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"Isaac and Sophronia (Wolcott) Burlingame, natives of New York State, came to McKean county in 1815 with Timothy Wolcott and others, and settled in Norwich township (then Sergeant township) in the year 1816; it was what is known among the old settlers as "the cold season;" the crops were all destroyed, and Isaac Burlingame, in company with Timothy Wolcott, went in a canoe to Pittsburgh for provisions, taking six weeks to make the trip. Isaac Burlingame was one of the party who were pushing a canoe load of potatoes up what is now known as "Potato creek," and tipped the load over in the creek, from which incident the stream derived its name." (See subpage -- 1816: The Year Without Summer) Note: Sophronia's family had changed the spelling of the name "Walcott" to "Wolcott".
Source: History of Elk, Cameron and McKean Counties
Isaac Burlingame, born May 3, 1794, in new Berlin, NY. He was the son of Josiah Burlingame and Martha (Brewster) Burlingame and was the father of Hiram Wolcott Burlingame. Isaac's mother, Martha Brewster, was the descendant of Dr. Francis Brewster, Jr. who came to America from England between 1620-1650 arriving in Connecticut. The research of Nelson Burlingame was incorrect in suggesting that Martha descended from a Mayflower passenger named Brewster. An interesting fact is that Dr. Francis Brewster sailed from New Haven on the so-called "Phantom Ship" captained by Lamberton and was lost at sea in 1646. Longfellow wrote a poem about the tragic loss.
THE PHANTOM SHIP
As early as 1644 Theophilus Eaton, Stephen Goodyear, Thomas Gregston and perhaps other merchants at New Haven entrusted the construction of an ocean-going vessel to John Wakeman, Joshua Atwater, Jasper Crane and Richard Miles. Though ill built and very "walt-side," in due course the ship was completed. Entrusted with a cargo of wheat, peas, hides, beaver and peltry and manuscript writings of John Davenport at New Haven and Thomas Hooker at Hartford, about the middle of January, 1646, the vessel ploughed its way through three miles of ice in New Haven harbor and tackled the stormy Atlantic. On board were Thomas Gregson, Nathaniel Turner, George Lamberton, the wife of Stephen Goodyear, and Francis Austin. After many months, a mirage of the ship was said to have appeared over the harbor at New Haven, but the vessel itself neither reached its destination nor returned to its port of departure. Despite this initial setback, on October 7, 1646, a second vessel was about to be launched at New Haven; in the summer of 1648 a third vessel was under construction; and in the spring of 1661 Charles Glover laid a fifty-foot keel at Southold.
Isaac Burlingame married Sophronia Wolcott on May 8, 1814. He moved to Sergeant Township (what is now Norwich Township) with his wife and her family in 1815 and worked with others to clear land and build a small farm along the creek that today runs along the West Valley Road near Smethport. Isaac's farm was located just south of the Red Mill Brook Road intersection on the West Valley Road.
Just after this new group of pioneers moved into McKean County, a catastrophic worldwide environmental disaster unfolded. In 1815, a massive volcanic eruption of Mount Tambura in Indonesia caused an ash plume to blanket the upper atmosphere of the entire northern hemisphere. Isaac could not have known why, but in the following year (1816), all of their crops failed due to late frosts -- and even snow falling in June. Isaac and his father-in-law, Timothy Wolcott, made the desperate journey to Fort Pitt, in what is today Pittsburgh, via canoe to bring supplies. The family history tells the story that Seneca Indians were watching with amusement as one of the canoes laden with potatoes spilled in the creek near their home destination. The Seneca word for potato is "nunundah" -- and that creek is today called Potato Creek. (for anyone who attended Smethport High, the yearbook is still to this day called Nunundah). For more on this topic -- see the subpage "1816: The Year Without Summer".
Isaac was a stone mason and built the first grist mill in this region (the Red Mill Brook grist mill was build by Isaac in 1827), the first school foundation, the Court House foundation, and the first jail. He built this structures between 1820 and 1840.
Sophronia Wolcott (formerly Walcott)
Sophronia Wolcott was a direct descendent of Jonathon Walcott, the head of the militia in Salem, MA in the 1690's. (For more, see below on this page and also the Walcott information elsewhere on this site).
Children of Isaac and Sophronia Burlingame
Hiram Wolcott Burlingame, born 3 MAR 1818 in Sergeant Twp., McKean Co., PA, and died 18 MAR 1898. He married Sally Rifle BEF 1842 in Sergeant Twp., McKean Co., PA. She was born Bet 1820 and 1825 in New York. He married Cassandana King JUN 1849, daughter of Joseph P. King and Harriet Berry. She was born 20 MAY 1831 in Pennsylvania, and died 17 SEP 1892.(See the next link for more information on Hiram and his family
Emily Preston Burlingame was born FEB 1820 in Norwich Twp., McKean Co., PA, and died 2 NOV 1892 in Norwich Twp., McKean Co., PA. She married Horace Colegrove. He was born 30 JUN 1818 in Norwich Twp., McKean Co., PA, and died 16 JAN 1888 in Norwich Twp., McKean Co., PA. The four children of Emily Preston Burlingame and Horace Colegrove were: Jonathon Colegrove (wounded at Gettysburg as was his wife's nephew, HL Burlingame). Jonathon was born 22 Nov 1844 in Norwich Twp., McKean Co., PA, and died 1912 in Norwich Twp., McKean Co., PA. He married Hattie M. Purple. She was born 1837 in Pennsylvania, and died 1907 in Norwich Twp., McKean Co., PA. He married Lelia Taber 1898. She was born ABT 1854 in Pennsylvania. Their second child was Mary E. Colegrove who was born about 1841 in Pennsylvania and died in Newerf, McKean County, PA. Mary married Jonathon Greeley was born about 1833 in New York and also died in Newerf, McKean County. For more bio information and photos of the Colegrove store, see http://www.smethporthistory.org/300.block/colegrove.store/colegrove.store.htm
The following biography of Jonathon Colegrove is found in the history of McKean County:
JONATHAN COLEGROVE, farmer, P. O. Colegrove, was born in Norwich township, McKean Co., Penn., November 22, 1844, a son of Horace and Emily (Burlingame) Colegrove, both also natives of Norwich township. He was in the Civil war, enlisting in 1861 in Company F, Fifty seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served three years. He was in the siege of Yorktown, and was taken prisoner on the peninsula near Savage Station, in 1862, was prisoner two and a half months on Belle Isle, afterward joined his regiment near Falmouth, Va., was in the Gettysburg fight, and on the second day was wounded through the neck and windpipe, and also through the left shoulder. He was taken to Baltimore, Md., to Patterson Park hospital, which hospital was under the charge of Dr. S. D. Freeman. He was not expected to live, for several days; for twenty two months he never spoke a loud word. He served the rest of the time in the medical purveyor's department, Baltimore, Md. He was married January 1, 1867, to Miss Hattie P., daughter of Sheffield and Mary E. (Baldwin) Purple, of Troy, Penn., and they are the parents of two children, viz.: Samuel (deceased) and Albert L. (living at home). He also has an adopted daughter, Mary P. Mr. Colegrove is a member of McKean Lodge, No. 128, F. & A. M.; Bradford Chapter, No. 100, and Sir Knights, No. 58. From: History of the Counties of McKean, Elk and Forest,Pennsylvania With Biographical Selections. J. H. Beers & Co., Publishers Chicago, 1890.
Their third child was Theron Colegrove who was born 7 Apr 1850 and died in August 1904. Theron married Sarah Clark who born about 1853 in Dansville, NY and died in Digel, McKean County.Here is the excerpt from his obituary as reported in the McKean County Miner in 1904: "Death of Theron Colegrove. Theron Colegrove died at his home in Weston, W. Va , on Sunday last after a lingering illness He was aged 54 years, 4 months and 14 days The subject of this sketch was born in Norwich township, this county, on April 7, 1850, and resided in this vicinity until some years ago when he moveded to West Virginia He is survived by a wife; five; children, two brothers, Jonathan and Bela of this place and one sister, Mrs. Mary Greeley of Crosby. Mr. Colegrove was a member of the A. O. U. W. Lodge, No. 182 of this place. He was a man of strict integrity and he will be greatly missed by his relatives and a large circle of friends in this vicinity. Pennsylvania | Smethport | McKean County Miner | 1904-08-2" Bela Colegrove was the fourth child of Emily and Horace Colegrove. Bela was born in 1855 and died in 1940 in McKean County. He married Eucely O. in 1866. Eucely was born in 1851 and died in 1918. Bela and Eucely had one child - Hazel L. Colegrove born in 1891.
Amanda Elvira Burlingame was born 27 Oct 1815, and died 1897. She married Harvey Brewer who was born about 1809 or 1810.They had ten children with the last three born in Wisconsin. They were: Harriet A Brewer b: ABT 1832 in Pennsylvania; Ellen Theresa Brewer b: 23 SEP 1836 in Norwich Twp, McKean, PA; Abigail A Brewer b: ABT 1838 in Pennsylvania; Mary Brewer b: ABT 1839 in Pennsylvania; Wilber F Brewer b: ABT 1842 in Pennsylvania; Horatio S Brewer b: AUG 1846 in Pennsylvania; Orson Brewer b: ABT 1852 in Pennsylvania; George Brewer b: ABT 1855 in Walworth County, Wisconsin; Charles Brewer b: ABT 1857 in Walworth County, Wisconsin; and Lillian Brewer b: 1860 in Walworth County, Wisconsin.
Laura Ann Burlingame was born 1821 in Pennsylvania, and died 1906 in Norwich Twp., McKean Co., PA. She married Russell Carter. He was born 1825 in New York, and died 1894 in Norwich Twp., McKean Co., PA.Their five children were Byron Deloss Carter (born 1850), Beverly Carter, Alta Carter, Frank Carter, and Emil Carter.
Delos Burlingame (may also have been named Isaac Delos Burlingame) was born 22 SEP 1829 in Keating Twp., McKean Co., PA, and died 5 Apr 1911. He is buried in Sizerville Cemetery with his wife. He may have died in Altoona, Blair Co., PA. He married Elvira Sizer 24 Jan 1855. She was born 1831 in Pennsylvania, and died 19 Jan 1900 in Sizerville, Cameron Co., PA.She was 68 years old. They had at least one child -- Elmer Burlingame. Elmer was born 14 Feb 1875 in Pennsylvania, and died 29 Jan 1943 in Los Angeles, California. He was the son of Isaac Delos Burlingame and Elvira Sizer. He married a Cora B. (maiden name unknown). In 1920 United States (Federal Census > Pennsylvania > Elk > Johnsonburg > District 10) with him was his wife Cora age 35, born Pennsylvania. No children are listed in the household. In this census he is listed as a bookkeeper. In the census of 1930 (United States Federal Census > California > Los Angeles > Alhambra > District 1406) he is listed as a Real Estate Appraiser. In the census of 1900, he is listed as "at school" living at West Chester State Normal School. single, born Feb 1876, Pennsylvania. Elmer was a Teacher and Principal in Austin, Pennsylvania circa 1900.
Isaac Burlingame plays at the Smethport Independence Day Ball in 1828
Isaac Burlingame was also, apparently a musician - a fife player, in fact. In 1828, he played at the Independence Day Ball at the Davis Young Hotel in Smethport:
"At the hotel of Davis Young, in the village of Smethport, July 4, 1828. Yourself and lady are respectfully invited. Good music and first - class accommodations. The company to assemble at 2 o'clock, P.M.
MANAGERS: Almon Sartwell, S.A. Winsor, Horace King, Benjamin Corwin, Daniel Rifle and David Dunbar.
At this time Mrs. Willard's hotel occupied the site of George Moore's present house. She was indignant at the f act of her house being ignored, and threatened the sheriff with punishment should he allow the proposed orchestra (a prisoner then in jail) to be present. The sheriff's wife, knowing that Mrs. Willard would carry out her threats, dressed a dummy to represent the prisoner, and the lady, looking through the keyhole, saw this figure, and was satisfied. The committee refused to issue a ticket to her, and thus the first ball led to dissension which was not healed for years. The open - air celebration was held beneath the shadows of the stars and stripes floating from the great hickory pole on the square. A long table of freshly planed pine boards was constructed, and above it was a roof of hemlock, pine and hardwood boughs. The procession formed at the lower tavern, owned formerly by William Williams, and marched in couples - male and female - to the court house, under the lead of Jonathan Colegrove, a soldier of 1812. O.J. Hamlin was the orator, Isaac Burlingame, fifer, and Asa Sartwell, clarionet player. O.R. Bennett or John E. Niles read the Declaration, but the drummer's name is forgotten. At the banquet Hiram Payne was toastmaster, and as each toast was given Marshal Colegrove would wave his sword as a signal to his squad of thirteen soldiers to fire a salute. The thirteen men were armed with flintlocks, and were converted for the occasion into an artillery corps, or, if the noise is considered, a fire - cracker corps. Cheers generally followed the salute, but when the musketeers were too slow the people cheered before the salute was given, while the marshal waved his sword wildly. Edward Corwin and Col. Elihu Chadwick, Revolutionary soldiers, were present." - from the History of Elk, Cameron and McKean County.
Isaac Burlingame Completes the Plastering Work on Orlo J Hamlin's House in 1829
Isaac also did the plaster work in the early home of an attorney in Smethport -- Orlo Jay Hamlin. In 1993, Isaac's descendant, Pamela J Burlingame visited a yard sale being held by Smethport resident Lois Vale. She had cleaned the attic in that house built by Hamlin. In what is an amazing find, Mrs. Vale had found the two halves of a receipt signed by Isaac in 1829 that reads as follows: "Smithport [sic] 29th May 1829 Rcvd of O.J.Hamlin nine dollars in full for plastering his house. - Isaac Burlingame"Here is the story as told by Pam Burlingame: "Lois Vale was the owner of the historic Henry Hamlin mansion in Smethport. She was selling her home and having a sale. I stopped in, and Ms. Vale was on her porch chatting with each customer. She asked me my name and when I told her it was Burlingame, she said: "Stay right there, I have something I want you to have." She went inside and came out with an aged piece of paper and gently opened it to show the receipt written by Isaac Burlingame to Orlo J. Hamlin, who contracted the building of the house for his son, Henry Hamlin. The receipt was dated 1829 and was in excellent condition for being 170 some years old. She said she found it in the attic when she was cleaning things out and was glad for me to have it. I had the piece acid-free framed to avoid further deterioration of the paper."
Isaac Burlingame buys shoes for his daughter, Emily:
At the Cameron County museum near Emporium, there is a store account book with entries detailing purchases made by Isaac Burlingame in 1834 and 1835. Among the essential goods, he purchased (or repaired) shoes for his 14-year-old daughter, Emily Preston Burlingame who would grow up to marry Horace Colegrove. This document shows further evidence that people in the early 1800s spelled Smethport with an 'i'. Isaac also spelled 'Smithport' on the receipt that he wrote in 1829 (see above). The account registry reads as follows:
June 15th, 1834 to June 1835:
To finishing leather and taping shoe for Emily - .25
Two bushels of oats - 1.25
One peck of [illegible] - .50
To weaving 10 yards at 10 cents - 1.00
To use of my horse for wife to ride to Smithport - 1.00
To showing horse - .50
To [illegible] oats - 10.75
Isaac Burlingame Gravesite at Forest Hill Cemetery in Utica, New York
Isaac moved to Utica, NY in 1840. The reason for his move is not clear -- though it may have been to seek employment on the huge renovation project to wide the Erie Canal through all of Central New York -- and Utica. His wife, Sophronia apparently remained in Smethport and she is buried in the Norwich Cemetery in Colegrove. Isaac died in Utica on May 18, 1868 and his grave is located in Section 27 of the old part of the Forest Hill Cemetery at 2201 Oneida Street in Utica, NY. In the 1990's, Isaac's descendants from McKean County found his long lost grave and were surprised to learn that he remarried while in Utica - his second wife was named Eliza.The gravestone, pictured at right, appears to have been carved by Isaac and is similar to the one at his first wife, Sophronia's gravesite in Colegrove. Isaac's stone reads: "Isaac Burlingame Died Mar 5, 1868 Aged 74 years -- Eliza his wife Died Feb 4, 1894 Aged 80 years"
Sophronia (Walcott or Wolcott) Burlingame:
Sophronia was the eldest child of Timothy Walcott (he spelled the name 'Wolcott)'. Her father was born in1769 in Windham CT, and he died in 1862 in Norwich PA. He was a farmer who moved to Burlington NY shortly after his marriage to Sally Preston in 1793. He later moved with a group of families mostly from Norwich CT who established Norwich New York. He then moved to McKean Co. PA in 1815; settling as the first European pioneers near Smethport along what is now Potato Creek near Colegrove. At the time, that area was called Sergeant Township -- but those families changed the name to Norwich Township after it was subdivided.
In 1816, during the famous "Year Without Summer" he travelled with his son-in-law, Isaac Burlingame, by canoe to Pittsburgh for desperately needed food supplies. At the time of hsi journey, he and wife had six children to feed -- and Sally was pregnant with their seventh child. Today that trip is about 170 miles. Back then they took about six weeks to make the round trip. According to family stories, the load of potatoes on the canoe tipped near the current section of Burbank near Colegrove. Local Seneca Indians observed this folly and yelled out the Seneca word for potato - Uhnanah-Dah -- which Isaac Burlingame and Timothy Wolcott heard as 'Nunundah'. Later, that creek was named Nunundah Creek and later still - Potato Creek. Timothy and his descendants spelled name 'Wolcott'.Timothy and Sally (Preston) Wolcott's seven children were:
Sophronia Wolcott, b. 1794 Burlington NY, d. Norwich PA; m. Isaac Burlingame 1814 Burlington NY.
Sally "Polly" Wolcott, b. 1796 Burlington NY, d. 1844 McKean PA; m. Edward Hazard Jacox 1818 McKean Co. PA.
Roxie Wolcott, b. 1797 Burlington NY; m. Henry Scott c. 1820 McKean Co. PA.
Loren Ford Wolcott, b. 1800 Burlington NY, d. 1900 Sparta WI; farmer at Sergeant PA 1830, Norwich PA 1850, to WI c.1855 where he purchased 80 acres 1856 and built a log cabin which became sit of Sparta WI, at Leon WI 1860, at Wells WI 1880, at Ridgeville WI 1885; at age 100 he said he remembered James Madison being President when he was 9, and casting his first vote in 1824 for John Quincy Adams; m. (1) Olive Corwin 1824 Otsego Co. NY, m. (2) Rebecca Brewer 1829, m. (3) Alice Arminta Post 1885 Wells WI.
Chloe Wolcott, b. 1803 Burlington NY; unm.
William Eaton Wolcott, b. 1806 Burlington NY, d. Ridgeville WI, farmer at Keating PA 1830, Norwich PA 1850, at Ridgeville WI 1880; m. (1) Sarah "Sally" Ostrander, m. (2) _____.
Joseph Gilbert Wolcott, b. 1816 Sergeant Twp. PA, d. 1900 Sparta WI; served in Co. K, 6th MI Cav. Regt..
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Seventh Generation: Isaac Burlingame (Josiah, Silas, Moses, Moses, Thomas, Roger):
Birth: 3 MAY 1794 in New Berlin, Chenango Co., NY
Death: 8 MAY 1868 in Utica, Oneida Co., NY, burial at Forest Hill Cemetery
Occupation: Stone Mason, Tailor
Children
Hiram Wolcott Burlingame b: 3 MAR 1818 in Sergeant Twp., McKean Co., PA
Emily Preston Burlingame b: FEB 1820 in Norwich Twp., McKean Co., PA
Amanda Elvira Burlingame b: 27 OCT 1815
Laura Ann Burlingame b: 1821 in Pennsylvania
Delos Burlingame b: 22 SEP 1829 in Keating Twp., McKean Co., PA
Isaac and Sophronia (Wolcott) Burlingame, natives of New York State, came to McKean county in 1815 with Timothy Wolcott and others, and settled in Norwich township (then Sergeant township) in the year 1816; it was what is known among the old settlers as "the cold season;" the crops were all destroyed, and Isaac Burlingame, in company with Timothy Wolcott, went in a canoe to Pittsburgh for provisions, taking six weeks to make the trip. Isaac Burlingame was one of the party who were pushing a canoe load of potatoes up what is now known as "Potato creek," and tipped the load over in the creek, from which incident the stream derived its name.
Isaac was the son of Josiah and Martha (Brewster) Burlingame born New Berlin, NY May 3, 1794 died Utica, NY May 18, 1868 married, Burlington Greens, NY May 8, 1814 Sophronia Wolcott born Burlington Greens, Otsego Co., NY August 20, 1794 daughter of Timothy Wolcott. [Though the Nelson Burlingame history version indicated that Timothy Wolcott was a "near relative of Oliver Wolcott, it was determined that this was untrue. In fact, Sophronia's father was descended from Jonathon Walcott, head of the town militia in Salem, Mass. in the 1690's. His daughter, Mary Walcott, was a primary accuser of several Salem area residents who were executed for witchcraft. In 1815 Isaac and his family removed to Sergeant Township, McKean Co., PA and in 1818 settled on a farm near Smethport, PA. [Actually Isaac's homestead was in what was then called Sergeant Twp, now called Norwich Twp near the present day village of Betula.] In the year 1815, a volcanic eruption of Mt. Tambura resulted in a temporary climate change in the northern hemisphere. The following year 1816 was known as the "year without winter" or by old timers in northern PA as the "cold season". In 1816 he traveled by canoe to Pittsburgh with his father-in-law Timothy Walcott taking six weeks to make the trip to bring back critical food supplies. Burlingame was one of a party pushing a canoe loaded with potatoes along what is now known as "Potato Creek," and tipped the canoe over in the creek from which incident the stream derived its name. According to oral history, Seneca Indians watching from the shore uttered their word for potato "Nunundah" which is the name today for the Smethport High School Yearbook. In a December, 1981 audio tape interview, Gertrude Burlingame noted that the canoe tipped at 'Burbank Hollow' near Smethport. In 1840 he removed to Utica, NY where he died. [In 1997, Philip Burlingame located his grave site in Forest Hills Cemetery in Utica. At the base of his gravestone was the name of his previously unknown second wife -- Eliza. He was a farmer and stone mason. [Isaac built the foundations for the first school in Smethport, the first jail and the first Courthouse. In 1829 he plastered the inside walls of a home in Smethport belonging to prominent attorney Orlo J. Hamlin. An existing receipt signed by Isaac from the job indicates Isaac was paid $9 on May 29, 1829 for the work.] Their children were: Amanda Elvira, Hiram Wolcott, Emily Preston, Laura Ann, Esther E. and Deloss Isaac. [Sophronia (Wolcott) Burlingame is buried in Colegrove Cemetery near Smethport. She died December 18, 1871 as noted on her tombstone ("aged 77 years, 7 months and 8 days" "Gone to thy peaceful rest For thee we need not weep Since thou art not by sorrows pressed But hushed in quiet sleep").
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