Nathaniel Burgess (abt. 1742 - aft. 1822)

Born about 1742 in Harwich, Barnstable, Province of Massachusetts Bay [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Mercy (Crowel) Burgess — married 31 Dec 1767 (to 20 Feb 1822) in Chatham, Barnstable, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died after 20 Feb 1822 after about age 80 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Bobbie Hall [send private message]

Biography

Nathaniel Burgess, son of Thomas & Mary (Covell) Burgess, was probably born about 1742^[1], likely in the South Precinct of Harwich where his parents resided^[2].

Nathaniel Burgess of Harwich and Mary/Mercy Crowell of Chatham were married on 31 Dec 1768 by Rev. Stephen Emery, the Chatham minister,^[3] after intentions were posted in both towns.^[4] Nathaniel moved his family to Sandwich in 1791.^[5] There are no further records for this couple in either Harwich or Chatham.

Nathaniel and his young family are enumerated in the 1790 census in Sandwich, listing "Nathl Burgis" with a household of 7 females and 2 males under age 16 (Nathaniel Jr. & Crowell).^[6] On the 1798 tax list in Sandwich is listed "Nathan'l Burgis," near his brother Covel Burgis, rated with one dwelling house and 3 lots of land totalling 94 acres valued at $205.^[7] There are deeds for purchases and sales of tracts of land in Sandwich between 1794 and 1821, on which Nathaniel's wife is named variously as Mercy or Mary. The last deed recorded, on 20 Feb 1822, names only Nathaniel, as his wife had deceased.

One interesting deed mentions a half share in a small parcel of land, which he shared with Anna (Burgess) (Weeks) Cobb, widow of Reuben Weeks, wife of Seth Cobb. She was likely a relative of Nathaniel.

After the final deed of sale in Sandwich on 20 Feb 1822, no further record of Nathaniel is found.

Sources

1. ↑ birth year a guess based only on marriage in 1767 at an average age of 25.
2. ↑ Frederick Freeman, The History of Cape Cod, Vol. 2, Annals of the 13 Towns of Barnstable Co. (Boston, MA: Piper & Co., 1869), pp. 513-14, Jan. 1746 list of residents in a reorganized South Precinct
3. ↑ Sheila M. D. Westgate and Anna L. Tomlinson, compiler, Vital Records Town of Chatham, Massachusetts 1696-1850 (Chatham, MA: Chatham Historical Society, Inc., 1991), pp. 60, 101
4. ↑ Sheila M. D. Westgate and Anna L. Tomlinson, compiler, Vital Records Town of Chatham, Massachusetts 1696-1850 (Chatham, MA: Chatham Historical Society, Inc., 1991), p. 66; Louise H. Kelley & Dorothy Straw, Vital Records Town of Harwich, Massachusetts 1694-1850 (Harwich, MA: Harwich Historical Society, Inc., 1982), p. 142
5. ↑ Katherine W. Hiam, Burgess Genealogy, Descendants of the Four Sons of Thomas and Dorothy (Waynes) Burgess (Boston, MA: NEHGS, 1997), p. 109
6. ↑ 1790 US Census, population schedule, Barnstable Co., MA, NARA Micropublication M637, Roll 4, p. 602b
7. ↑ Direct tax list of 1798 for Massachusetts and Maine, 1798. R. Stanton Avery Special Collections, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, MA. Vol. 13, p. 301

• Katherine W. Hiam, Burgess Genealogy, Descendants of the Four Sons of Thomas and Dorothy (Waynes) Burgess (Boston, MA: NEHGS, 1997)