Pratt Stories - The Burr Family IV

Our ancestor John Burr (Sr.), the son of Nathaniel and grandson of Jehue, was known as Colonel John Burr of Fairfield. This is his story:

 

He was born in Fairfield in May 1673 the third of eight children of Nathaniel and Sarah Ward. His first wife was our ancestor Deborah Barlow, daughter of ancestors John Barlow and Abigail Lockwood. They had six children, our ancestor John (Jr.) being the oldest. She died in 1726. 

 

His first public office was that of Commissary of the County during Queen Anne's War. Now from the Burr book: At the next Court in 1704 he appears as Deputy from Fairfield (followed by dates and positions as Speaker of the House, Auditor, Justice of the Peace, Quorum Assistant, Judge of County Court and Judge of Probate Court). He was several times commissioned in the military service of the Colony (Connecticut).

 

 August 4 1710, he was appointed Major of the force engaged in the brilliant expedition to Port Royal, Nova Scotia. Col. Nicholson was appointed Commander in Chief ..Connecticut's quota was 300 men. The expedition proved highly successful; with the aid of the British fleet, Port Royal was taken (from the French) and named Annapolis, in honor of Queen Anne, and by the 3rd of Nov. Maj. Burr and his men reached New London on their return...

 

In his character as a military man, as well as his civilian capacity, he was several times entrusted with difficult and dangerous commissions for the state...(followed by accounts of missions to pacify Indians, enlist troops and patrol areas during alarms etc...what a guy!).

 

Col. Burr was probably one of the largest landholders in the state (followed by land grant information) Beside this grant he had a large farm surrounding his residence (in what is now Bridgeport)...which he bought from the Indian Sagamores, also a long lot and several other large grants from the town of Fairfield, to this should be added a large inheritance from his father...He died in Dec. 1750...his estate was valued at 15,288 pounds, an immense sum in those days.

 

Next: The capture of Port Royal.

Emailed Sept. 19