fig « I $9 &T S*m 111 ¦*$ t «. :'||n;ij.imi)v; m. w K IHM SS W*W®:::' m •>!•!• & a :w: s r s >' r K>* A GENERAL HISTORY OF THE BURR FAMILY IN AMERICA. WITH A GENEALOGICAL RECORD FROM IS7O TO 1878. p., CHARLES BURR TODD. if* w Hb only deserves to be remembered by posterity who treasures up. and preserves the history of his ancestors." Edmund Burke. NEW YORK: Printed by E. Wells Sackett & Bro., 56 & 58 William Street. 1878. 1 A o\*< YHOTBIH JAH3WHO HO laiinn1 /Ifa Jtl all1 .A3DIHI/:A ZI .BTBi or over uo}i'i a^jo #)35i j/;-".:--oja3K'io a riTr." Cofxbishtxd, 1878, by Chables Bttbb Todd. VST .CFG'OT HHU& 83JHAH0 •]'¦ ill I' "Cvi \ / y -' >rnov ".vT~r ,1 ncir/r-iq BTXBXOTTFXb' BT " TH« .r ¦•WBOBSH STKBKOTTFX 00. V d i CONTENTS* > PASS VL> I.Preface 5 £ n. The Name 10 c^ HI. INTRODUCTION 13 PART I. HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. IV. Jehtje Burr V. Jehue Burr, Jr. VI. Col. John Burr VTI. Judge Peter Burr VIH. Col. Johnnßurr IX.Col. Andrew Burr X. Rev. Aaron*Burr XI. Thaddeus Burr . XQ. Col. Aaron Burr Xlll.TeeodoBia Burr Alston. FART 11. GENEALOGY. XTV. Fatbfield Branch XV.Hartford Branch XVI.Dorchester Branch . XVn.New Jersey Branch XVUI.Index XIX.Appendix 387 ( PREFACE. rI''HERE are people in our time who treat the inquiries of the J. genealogist with indifference, and even with contempt. His researches seem to them a waste of time and energy. Interest in ancestors, love of family and kindred, those subtle questions ofrace, origin, even oflife itself, which they involve,are quite beyond their comprehension. They liveonly in the present, and care nothing for the past and littlefor the future ; for "he who cares not whence he cometh, cares not whither he goeth." .When such persons are approached with questions of ancestry, they retire to their stronghold of apathy ;and the querist learns, without difficulty, that whether their ancestors were vile or illus­ trious, virtuous or vicious, or whether, indeed, they ever had any, is to them a matter of supreme indifference. Now we think itcan be shown that this state of feeling is an ab­ normal one, a perversion of the natural and kindlyimpulses of the heart, whichlead us to regard our progenitors with respect and affec­ tion. Sometimes itis assumed; often itis caused by that loftyin­ dependence ofcharacter which disdains to admit that its eminence has been attained through the wealth or patronage of ancestors ;but more generally itarises from the disgust and aversion caused by that foolish pride of lineage, which refuses recognition to a man unless he can unfold a long and famous pedigree, and which claims honor and consideration from the mere accident ofbirth, and without re­ gard to character or attainments. This pride of lineage is, un­ doubtedly, one of the weakest and most foolish foibles of humanity ; yet there is above and beyond ita veneration and a love for ancestry that is commendable. Indeed, this forms one of the most pleasing traits ofthe race, and has obtained among allpeoples and inallages. We see itinthat beautiful custom of the East,—which makes an oath sworn by the tomb ofancestors forever sacred in bearing his father from flaming.Troy, inthe thousand legends and poems ofthe 6 PREFACE. classics, inthe invention ofthe Jewish records, and their preservation so that the Saviour's lineage could be traced through them to its source in Adam, inthe stern Roman bearing with himin hismigra­ tion, the carved images of his fathers, and giving them the choicest places in his new home, and, lastly and more markedly, inits power to rouse a slumbering peqpte t when.{everyr pthpr resource has failed, and lead them up to new Thermopylae!* and Nasebys. This deep, underlying principle of humanity forms the basis of Genealogy, and gives strength and solidity to the structure. Again, one of the chief uses of the science is that it preserves pedigree; and, pedigree .has. an intrinsic -value in-men, as well'as Jn^ animals, w^ate^crfmay (be/th!ought to.thei contrary by;thb unlearned vulgar mdrit'ointS'pos'ses- 1 and; f I^is^merit inatself andit confers ­ spr, Howof^n,do, we hear it said .of siUybung man' who1isdoing" -wellI —"itis.to. be expected.^he lcomesrbf,geiod'Stocki;'''and oflanofhe?,0 who is following eyil couxses-r-!' You.can.expedtinothing' better; 'l 1 - have knojvn his family,_for, years $¦ there is;bad^blood iti'him;"'antd 's6 experience and observation haVe;Iwrought out the established trtith that ",blood,will,tell,"and.thatit.is-gqod policy to Jodki askance at ajian,pfevilancestry. ...(There are,< however,' exceptions^ this rUlei Virtue is, of perenniaL growth in!the .human soul,/ and^^Moom' e;ven jn.tl^e:breast of the —convict!s son,- while boys born togood fami­ lies sometimes go astray generally, however, 1from want'of jpafental care and management, for fromother extraneous causes,' knd ndt'ffom any predisposition,' .'ten evil.) ;,,;,.,¦, m!; a. tvu- >\.-u •. >. ;r<< ''..uu^r . Men's.experienpej ,then, has settled virtues as* well'aslhe ithat^he ' vices qfthe (fathers are transmitted to their children.- Genealogy, fby; its,researches in.heredity and- jtransmissidni goes further, anda^&ett^' tha,t thiejr traits ;and .predileetiohs, their ;acquißii/i6ns^ ;irientalJlktt|df physical,; thq^r, modesiof, thaughtand even >of expression sett tarans^ mitred, also, and Reaches, that generations •whom- >wei'thddght rilbtlg since ,dead stilj'Uvfe/in-fUS, exist jin;oar;existenGeiac :tin dtir actions,' and thipk in pur_thQughts,,-,Now,— if?these 'things are^so^^Bfd^theit* triithis established beyond cavil are not thevotariefs'jof the stiiente^. justified ii^ipropo.unditigia new axibm, that he isfithe realmUfiofiaard • W/hp inherits a virtuous f ancestry; since he> must receive 'with'itJa{ gopd name, good jabilitiesr>iand; soiind) judgment; and these 1intiifii' w^l)confer, on him,^)Cleac,t4tlertft wealthy honfistnfamei iand' alF \k& ajcquisit;ioii^an4rachievjem:ent^,d£)the>huißanthimdj 'i'dia: jf >js -yl> ?;r!Genealogy/preß.eryesthis)blessingt)f ancestry, to mani clytdes, in its ,prpyinice the questions of:heredity, -trattsriiiSsiOn,1and 1 PR3FXCE.\ selectidn — questions which,affect the origin andperpetuation :oflife itself;. Itbecomes a point, therefore, for.modern society to.deter­ mine, whetherit is< inotiworthy!of.a better.fate than to.be imprisoned iniitbe:pages of theDoomsdayvßobk, or delegated to the monkish antiquary and the cobwebbed sanctum of the vital statistician. jmOflate there has been a:marked revival ofpublic interest inthe labors oCthe genealogist. devoted .tohis specialty have met withmoretg'enerousrsupport. .Societies. have been incorporated by- legislatures for the (better prosecution of. genealogical inquiries, and inmost States an' accu-rate registration. ofthe hirths, marriages and deaths; in.each: township ¦ is provided for by lawrso that at no distant iday we may hope to see the restless, migratory spirit of the eatlyi days of the republic, succeeded by a better cultivation ofhome ties and sanctities, and of, the humanizing virtues of filial respect and affection. r "•' After.some years of labor, and many unavoidable delays, the History,"is now offered to the family;that it has some deficiencies isnot denied :it is hoped that it has also some merit;.these willprob­ ably.be discovered by the criticallyinclined and need notbe adverted tb^here.' ¦ Pew however who read the pages of the work willform any just idea of the labor and difficulty involved inits compilation; in tracing the scattered members of the familythrough alltheir wander­ ingsfora period ofnearly three centuries ;. inthe labor of extensive correspondence, which alone would fillvolumes ;and the examina­ tion of-town* parish.. and state records, histories, ancient willsand deeds, tombstones of the dead, and other sources of information;, and these labors too sometimes increased by the neglect, or refusal to respond of'thbse from whom information was sought. f);(in'.qonstructing^, the. genealogy the compiler has. visited most of the towns where the family early took root, and has personally ex­ amined:the records) .pertain ing.to his subject; its accuracy, except inithe Jew.instances' istated,; niay.be,received without question ;its' statements are supported by.either documentary or oralevidence; in completeness itis.believed:that it-w.illncoinpare favorably withmost, family,histories .published p the. earlier, generations, wili.be found complete, or .'nearly, soothe :later more, fragmentary/r-rbut for this notrbeTheld.Tesponsibie, ,was:forced tnerauthor should sroce.he 'to: depend upon the living for his data. .:.:;: .: W^tit therirecordhas. beeni a much. more than< ordinarily^difficult one to.construct. > The .familyisa.pirineer tme^ar excelieneA,ixi6 the. 8 PREFACE. insatiate sea, and clamorous West, alike absorbed great numbers ol its members, allknowledge of whose fate was lost by their kindred: at home, and of course to the family historian who sought to pre^: serve it. The partial loss of the Fairfield records also added to the difficulty of tracing that branch of the family. The material for the biographies has been drawn mainly from oldpapers and records preserved in the State Library at Hartford, for free access to which, as well as for many valuable hints, Iam indebted to Charles J. Hoadley, Esq., State Librarian, agentleman? whose antiquarian research is exceeded only by his courtesy. For the —matter contained in the— sketch ofColonel Aaron Burr, Is am largely though not wholly indebted to preceding biogra^. phies; especially to Mr.Parton's exhaustive work on the subject; Iam also indebted to that gentleman for valuable papers, not before* published, placed at my disposal. The biographies of the earlier members of the family contain facts and incidents, which willprove the more interesting, because not easily accessible to the general public. The compiler had hoped to present a record of the cases tried before Chief Justice Peter Burr, but was surprised to find on mak ing inquiry, that the dockets of the colonial courts are not preserved in our archives.