VA Burroughs Records

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Records Relating to Burroughs of Virginia (Northern Neck counties)

While some of the Burroughs individuals named in these records have not yet been identified and/or connected to John Burroughs of Fauquier, it is believed that most are directly or closely related. Three (partial) family groups have been identified, which include some of the Burroughs individuals shown in these records; see the bottom of this page.

Selected Entries from Stafford County Personal Property Tax Lists
From Stafford County, Virginia Tithables, Quit Rents, Personal Property Taxes and Related Lists and Petitions, 1723-1790, in two volumes, compiled by John Vogt and T. William Kethley, Jr., 1990, Iberian Publishing Company.

1787
Enumeration Date and Name
Mar 28 Clem. Billingslee
Mar 28 George Bell
Mar 29 Bassell BURROUGHS
Mar 29 Samuel BURROUGHS
Mar 29 John Butler
Mar 31 Jacob Bridwell
May 14 George BURROUGHS
May 14 Richard Brent
May 18 Robert Brent, "in Maryland"
May 18 Joseph BURROUGHS
May 19 Benjamin Bridwell

1788
Enumeration Date and Name
Mar 28 Vintsin Bussell
Mar 28 William Barby
Mar 28 Bassell BURROUGHS
Mar 28 Joseph BURROUGHS
Mar 28 John Bannister
May 9 Robert Brent
May 12 George BURROUGHS
May 20 Benjamin Bridwell

1790
Enumeration Date and Name
Mar 27 George BURROUGHS
Mar 27 Benjamin BURROUGHS
Mar 27 John BURROUGHS
Mar 27 John Banister
Apr 12 Bazel BURROUGHS
Apr 12 Jacob Bridwell (L.free)
Apr 12 Enough Benson
Apr 12 Uriah Bradshaw
Apr 12 William Botts
Apr 12 William Baul
Apr 12 Mary Ann BURROUGHS
Apr 12 Fielding Bell
Apr 12 John Browne

These tax records were very revealing because in these years, the tax man was required to actually visit each residence, thus the enumeration dates literally show neighbors/neighborhoods. Bassell and Samuel were living literally as "next door neighbors" and almost certainly the men of the same name shown in John Burroughs of Fauquier's estate administration. The Joseph Burroughs shown on May 18 is John of Fauquier's son, subject of this author's direct ancestry; he is living "fairly close" to George Burroughs, who was almost certainly his elder brother. What is so compelling about the entries the following year is that Bassell again appears, but rather than Samuel living "next door", Joseph has literally moved into Samuel's place; indeed Samuel does not appear anywhere in the 1788 list nor 1790 list. This lends credence to the thought that Bassell and Samuel were also children of John of Fauquier, and along with George, brothers to Joseph. While George does not appear in the 1789 personal property tax list for Stafford Co. (only Basil appears), he reappears in 1790 with two new Burroughs living seemingly "next door", Benjamin and John. These two additional Burroughs may well be sons of George. Also note that the entry of Mary Ann Burroughs in 1790, may actually be Mary Ann Bronaugh as she appears as such in a later tax list. IF she was a Burroughs, it would be entirely possible she was John of Fauquier's widow; she is known to have been living in neighboring Prince William Co. in 1787, where she appears on that county tax list (with son Clement Burroughs as a tithable), so she could have moved to Stafford by 1790, where she appears on the same enumeration date as Basil Burroughs, her probable son.

1790 and 1799 Fauquier County Personal Property Tax List

1790
Name of Taxpayer/No. of Free Tithables/Additional Free Tithable(s)
Thomas BURROUGHS 2 Thomas BURROUGHS, Jr.
John BURROUGHS 1
William BURROUGHS 1
Joseph BURROUGHS 1
Samuel BURROUGHS 1
John BURROUGHS 1

1799
Name of Taxpayer/No. of Free Tithables/Additional Free Tithable(s)
William BURROUGHS 1
Thomas BURROUGHS 2 Philip BURROUGHS

It appears that Thomas Burroughs, Sr. is the same individual who is shown in the Leeds Manor lease transfer below and in the family grouping taken from his will, also below, and that Thomas, Jr. and William in the 1790 list are his sons. Joseph is, again, the Joseph of this author's direct ancestry. Samuel is probably the same Samuel who disappeared from the 1788 Stafford list. The two Johns shown are less identifiable, although one may be Joseph's brother of that name. By the time of the 1799 Fauquier list, the only three Burroughs remaining are almost certainly the sons of the 1770 list's Thomas Burroughs, Sr., as mentioned in his will, and in the Leeds Manor lease, below.

From Fauquier Families 1759-1799 by John P. Alcock, 1994
Thomas BURROUGHS, deed book 10-456, 1789
Lease in Manor of Leeds for lives of sons William, Philip, and Bartolomy.

Dunbar vs Burroughs, 1804
Plaintiff: Robert Dunbar
Defendant: John BURROUGHS
Location: Stafford
Remarks:
Quarry reference - carrying away stone from the property of John Burroughs.

This is the same John Burroughs shown immediately below as father of Alfred Burroughs (note the cause of death in Alfred's death record). This John's connection to John of Fauquier would appear to be as a grandson in that his son Alfred was born abt 1802, putting his earliest date of birth at around 1765-70, and the John mentioned as a son in the will of John of Fauquier was likely born some 20-plus years earlier. Since George and Basil Burroughs (probable sons of John of Fauquier) both lived and died in Stafford, it is possible this John was a son of one of these two men, both of whom appear to have been elder sons of John of Fauquier. It should be noted that George Burroughs first appears in the Stafford lists in 1785 with 5 "persons in family," and in the 1790 Stafford personal property tax list, above, he appears on enumeration date of Mar 27, along with a Benjamin and John immediately following his name on the same date.

Death Record of Alfred Burroughs
Date of death: August 19, 1867, Stafford County, Age 65 years.
Cause of death: Gravel.
Place of birth: Stafford County.
Occupation: Farmer
Father: BURROUGHS, John.
Mother: BURROUGHS, Margaret.
Consort: BURROUGHS, Ellen.
Informant: BURROUGHS, Ellen (His Wife).

Spotsylvania County, Deed Book J, p. 406
Sept. 15, 1786. Wm. Hewell and Susannah, his wife, of Spots. Co. to Wm. King of same co. £30 curr. 20 a. in Spots. Co., etc., etc. Zechariah Billingsly, James King, Clement BURROUGHS. May 3, 1787.

Clement Burroughs was the son of John Burroughs of Fauquier, and one of his youngest sons, probably born just after Joseph. In the same year as the above record, Clement was shown as a tithable to Mary Burroughs, widow of John Burroughs of Fauquier, in the Prince William County personal property tax list. According to a descendant of Clement, he lived for a short period in Spotsylvania County, before moving on to Kentucky.

Letter to Gov. Thomas Jefferson, ca. 1766
"To his Excellency Thomas Jefferson Esqr., Governor of Virginia - the Field Officers and Captains of the Stafford Militia represent to your Excellency, that as a number of the Enemy's Ships are Ravaging, burning & Destroying the property of all the People situated on the waters, that we have thought it advisable to detain the Militia to be assisting in repelling 'em, hoping it will meet with your Excellency's approbation. Should it not you will please advise us; in which we shall be very Particular in executing - We are your Excellencies Very Humble Servants:

What is so interesting about this record is that George Burroughs, while serving as a Capt. in the Stafford militia, did not live in Stafford County at the time; he appears on none of the extant tax lists in this time period. The first incidence of a George Burroughs appearing in the Stafford personal property tax lists is in 1785. Is this evidence that both were the same George, son of John of Fauquier?

Some Virginia Northern Neck Burroughs Marriages

Thomas BURROUGHS and Lettice Kendall 23 Feb 1790, Fauquier.
Judith BURROUGHS and James Stanford, marriage bond Feb 23, 1790, Fauquier, bondsman John Ashby.
Michael BURROUGHS and Mary Hill 23 Dec 1791, Fauquier.
Elizabeth BURROUGHS and James McConaha, marriage bond Aug 8, 1796, Fauquier, bondsman James Stanford.
Nancy BURROUGHS and John Dewes 9 Dec 1801, Fauquier.
Bartley BURROUGHS and Elizabeth Congrove 3 Jan 1803, Fauquier.
Artemesea or Artemecia BURROUGHS, d/o Samuel, and Enoch Barber (Baptist marriage), marriage date Dec ___1830, Fauquier.
Martha T. BURROUGHS and Charles K. Hickerson, 29 Apr 1850, Fauquier.
John B. BURROUGHS and Mary E. Shumate 1 Jan 1853, Fauquier.
Louisa BURROUGHS and William Starke Payne 6 Sep 1855, Fauquier.
Drucilla BURROUGHS and Alexander Clow/Clough 5 May 1821, Stafford/Fauquier.
Elizabeth BURROUGHS and Samuel Barber abt 1779, of Loudoun.
John BURROUGHS and Priscilla Rue 17 Mar 1760, All Saints, Frederick.
Philip BURROUGHS and Susannah John 17 Jan 1802, Frederick.
Bartholomew BURROUGHS and Sarah Rees 29 Dec 1804, Frederick.

Three (partial) family groups, which include some of the individuals shown in the above records, have been identified. Their connection to John Burroughs of Fauquier has not yet been found.

From the will abstract of Thomas BURROUGHS, dated 1808, proved in Fauquier court 22 Jul 1811, is the following family group; note that this is the same Thomas mentioned in the Leeds Manor lease above:

Thomas BURROUGHS md Wildred, their children:

Thomas BURROUGHS md Lettice Kendal, marriage bond dtd 23 Feb 1790.
Judith BURROUGHS md James Stanford, marriage bond also dtd 23 Feb 1790.
William BURROUGHS.
Philip BURROUGHS. MAY be the same Philip who md Susannah John 17 Jan 1802, in neighboring Frederick Co., Va.
Elizabeth BURROUGHS prob same Elizabeth who md James McConaha, marriage bond dtd 8 Aug 1796, Fauquier, bondsman was James Stanford.
Bartleman (aka Barley) BURROUGHS.

From the 1850 Federal Census:

Samuel BURROUGHS md Elizabeth Tackett 15 May 1811, Fauquier. Daughter Artemesia was deceased at the time of this census and three of her young children, surnamed Barber, were living in the household of Samuel Burroughs; wife Elizabeth Tackett was also deceased.

Artemesia BURROUGHS b 1812, d bef 1850; md Enoch Barber.
Louisa BURROUGHS b 1820; md William Starke Payne 6 Sep 1855, Fauquier (still living in household of Samuel Burroughs 1850 census)
John B. BURROUGHS b 1822; md Mary E. Shumate 1 Jan 1853, Fauquier (still living in household of Samuel Burroughs 1850 census)
(prob)Martha T. BURROUGHS md Charles K. Hickerson 29 Apr 1850 (not shown in census which was taken just after her marriage date)

From Tschudy (Judy) and Allied Families, Genealogies of Virginia Families, Vol III

Michael BURROUGHS md Mary Hill 25 Dec 1791 (marriage bond dtd 23 Dec 1791, Fauquier, VA), two of their children were:

Susan BURROUGHS b 22 Jul 1793, d 23 Nov 1863; md John Judy 25 Nov 1812.
Nancy BURROUGHS b ca 1795; md Martin Judy 27 Nov 1817.

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