Thomas Burnham
Encyclopedia
Thomas Burnham was born in Hatfield, Hertfordshire
, England
. A lawyer and landowner, he arrived in the American Colonies in 1637, and lived most of his adult live in Connecticut
. He was among the earliest puritan settlers in Connecticut, living in Podunk
and finally settling in Hartford, Connecticut
. He purchased most of the land covered by the current towns of South Windsor, Connecticut
and East Hartford, Connecticut
. He was the first American ancestor of a large number of Burnhams. He died in Hartford at age 71.
He successfully defended Abigail Betts who had been accused of witchcraft, but by "saving her neck" the Puritan authorities prohibited Burnham from further practice of the court.
In 1659 he purchased from Tan-tonimo, Chief sachem of the Potunke Native Americans
, a tract of land now covered by the towns of South Windsor and East Hartford, on which he afterward lived, and a part of which is still in possession of his descendants. He held this land under a deed from Tanto-nimo, and later in 1661, by a deed from six of the latter's successors and allies, by which they renounce "all our right and title in those lands aforesayd unto Thomas Burnam and his heirs."
The possession of this land led to endless lawsuits, supported by the government, and it was ordered to be divided. Burnham refused to give it up, however, and the contest continued for many years. It resulted finally in the appointment in 1688, at a town meeting of the inhabitants of Hartford, "of a Committee in behalf of this town, to" treat with Thomas Burnham, Senior, upon his claim to the lands on the East side of the Great River." He erected a house on these lands at Potunke, which was one of five, on the east side of the Connecticut, to be fortified and garrisoned during the Indian war of 1675. In 1649-56-59-60, he appears as plaintiff in court, and usually argued his own cases.
Before his death he had divided the greater part of his estate among his children by deed, with the condition that it should remain in the family.
The descendents of Thomas Burnham have been noted in every American war, including the French and Indian war
.
Hatfield, Hertfordshire
Hatfield is a town and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England in the borough of Welwyn Hatfield. It has a population of 29,616, and is of Saxon origin. Hatfield House, the home of the Marquess of Salisbury, is the nucleus of the old town...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. A lawyer and landowner, he arrived in the American Colonies in 1637, and lived most of his adult live in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. He was among the earliest puritan settlers in Connecticut, living in Podunk
Podunk
In American English, Podunk, podunk, or Podunk Hollow denotes or describes a place of small size or "in the middle of nowhere", and is often used in the upper case as a placeholder name in a context of dismissing significance or importance....
and finally settling in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
. He purchased most of the land covered by the current towns of South Windsor, Connecticut
South Windsor, Connecticut
-History:In 1659, Thomas Burnham purchased the tract of land now covered by the towns of South Windsor and East Hartford from Tantinomo, chief sachem of the Podunk Indians. Burnham lived on the land and later willed it to his nine children...
and East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
. He was the first American ancestor of a large number of Burnhams. He died in Hartford at age 71.
Immigration to America
Burnham sailed from Gravesend, England on November 20, 1635. According to records, he "imbarqued for the Barbadoes, in the Expedition, Peter Blacklee, Master, took the oath of Allegiance and Supremacy, Examined by the Minister of the town of Gravesend." He arrived near Hartford, Connecticut in 1637 and started practice as a lawyer.He successfully defended Abigail Betts who had been accused of witchcraft, but by "saving her neck" the Puritan authorities prohibited Burnham from further practice of the court.
In 1659 he purchased from Tan-tonimo, Chief sachem of the Potunke Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, a tract of land now covered by the towns of South Windsor and East Hartford, on which he afterward lived, and a part of which is still in possession of his descendants. He held this land under a deed from Tanto-nimo, and later in 1661, by a deed from six of the latter's successors and allies, by which they renounce "all our right and title in those lands aforesayd unto Thomas Burnam and his heirs."
The possession of this land led to endless lawsuits, supported by the government, and it was ordered to be divided. Burnham refused to give it up, however, and the contest continued for many years. It resulted finally in the appointment in 1688, at a town meeting of the inhabitants of Hartford, "of a Committee in behalf of this town, to" treat with Thomas Burnham, Senior, upon his claim to the lands on the East side of the Great River." He erected a house on these lands at Potunke, which was one of five, on the east side of the Connecticut, to be fortified and garrisoned during the Indian war of 1675. In 1649-56-59-60, he appears as plaintiff in court, and usually argued his own cases.
Before his death he had divided the greater part of his estate among his children by deed, with the condition that it should remain in the family.
Family
He married Anna Wright Burnham (1620 - August 4, 1703) in Hartford in 1639. The daughter of Captain Richard Wright, she was born in Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut and died in Hartford at the age of 83. Their children were all born in Hartford:- Elizabeth Burnham (1640 - December 2, 1720)
- Mary Burnham (1642 - January 25, 1720)
- Anna (Hannah) Burnham (1644 - March 1716/17)
- Thomas Burnham (April 16, 1646 - March 19, 1726)
- John Burnham (1648 - April 20, 1721)
- Samuel Burnham (1650 - April 12, 1728)
- William Burnham (1652 - December 12, 1730)
- Richard Burnham (1654 - April 28, 1731) - A blacksmith, he got into trouble mending guns for the native Americans. Frederick Russell BurnhamFrederick Russell BurnhamFrederick Russell Burnham, DSO was an American scout and world traveling adventurer known for his service to the British Army in colonial Africa and for teaching woodcraft to Robert Baden-Powell, thus becoming one of the inspirations for the founding of the international Scouting Movement.Burnham...
is one of his descendents. - Rebecca Burnham (1656 - ???)
The descendents of Thomas Burnham have been noted in every American war, including the French and Indian war
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
.