| Notes |
- BIOGRAPHY:
1. Charles Burr Todd, "A General History of the Burr Family," Knickerbocker Pr., New York, 4th Ed., 1902, follows the line of three different branches in America: Jehu Burr who starts the "Fairfield" branch, Benjamin who starts the "Connecticut" branch, and Henry who starts the "New Jersey" branch. There is no known interconnection between the branches that the author could find. The author also states that he sent a letter to every parish in England offering a reward for any rector who could provide a baptismal record for any of the three Burrs - but he was absolutely without any success. He also spent much time in the British Museum researching their genealogical records - but again without success. The following is of Benjamin:
A. "Benjamin Burr, the founder of the Hartford branch of the family, first appeared as one of the original settlers of Hartford, in 1635. His name in the land division of Hartford, in 1639, as an original proprietor and settler is the first evidence we have of his presence in America; but as we are told that the first settlers of Hartford were collected from Watertown, Newton, and other places near Boston, it is certain that he was in Massachusetts some time before his appearance in Hartford, and he may have been one of the eight hundred who came to America with Winthrrop's fleet in June, 1630. He seems to have been an active, energetic, thorough business man, and mingled but little in public affairs; hence but brief mention is made of him in the records of the colony. "He was the first of his name in Connecticut, and was admitted a freeman in 1658. His allotment in the land division of Hartford in 1639 was six acres. He also drew eighteen acres in the land division of East Hartford in 1666. His house-lot in Hartford, in 1640, was bounded northeast of Stephen Hart, northwest on John Warner, southwest by the road to the cow-pasture, and southeast on Samuel' Hale's lot. That he was a soldier in the Pequot War is proved by the following extract from a book by Hon. J. W. Stuart, called 'Hartford in the Olden Time,' published in 1855, being an affidavit of Thomas Burr, son of Benjamin, dated Hartford, 1721: 'I Thomas Burr of Hartford aged 75 years certify as above written that I heard my father say as aforesaid, and also remember said Munson when he lived in Hartford and often heard my father and other Pequot soldiers say that said Munson was a soldier in said war with them.'" "He appears to have been a thrifty, well-to-do settler, as he owned another house-lot in the northwest part of the village, besides houses and lands at Greenfield, in Windsor. He also gave his name to one of the city streets. He died at Hartford, March 31, 1681, and was buried probably in some one of the hillside cemeteries long since obliterated, in which rests the dust of so many of Hartford's early settlers. A monument ot his memory, in common with the other original settlers of Hartford, was erected in the cemetery of the Central Congregational Church, by the Ancient Burying Ground Association of that city..."
As before remarked, but few vestiges of Benjamin Burr remain to the present time. His will is found, and in an old plan of the city of Hartford a Burr Street appears, probably named in his honor; it ran northwest from Main, at the corner of Village and Magon, to Albany, and is now a portion of Main Street. "His will is dated 2 Jan 1677, four years before his death, and reads as follows:
"In the name of God, Amen. I, Benjamin Burre, of Hartford, in New England, being feeble in body but of good sense and understanding, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in the manner following: Imprimis. I give and bequeath my soule into the hands of God, and my body after my decease to comely Christian burial. Also, my will is that my just debts and funeral expenses be paid out of my estate, and as for the rest of my worldly goods, I dispose of them as follows:
"Item. I give unto my beloved wife, Anna Burre, my whole estate during the term of her natural life, excepting only what I doe by this my following will appoynt to be payed before her death.
"Item. I give unto my son, Samuel Burre, and his heirs forever, after my wife's decease, all my land at Greenfield, with all the buildings thereon, and doe also give him whatsoever he hath already received from me.
"Item. I give unto my son, Thomas Burre, and his heirs forever, all my housing and lands whatsoever, in the township of Hartford, after my wife's decease; and my team, that is two oxen and a horse, also all the utensils to the team belonging, as cart, plow, and such like, to be his after my decease, and my will is that he doe with the team and utensils doe all the work for my wife while she liveth that is to be done with a team.
"Item. I give unto my daughter, Hannah Burre, after my decease, a bed and furniture, with so much other household stuff as will amount to ten pounds at the inventoried price. Also I give to my said daughter one-third part of all my other household goods, to be delivered after her mother's decease.
"Item. I give unto my daughter, Mary Crowe, twenty shillings, and it is to what she hath already received from me to be paid after my decease.
"Item. I give unto my grandchild, Mary Crowe, ten pounds after my wife's decease, upon condition that she live with and serve her grandmother until her marriage or the age of eighteen years.
"Item. I give ten pounds to be at the disposal of my beloved wife at her will to such of her children as by their duteous behavior shall in her judgment best deserve the same; also if there be any overplus of my estate when the afore-mentioned legacies are paid, I bequeath it to the dieposal of my said wife.
"Item. I doe moreover hive ten pounds more to my daughter Hannah, to be paid to her by my son Thomas, after her mother's decease, besides what is before mentioned.
"Item. My will is that my son Thomas shall take care of his mother while they live together in this world, to supply her wants in all respects, so far as the estate left to that end will do it.
"Item. I make my wife, Anna Burre, and my son, Thomas Burre, joint and only executors of this my last will and testament.
"Benjamin Burr.
"Witnesses: John Gilbert and William Pitkin."
"The inventory was ₤232,12s. 10d."
B. "To Benjamin Burr and his wife Anna were born four children:
a. Samuel, b. in Eng.
b. Thomas, b. 26 Jan 1645, in Hartford.
c. Mary, m. 15 Jan 1656, Christopher Crowe, of Windsor; had by him a dau., (1) Mary Crowe. She married, second, Josiah Clarke, of Windsor, and had one child, (2) Josiah, b. 13 Jan 1682. Mary the dau. after the death of her father, Christopher, resided with her grandparents, Benjamin and Anna Burr. She m. in 1685, John Clark, of Windsor. Their children were (a) Hannah, b. in Simsbury, 6 Aug 1686; (b) John; (c) Martha; (d) Solomon; (e) Elizabeth; and (f) Sarah. John Clark the father d. Sep 1715, ae. 60 yrs. Mary his widow again m. Wm. Randall, of Enfield, CT.
d. Hannah, m. Sep 1681, Andrew Hillyer, of Simsbury, CT, and d. Sep 1684. Children: (a) Hannah, b. 12 Dec 1681-2, who m. 1st, Thomas Humphrey, and 2d, 15 Apr 1715, James Cornish. She d. 1751.
Benjamin Burr d. at Hartford, 31 Mar 1681. His w. Anna d. 31 Aug 1683. He may have had a bro. Thomas. The Hartford town records give: 'Mary Burr, dau. of Thomas Burr, b. 17 Sep 1645.'" 2. Joseph Savage, "Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England," Originally published 1860: "Ca 1637 Benjamin married Ann [Burr], at England. Born in 1617 at England. Ann died at Hartford, CT, on 31 Aug 1683."
3. No Burr family listed in Stiles' biographies of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut.
4. Burr may have also been spelled at Beur or Burre.
DEATH:
1. Charles Burr Todd, "A General History of the Burr Family," Knickerbocker Pr., New York, 1902.
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Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy
Abt 1610 - 1681 (~ 71 years)