Deacon John BURNHAM
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 1616-1618 - ,,, England 1 2 3
Christening:
Death: 5 Nov 1694 - Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA 1 4 5
Burial:
Events
Notes
• Military: Military. 6
• He was Deacon of the church at Chebacco. 6
• He immigrated on 23 May 1635 to Sacerdehock, Pemaquid Bay, Maine. 6 Shipwrecked on the Angel Gabriel
• He had a residence in 1638 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA.
• He signed a will on 1 Mar 1694 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA. 7
• He had a residence in 1648 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA. 8 He was on the tax list.
Parents
Father: Robert BURNHAM 6
Mother: Mary ANDREWS 6
Spouses and Children
1. *Mary 1
Marriage: Abt 1645 9
Status:
Children:
1. Mary BURNHAM 3
2. Deacon John BURNHAM Jr. 1 3 6
3. Josiah BURNHAM 10
4. Anna BURNHAM 1 6
5. Elizabeth BURNHAM 1 3 6 11
2. Elizabeth 9
Marriage:
Status:
Notes
General:
Deacon John Burnham - one of three brothers - came in 1635 to Chebacco, (Ipswich,) Mass., and settled there. He joined the Pequot Expedition 1637, and in 1639 Ipswich grants him land for his servics as a solder in that expedition. He was deacon of the church at Chebacco. He became the owner of a large tract of land, lying on the east side of what is now known as Haskell;s Creek. He died upon this farm.
The stories of witchcraft in old Salem, Massachusetts have been around for many years. The suffering and injustice that these people were put through has been made into movies and debated quite a bit. As Burnham descendants, we have the honor of descending from people who did not become involved in the witch hunt and rushed to the defense of their kinsman and townpeople who had been accused of being witches. Namely John Proctor and his wife Elizabeth. Thiry-one of the parishioners of Chebacco plus their minister John Wise signed the petition "judging them innocent of any crimes or evill" which John Proctor and his wife had been accused. The Proctor's had originally lived in the town of Ipswich.
How extroadinary to live in those times of Puritan beliefs and have enough sense not to be caught up in the hysteria and instead believe them to be the good neighbors they had always remembered them to be and try to help them in their time of trouble.
Some Burnham descendants have direct relations to the Proctors. Josiah Burnham who was the son of Deacon John Burnham of Ipswich married Abigail Varney. Her mother was Abigail Proctor who was the younger sister of John Proctor who was hung on gallows hill for being a wizard.
Below is the transcript of the petition and a list of the people who signed the paper as best as I can read. If anyone can figure out the 3rd name on the list from the original paper please let me know. Click here to view one page of this document. Here we have the actual signature of Deacon John Burnham and his son John Burnham Jr. The original document is in posession of the Essex Institute of Salem, MA with the rest of the witchcraft papers.
Transcript of the Petition for John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor
The Humble, & Sincere Declaration of us, Subscribers, Inhabitants, in Ipswich, on the behalf of o'r Neighb'rs Jno Procter & his wife now in Trouble & und'r Suspition of Witchcraft.
Too the Hon'rable Court of Assistants now Sitting In Boston. -- Hon'red & Right Worshipfull!
The foresd John Procter may have Great Reason to Justifie the Divine Sovereigntie of God under thos Severe Remarques of Providence upon his Peac & Hon'r und'r a due Reflection upon his Life Past: And so the Best of us have Reason to Adoar the Great Pittie & Indulgenc of Gods Providenc, that we are not Exposed to the utmost shame, that the Divell can Invent und'r the p'rmissions of Sovereigntie, tho not for that Sin fore Named; yet for o'r many Transgretions; for we Do at present Suppose that it may be A Method w'thin the Seveerer But Just Transaction of the Infinite Majestie of God: that he some times may p'rmitt Sathan to p'rsonate, Dissemble, & therby abuse Inocents, & such as Do in the fear of God Defie the Devill and all his works. The Great Rage he is p'rmitted to attempt holy Job w'th The Abuse he Does the famous Samuell, in Disquieting his Silent Dust, by Shaddowing his venerable P'rson in Answer to the harmes of WitchCraft, & other Instances from Good hands; may be arg'd Besides the unsearcheable footstepps of Gods Judgments that are brought to Light Every Morning that Astonish o'r weaker Reasons, To teach us Adoration, Trembling. & Dependanc, &ca but -- We must not Trouble y'r Honr's by Being Tedious, Therefore we being Smitten with the Notice of what hath happened, we Recoon it w'thin the Duties of o'r Charitie, That Teacheth us to do, as we would be done by; to offer thus much for the Clearing of o'r Neighb'rs Inocencie; viz: That we never had the Least Knowledge of such a Nefarious wickedness in o'r said Neighbours, since they have been w'thin our acquaintance; Neither doe we remember -- any such Thoughts in us Concerning them; or any Action by them or either of them Directly tending that way; no more than might be in the lives of any other p'rsons of the Clearest Reputation as to Any such Evills.
What God may have Left them to, we Cannot Go into Gods pavillions Cloathed w'th Cloudes of Darknesse Round About.
But as to what we have ever seen, or heard of them -- upon o'r Consciences we Judge them Innocent of the crime objected.
His Breading hath been Amongst us; and was of Religious Parents in o'r place; & by Reason of Relations, & Proprties w'thin o'r Towne hath had Constant Intercourse w'th us.
We speak upon o'r p'rsonall acquaintance, & observations: & so Leave our Neighbours, & this our Testimonie on their Behalfe to the wise Thoughts of y'r Honours, & Subscribe &c.
Jno Wise William Storey Sen'r ? Foster? Thos Chote John Burnum sr William Thomsonn Tho Low Sanor Isaac Foster John Burnum Jun'r William Goodhew Isaac Perkins Nathanill Perkins Thomas Lovkine William Cogswell Thomas Varny John Fellows
William Cogswell sen Jonathan Cogswell John Cogswell Ju John Cogswell Thomas Androws Joseph Androws Benjamin Marshall John Androws Jnr William Butler William Androws John Androws John Chote Se'r Joseph prochtor Samuell Gidding Joseph Euleth Jems White
Several of the Burnham family signed this petition including the husband of Abigail Proctor Varney, Thomas Varney who was also the father of Abigail Varney Burnham who married Josiah Burnham.
The Andrews on this list also may have been related through either Robert Andrews, who was the father of a John and Thomas Andrews, or another by the name of Lieutenant John Andrews who's relationship to our Robert Andrews is not known. But his granddaughter Dorothy Andrews did marry Ebenezer Burnham who was the youngest son of Josiah Burnham. John had sons John, William, Thomas and Joseph. All of these Andrews are listed above. As to which family they are from that is a question. My thought is they are descendants of Lieutenant John Andrews.
1 12
John BURNHAM IV
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 10 Dec 1711 - Chebacco Parish, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA 6
Christening:
Death: Abt 1738 6
Burial:
Parents
Father: Deacon John BURNHAM III 6
Mother: Anne CHOATE 6
Spouses and Children
1. *Mary BURNHAM 6
Marriage: 10 May 1733 - Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA 6 13
Status:
Children:
1. John BURNHAM 14
Deacon John BURNHAM Jr.
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: Abt 1650 - Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA 3 6
Christening:
Death: 11 Jan 1709 - Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA 6 3 15
Burial: in Old Essex Cemetery, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA 3 6
Parents
Father: Deacon John BURNHAM 1
Mother: Mary 1
Spouses and Children
1. *Sarah 1 6
Marriage: 1670's - Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA 3
Status:
Children:
1. Sarah BURNHAM 6
2. Deacon John BURNHAM III 6
Notes
General:
John Burnham was administrator of the estate and guardian of his brother Josiah's children. 3
Deacon John BURNHAM III
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: Abt 1685 6
Christening:
Death: 24 Nov 1749 - Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA 6
Burial:
Parents
Father: Deacon John BURNHAM Jr. 1 3 6
Mother: Sarah 1 6
Spouses and Children
1. *Anne CHOATE 6
Marriage:
Status:
Children:
1. John BURNHAM IV 6
2. Mary BURNHAM 6
3. Jeremiah BURNHAM 6
4. Samuel BURNHAM 6
5. Abigail BURNHAM 6
6. Ann BURNHAM 6
7. Sarah BURNHAM 6
8. Nehemiah BURNHAM 6
9. Josiah BURNHAM 6
John BURNHAM
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 17 Jul 1738 - Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA 13
Christening:
Death: 29 Jul 1798 - Portland, Cumberland, Maine, USA 13
Burial:
Parents
Father: John BURNHAM IV 6
Mother: Mary BURNHAM 6
Spouses and Children
1. *Abigail STICKNEY 13
Marriage: 1 Apr 1762 13
Status:
Children:
1. Josiah BURNHAM 14
John BURNHAM
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 10 Dec 1749 - Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA 16
Christening:
Death: 8 Jun 1843 - Derry, NH 16
Burial:
Parents
Father: Samuel BURNHAM 6
Mother: Martha STORY 6
Spouses and Children
1. *Abigail COLLINS 16
Marriage: 31 Jan 1786 - Gloucester, MA 16
Status:
Children:
1. Nabby BURNHAM 16
2. Samuel BURNHAM 16
3. Lucy BURNHAM 16
4. Eliza BURNHAM 16
5. Abigail Maria BURNHAM 16
6. Charles BURNHAM 16
7. Jr. John BURNHAM 16
8. George BURNHAM 16
Jr. John BURNHAM
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: Abt 1797 16
Christening:
Death:
Burial:
Parents
Father: John BURNHAM 16
Mother: Abigail COLLINS 16
John Newman BURNHAM
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: Ashford, Windham, Connecticut, USA 17
Christening:
Death:
Burial:
Parents
Father: Joshua BURNHAM 18
Mother: Abigail MAYNARD 17 19
Spouses and Children
1. *Bridget HUBBARD 20
Marriage: 24 Sep 1797 - Hampden, Windham Co., CT 20
Status:
John William BURNHAM
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 13 Oct 1882 - Fruitland, San Juan Co., NM 21
Christening:
Death:
Burial:
Parents
Father: Luther Clinton BURNHAM 6 21
Mother: Matilda BARNETT 22
Jonathan BURNHAM
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth:
Christening:
Death:
Burial:
Parents
Father: John BURNHAM 6 8
Mother:
Spouses and Children