Major Lewis Burwell I

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LR5K-W6G

https://www.Burwellencyclopediavirginia.org/Burwell_Lewis_bap_1622-...

Lewis Burwell was a merchant and founder of the Burwell family in Virginia, which held great prominence in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The nephew of two colonists of the early Jamestown settlement, Burwell established himself in the colony by 1641. Within a decade he owned or co-owned at least 7,250 acres. He also held land and rent that he inherited from his stepfather, Roger Wingate, who served on the governor's Council from 1640 to 1642. Burwell began the family practice of using advantageous marriages to increase power and property, and he established the family's longstanding seat at Carter's Creek in Gloucester County.

Burwell was born in Bedfordshire, England, the son of Edward Burwell and Dorothy Bedell Burwell, and was baptized in Ampthill Parish on March 5, 1622. His family connections undoubtedly explain his immigration to Virginia. His uncles Gabriel Bedell and John Bedell, who were members of the Virginia Company of London, arrived in Jamestown in 1608 and were named in the second charter of the colony in 1609 and on other documents through 1624. One of his sisters married a London merchant who acquired a plantation on Queen's Creek in York County. Following the death of Burwell's father in 1626, his mother married Roger Wingate, who in 1633 participated in one of the first attempts to plant a colony in what became North Carolina and who served on the governor's Council in Virginia from 1640 to 1642.

Burwell may have accompanied his stepfather to America in 1633, but if so he probably returned to England the following year. Burwell had settled in Virginia by January 1641. The records of Accomack County between 1641 and 1647 and of York County after 1645 show him acting with and on behalf of his elder brother William Burwell and other local merchants. Lewis Burwell acquired his first land in 1648, when he and a friend received 2,300 acres on the south bank of the lower part of the York River. Later in 1648 he claimed the headrights inherited from his stepfather and patented 2,350 acres on the north bank of the York River. In that same year Burwell's mother conveyed to him all the rents due at Wingate's death in 1642, and thereafter his wealth grew rapidly. On consecutive days in 1650 he received 1,600 acres in Northumberland County and two adjoining tracts of 500 acres each on the south bank of the Potomac River. Two years later Burwell patented another 200 acres.

Sometime after August 1650 Burwell married Lucy Higginson, the first of a long series of marriages by which the Burwell family substantially increased its wealth and social status. Their only child, Lewis Burwell (d. 1710), built on his father's legacy, partly through connections and property acquired by virtue of Lucy Higginson Burwell's second marriage in 1653 to William Bernard, a member of the Council from 1641 until his death in 1665, and her third to Philip Ludwell, who was appointed to the Council in 1675, the year of her death.

A major in the militia and often identified as a gentleman, Burwell evidently never held political office, but his family ties and the prominence of many of his near neighbors guaranteed that he was well known and respected by persons able to advance his fortunes. Marital alliances and the seemingly insatiable desire for land are common themes in the rise of the great families that dominated Virginia during most of the colonial period, and few families more clearly illustrate these themes than the Burwells.

About the time of his marriage Burwell settled on his land on Carter's Creek in Gloucester County. By then he was suffering from a debilitating illness that is not identified in the records. Burwell died probably on November 19, 1652, although his gravestone when it was still legible reportedly indicated that he died in the thirty-third year of his life on November 19, 1658. Several extant documents demonstrate that he died before November 1653, and his widow had married William Bernard by August 1653, suggesting that the gravestone inscription was in error or had been incorrectly transcribed. Burwell was buried in the family cemetery, but his body was later moved to the yard of Abingdon Church in Gloucester County.

Time Line

March 5, 1622 - Lewis Burwell, born in Bedfordshire, England, to Edward Burwell and Dorothy Bedell Burwell, is baptized in Ampthill Parish.

1626 - Edward Burwell, husband of Dorothy Bedell Burwell, dies. Dorothy Bedell Burwell marries Roger Wingate.

1633 - Lewis Burwell (1622–1652) may accompany his stepfather, Roger Wingate, who participates in one of the first attempts to plant a colony in what becomes North Carolina. If Burwell did accompany Wingate, he returns to England in 1634.

January 1641 - By this time, Lewis Burwell (1622–1652) has settled in Virginia.

1648 - Lewis Burwell (1622–1652) and a friend receive 2,300 acres on the south bank of the lower part of the York River. Later that year Burwell claims the headrights inherited from his stepfather, Roger Wingate, and patents 2,350 acres on the north bank of the York River.

1650 - Lewis Burwell (1622–1652) receives 1,600 acres in Northumberland County and two adjoining tracts of 500 acres each on the south bank of the Potomac River.

August 1650 - Sometime after this month, Lewis Burwell (1622–1652) marries Lucy Higginson. They have one child, Lewis Burwell (d. 1710).

1652 - Lewis Burwell (1622–1652) patents 200 acres on the south bank of the Potomac River.

November 19, 1652 - Lewis Burwell (1622–1652) probably dies on this date, although his gravestone when it was still legible reportedly indicated that he died on November 19, 1658. However, several extant documents demonstrated that Burwell died before November 1653.

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Lewis Burwell

immigrant, was son of Edward Burwell, of Bedfordshire, England, and Dorothy Bedell, his wife. He was born March 5, 1621, and died November 4, 1653. He settled in Virginia about 1640, and resided at Carter's Creek in Gloucester county, where his tomb long remained. He married Lucy, daughter of Captain Robert Higginson, and was "sergeant major" of the militia. ______________________________________

Maj. Lewis Burwell (Edward2, Edward1); baptized 5 Mar 1621/22 at

Ampthill, Bedford, England; m. Lucy Higginson, daughter of Capt.

Robert Higginson and Joanna Tokesey, 1648; 1st husband; d. 18 Nov 1653

at age 31; bur. at Abington Church, Gloucester Co., VA.

    He resided at 'Carter's Creek', Gloucester Co., VA. He resided at

'Fairfield', Gloucester Co., VA.

    Lucy Higginson married Col. William Bernard, son of Francis

Bernard and Mary Woolhouse; 2nd husband. She married Col. Philip

Ludwell, son of Thomas Ludwell and Jane Cottington; 3rd husband, 1st

wife. She died on 6 Nov 1675. She died on 16 Nov 1675 at Virginia.

    Known children of Maj. Lewis Burwell and Lucy Higginson were:

4. i. Hon. Lewis Burwell, b. circa 1652; m. Abigail
Smith; m. Martha Lear.
http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~marshall/esmd42.htm

Came to Colony in 1640.

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Married 1648 in Gloucester Co., VA to Lucy Tokesay Higginson.

Their issue:

1. Maj. Lewis II Fairfield Burwell (1651-1710)

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Came to the colony in 1640. In 1647 he was a member of the deputation sent to invite Charles II to come to Virginia; he served as Seargeant Major of Militia.

He resided at 'Fairfield', Gloucester Co., VA, AKA 'Carter's Creek' (near White Marsh), Gloucester Co., VA. His son Lewis built the famous manor home "Fairfield."

"The Burwell's of Kingsmill & Stoneland, An Account of an American Family, 1633-1900" by Robert Parker

Granted his first patent on 18 Apr 1648, together with Thomas Vaulx, for 2,300 acres on the south side of the York River, Virginia accruing as a result of the abandoned 1633 Kingwell expedition and subsequently patented 2,350 acres on the north side of the York River on 12 Jun 1648, which became his own plantation of Fairfield (later called Carter's Creek), Gloucester County.

http://www.geocities.ws/christicrutchfield/burwell_ahnentafel.htm

In 1646, Lewis, a Sergeant-Major of Militia, was a member of a delegation sent to invite Charles II to come to Virginia. In the spring of 1648, Lewis and a Thomas Vause or Vaulx, exercising headrights accruing as a result of abandoned 1633 Kingswell expedition and being for the transportation of forty-six persons, received 2300 acres on the York River. On 12 Jun 1648, Lewis received 2350 more acres when he exercised headrights for the transportation of forty-seven persons whose names included Francis Burwell and Burwell. In 1650, Lewis exercising headright claims, received an additional 500 acres.

From a Burwell Family History:

Major LEWIS BURWELL, member of the delegation sent to invite Charles II to Virginia, bapt 5 Mar 1621/22 at Ampthill, granted his first patent on 18 Apr 1648, together with Thomas Vaulx, for 2,300 acres on the south side of the York River, Virginia accruing as a result of the abandoned 1633 Kingwell expedition and subsequently patented 2,350 acres on the north side of the York River on 12 Jun 1648, which became his own plantation of Fairfield (later called Carter's Creek), Gloucester County, m. LUCY, only dau of Captain ROBERT HIGGINSON, a prominent Indian fighter, who commanded at Middle Plantation, Williamsburg in 1644-45, and his wife JOANNA (née TORKESY) and grand-dau of THOMAS HIGGINSON, Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers, of Berkswell, Warwickshire. He d. 18 Nov 1653 (and she m. 2ndly Colonel William Bernard, member of the Council 1642-59, of Nansemond County, brother of Sir Robert Bernard, Bt, of Brampton Hall. He d. 31 Dec 1665 having had issue and she m. 3rdly 1667, Philip Ludwell, Governor of Carolina, of Green Spring, near Williamsburg and had further issue. Among the great-grandsons of the third marriage were the brothers and signers of the Declaration of Independence, Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee) and she d. 26 Nov 1675 and they were both buried at Fairfield having had issue.

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"In memory of Major Lewis Burwell, of the County of Gloucester in Virginia. Gentleman who descended from the Ancient family of Burwells of the Counties of Bedford and Northhampton in England, who nothing more worthy in the birth than virtous in his life, exchanged this life for a better on the 19th day of November in the 33rd year of his age, Anno Domini 1653" With coat of arms

This grave was moved here from Carter's Creek in 1911.

• According to his monument, he would have been born in 1620, but he was baptized 5 Mar 1622.

Family links:

Parents:

 Dorothy Powers Bedell Wingate (1591 - 1648)

Spouse:

 Lucy Tokesay Higginson Burwel Ludwell (1626 - 1675)

Children:

 Lewis Burwell (1651 - 1710)*

*Calculated relationship

Burial: Abingdon Episcopal Church Cemetery White Marsh Gloucester County Virginia, USA

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Maintained by: Hank Rogers Originally Created by: kimshockey (reb) (inacti... Record added: Feb 01, 2003 Find A Grave Memorial# 7137638 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7137638