Ontong Burnett (abt. 1746 - 1811)

Born about 1746 in Java, Indonesia [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 11 Mar 1811 at about age 65 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom [uncertain]

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Biography

Whether or not Ontong/Ontony Burnett was born with a surname is unknown. James Burnett, who was engaging in trade in Indonesia, brought him back to Aberdeenshire to be a servant in his household.

Ontong [Untong] Burnett was baptized as an adult in Peterculter in 1774.

Ontong married three times. The name of his first wife, whom he married in 1774, is not known. She was the mother of Henrietta Burnett.

Ontong married Margaret Ritchie in 1778. They had a son William, who died as a young boy.

Ontong's third marriage was to Elspet Hay in 1790.

After the death of James Burnett, Ontong was employed in Morayshire. He seems to have returned to Aberdeenshire at some point. A death/burial recorded in Ellon for a Thom (Thong) Burnet...Slains may be for him. In any case, he was buried in the Hardie-Hardy plot in Ellon Churchyard. The gravestone reads "ONTONG BURNETT died March 11th 1811 aged 64 years".

Sources

• "Ontong Burnett". The Official Burnett Website, https://www.burnett.uk.com/james-burnett/?doing_wp_cron=1709838512.4509499073028564453125. 17 December 2020.
• Untong Burnett in O.P.R. Births 231/00 0010 0235 Peterculter, 1774. [Adult baptism]
• "Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYS8-PZ2 : 11 February 2020), Ontong Burnet, 1788.
• "Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XT2T-SZ2 : 11 February 2020), Ontong Burnett, 1790.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/247843953/ontong-burnett: accessed March 10, 2024), memorial page for Ontong “Antony” Burnett (1746–11 Mar 1811), Find a Grave Memorial ID 247843953, citing Ellon Churchyard, Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland; Maintained by GariochGraver (contributor 47469430).
• Thom [Thong] Burnet in Old Parish Registers Deaths 192/ Ellon, page 331 of 352, 1811. ScotlandsPeople, National Records of Scotland. 15 March.

Research Notes

The following bio appears on FamilySearch, and was also posted to this profile on WikiTree. An Ancestry Tree cites it as coming from "The Burnett Banner, Edition No. 8, December 2009". Does Wikitree have permission to use it or should it be removed?

There have been been several enquiries about Ontong (also spelt Untong) Burnett so it may be helpful to share a few of the known details.

James Burnett of Countesswells near Aberdeen, returned to Scotland after making his fortune in cotton in India & Malaya. He brought with him a servant named Ontong. Nothing is known of Ontong’s background prior to being in Scotland but as Ontong is an island within the Solomon Islands perhaps his name was taken from there. Records of Peterculter Parish show that he was baptised as an adult and given the name Ontong Burnett on 11 September 1774. The same parish records show that Ontong had a daughter baptised Henrietta Burnett on 17 October 1778 but her mother’s name was not given. On 8 November 1788, Ongtong Burnett paid St Peter’s Church, Peterculter, a fee for the proclamation of banns of intention of marriage but name of his intended bride is not recorded. After James Burnett died, Ontong moved to Gordonstoun, Morayshire in about 1782 as a servant to Sir William Gordon who was a relative of Mrs James Burnett. On 15 March 1788, Ontong married Margaret Ritchie in Drainie parish and they had a son William, born 4 November 1788, baptised in Drainie parish on 12 November. Margaret Ritchie Burnett died on 18th December 1788 aged 25 and was buried at Michael Kirk, Gordonstoun, the following day. On 19 December 1790, Ontong married Elspet Hay in Fordyce parish.

Ontong Burnett’s daughter Henrietta Burnett married George Hardie on 20 June 1801 in Slains parish, Aberdeenshire. They farmed at Knapperna, Slains and had ten children of which James Hardie moved to New Zealand. There are known descendants of the family in New Zealand and also in the UK. Ontong Burnett died on 11 March 1811 aged 64 and was buried in the Hardie grave at Ellon, Aberdeenshire. Ellon parish records contain an entry naming Thong Burnett of Knapperna, Slains and the date 15 March 1811 which is assumed to be the date of burial.

Eileen Bailey