John M. Burgess

John Burgess of Cherokee Co., North Carolina

[Haplotype R1b1a2]

Note: This line is affiliated with that of Emanuel B. Burgess of Spartanburg Co., South Carolina.

John Burgess, also called Pappy Burgess, was born about 1789 in Hancock Co., Georgia (so stated in his 1860 census record); in the 1880 census he states that his father was born in Virginia, and his mother in Germany. Hancock Co., Georgia was actually created in 1793 from Greene and Washington Cos., GA; the only Burgess recorded there in the early tax lists is a Joseph Burgess in 1794 and 1796; however, the failure to carry down this name in subsequent generations may mitigate against the theory that Joseph is related to John Burgess. John married (Sarah) Frances Pruitt about 1811, probably in the Union District, and secondly Elvira Lattermore by 1870. He is listed in the 1820-30 censuses for Union Dist./Co., South Carolina, in 1840 in Buncombe Co., North Carolina (judging from the 1860 census records, he appears to have lived there from about 1833-41+), and in the 1850-80 censuses for Cherokee Co., North Carolina. He died there on 14 December 1882, having had eight sons, all by his first wife:

1. Lemuel Burgess (1812?-1860+), born in Union Co., SC; of Cherokee Co., NC
2. Hiram Burgess (1821?-1840+) of Cherokee Co., NC
*3. Green Young Burgess (1823-1896/99), born in Union Co., SC; of Cherokee Co., NC
4. William Burgess (1825-1920), born in Union Co., SC; buried in the Rose Cemetery, Cherokee Co., NC
5. John M. Burgess (1832-1900), born in Spartanburg Co., SC; living with his brother Lemuel in 1850
6. Calvin Burgess (1833-1870+), born in Buncombe Co., NC; of Cherokee Co., NC
7. James C. Burgess (1834-1900+), born in Buncombe Co., NC; of Cherokee Co., NC
8. Marcus Burgess (1839-1860+), born in Buncombe Co., NC; of Cherokee Co., NC

Third Branch: Green Young Burgess

Rev. Green Young Burgess was born about 1823 in the Union District (later Union Co.), South Carolina. He married Sarah Ann Thompson about 1840 (she was born 1822, and died 1900). He served in Co. H, 7^th Tennessee Mounted Infantry, Union Army, during the Civil War; his widow received a pension after his death. Listed in the 1850-80 censuses for Cherokee Co., North Carolina, and in the 1890 Special Census of Union Veterans there; his widow appears as head of the family there in 1900. He served a Baptist minister. He died on 11 October 1896 in Cherokee Co. (or on 19 March 1899, according to the order placed for his military service tombstone), having had six sons:

1. Elisha Francis Burgess (1842-1936)
2. James A. Burgess (1848- )
3. Henry Green Burgess (1854-1907), buried Unaka Cemetery, Cherokee Co., NC
*4. Columbus Newton Burgess (1857-1897) of Fannin Co., GA
5. Jefferson Lee Burgess (1863-1902), buried Unaka Cemetery, Cherokee Co., NC
6. William Lafayette Burgess (1867-1937), buried Unaka Cemetery, Cherokee Co., NC

Fourth Son of Green Young

Columbus Newton Burgess was born 11 March 1857 in Cherokee Co., North Carolina. He married Mary Jane Winkler on 4 November 1875 in Cherokee Co. He is listed in the 1880 census for Beaverdam, Cherokee Co., North Carolina; his widow appears as head of the family in the 1900-10 censuses for Fannin Co., Georgia (five of five children then survive). He died in Fannin Co., Georgia, on 27 May 1897 (buried in the Sweet Gum Cemetery there under the name ?N. C. Burgess?), having had four sons:

1. William Alexander Burgess (1876-1958), buried in the Macedonia Baptist Church Cemetery, Cherokee Co., NC
2. Columbus George Whitcomb Burgess (1879-1974) of Fannin Co., GA
3. Oscar Newton Burgess (1888-1958) of Fannin Co., GA
4. James Arthur Burgess (1893-1969) of Fannin Co., GA

William Alexander Burgess is the ancestor of J. W. Burgess.

Test results received from one representative in this family match the numbers of the family of Emanuel B. Burgess of Spartanburg Co., South Carolina; they have a common male ancestor, name unknown.