Pratt Stories - The Burr Family III

The first American-born Burr ancestor was Jehue and Elizabeth's son Nathaniel. He was born in Springfield (now Massachusetts) in 1640. As a child he moved with his family to Fairfield. There he grew up and Fairfield town records show that he was made a Freeman * in 1664, constable in 1669, and representative to the general Court in 1692, 1693, 1694 and 1695. He married Sarah Ward, daughter of Andrew Ward and Hester Sherman. They had eight children. Our ancestor John was third, born in May of 1673. Sarah died in 1712. He later remarried to Hanna, widow of Samuel Wakeman and daughter of Deputy Governor Stephen Goodyear (another of our ancestors).. They had no children.   The town records also show numerous real estate transactions in which Nathaniel was involved and that there was a road known as Burr's Highway.   He died on Feb 26, 1712. His will was dated only four days earlier. The book contains a facsimile of his autograph.   *  "Freeman" is a term used generally as an English or American Colonial expression in Puritain times, which referred to persons who were not under legal restraint for such things as indebtedness, continual drunkenness or because thay had recently relocated. There was, in effect, a years-long probationary period of good citizenship before one could become a Freeman. Emailed Sept. 18