Burgess, Dennis

Dennis BURGESS (1742 - 1810) and Betsey LYON (1754 - 1808)

my 4g-grandparents

Dennis and Betsey (LYON) BURGESS were the parents of Betsey BURGESS, who married Enoch HUNTLEY. 

Dennis BURGESS was born about 1742 (possibly later) in Middleborough, Plymouth Colony, son of Jacob BURGESS and Ruth WOOD. Betsey/Betty LYON was born 13 Aug 1754 in Middleborough, daughter of William LYON and Martha KNOWLTON. This is based on slim evidence, and I'll explain the details in a section below.

The marriage of Dennis and Betsey does not seem to be recorded, but it was probably around 1778, since their first child was born about 1780.

The name Dennis BURGESS is somewhat unusual, so the records below probably all refer to the same person. If not, the Dennis BURGESS of interest is the one with a wife and a daughter named Betsey, who lived in Bastard, Leeds, Ontario, Canada from 1796 until 1810. He died shortly before 16 May 1810, in Bastard. See below. Also, since it appears that Jacob and Ruth were from Yarmouth, Plymouth Colony, it is interesting that part of Yarmouth became the town of Dennis.

Dennis BURGESS in the American Revolutionary War

Dennis BURGESS appears on the 12 Jun 1781 payroll of the Militia Company from Rutland, commanded by Ensign Isaac CUSHMAN. He was paid 8 shillings and 8 pence for a 2-day, 12-mile march to Fort Vengeance, north of Pittsford.

The records below were posted on Ancestry by tgross68, but the source is unknown. They indicate that Dennis BURGES/BURGESS from Lanesborough served in 1775 and 1777. 

If the military records above are for our Dennis BURGESS, then he moved from Lanesboro, MA to Pittsford, VT between 1777 and 1781, and transferred from MA to VT Militia. He did extensive service, especially 1n 1775 and 1777. This seems odd, since he moved to Canada in 1796 with a group of Loyalists. See below.

Births and Parents of Dennis and Betsey

The military records above don't give Dennis's age, but he must have been at least 16 when he enlisted on 10 May 1775, so born before 10 May 1759. Furthermore, he was baptized on 31 Jul 1757 in Putnam County, NY, son of Jacob BURGES. [HPC, p. 310] Also see this baptism record, which narrows to place to Carmel, Putnam, NY.

The Burgess Genealogy book [BG] makes only one mention of a Dennis BURGESS, above. He is a son of Jacob BURGESS and Ruth WOOD. More information is given on Jacob and his ancestors, so this opens up several more generations. Curiously, Dennis has an older brother, unnamed, who married Betsey LYON, and died in the war. Maybe Dennis married his brother's widow. 

He is called Dennis BURGER in [VH, p. 171]. The spellings BURGES, BURGIS and BURJIS are also common.

The Lyon Memorial [LM] has "A Betty Lyon married a son of Jacob Burgess, born about 1742; lived in Middleboro and Lanesboro (Burgess Fam.)." [LM, p. 395] This Betty LYON was born 13 Aug 1754 in Middleborough, a daughter of William LYON and Martha KNOWLTON. [LM, p. 62] The ancestry of Betty LYON is traced back 4 generations in [LM].

So Betsey/Betty LYON/LYONS married a son of Jacob BURGESS, born about 1742. Was this Dennis, or his brother? I think it was Dennis, but if so, he was baptized at age 14 or 15, which was unusual. In either case, the ancestries of Dennis and Betsey are now known.

William LYON was born in Roxbury, MA, on 12 Apr 1719. Martha KNOWLTON was born about 1718, daughter of Thomas and Martha KNOWLTON, of Ipswich. They married on 26 Aug 1740 in Middleborough, and had 6 children, in Middleborough, Plymouth Colony. [LM, p. 62]

DNA Evidence

I have 17 close DNA matches who also trace their ancestry back to Dennis BURGESS. Actually, quite a few more, if you include those who have not posted their trees, but I have found out where they fit in. The table above comes from ThruLines on Ancestry, which uses public member trees.

Of the 17 close matches, 15 are descendants of Betsey BURGESS, by her marriage to Enoch HUNTLEY. The other 2 are descendants of Mary (BURGESS) TITUS and Noah BURGESS. I'm not sure about Mary, but the match with a descendant of Noah seems to confirm that I am not only a descendant of Betsey BURGESS, but that Dennis BURGESS was her father, and my 4g-grandfather.

ThruLines can sometimes take me back to the 5g level, but not in this case, so far.

It seems clear from the data that Donna WEIFERT, Duane MARTIN and Deb LECKI are my 1st cousins. I’ve communicated with them and we seem to agree. It is surprising that John STEWART matches me at 119 cM, which is high for 3rd cousins. Maybe we have another common ancestor, in addition to Erwin HUNTLEY.

The BURGESS family in Pittsford, Rutland, VT

By 1790 Dennis and Betsey had a household of 10, in Pittsford, Rutland, VT. This is the same place where they had resided on 12 Jun 1781, and it is probably the birthplace of all their children.

Loyalists in Canada

After the American Revolution, those American Colonists who had been loyal to the British Crown became uncomfortable and unwelcome. Many left or were expelled, to Canada, where they were known as United Empire Loyalists (UE or UEL). 

The area now called Leeds County, along with most of Canada, was under British rule from 1763 to 1867. Leeds county was first settled by English speakers in 1784, immediately after the American Revolution, by UE Loyalists. It was surveyed in 1792 as one of the 19 counties created in preparation for more UE Loyalists to settle here. In 1800 Leeds, Grenville and Carleton Counties formed Johnstown District. The boundaries and names have changed many times over the centuries.

The British government developed a practice of granting large tracts of land to "leader and associate" groups, on condition that at least 50 loyal families should be settled within four years in each township. The leader assumed responsibility for settling a township, and was rewarded with a large personal land grant, up to 1,200 acres, and his associates 200 acres or more. [RLL, p. 33]

One of the leaders was a Baptist elder and pioneer named Abel STEVENS, from Pittsford, VT. He had played an interesting role in the Revolution, acting as a kind of double agent. He petitioned the Crown for land, and eventually brought more than 100 families to Bastard and Kitley Townships, in Leeds, Ontario, Canada. Among these were the families of Dennis BURGESS and Benjamin HUNTLEY, my 4g-grandfathers. [AS]

Abel's brother, Roger STEVENS, was a UE Loyalist, "a large landowner in Pittsford, aroused the wrath of local rebels by refusing to renounce his allegiance to the Crown—an act of defiance that led to his arrest and imprisonment and the confiscation of his property." [RLL, p. 34] Roger died of drowning in 1793. Abel appears to have been much more of an opportunist than a loyalist. He wanted to develop the iron ore deposits in the southern corner of Bastard, and needed to bring in settlers. 

Abel STEVENS made several trips, bringing groups of settlers to Bastard and Kitley, mostly from VT, starting in 1789. "He immediately left for Vermont and in February 1794 returned to Upper Canada with six families. This group 'went into the Wilderness with our Cattle and Effects,' cutting a trail through the woods from the vicinity of Williamstown [Brockville] to their chosen location in the southern fertile corner of Bastard township. The new settlement came to be known as Stevenstown." [RLL, p. 35]

The American westward expansion after the Revolution was largely driven by the promise of free land. Loyalist parts of Canada were not the only places offering land, so it is unclear why Dennis BURGESS and Benjamin HUNTLEY joined Abel STEVENS and his group. They were from Pittsburg, and had similar religious affiliations. Maybe it was a cult of personality?

Again, it is strange to find that Dennis BURGESS and Benjamin HUNTLEY were among this group of Loyalists, since they both fought on the American side in the Revolution. Most of their descendants made their way back to America, settling in MI and NY.

The BURGESS family in Bastard, Leeds, Ontario, Canada

Please see the Bastard, Ontario page on this site for more information.

Dennis BURGESS and family emigrated to Canada in 1796 or 1797. He was "of Bastard Twp., Leeds Co., Ontario and United Empire Loyalist." [VH, page 171] [The area that was Bastard Twp is now part of Rideau Lakes Twp.] This area was a refuge for loyalists after the American Revolution, and Dennis BURGESS was reputed to be a Loyalist, despite his brief service in the militia. 

It seems that his status as a Loyalist was expunged on 2 May 1802. This is strange since he was granted 200 acres by the Crown on 17 May 1802, and remained there until his death in 1810.

Several censuses were taken in areas that included Bastard, starting in 1800. [CL] [TOC]

1800 Census for Bastard Twp, Leeds. This census only names the head-of-household, and gives the number of people in the household. The Dennis BURGESS family of 12 was listed next to the Benjamin HUNTLEY family of 4, and not far from the Benjamin HUNTLEY Jr family of 3. Thus Enoch HUNTLEY, age 17, son of Benjamin HUNTLEY Sr, probably lived near his future wife, Betsey BURGESS Jr, daughter of Dennis BURGESS. See the Benjamin HUNTLEY page. William TITUS, son-in-law of Dennis BURGESS, had a family of 4 in Bastard. See the Mary BURGESS section, below.

1801 Census for Bastard & Kitley Twps, Leeds. This census, in the right column, which seems to be for Kitley Twp, has the BURGIS [BURGESS] family: Dennis, Betsy, Dennis Jr, Closon?, Ezera, Hanah, Jacob, Sally, John, Germin and Naby (or baby?). We can only guess at relationships, with help from other data. Betsy would be the wife of Dennis. There are 2 adult males, probably grown sons of Dennis and Betsey, and 4 boys, 3 girls. The one between Dennis Jr and Ezera is hard to read, but I believe it is Closon.

The Benjamin HUNTLY [HUNTLEY] Sr and Jr families were also in Bastard. Enoch HUNTLY and his wife Betsey (BURGESS) HUNTLY were in the Benjamin HUNTLY Sr household.

1802 Census for Bastard, Kitley, Leeds & Lansdowne Twps, Leeds. This has the same format as the 1801 Census. There are two BURGES households, with heads James and Noah. The James BURGES family of 10 has 3 adult males, 1 adult female, 3 boys and 3 girls. Maybe Dennis is one of the adult males. Maybe James is Jacob, father of Dennis. The Noah BURGES family of 4 has 1 adult male, 1 adult female, and 2 girls.

1803, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 Censuses of Rear of Leeds & Lansdowne Township, Leeds County. The Noah BURGESS family, consisting of Noah, Polly, Brittanna and Abigail.

1806 Census for Bastard Twp, Leeds.  The Benjamin HUNTLY Sr and Dennis BURGIS households are listed consecutively, so they were probably still neighbors, as in 1800. Benjamin Sr and Jr and Enoch HUNTLY all seem to be widowed, as their wives are not present. Dennis and Betsey BURGESS appear to have 4 sons and 3 daughters at home. This census names individuals, not just heads-of-household. However, the families are not grouped, except by surname, and no relationships are given. 

The children are Closon (M), Hannah (F), Jacob (M), Sally (F), John (M), Truman (M), Abigail (F).

Since the children are listed in the same order in the 1801 and 1806 censuses, I suspect that they are in order of age. Dennis Jr and Ezera had left home between 1801 and 1806. Perhaps Germin and Naby in 1801 were Truman and Abigail in 1806. So I think there were 9 children, probably all born in Pittsford. The household had 10 people in 1790, so the youngest child was probably born after that date.

Dennis BURGESS appeared in the 1806 census (above) but is absent from the 1810 census (below). The court record above, dated 16 May 1810, calls him "Dennis Burges, late of Bastard, deceased." So he died before that date, probably not long before, as they wouldn't have gone long without a Path Master.

1810 Census of Rear of Leeds & Lansdowne Township, Leeds County. Clawson & Nancy BURGESS have a son John, and it looks like a "boy Babe".

1813 Census for Bastard & Crosby South Twps, Leeds. Four BURGESS households were listed together, a few lines down from Benjamin HUNTLEY. (In the column headings, LN means line number, MM means married men, SM means single men, #W is the number of women, presumably 16 and over, M -16 is males under 16, and #F is number of females, presumably including those over 16.)

In 1813, Josiah D, John, German and Clossen must all be sons of Dennis and Betsey BURGESS. Josiah D was probably Dennis Jr. Several of them made their way to Macomb County, MI before 1820.

1814 Census for Bastard Twp, Leeds. Josiah D, John and German BURGESS are still in Bastard. They are all still single, although Josiah D. BURGESS has 1 woman and 4 girls in his household.

1817, 1818, 1820 Censuses for Bastard Twp, Leeds. No BURGESS households. I think they all moved to the US between 1814 and 1817.

The 1880 map above shows parts of Concessions VI thru IX, between Upper Beverly Lake and the area which came to be known as Harlem. Dennis BURGESS was granted 200 acres in Concession VII, Lot 18 on 17 May 1802, in payment for his help in building a road between Bastard and Kingston, in 1798. After he died, his eldest son, Josiah D. BURGESS, sold the land for £440, a large sum at the time, to Seth WARNER on 21 May 1812. Josiah removed to MI about 1821. (See below.) By 1880 this land was owned by J. BARSTOW Jr and Sr, as shown in the map.

See the Enoch HUNTLEY and Benjamin HUNTLEY pages for more about the Loyalists in Canada, and more maps.

BURGESSes in Early Michigan

Several of the grown children of Dennis and Betsey BURGESS migrated to Michigan Territory, between 1815 and 1840. They may have been joined by more distant relatives. Of course, all people named BURGESS are not necessarily related. I've tried to sort out the BURGESSes in early Michigan.

The white population of Michigan Territory in 1810 was only 4,528, mostly in and around Fort Detroit. The fort played a major role in the War of 1812, and was briefly occupied by the British around 1812-13. By 1820 the population of Michigan Territory had increased to 9,048, and in 1830 it was 32,538. There was a huge migration in the early 1830s, and the population had grown to 87,278 in 1834. See this page on census data and this page on early Michigan history. Michigan became a US state in 1837, and the population was 212,267 in 1840. 

The area a few miles N and NW of Mt Clemens, where several BURGESSes settled, was very sparsely populated before 1825. It seems likely that they were related.

The first BURGESS I can find in MI was Jonathan BURGESS, who appeared Detroit, in the 1810 and 1812 early census records, below. One Jonathan BURGESS appeared in Oakland County, MI in the 1830 and 1834 early censuses (see below).

Nathaniel BURGESS appeared in Shelby Township, Macomb County, MI around 1816-17. 

This is interesting because, in 1821 Ezra BURGESS, son of Dennis and Betsey, bought 250 acres in section 33. Surely Ezra and Nathaniel were related somehow? 

Ezra BURGESS and his wife, Sally, were in MI by 1717-18, since their daughter Sabrina was born in MI. They were in Mt Clemens, Macomb County, for the 1820 US Census. 

Nearby, another BURGESS settled in 1819, about 2 miles north of Mt Clemens, Macomb County. This is about 7 miles W of the properties of Ezra and Nathaniel.

In 1819, Messrs. Cook and Kittredge took up a quarter-section one and a half miles to the north of the village, and about the same time Burgess and Stimson took up a farm north of them. [MHC, Vol 4, p. 312]

In 1823, William McDonald, a saddler by trade, came from New Jersey, and erected a building on the now vacant lot north of the Presbyterian Church. This building answered the threefold purpose of tavern, dwelling house, and saddler's shop. He afterwards purchased a tract of land in the township of Macomb, in this county, where Messrs. Burgess and Funson had begun at an early day, and lived there till October, 1856, when he and his partner closed their lives within ten days of each other. [MHC, Vol 5, p. 461, History of Mt Clemens]

It is time to notice some of the commencements made in the vicinity. In 1819, Messrs. Cook and Kitteridge took up a quarter section of land on the spot now owned and occupied by Horace Cady and Hiram Haskin, and commenced improvements. About the same time Messrs. Burgess and Funson commenced north of them on the McDonald farm. A Mr Elliott soon came and purchased Funson's share of the improvement, and worked in company with Burgess. [MHC, Vol 5, p. 461-2, History of Mt Clemens]

I don't know whether this BURGESS's partner was STIMSON or FUNSON. Mr BURGESS and STIMSON/FUNSON both died in Oct 1856.

The 1820 US Census has Enoch HUNTLEY, with a family of 5, in Mount Clemens, Macomb, MI. Also in Mount Clemens was Ezra BURGESS, family of 4. See the Ezra BURGESS section, below.

There was also a BURGESS family in Oakland County, possibly related. I wonder if Pricilla was Betsey. However, this was a family of "Free Colored Persons". 

The Michigan Early Census records have several BURGESS heads-of-household. Below are the ones up to 1834. The first BURGESS in Michigan Territory seems to have been Jonathan, in Detroit, 1812. No known relation. By 1821 the brothers, Ezra, Josiah D, and German/Jarman, were in Macomb and Oakland Counties.

By 1820, Ezra BURGESS was living in Macomb County, as mentioned above. In 1821, Ezra appears in Pontiac, Oakland County, MI, and his brothers, Josiah D. BURGESS and German BURGESS were in Macomb. See the sections on these siblings. below. Also their sister, Betsey BURGESS, was probably with her husband, Enoch HUNTLEY, and their children, in Macomb County by 1820.

There may have been more than one German/Jerman/Jarman/Truman BURGESS in this extended family. 

There was a 12-year-old girl, probably an orphan, named Amy BURGESS, who traveled with a group from Palmyra, NY to Nankin, MI in 1826. Nankin was a township in Wayne County, MI, where now lies the city of Westland.

My father's family was composed of himself, wife and two sons, William Henry, aged five years, and myself, aged one and one half years. Besides whom there were temporarily connected with the family Luman Fowler, under contract to work one year for my father, and Amy Burgess, a girl of twelve years of age. [This was 1826, so Amy was born about 1814.] [My Recollections of Pioneers and Pioneer Life in Nankin, by Melvin D. Osband, MHC, Vol 14, pp. 431-5]

In the spring of 1825, Rev. Marcus Swift, whose wife was sister of my father, and Mr. Luther Reeves, a brother of my mother, two citizens of Palmyra, N. Y., came to Michigan to purchase land for their future home. Landing at Detroit, they penetrated the forests by the aid of the Indian trail, up the banks of the west branch of the River Rouge, to what is now the town of Nankin, being T. 2 S., R. 9 E. Mr. Reeves located 16O acres on section 3, and Mr. Swift located an equal tract on section 11. Returning to Detroit they purchased their lands May 10, 1825. In the following August, William Osband purchased of Mr. Reeves his Michigan land, and on the morning of Saturday, October 1, 1825, he and Mr. Swift, with their families, started for the far off Michigan by the Erie Canal. The Erie Canal was not yet completed, and at Lock port they were compelled to transport their goods seven miles by land and re-ship. They landed at Detroit on the 8th of the month, having consumed one week on the passage.

Mr. Swift's family consisted of himself, wife, three sons, and one daughter. Mr. Osband's consisted of himself, wife, two sons, Luman Fowler, a young man in my father's employ, and Amy Burgess, a young girl then a member of the family. The writer of this was then but one and one-half years old. The transit from Detroit to their land was made in a small boat down the Detroit River, and up the River Rouge to the Thomas settlement, about ten miles from Detroit, and from thence by a wagon drawn by three Indian ponies owned by Mr. Alanson Thomas. The little colony found accommodations with a Mr. Benj. Williams, in what is now the town of Dearborn, on section 6, till they could build on their land. [MHC, Vol 4, p. 57, History of Nankin, Wayne County]

Possible Descendants of Dennis and Betsey

Relationships in this family have been hard to determine. We know that Dennis and Betsey had a household of 10 in 1790, and 12 in 1800. We have some names from the 1801 and 1806 censuses. Assuming a nuclear family, they must have had at least 10 children. It is natural to suspect that anyone named BURGESS, about the right age, living nearby, might have been one of the children. I will examine a few of the most likely cases. The children were probably all born in Pittsford, Rutland, VT, except possibly the youngest.

There seem to have been about 11 children, with the youngest 2 or 3 born in Bastard, and the rest born in Pittsford. All except Polly lived in the household of Dennis and Betsey, according to multiple censuses, although the exact relationships are not stated. Some could be grandchildren or other extended family members.

  1.     Polly (1779) - named dau of Dennis in 1800 land grant

2.       Josiah Dennis Jr (1780) - named son of Dennis in 1801 land grant

3.       Noah (1781) - named son of Dennis in 1800 land grant

4.       Closon/Clausen (1784)

5.       Betsey (1785) - named dau of Dennis in 1801 land grant, called dau of Dennis BURGER in [VH]

6.       Ezra (1788)

7.       Hannah (1790)

8.       Jacob (1791)

9.       Sally (1792)

10.     John (1796)

11.     German/Jermin/Truman (1798) - possibly a son of Josiah Dennis BURGESS Jr

12.     Abigail “Naby” (1800)

The land petition shown below, dated 29 Oct 1800, indicates that Dennis BURGESS had a daughter Polly TITUS, and a son Noah BURGESS. There was also a Dorothy BURGER, daughter of Lewis MABEE. (spelling uncertain) These 3 must have been adults, born no later than 1782. 

This land record is repeated in [LO] as well as records for Betsey and Josiah BURGESS. These 4 children of Dennis BURGESS were granted land in recognition of his service to the Crown during the American Revolution.

1. Polly BURGESS was born about 1777 in MA or VT. The land petition above establishes that Dennis BURGESS had a daughter named Polly TITUS. She is found in several census records, wife of William TITUS.

Polly was 24 in 1803, and 43 in 1817, thus born either 1779 or 1774. So she was born just before or during the Revolution. Her father, and presumably her mother, moved from Lanesboro, MA to Pittsford, VT between 1777 and 1781, so she could have been born in either place. Several researchers have called her Mary, and Polly is a common nickname for Mary. She is called Polly in all records that I've seen.

William was 29 in 1803 and 47 in 1817, born either 1774 or 1770. 

The census gives slightly different information each year. In 1800, William TITUS had a household of 4, in either Bastard, Kitley, Leeds or Lansdowne Rear Township. Assuming a nuclear family, it would be a couple with 2 children. In 1801 they are in Bastard or Kitley. Another child has been born, and we have names: the parents are Wm and Poly, the girl is L, the boy is Miller. In 1802, still in Bastard or Kitley, they have 1 boy and 2 girls, so one of the boys has died, and a girl has been born. In 1803, now in Bastard, we have names and ages, but not gender.

There was no census for Bastard in 1804. There was a census in 1805, but the TITUS family was missing. There was a census in 1806, which gave only names and genders. Then there was no census until 1813.

William TITUS was granted 200 acres by the Crown, on 6 Aug 1819. This property was all of Lot 13, Concession 8, in Bastard. He sold 50 acres on the front end to Jonathan B. DAY on 25 Apr 1837. His son John L. TITUS inherited the rest.

Polly TITUS was granted 200 acres in Lot 19 Con 7, Leeds Rear, on 18 Oct 1836. I have not found any record of William or Polly after this date. They were not in the Bastard or Leeds Rear Census for 1835 or thereafter.

2. Josiah Dennis BURGESS was born about 1780 in VT, probably Pittsford. He was about 16 when his parents moved the family from VT to Bastard, so he probably traveled with them. He was granted land, probably about 200 acres in Bastard, on 1 Sep 1801.

He was called Dennis BURGIS Jr, an adult, in the 1801 Census, in Bastard, and he was Josiah D. BURGESS, head-of-household, in the 1813 and 1814 Censuses, in Bastard. In 1813 and 1814 he was single, and living with one woman and 3 or 4 girls. Josiah was listed consecutively with John, German and Clossen BURGESS in 1813, and with John and German in 1814.

The name of his wife is not known, but she probably died before 1840.

He moved to Macomb County, MI by 1821, where he was still living in 1850, age 70. Josiah appeared in the Early Census lists of 1821, 1823 and 1825, for Mount Clemens, Macomb, MI, under the name Josiah D. BURGESS. It looks like he had at least 2 sons and 3 daughters. The only one whose name is known is Josiah D. BURGESS Jr, born 17 Apr 1812 in Bastard, died 28 Feb 1884 in Macomb County, MI.

By 1840 Josiah was still in Macomb County, MI. His wife was not present. It looks like there is a younger couple with children, living with him.

In the 1850 US Census, 2 large BURGESS families are listed consecutively in Chesterfield Township, Macomb County, MI. Josiah D. BURGESS is 70, living with the family of German BURGESS, undoubtedly the Germin who appeared in the 1801 census, above. German could be the son or younger brother of Josiah D Sr. Listed next is the family of another Josiah D. BURGESS, surely he must be the son of Josiah Sr. All the adult males are farmers except Josiah Sr, and most have a small amount of real estate. Also present are Isaac BELONGA and 3 children. Isaac may be a farmhand, or a relative.

I suspect the Josiah and German are brothers, not father and son, since Josiah had no boys living in his household in 1813 and 1814.

The map above shows 4 BURGESS properties, in central Chesterfield Township. In Section 14, G. (probably German) BURGESS has 80 acres. Also in Section 14, J. D. (undoubtedly Josiah Jr or Sr) BURGESS has 120 acres. In Section 15, J. W. (probably John W, son of German) BURGESS has 70 acres. In Section 22, A. (maybe Alfred, son of German) BURGESS has 40 acres. To the west, there are several properties belonging to John MILTON and his sons, including Alfred MILTON, who married Lauretta, daughter of German BURGESS (see below).

Josiah D. BURGESS was Justice of the Peace in Macomb Township in 1840, and in Chesterfield Township in 1858, 1866, 1870 and 1874. I suspect it was Josiah Sr in 1840, and Josiah Jr in 1858-74. [HMC, pp. 768, 901]

Josiah D. BURGESS Jr married Jemima NEAR on 21 Jan 1837, in London, Middlesex, Upper Canada. [Ontario Marriages] Their son Josiah III, married Annie LAMONT on 24 Jun 1864 in Perth, Ontario, Canada. The marriage record says that Josiah was born about 1840, to parent Josiah D. and Susanna BURGESS, in East Nissouri, which was a township near London, Ontario. East Nissouri became part of Zorra Township, now in Oxford County, Ontario, Canada.

Since Josiah D. BURGESS Jr married Jemima NEAR in 1837, then had a child Cornelius in 1838 with Jermina NEAR, had another child in 1840 with Susanna, and appeared with his wife Jemima in 1850, I think that Jemima, Jermina and Susanna are all the same person. So Josiah D. BURGESS Jr was born in Canada about 1820, presumably accompanied his parents to Michigan in 1821.

3. Noah BURGESS was born in 1781, probably in Pittsford, Rutland, VT. His gravestone in Gaines Cemetery, Gaines, Orleans, NY says he died on 27 Dec 1846, "in the 66th year of his age", so he had passed his 65th birthday, hence was born in 1781, or possibly the last few days of 1780.

Noah did not appear with the Dennis BURGESS family in the 1801 census, above, so I was not certain, at first, that he was a son of Dennis and Betsey. However, the land record [LO, p. 41], shown above, indicates that he was a son of Dennis BURGESS, and received a grant form the Crown, probably 200 acres in Bastard, on 29 Oct 1800.

In the yearly censuses from 1802 to 1809, the Census of Leeds & Lansdowne Twps, Leeds, Ontario, mentioned above, the Noah BURGES family was Noah and Polly, and daughters Brittanna and Abigail.

The 1807 Census for Rear Leeds, Leeds has Noah BURGESS and 3 females: Polly, Brittanna and Abigail BURGESS.

Noah wrote his will on 20 Dec 1846, a week before his death. There was an an extended legal dispute as to whether he had been of sound mind, or whether his wife, Polly, exerted a controlling influence.

This seems to be the same Noah BURGESS family that removed to Gaines, NY in 1809. Gaines was then part of Genesee County, NY, and was included in Orleans County, NY, formed in 1824.

4. Clausen BURGESS was born about 1784 in Pittsford, Rutland, VT. His wife was Nancy, some say Nancy DICKSON. I've only found one record that mentions Nancy.

He first appeared as Closon BURGESS in the 1806 Census of Bastard, Leeds, Ontario, Canada, in the Dennis BURGESS family. He appears to be single, living with his parents and 6 siblings.

The 1810 Census for the Rear of Leeds and Landsdown, Leeds County, has Clawson & Nancy Burgess, with sons John and "boy Babe". So Clausen and Nancy married between 1806 and 1810, and had 2 sons by 1810.

In 1813 he was back in Bastard township, listed next to his father's and brothers' households. He appears to have a wife, 1 son and 2 females, hence 1 daughter. 

Another Closson BURGESS is found in Kitley Township, next to Bastard, in 1813. He had a wife, 1 son and 2 daughters, assuming a nuclear family. Maybe they moved in 1813, had a 3rd child, and got counted twice?

Clausen (many spellings) was a popular name in the BURGESS family, and some of the later descendants of Dennis and Betsey bore this name.

5. Betsey BURGESS was born about 1785, in Pittsford, Rutland, VT, to Dennis and Betsey BURGESS. She married Enoch HUNTLEY, by 1 Sep 1801, when she received a land grant from the Crown.

Enoch "married (1) Betsey, daughter of Dennis Burger of Bastard Twp., Leeds Co., Ontario and United Empire Loyalist." [VH, p. 171]

The BURGESS and HUNTLEY families shared the journey from VT to Bastard, Leeds, Ontario, Canada, to Macomb County, MI. In 1820 they went to Mount Clemens, the first settled area in Macomb County. They lived in Shelby Township, before settling in Lapeer County, MI. Betsey and Enoch were my 3g-grandparents.

6. Ezra BURGESS was born 25 Sep 1788 in VT, and died 10 Jan 1853 in Macomb County, MI, age 64. His grave is in the Curtis Cemetery in Shelby, Macomb, MI. The gravestone is shared with his wife Sally LOOMIS, born 13 Nov 1796 in Ontario, Canada, and died 5 Nov 1875, in Macomb, MI, age 78.

He is probably the Ezera who appeared in the 1801 census, above, likely a son of Dennis and Betsey. He must have moved to Bastard, Leeds, Ontario with his family about 1796, and on to Macomb County, MI by 1818. He was the second person to purchase land from the government in Shelby Township. 

Ezra and Sally had a daughter, Sabrina BURGESS, who married Abram HILL. According to US Census records, she was 33 in 1850, 43 in 1860, 52 in 1870, and 62 in 1880, so she was born about 1817-8. All of these records, and marriage records of two of her children, say Sabrina was born in MI. So Ezra and Sally were in MI by 1818, probably earlier.

Ezra and family are found in Mount Clemens, Macomb, MI in 1820. The census record is in bad shape, and the transcriber at Ancestry has his name Erva BURGEP. Their daughter Sabrina was there, and an unknown son.

Early MI Census lists (above) have Ezra in Pontiac, Oakland, MI in 1921, Mount Clemens, Macomb, MI in 1925, and Shelby, Macomb, MI in 1830 and 1834.

Ezra BURGESS was one of the first landowners in Shelby Township. He bought 250 acres from the government in 1821, part of which soon became the location of Utica village. In 1822 he purchased 80 acres on the western edge of Shelby Township, and this land was owned by his widow in 1859, as shown in the map below.

The map above shows the part of Shelby Township where Ezra BURGESS had his farms. On the left edge, 3 miles west and a bit north of the "Lost Village of Disco," an 80-acre farm is under the name Mrs. BURGISS. This is the farm that Ezra purchased in 1822. This BURGISS property, on the western boundary of Macomb County, adjoins the AXFORD farm, and touches a corner of the GOFF property, on the eastern boundary of Oakland County, shown in the previous map. Also in Section 33, on the southern border, is the village of Utica. Most of the southeast quarter, and the south half of the northeast quarter, previously owned by Ezra BURGESS, have become part of the large farm of J. STEAD. The CURTIS Cemetery, where many BURGESSes are buried, is top, left of center. Another small BURGESS property is just south of Disco. Most of the village of Utica also lies in the southeast quarter of Section 33, and formerly belonged to Ezra BURGESS. Incidentally, the SW quarter of Section 27, on the lower right edge of the map, was issued in 1826 to Asa HUNTLEY, son of Enoch HUNTLEY and Betsey BURGESS. See the Enoch HUNTLEY page.

In 1850, Ezra and family lived in Shelby Township, Macomb County, MI. Ezra's wife was Sally, born in Canada, about 1796. Samantha may be a married daughter of Ezra and Sally. 

In the 1860 census, Sally was living with her son Elisha. It appears that Sarah is Elisha's wife, and the farmhand Amos BUTTON may be a relative. Ezra is not present, as he died in 1853.

Ezra and Sally had about 12 children. The first 6 were daughters. It may be confusing that one daughter was Sarah Jane BURGESS, who became Sarah Jane (BURGESS) STAFFORD, while Elisha BURGESS married Sarah STAFFORD, who was then Sarah (STAFFORD) BURGESS. Also, it was not uncommon to reuse the given name of a child who died. So there are two sons named Elisha. However, it was the first-born son who lived to age 65, and the second died in early childhood. It may be that the second Elisha was an illegitimate child of Sabrina or Samantha.

6. Ezra BURGESS (b. 25 Sep 1788-Pittsford, Rutland, VT d. 10 Jan 1853-Macomb, MI)  Stone (many photos)
sp: Sally LOOMIS (b. 13 Nov 1796-Ingersoll, Oxford, Ontario, Canada d. 5 Nov 1875-Macomb, MI) Stone and links to parents, sisters 

i. Sabrina BURGESS (b. Abt 1818-MI d. Aft 1880)
sp: Abram HILL (b. Abt 1819-MI d. 7 Dec 1892-Montcalm, MI)

ii. Samantha BURGESS (b. 1823-MI d. Aft 1850)
sp: Ezekiel DAVIS (b. 1818-NY)

iii. Elizabeth Ann "Betsey" BURGESS (b. 1824-MI d. Aft 1880)
sp: Enoch BROWN (b. Abt 1810-Denmark m. 16 Aug 1840 d. 1900-MI)

iv. Emily Maria "Emma" BURGESS (b. 5 Apr 1826 ?-MI d. 3 Dec 1907-Montcalm, Montcalm, MI) death cert 
sp: Joseph PARMENTER (b. 4 Apr 1823-NY d. 1 Dec 1906-Montcalm, Montcalm, MI) Stone 

v. Charlotte BURGESS (b. 23 Aug 1828-MI d. 19 Mar 1916-Leonard, Oakland, MI) Stone
sp: William M. MCCRACKEN (b. 1816-NJ m. 28 Oct 1847)
sp: Alfred MILLER (b. 1822-NY)

vi. Frances P BURGESS (b. 1828-MId. 3 Feb 1854-Macomb, MI) Stone
sp: John BUTTON (m. 31 May 1851)

vii. Ezra L BURGESS (b. 1831-MI d. Aft 1888)
sp: Lydia LONGSHEET (b. 1841-Venice, NY m. 29 Jan 1870)

viii. Elisha P. BURGESS (b. 1833-MI d. 21 Mar 1899-Washington, Macomb, MI) Stone
sp: Sarah STAFFORD (b. 12 Dec1844-Toronto, Ontario, m. 23 Jan 1861, d. 16 Mar 1928-MI) Stone and obituary 

ix. Edward Timothy BURGESS (b. 14 Jun 1834-MI d. 21 Apr 1886-Sonoma, CA) Stone
sp: Mary Jane LITTLE (b. 22 Feb 1832-Canada d. 13 Nov 1908-Sonoma, CA) Stone 

x. Sarah Jane "Sally" BURGESS (b. 14 Jun 1836-MI d. 8 Feb 1899-Macomb, MI) Shared Stone
sp: Christopher STAFFORD (b. 15 Sep 1838-Canada d. 17 Dec 1919-Avon, Oakland, MI)

xi. Harriet T. BURGESS (b. 5 Jun 1837-USA d. 11 Nov 1838-Macomb, MI) Stone 

xii. Elisha T. BURGESS (b. 24 Mar 1840-MI, d. 20 Jun 1841-MI)

7. Hannah BURGESS was born about 1790, probably in Pittsford. She may be the same Hannah BURGESS who married Amos POTTER, born 19 Nov 1795 in VT.

8. Jacob BURGESS was born about 1791, probably in Pittsford. He appeared with his parents in Bastard, in the 1801 and 1806 censuses, above. In both lists he was named between Hannah and Sally. The same order seems to indicate that they were listed by birth order. Hence the estimate of 1791.

The 1825 Canadian Census has a Jacob BURGESS in Quebec city. The family of 2 had a male 25-40 and a female 14-45. 

9. Sally BURGESS died on 4 Nov 1859, at age 67, so she was born between 5 Nov 1791 and 4 Nov 1792, probably in Pittsford.

Sally married Jonathan French LYMAN, probably between 1810 and 1815. Jonathan was born 12 Jun 1786 in Whitingham, Windham, VT, and died 10 May 1860, in Kitley. They lived in Kitley Township, next to Bastard, and had 4 children: Lucinda (1815), Clarinda (1816), Zina (1819) and Alva (1824).

By 1851, the 3 eldest had married. Alva was still single, living with his parents, in Kitley. Two others lived with them, possibly cousins or farm hands. Listed next was Zina and his wife and child. They probably lived close together, since they were listed consecutively, but they had separate houses. Also in Kitley was Clarinda, with her husband and 4 children, and 1 other. All had frame houses, with 1 ½ stories, possibly meaning they had attics?

Lucinda, the eldest, had married and moved to Augusta, Grenville County, with her husband and 5 children. They had a stone house. Many houses in Augusta and Kitley were made of logs.

9. Sally BURGESS (b. 1792-Pittsford, Rutland, VT d. 4 Nov 1859-Kitley)
sp: Jonathan French LYMAN (b. 12 Jun 1786-Whitingham, Windham, VT d. 10 May 1860-Kitley)

i. Lucinda LYMAN (b. 15 Apr 1815-Kitley d. 28 Oct 1899-Augusta, Leeds, Ontario)
sp: Edward BISSELL (b. 24 Mar 1812-Ontario, Canada m. 29 Sep 1835 d. 10 Mar 1894)

ii. Clarinda LYMAN (b. 3 Sep 1816-Kitley d. 25 Oct 1902-Smiths Falls, South Elmsley, Leeds, Ontario)
sp: George William EATON (b. 31 Jul 1809-Augusta, Grenville, Ontario m. 22 Apr 1835 d. 20 Jun 1837-Kitley)
sp: Duncan LIVINGSTON Jr (b. 31 May 1808-Kitley m. 26 Feb 1840 d. 10 Jan 1872-Kitley)

iii. Zina Burgess LYMAN (b. 1819-Bastard, Leeds, Ontario d. 17 May 1883-Brockville, Leeds, Ontario)
sp: Sarah MARSHALL (b. 1817-Upper Canada)

iv. Alva Clark LYMAN (b. 28 Jun 1824-Kitley d. 28 Jan 1881-Augusta, Leeds, Ontario)

10. John BURGESS was born about 1796, since he was at least 16 in the 1813 Census, above. So he was born was about the time that the family moved from Pittsford to Bastard. 

He was listed in the 1801 Census for Bastard and Kitley, and the 1806 Census for Bastard, above, with his parents and siblings. The 1813 Census for Bastard & South Crosby, and the 1814 Census for Bastard, above, have him living alone, a single male 16-50, listed next to 3 of his brothers. 

John was a Private in the 2nd Regiment, Leeds Militia, during the War of 1812.

11. German BURGESS was born about 1798 in Bastard. He is probably the Germin BURGESS who appeared in the 1801 census for Bastard, Leeds, Ontario, Canada, son or possibly grandson of Dennis and Betsey.

He appeared in the Early Census lists of 1821, 1823 and 1825, for Mount Clemens, Macomb, MI. 

He obtained some land in Macomb County on 6 Mar 1829, and married Victoria (Victoine) JOLLETT on 28 Sep 1829 in Macomb County.

German and Victoria had a daughter, Lauretta BURGESS, who married John MILTON.

12. Abigail "Naby" BURGESS was born about 1800, in Bastard. She may be the same Abigail BURGESS who married David HALL on 10 Mar 1817 in Pittsford, Rutland, VT.

Sources

[AMC] History of the town of Pittsford, Vt. with biographical sketches and family records (1872) by A. M. Caverly

[AS] Abel Stevens, in the Canada forum, Genealogy.com.

[BG] Burgess genealogy (1865) by Ebenezer Burgess

[CL] Census Records for Leeds, Ontario, Canada

[DB] Dennis Burgess on the Spicer/Schultz/Witt tree (requires ancestry.com license)

[FS] Leeds County, Ontario Genealogy on FamilySearch

[GOC] Gazetteer and business directory of Orleans County, N.Y. for 1869

[HMC] History of Macomb County Michigan Containing Biographical Sketches (1882)

[HPC] History of Putnam County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men (1886) by William S Pelletreau

[HOC] History of Oakland County, Michigan (1877)

[HTL] History of town of Lanesborough, Massachusetts, 1741-1905 (1905) by Charles James Palmer

[IAO] Illustrated atlas of Oakland County, Michigan (1896)

[LCP] Leeds County Pioneer Settlement Records

[LM] Lyon Memorial (1905) by Albert Brown Lyons, G. W. A Lyons, Sidney Elizabeth Lyon, Robert B Miller

[LO] The Loyalists in Ontario: The Sons and Daughters of the American Loyalists of Upper Canada (1973) by William D. Reid (requires Ancestry license)

[MHC] Michigan Historical Collections (40 volumes, 1877-1929)

[MOC] Maps of Ontario Counties in 1880

[MSC] Map of the counties of Macomb & St. Clair, Michigan 1859

[OCL] Ontario Crown Land Use Policy Atlas

[OLP] Ontario Land Property Records Portal

[RFE] Past and present of Macomb County, Michigan (1905) by Robert F. Eldredge

[RLL] The Rear of Leeds & Lansdowne : the making of community on the Gananoque River frontier, 1796-1996 by Glenn J. Lockwood (1996)

[TOC] Transcribed Ontario Censuses

[VH] John Huntley, Immigrant of Boston & Roxbury, Massachusetts and Lyme, Connecticut 1647-1677, and Some of His Descendants, Book I (1978) by Virgil W. Huntley

[VRR] The state of Vermont: Rolls of the soldiers in the Revolutionary war, 1775 to 1783

Last updated 20 Feb 2023 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com.