs was not seen again after 1644, as does Gale Ion Harris — meaning at a minimum that they find no evidence conclusively showing that he was any man with a similar name appearing in later records. That man was said to be 28 years old in 1637 when "examined" before his passage, desiring to pass to Salem in New England.[10] This would have him 7–8 years older than the man at Newtown, casting serious doubt on their identification as the same man.

Some sources say that before arriving in Salem, he was a member of the Long Parliament, which Oliver Cronwell dissolved. Burroughs emigrated, fleeing religious persecution. [11]

Various online sources state, with no evidence, that John Burroughs's second wife was Elizabeth (Jessup) Reed, the sister of his first wife Joanna. It is then very difficult to explain why she named in her will a sister Hannah Pettit. If Elizabeth were a Jessup, we would need a likely candidate for a Hannah Jessup who married a Pettit, and none presents herself. We would also need an Elizabeth Jessup who married a Reed, and again, we are at a loss. On the other hand, there is a natural reason for how she erroneously became a Jessop -- confusion with John Burrough's first wife, which at some point morphed into the statement that they were sisters.

Life in Newtown

On 22 January 1657, John Burroughes of the town of "Midle Burrough" petitioned governor Stuysevant. The complaint was that the town had set aside property and erected a house for a minister, and that "some of the town" had given the property to Mr. More for his own use, which would leave the town "destitute." Inferring from the rest of the test, it would seem that the complaint was that the land should have remained property of the town, and not Rev. Moore's property, since if he died the town would no longer have the property and would still have to attract another minister to come and live.[12]

On 12 May 1664, the general assembly at Hartford, Connecticut accepted John Burroughs along with several other Newtown men as freemen.[13]

John was town clerk in Newtown for several years, so he appears many times in the town records just in that role.

On 10 December 1667, John Burrough was recorded plaintiff in a lawsuit against several men charging trespass on the case.[14] One Thomas Stevens testified that "he heard a tuemolt and he looked and he saw goodman Burroughs and his two sonns driving cattle..." He goes on to describe a quarrel between Goodman Burroughs and several other men, one of whom called John "oulde Clarke." These corroroborrates John only having two sons old enough to drive cattle in this year, Jeremiah and Joseph, while son John was only two years old. "Clarke" presumably refers to John's position as town clerk.

In a tax list from September 1675, John appears on the 8th line, shown with two males, land and meadow valued at 40 (surpassed only by three other residents), 1 horse, 4 oxen, 4 cows, 4 yearlings, and 24 sheep (a sheep count surpassed by only one othe resident).[15] Sons Jeremiah and Joseph appear elsewhere in the list, so it seems either 10-year-old son John was old enough to qualify as an addiditional male or else there was another older unknown male in the household.

On 8 January 1675, John Burroughs of Newtown was summoned before the New York Colonial Council with the constable "for two letters reflecting on the government." On 13 January 1675, we was sentenced "to be whipped and imprisoned," and a warrant was issue to the sheriff to carry out the sentence.[16] His son John would only have been around 12, so this must be John the immigrant. It is to be wondered if this sentence was carried out, and if so, if it was related to his death a few years later.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/216097457/edward-jessup

Edward Jessup's connection with John Burroughs is that they had both married members of the Whitmore family and at the death of his wife Joanna, John Burroughs married Edwards sister Elizabeth the widow of Thomas Reed .. John Burroughs is mentioned in Edward Jessup's will as his brother in law.

http://home.comcast.net/~jeffmoore1000/CookLine/g0/p847.htm

** conflucting information ** first wife was Joanna Jessup, daughter of John Jessup found in Mass by 1637 (D L Jacobus The American Genealogist 10:42) then after she died, was he married to the widow Elizabeth Reed (Pettitt)?? Was he married to an Elizabeth Jessup (daughter of Captain Thomas Jessup of Conn.?? And which was John 1165's mother?? ** Any reliable sources - greatly appreciated

Elizabeth Burroughs Was probably not his 2nd wife.

Elizabeth's will was dated 25 Nov 1678 and mentioned children Joseph Reed, John Reed, Mary Moore, Sara Reed; a sister Hannah Petit; John Burroughs being underage; executor son-in-law Samuel MOORE of Newtown

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John BURROUGHS of Trenton Tp, Hunterdon Co, NJ, left a will dated 22 Oct 1768 (the will mentioned grandson Jonathan BURROUGHS, daughters Sarah MOORE, Elizabeth ROSE, Mary BAKER, Jemima HOWELL, sons Benjamin and Isaac of Salem Co, son James the family plantation, executors sons Joseph and James, witnesses Silas ROSE, Daniel LANING, Abigail HOWELL). An inventory of the estate of John BURROUGHS was taken on 8 Mar 1774 in Hunterdon Co, NJ. The will was proved on 9 Mar 1774 in Hunterdon Co, NJ.

Genealogical Notes on Ewing Twp NJ Cooley 1883

The Burroughs Family pg 2

John Burroughs (1) the ancestor of the families of that name in this part of the country being of English birth is most probably of the same family. (Jeremiah Burroughs one of the Westminster divines) He came to Massachusetts near the period of its settlement as he is found living in Salem in 1637. Thence he removed to Newtown LI where he became a leading man and died 1678 aged 61 leaving by his first marriage children: Jeremiah who had a son Jeremiah married to Cornelia Eckerson and settled in Hunterdon CO NJ: Joseph a liberal supporter of the Presbyterian Church whose son john owned land at Trenton and some of whose descendents became prominent citizens of GA: Joanna married Jacob Reeder and Mary. his 2nd wife was the widow Elizabeth Reed whose only son was John (2).

Burroughs Family Genealogy by Dr. James Walmsey 1950's

Perly's History of Salem MA states that John Burroughs was at Salem in 1637 and moved to Newtown after 1644. He died the in 1678 aged 61yrs. His 1st wife not known. Second wife Elizabeth reed by whom he had a son John born in Newtown June 22, 1665.

John Sr. and a brother Jeremiah found in Newtown 1665. Jeremiah a freeholder in 1686.

"Riker's Annals" of Newtown states - John Burroughs in 1665 purchased land from the Indians in the neighborhood of Middlebury LI and paid one pound 10 shillings for his holdings the land being valued at one shilling per acre. Middlebury was then included in Newtown.

1657 assessors list for the town of Newtown LI John Burroughs owner of 40 acres, 1 horse, 4 oxen, 4 cows, 24 sheep.

Virkus Vol 1 First Families of America calls John Burroughs a founder of Middlebury LI 1652. he was one of seven patentees of Newtown LI 1666. He was town clerk for 11 years.

John Burroughs1 made a will dated July 2 1678 as of Newton L

To John, house orchards island of salt meadow (20 A's) in Foster's Neck. Son Jeremiah and Joseph; daughters Joanna Reeder and Mary Burroughs? Inventory Aug 29, 1678, L 297:14. Son Jeremaih confirmed as Executor Oct 19 1678. (Riker's Annals of Newtown Vol1 p55 LI Wills, NY Hist Soc Collection) Ibid Vol 1cpg 293 LI Wills)

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John was born about 1617. He died in Newtown, Queens Co., which is now called Elmhurst.

He was married twice. His first wife was Joanna Jessup, whom he wed in Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. They had four children: Joanna about 1641, Jeremiah about 1642, Joseph about 1644 and Mary about 1649.

The name of his second wife is disputed. Some people say that she was Elizabeth Jessup, the sister of Joanna Jessup. Other say that she was the widow Elizabeth (Pettit) REED, the daughter of Thomas Pettit and Christian Mellows Pettit.

John and Elizabeth had one son together: John Jr. in 1665.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=49867562

He was married twice. His first wife was Joanna Jessup, whom he wed in Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. They had four children: Joanna about 1641, Jeremiah about 1642, Joseph about 1644 and Mary about 1649.

The name of his second wife is disputed. Some people say that she was Elizabeth Jessup, the sister of Joanna Jessup. Other say that she was the widow Elizabeth (Pettit) REED, the daughter of Thomas Pettit and Christian Mellows Pettit.

John and Elizabeth had one son together: John Jr. in 1665.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=49867562

http://swarling.mywebcommunity.org/burroughs/newtown0001.htm

“John BURROUGHS”  was born circa 1617 in England.  He married (first) Joanna JESSUP, daughter of 

John JESSUP and Joanna KERRICH, in Stamford, Fairfield Co, CT. He married (second) Elizabeth (PETTIT) REED, daughter of Thomas PETTIT and Christian MELLOWS, as her second husband. He died in Aug 1678 in Newtown, Queens Co, NY, (some Internet sources say 3 Aug).

Some sources have John BURROUGHS of Newtown as the son of Reverend Jeremiah BURROUGHS. Jeremiah, however, was born about 1599 or 1600 and therefore was very likely not the father of John. Also, Jeremiah died 13 Nov 1646 in London and John was in New Haven CT by 1644.

Some sources have John BURROUGHS in Salem in 1637. This John, however, was John BARROWS, who came over in 1637 on the ship Mary Ann, "desirous to pass to Salem in New England, there to inhabit". John BARROWS later lived in Plymouth MA.

There was a John BURROWS mentioned in a New Haven CT court record in 1644. This was probably the John who settled in Newtown. A number of future Newtown families lived in New Haven. New Haven was founded in 1638 by a group of colonists who had arrived in Boston a year earlier on the ship Hector. John BURROUGHS's name is not on the passenger list of the Hector. However, there supposedly was another ship that sailed with the Hector. Maybe John was on that ship.

John BURROUGHS may have been an indentured servant. Indentured servants were not allowed to marry until their service was finished and John's oldest child, or at least the oldest that lived to adulthood, was not born until he was about 32. 70% of immigrants arriving in America between 1630 and 1660 were indentured servants. John may have arrived in America in 1637 as a servant to someone in the New Haven group and finished his contract in the early to mid 1640s. Freed indentured servants were usually given land at the end of their service. John BURROUGHS may have been given land in Stamford, which was part of the New Haven Colony.

On 3 May 1649, John BURROWS was a witness to a court action against one of the townsmen of Stamford, CT.

On 12 Apr 1652, John BURROUGHS sold land in Stamford CT as an "attorney" for the widow WHITMOR, then living in Masheag [Maspeth?]. Joanna (JESSUP) BURROUGHS's mother married John WHITMORE as her second husband.

John BURROUGHS was one of the early settlers of Newtown, Queens Co, NY. He probably moved there before Apr 1652. At that time his widowed mother-in-law was living in Newtown (then called Maspeth).

On 12 Apr 1656, John BURROUGHS was one of the signers of a deed from the Indians to the founders of Newtown, submitted and recorded on 6 Mar 1666.

John BURROUGHS was town clerk of Newtown for a number of years. He also served as Constable for awhile.

The approximate birth year for John BURROUGHS comes from the Newtown town records. In a 13 Aug 1667 court deposition he was called "aged about 50 years".

John BURROUGHS of Newtown, Queens Co, NY, left a will dated 2 Jul 1678 (the will mentioned his wife, son Jeremiah, son Joseph, son John (not yet 21), daughters Joanna REDER and Mary BURROUGHS, son Jeremiah executor, witnesses were Thomas PETTIT and Gershom MOORE). An inventory of the estate of John BURROUGHS was taken on 29 Aug 1678 in Queens Co, NY.6

A brother of Elizabeth (PETTIT) (REED) BURROUGHS moved to Hopewell Tp, Hunterdon Co, NJ, about 1696.

Some sources have Joanna (JESSUP) BURROUGHS dying in 1679. This would have been very unlikely, since divorces back then were very rare. The error can be explained by the fact that John BURROUGHS's second wife, Elizabeth, died in 1679.

[http://swarling.mywebcommunity.org/burroughs/newtown0001.htm#id10073]

• ***Added by Mary Lee Trounter Boyce 7/10/2015. Research by Steve Swarling.

References

1. Colonial Families of Philadelphia, Volume 2, By John Woolf Jordan
2. Jessica Kross, The Evolution of an American Town: Newtown, New York,1642-1775.
3. Riker, James, Jr., Space:The_annals_of_Newtown%2C_in_Queens_County%2C_New_York%3B_containing_its_history_from_its_first_settlement%2C_together_with_many_interesting_facts_concerning_the_adjacent_towns|The Annals of Newtown, in Queens County, New York; containing its history from its first settlement, together with manyinteresting facts concerning the adjacent towns (D. Fanshaw, New-York, 1852)
4. Ross, Peter. A history of Long Island : from its earliest settlement to the present time. New York: Lewis Pub. Co., 1902. p. 175. Accessed on ancestry.com 17 Mar 2018. Freely available HathiTrust
5. Space:Collections of the New-York Genealogical and Biographical Society|Collections of the New-York Genealogical and Biographical Society (New York, 1892)

• # http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=49867562

1. Title: Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.
2. http://swarling.x10host.com/johnburroughsnewtown0001.htm#id10075

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Burroughs-298 cites

1. Minutes of the Town Courts of Newtown, 1656-1690: Page 73
2. Riker, Page 91
3. Torrey, Clarence A. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004. p. 123. Accessed at ancestry.com, 17 Mar 2018.
4. Riker, page 383
5. Riker, James, Jr.The Annals of Newtown, in Queens County, New York; containing its history from its first settlement, together with many interesting facts concerning the adjacent towns.D. Fanshaw, New-York, 1852.
6. Collections NY Gen. & Biog. Soc.: Vol. 25, Page 55
7. Riker, page 91
8. Jacobus: vol. 1 page 336
9. Jesup: Pages 48–9, footnote
10. Hotten: page 294
11. Pelletreau, William S. Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Family History of New York. Vol. I-IV. New York, USA: Lewis Publishing,1907.page 151.
12. [https://digitalcollections.archives.nysed.gov/index.php/Detail/obje... "Petition of the inhabitants of Middleburth", New York State Archives, digital collection, series A1810, document NYSA_A1810-78_V12_50
13. The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut: Vol. 1, Page 430
14. Minutes of the Town Courts of Newtown, 1656-1690: Page 77
15. O'Callaghan: Vol. 2, Page 464
16. Calendar of Council Minutes, 1668–1773 (Albany, NY: University of the State of New York, 1902) pages 20–1
17. Colonial Families of Philadelphia, Volume 2, By John Woolf Jordan
18. Hotten, John Camden. The Original Lists Of Persons Of Quality (J.W. Bouton, New York, 1874).
19. Jacobus, Donald Lines. History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield (Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor Co., New Haven, Conn., 1930)
20. Jessica Kross, The Evolution of an American Town: Newtown, New York, 1642-1775.
21. Jesup, Henry Griswold. Edward Jessup of West Farms, Westchester Co., New York, and his descendants (published by the author, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1887)
22. O'Callaghan, Edmund. The Documentary History of the State of New-York (Charles Van Benthuysen, Public Printer, 1849-)
23. Pelletreau, William S. Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Family History of New York. Vol. I-IV. New York, USA: Lewis Publishing, 1907.page 151
24. Riker, James, Jr.The Annals of Newtown, in Queens County, New York; containing its history from its first settlement, together with many interesting facts concerning the adjacent towns.D. Fanshaw, New-York, 1852.
25. Ross, Peter. A history of Long Island : from its earliest settlement to the present time. New York: Lewis Pub. Co., 1902. p. 175. Accessed on ancestry.com 17 Mar 2018. Freely available HathiTrust
26. Collections of the New-York Genealogical and Biographical Society (New York, 1892)
27. Minutes of the Town Courts of Newtown, 1656-1690, (NYC, N.Y.: WPA Historical Records Survey, New York City, August 1940).
28. The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut (Hartford, Brown & Parsons, 1850)
29. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=49867562
30. U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700
31. Steve Warling's well-sourced webpage Descendants of John Burroughs, personal website, archive copy