| John Burrowes of Jamestown 1578-1628 and Virginia |
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| My history and genealogy of the Burruss family in the Colony of Virginia, begins with John Burruss. He came to Virginia in 1608 with the Second Supply. He was financed by the Englishman, Robert Gaile, who petitioned the Virginia Company in London, to give satisfaction, because he had made no return on his investment in John Burrowes' adventure. John Burrowes was on the ship of Captain Newport. Arriving in Virginia at the same time, was Anne Burras, who later married John Laydon. Ann Burras came as the maid of Mrs. Thomas Forrest, there is nothing extant to indicate or deny a relationship between John Burrowes/Burrus and Anne. Mrs. Forrest and Anne Burras arrived on the ship the Mary Margaret. Other Burrow, Burras possibly related are Anthony Burruss who came in 1623, Anne Burras who came 1608, Anne Burrowe who came in 1607 with Mistress Forest, and John Burrow who came in 1624. John survived the 'starving time' in the Jamestown fort, when most of the early settlers perished. When the 1624 census of Jamestown was taken, John was living at his plantation 'Burrowes Mount' which was sometimes mentioned as 'Burrowes Hill'. This land was on the south side of the James River, in what would become Surry County. John also had six of his men planted (situated) with him along with their arms and their provisions There was no mention of the children of John Burrowes. In August of 1626, John Burras petitioned the Royal Governor to 'seat himself' upon the neck of land near James City, so he may care for cattle, due his ward, Mara Buck. Sometime between his arrival in Jamestown, and 1624 when the first census was taken, John Burrus married Bridget Buck, the daughter of Richard Buck, the minister to the fort. Richard Buck and his family arrived in the colony only to find it in a very desparate situation. Richard Buck was assigned 750 acres at Archers Hope near Jamestown. He was the minister of James Cittie Parish and died during the starving time, before 1623. Richard had a daughter, Elizabeth who did not immigrate with her family but remained in England, and he had a daughter, Bermuda, who died before she reached Virginia Daughter Bridget, was the only child to make the voyage with her parents. Four Buck children Mara, Gercian, Benoni, and Peleg were born in the colony. According to the Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography, Volume 1 - IV, John Burrus was the father of Christopher Burruss, Benjamin, Anne, and Matthew. John Burrows sold Burrows Hill to Captain John Smith. In the muster of 1624/1625 John Smith and his wife Susanna, along with their son Francis Smith, age one year, were listed as living at Burrows' Hill. (Wm and Mary Quarterly, Vol 16, page 222, 223) John Burrowes was fatally stabbed January 1, 1627/28 'in the belly below the navel by William Reade, a 14 year old laborer, who was convicted of manslaughter, but pled benefit of clergy, in the house of Benjamin Jackson, at Blunt Point, now in Warwick, Virginia.' John and Bridget had no documented children in 1623, and it is possible, even likely, children were born in the five years between 1623 and his death in 1628. Bridge Buck married twice after the death of John Burrus. Her second husband was William Davis. Her last husband was John Bromfield. The marriages are evidenced by a land grant to John Bromfield dated December 15, 1656 for 1200 acres located at the head of Archer's Hope Creek in James City County. The connection of the Burrowes, Davis, and Bromfield surnames continued in several documents. John Burruss' probable son, Benjamin Burruss married Katherine Timberlake. This is noted in the will of her brother, Henry Timberlake, where he mentions Katherine's husband Benjamin Burruss, and their children. The will was witnessed by Arthur Bromfield. It is noted that in 1636, Matthew Burrowes was claimed as a headright of William Davis, when he patented land on Archer's Hope Creek. Matthew Burrowes was claimed as a headright of John Bromfield, in Land Patent Book 4, page 55. Christopher Burrows patented several parcels of land in Lynhaven Parish in Lower Norfolk County between 1636 and 1651. He claimed as a headright with his brother, William and his sister Ann. A later entry in the land patent records the name Benoni Burrus as the son of Christopher Burruss. Land patented by Benoni named him as heir to his deceased father Christopher. Christopher died in 1652 leaving his six children (unnamed) with a specified amount of tobacco to be given to them. There is circumstantial evidence that indicates John Burruss fathered children, as mentioned above. Also there is mention of Anthony Burrowes who held land in tenure on the east side of Blunt Point Creek adjacent to lands of John Layton in December of 1628. Anthony owned land adjoing that of John and Ann Burrus Layton, indicating a relationship between Ann and Anthony. In orphans court dated September 25, 1655 the children of Robert and Grace Burrowes Anthony, Robert, and Mary Burrowes, were equally given land. In August 25, 1662 court in York County, Virginia Anthony Burrowes was judged to be 21 years old. In 1696 Anthony Burrows was blind and his wife were "very ancient" when they petitioned the St. Peter's Vestry for help and maintenance. Anthony died sometime before April 22, 1712 when the church wardens ordered the estate of Anthony Burrows, lately deceased, be sold to the best advantage of Parish use. The documentation needed to show a relationship and decent from John Burrowes of Jamestown, and John Burrus, the pioneer of the Burrus family of Caroline County, Virginia, is no longer extant. John Burros was living in Pamunkey Neck by 1686 and died there before 1705. He may also be the same John Burrowes who was living in the parish of St. James when an account of the land as it standeth in church books with the number of servants and Negroes and their owners was made by the Church Wardens on December 20, 1679. The relationships are circumstantial that are described here. Court house fires, the Revolutionary, and Civil War all played a part in the destruction of vital records in eastern Virginia. For the story of John Burruss Pioneer, click here |