James Burchfield (1758 - 1831)

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 21 Jan 1831 at about age 73 in Greenwood Township, Crawford, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

"Members of congress from the district of which Crawford County has formed a part"- "James Burchfield was born near the Susquehanna river in 1760, In 1778 he married Margaret Reed and came to Crawford County in 1800 locating in what is now Union township. In 1801 he was a member of the second grand jury of the county. He also served as county commissioner 1803-1806; sheriff, 1809-1812; and associate judge from Han 16, 1819 to 1830. He died Feb 13, 1831. (discussion on the ground-breaking ceremonies for the French Creek Canal Feeder) "Marshal on horseback, Col. John Dick; Capt. Torbett's Company of Artillery; Capt. Berlin's Company of Light Infantry; Band of Music; President of the day, James Herrington; Orator of the day, Henry Baldwin, Jr.; Secretaries, Samuel Miles GREENE and Cyrus T. Smith, Esqs.; Superintendent, Gen. I Phillips; Engineer, I. Ferguson, Esq.; Revered Clergy; Committee of Arrangement; Persons appointed to break ground, Robert Fitz Randolph and Cornelius Van Horne; a team of seven yoke of oxen with a plow, James Fitz Randolph to hold the plow, and Samuel Lord, John Wentworth, John Ellis, and Edward Fitz Randolph to drive the oxen; eight laborers, Levi Cox, James Thorp, James porter, Robert McCurdy, Thomas Stockton, James McMath, William Johnston and R. Neal, dressed in proper costumes with implements for excavation; Contractors; two Vice-Presidents, James Burchfield and John Reynolds; Town Council; Judiciary; Gentlemen of the Bar; Sheriff and Coroner; Citizens, two and two; two Vice-Presidents, Eliphalet Betts and Samuel Torbett; Marshal on horseback, Col. Joseph Douglas."

On page 314 of In the "History of Crawford County, PA, 1885"

Sheriffs (my note - County Sheriffs) - Alexander Stewart July 1800 to October 1803 Chambers Foster, October 19, 1803 to November, 1803 James Quigley, November 15, 1803 to October, 1806 Henry Hurst, October 20, 1806 to November 1809 James Burchfield, November 14, 1809 to November, 1812

UNION TOWNSHIP ( Atlas of Crawford Co. 1876 by Everts, Ensign & Everts) Union was organized in October, 1807, from adjacent portions of Vernon, Fairfield, and Greenwood. It is bounded on the south and west by Conneaut Outlet, which has been a marshy waste. Dredging has been done and is continued with good results, reclaiming large areas of the most fertile lands. David MUMFORD, Tunis ELSON, JOHN McFADDEN, and Matthew WILSON were the pioneers of the township as early as 1795. WILSON located on the run which bears his name. McFADDEN settled on the outlet of Conneaut marsh, north side. Theodore SCOWDEN, James BURCHFIELD, and James SMITH were immigrants to Union in 1805. Leonard SMOCK, from New Jersey, settled about the same time just north of the outlet. Other settlers of later date were Joseph THATCHER, Daniel

On page 300, in the history of Crawford County: "The second grand jury of this county was convened January 5, 1801, and consisted of Alexander Buchanan, Joseph Andrews, John Irwin, James Dunn, James Burchfield, Allen Scott, Henry Heth, William Hope, James Moore, Nicholas Lord, Jacob Hilderbrand, Henry Reichard, Samuel Torbett, Eliphalet Betts, Frederick Baum, Daniel Holten, Samuel FISHER, Samuel Foster and William Foster." Page 314, in the same section: "Commissioners (my note here - County Commissioners) - William Clark, October 1800 to October 1801 Joseph Hackney, October 1800 to October 1802 James Lowry, October 1800 to October 1803 William Clark, October 1801 to October 1804 Henry Hurst, October 1802 to October 1805 James Burchfield, October 1803 to October 1806

Elder in Conneaut U P Church in 1810 Served on 2nd grand jury in Crawford Co 6 Jan 1801 Was an associate judge in Crawford co 16 Jan 1819-1830. Was a State Representative 1813-1815 for Crawford Co. James Birchfield (Burchfield) served in the Revolutionary War as a private in Captain Van Swearingen's Company, Morgan's Rifle Regiment, Continental Troops, commanded by Colonel Daniel Morgan. His name appears on Company payrolls from July 1777 to March 1778 inclusive. This Regiment was organized about June 1777 and was composed of men selected from the Army at large.

Sources

• Everts, Ensign & Everts Atlas of Crawford County, 1876

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13940015/james-burchfield