WILLIAM EDWARD BURGESS
The Story as I Know It
William Edward Burgess was born in North Carolina
in 1805. His parents are unknown - so far. He apparently used both
names at different times. He can be found under
William as well as Edward.
Edward Burgess married
Mary Blanton in
Rutherford County Tennessee in 1829. John Burgess was the
bondsman. Was this his father? Earlier, in
1821 Thomas Burgess
married Sally Blanton.
Are they all related?
Burgess'
were in Rutherford county from at least 1830. There is a
suggestion that Edward
may have been the son of Edward
Burgess who was on the 1820 census with 2 sons between 16
- 26. roll M33_124, page 152.
Then on the 1830 census, page
334 our Edward
is listed 20-30 years old with a young wife 15 - 20. Also on
the Rutherford Census, page 346
was Jonathan Burgess,
also 20-30 with a young family of 3 children and the elder Edward Burgess, page 329 who was close to
50. This could be the father and his 2 elder sons.
They are all also on the 1840 Census. The elder and his wife
are "in the town" and 60 - 70 years old. Unfortunately he
are not on the 1850 census.
The
Rutherford County Tennessee land Grnats compiled by Ernest K.
Johns & Susan G. Daniel noted that in Book 17-872 #14895 1867, is
a 6 1/2 acres grant recorded March 22, 1838 by Edward Burgess on Armstrong Branch.
It was surveyed Feb . 4, 1837. It is a very long skinny
triangle seeingly only 11 poles wide at its very widest
point. I can't imagine the value of this property unless it
secured water rights. The properties surrounding are for
names: Jenkins, Henderson &
Manley.
Armstrong Branch is south of Murfreesboro. Is this
our Edward Burgess or the
older gentleman? in 1849 our Edward owned no land.
The
1850 Census, Rutherford County Tenn, roll M432_894, page 173B
taken Sept 19, 1850 lists the family in Sulphur
Spring. They were:
Edward Burgess, age 44
born NC. farmer
Mary (Blanton) Burgess,
age 39, born VA
Elizabeth Burgess, age 18,
born Tenn
Jas Burgess, age 15, born
Tenn
Jno Burgess, age 13, born
Tenn
Mansfield
Burgess, Age 11, born Tenn
Jane Burgess, age 9, born
Tenn
Margaret Burgess, age 7,
born Tenn
Frederica Burgess, age 5,
born Tenn
Allice Burgess, age 3,
born Tenn
The
1860 Census, Rutherford County, Murfreesboro, Tenn, roll
M653_1271, page 56, taken Aug 18, 1860 has the
following family still at home:
E Burgess age 55 he was
listed as "tenant" - he add very little personal worth $300.
M Burgess age 50
M Burgess age 17
F Burgess age 14
Frarsan Burgess age 9
W Burgess age 7
Allice must have died sometime during those 10 years. I was hoping the take the census was taken would narrow the birthdate of the family members, but it doesn't look like it helps. They must have been estimating. Benjamin Blanton was on the next page, on both census'. Mary's older brother?
From the Rutherford County Tenn Tax Lists 1849, District #9 we find Edward Burgess in the Sulphur Springs area with no land or slaves. Sulphur Springs is on the north side of Murfreesboro. Today there is a number of Blanton names used for roads and subdivisions. Also in District 9 was Benjamin Blanton with 145 acres and 2 slaves. In district #21, Busknell Creek area fund Robert and Jonathan Burgess and A.G. Blanton. So far the connection with these people is not known.
The
known
children of Edward and Mary
Burgess were:
an unknown son
from the 1840 census, born 1830-1835.
1. Elizabeth Burgess born 1832 wed George
Wilson
2. James Burgess born 1835
3. Jonathan Burgess born 1837
4. Mansfield Burgess born 1838 wed Roberta Fredonia Ray
5. Jane Burgess born 1841
6. Margaret Burgess born 1843
7. Fredonia Burgess born 1845
8. Allice Burgess born 1847. she died
1854
9. Freeson Burgess born 1851
10. W. Burgess born 1853 – (a male,
possibly William)
Mary died sometime after
1860. W. Edward
married Alice. All
we know of her is that when she died she was buried in the
Leeper Cemetery
in Livingston County, Kentucky.
Her head stone reads "Alice Burgess, wife of W. E.,
25 Jan 1803 - 12 Sept 1877. It is not known when are
where W. Edward died
or where he is buried. But we assume in the same
Cemetery. Her photo is on Find a Grave.
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Doc; gsbur030
Last Saved on: 8/22/2010
Edited on 10/19/2023