Aaron Burleson (abt. 1722 - bef. 1782)

Born about 28 May 1722 in New Jersey

Descendants

Died before May 1782 before about age 59 in Washington County, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

Aaron Burleson is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A017043.

Aaron Burleson performed Patriotic Service in North Carolina in the American Revolution.

Aaron is recognized as a Patriot by the Daughters of the American Revolution for his Patriotic Service, not military service. He signed an Oath of Allegiance in 1778 as part of a Land Entry in Washington County.

He was rumored to be an intimate friend of Daniel Boone and after the war decided to join him in Kentucky. While crossing the Lick Creek in Tennessee, he was ambushed and killed by Indians.

Will of Aaron Burleson State of North Carolina Sullivan County (later Tennessee)

I, Aaron Burleson being in perfect mind and memory considering the uncertainty of life and being desirous of settling of my affairs in a regular manner before I depart this life I do hereby give and bequeath all my possessions as followed (viz) first I commit my Soul to God that gave it my body I commit to the dust from whence it came and my worldly estate real and personal I give and bequeath to my beloved wife all my real and personal estate during her life except three mares which I give to my son John one to my son Jonathon one to my son Joseph and each of the said sons a good rifle gun which my widow is to give out of the estate to the three sons when they come of suitable age and further I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth on shilling sterling and to my son Thomas on shilling sterling and to my daughter Sarah one shilling sterling and to my son Aaron one shilling sterling and to my daughter Rachel one shilling sterling and to my daughter Nancy one shilling sterling and to my daughter Abegail and Mary and Rhoda each one cow the whole to be paid by my widow out of my estate and to the remainder of all my estate real and personal I give to my son James at the death of my beloved wife or at her next marriage. In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this sixteenth of November 1781. I do hereby before sealing of the above last will and testament constitute and appoint my beloved wife executrix and my son Aaron Burleson executor to the above will.

Aaron Burleson (seal) Witness Thomas Shields Patrick Shields Henry Clark

The foregoing will was proven in Court by the oath of Thomas Williams one of the subscribing witnesses thereto at May Sessions 1782 and ordered recorded.

• Probate: "Tennessee, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008"
  Wills 1779-1889; Index, 1779-1889; Author: Tennessee County Court (Washington County)
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 9176 #4820291 (accessed 13 October 2023)
  Jonathan Burlison probate. Link to Will with image

Interesting Note: According to the Will, there was a son named John and a son named Jonathon in the family.

• 1726 - migrated to New Jersey to Virginia with father
• 1745 - son Thomas born in Lunenburg County, Virginia
• 1748 - presumably with father, Jonathan in Lunenburg County, Virginia
• 1749 - son Aaron born, somewhere
• 1761 - presumably came with father to Cumberland County, North Carolina
• 1763 - Aaron Burleson I dies in 1763 (probably in Cumberland County, North Carolina) ^{[citation needed]}
• 1763 - #6576 p. 507-22 Apr. 1763-150 acres in Cumberland County on Rich land creek, joining John Cooper
• 1763 - witness deed near John Lee in Anson County, North Carolina (exploring new lands?)
• 1765 - in York County, South Carolina, briefly (exploring new lands?)
• 1767 - #5658 p.90-27 Apr. 1767-100 acres in Mecklenburg on both sides of Sandy Run and (on the) North side of Broad River
• 1767 - Tryon County, North Carolina formed from Mecklenburg County, North Carolina - no move necessary
• 1767 - son John Burleson born in Tryon County, North Carolina
• 1769 - son Jonathon born in Tryon County, North Carolina
• 1770 - son Joseph born 1 Feb 1770 in Tryon County, North Carolina
• 1770 - #2426 p.562-9 Apr. 1770-200 acres in Tryon on both sides of Cathey's Creek-including Walker's Camping place; joining Joseph Black & Hugh Black
• 1775 - son James B born 4 May 1775 in Tryon County, North Carolina
• 1777 - Across the Blue Ridge into Western North Carolina-Franklin State-Tennessee with son, Thomas Burleson (assume others stay in North Carolina)
• 1778 - Washington County, North Carolina (later Tennessee) Tax List-Womack's District Estate=310-0-0
• 1779 - Washington County, North Carolina (later Tennessee) Tax List-Wilson's District
• 1782 - killed in First Massacre of Mitchell County, North Carolina while resident of Sullivan County, North Carolina (later Tennessee)
• pre-1791 - Petition for Separate election to be held at Simon Burleson's home about center between Rock Creek and Cain Creek settlements signed by Simeon(sp) Burleson, et al. Note states that this section of Burke later becomes Buncombe County, North Carolina
• 1791- Buncombe County, North Carolina forms from Burke County, North Carolina
• 1795 - Burke County Land Entries for Thomas Burlson (others: McKinney, Armstrong)
• 1798 - Burke County Land Entries for Aron Burleson (not I, II or III)
• 1798 - Burke County Tax records for Aron Burlonson, Thomas Burlonson (Captain Lain's District)
• pre-1800 - Burke County Tax records for Thomas Burleson (Captain Lain's Company - west side of Blue Ridge)
• pre-1800 - Burke County Tax records for Aaron (200,1), Simon (100,0) and James (0,1) (prob. Capt. Austin's company)

From Moore County Grants and Deeds:

• 27 July 1762 - Deed: Joseph Dunham to Samuel Larrimore for 150 acres on a branch of Lower Little River... Witnesses: Charles Peat, Bryan McLendon, Aaron Burleson
• 27 April 1767 - Grant: Henry Atkinson for 100 acres on Richland Creek. Beginning at a black oak on the north side of said creek and near the ...? branch, running thence South 59 East, to and with the land laid out for Aaron Burleson, 31.63 chains; thence North 31 East, 31.63 chains; thence South 59 West, 31.63 chains; thence to the beginning. Signed: Wm. Tryon, Governor...
• 13 Sept 1768 - Deed: Samuel Larrimore to Laurence Strothers for 80 acres, 50 lbs. Proclamation.. Book D, p.311.. Situated on the upper road on Duncan's (Dunham) creek, on both sides of said creek, it being a piece of land settled by Samuel Larrimore, purchased of Aaron Burleson, and patented by Joseph Dunham. Signed: Samuel Larrimore (Seal)... Witnesses: Thomas Collins, James (x) Smith...

• 1790 North Carolina Census: Burke County, North Carolina: Agnes Burleson-Morgan's District, 10th Company; 1-1-2-0-0; Rutherford County, North Carolina: Jno. Burlison-Morgan's District, 14th Company; 1-1-2-0-0; Jo. Burlison-Morgan's District, 9th Company; 1-0-1-0-0; Thos. Burlison-Morgan's District, 9th Company; 1-4-3-0-0
• 1800 North Carolina Census: Burke County: Thomas Burlison-21101-11110-00; Buncombe County: Agga Burlinson-01000-00101-00; Isaac Burlinson-00010-00010-00; Rutherford County: Joseph Burlison-30010-10010-00
• 1810 North Carolina Census: Burke County: Thomas Burlison-00010-11101-00 (male part very faint); Simon Burlison-00100-30100-00; Aron Burlison-30010-10010-00; Buncombe County: Isaac Burlison-00010-00010-02

Burleson Genealogies Page 330

Legend has it that Aaron died looking for his friend Daniel Boone. He died near Lick Creek, Washington County, Tennessee (now Greene County).

Rutherford County, North Carolina Burleson's seem to be the sons of Aaron II...Thomas is apparently taking care of his younger siblings after Aaron's death in 1782... John (23), James(15) and ? (Aaron III supposedly died 1785). It may also be that while in North Tennessee, close to Virginia and Kentucky lines, some of the family decided to head for Kentucky (where some were found). It is believed that Jonathan (brother of Aaron II) went there. There were supposed to be two others...brothers or sons or nephews. Who is the 4th male in Thomas' house? A son? How many were sons? Jno. is Aaron II's son... and so is Jo. (Joseph?)...This discussion was previously viewable as part of "Aaron Burleson's Frontier," at http://hometown.aol.com/brooksgen/aaron.html - the hometown/AOL sites were deleted 31 Oct 2008 and can no longer be accessed. (noted Aug2020)

Death

Date: Before 16 Nov 1781 (date will was written)

Cause: Killed by Cherokee Indians

Burial

According to Find-a-grave Memorial (no gravestone) buried in Burleson Cemetery in Washington county, Tennessee.

Burial: Washington County, Tennessee on property now owned by the descendants of Azariah Doty, mortgage holder in what's now Greene County.

Event: Will proven

Type: Will Dated

Date: 16 NOV 1781

Type: Will Proved

Date: MAY 1782

Place: WashingtonCounty, Tennessee

Birth: May 28, 1712 alt. birth 1722

Death: Dec. 2, 1782 Sullivan County Tennessee, USA

Aaron was the first Burleson in the South to Virginia.

Aaron Burleson was a close friend of Daniel Boone per North Carolina historians claiming friendship with Daniel Boone. This friendship is in dispute.

He married Rachel Hendricks born ca 1730 and died ca 1783 in Rutherford, County, NC (Rachel's maiden name has not been verified?).

They had 13 children listed in Aaron's will dated May of 1782 in Sullivan County, NC.

Children Include

1. John
2. Joseph married Nancy Gage,
3. Jonathon
4. Elizabeth
5. Thomas
6. Sarah
7. Aaron
8. Rachel
9. Nancy
10. Abigail married Reuben Gage,
11. Mary
12. Rhoda
13. James who married his cousin Elizabeth Shipman.

In 1782 Aaron left to visit his good friend, Daniel Boone(who lived a few days walk from the Burleson home) who lived in Kentucky. Aaron was ambushed and killed by Cherokee Indians while crossing the Clinch (Clynch) River per Tenn. historians. Aaron had many arrows in him and he had been scalped. There are disputes as to the exact year he died. N.C. historians claim Aaron was killed by Cherokee Indians while on the Cane Creek while with Daniel Boone.

NO PHOTO OF HIM ---- A mistake was made and a photo has been mistakenly identified as him. The picture to the right is of Robert Mitchell Burleson (1851 - 1894) per office manager of the Avery County Historical Museum in Newland, N.C. Robert Mitchell is the great-great grandson of Aaron Burleson who was born in 1712.

'Children listed in DAR profile"

1. JOHN m. ABIGAIL ADAIR
2. JAMES m. ELIZABETH SHIPMAN
3. JOSEPH m. NANCY GAGE
4. ABIGAIL m. REUBEN GAGE

Sources

• DAR Profile: https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A017043
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/130189566/aaron-burleson
• Will dated 16 Nov 1781, proven May 1782 in Sullivan County, North Carolina (see text above).
• Burleson, John Hoyle. A Study of the Early Burleson History: From Our Family Beginnings in America. Burleson Heritage Publishing, 2020. www.bfrg.info
• The Burleson Family: Early History in America by Helen Burleson Kelso

Acknowledgments

• [hometown.aol.com/brooksgen/aaron.html] 9/11/99
• WikiTree profile Burleson-311 was created by Shasta Seagle through the import of Seagle Family Tree.ged on April 8, 2014.
• WikiTree profile created by Dennis Maye on Wednesday, October 8, 2014.