Burrows of Pennsylvania (PA) biography

History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, 1887

Burrows Family - BURROWS FAMILY. Of the Burrows family of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the first ancestor of ' whom any special knowledge is known today, was Vincent Meigs, of Dorsetshire, England. He was born in 1570 and emigrated to America, settling in Weymouth, Massachusetts. He was living in New Haven, Connecticut, as late as 1647. He removed to Guilford and finally to what is now Killingworth, Connecticut, where he died in 1658. His son, John Meigs, was born in 1600, and died January 4, 1672. He married a Miss Fry (a sister of William Fry) in England, in 1630, resided in Weymouth, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut, in 1647, removed to Guilford, Connecticut, in 1654, and to Killingworth, Connecticut, in 1663, where he was made a freeman in 1669. He was a tanner and had a large estate. Among his books were Latin and Greek dictionaries. He died at Killingworth, Connecticut, 1672.* His daughter, Elizabeth Meigs, died 1664. In 1650 she married Richard Hubbell, who was born in Great Britain in 1627. He died October 23, 1699, at his home in Pequonnack.

The Hubbells were originally a Dane family. The following is the recorded description of the family coat-of-arms: "Hubbell-Arms Sable, three leopards' heads, jessant, fleur-de-lis, or-Crest : A Wolf passant, or-Motto : Ne cede malis sed contra," meaning "Yield not to misfortunes, but surmount them." "These arms can be traced to a period of remote antiquity, and are still to be seen upon the crumbling monuments in the ancient Saint Peter's church at Ipsley, Warwickshire, England, where for nearly 700 years the family possessed its entailed estates, and sent forth sturdy sons to battle for the reigning king." It is believed that Richard Hubbell emigrated to America between 1645 and 1647, for on March 7, 1647, he took the oath of fidelity to the government of the New Haven Colony. Sergeant Richard Hubbell was a planter, a leading citizen, and an extensive land owner.

His son, Lieutenant Richard Hubbell, was born in Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut, in 1654 and died in 1738, and _when about eight years old moved with his parents to Fairfield county. He was a wealthy planter and held many offices of trust. In 1738 he willed to the First Congregational Church of Stratfield Parish, a silver tankard of very elegant workmanship, which is still in use, and which was worth fiftyfive pounds sterling. On November 5, 1685, he married Hannah Morehouse, who died April 2, 1692. On October 12, 169,2, he married Hannah Sillway (or Silliman), of Malden, Massachusetts.

Their fifth child was Nathaniel Hubbell, born August 11, 1702; died 1761. He graduated at Yale College in 1723. He was a Presbyterian minister. He married, March 5, 1721, Esther Mix, of New Haven, Connecticut. Their fifth child, Lois, married John Borrows, June 11, 1753. John Borrows was born in 1719, and died March 30, 1810. January 27, 1777, he was commissioned Captain and January 22, 1779, Major.

Their fourth child was John Burrows, born May 15, 1760; died August 22, 1837. In assisting to establish the American Independence his services were as follows: John Burrows, Jr., joined the army at Norristown, Pennsylvania, and was employed as an express rider, at forty dollars per month. He spent the winter with the army at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, enduring much hardship and exposure. At the battle of Monmouth his horse was shot from under him, and General Washington presented him with another one. He was with Washington fourteen months, during which time he was a member of his household, except when absent carrying dispatches for the army. Washington stayed for a time at the house of Major John Borrows, at Newtown, opposite Trenton, from which point he crossed the Delaware at night. John Burrows (the son) crossed with him and was present at the capture of the Hessians. He took part in the battle of Springfield, which was the seventh battle he was in during the war. By an act of congress, passed 1822, he was granted for his services in the Revolutionary war, a pension of one hundred and seventy-three dollars and thirty-three cents, payable semi-annually. The following are the authentics for the above statements : Biographical Annals of the West Branch Valley, History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania; also in Heitman's Affairs of the Revolution. • In 1796 he was appointed a justice of the peace, by Governor McKean, which office he held nine years. In 1802 he was elected county commissioner. While commissioner, he brought, in his own wagon, a bell from Philadelphia and superintended the hanging of it in the old court house belfry. He aided in erecting what was then the handsomest court house in the state, and had this bell removed from the old to the new building. Its " ring " is now, 1005, as clear toned as it was over a century ago. In 1808, he was elected to the state senate from Lycoming and Centre counties. In 1811 Governor Snyder appointed him major-general of the Ninth Division of Pennsylvania Militia, for seven years, and at the end of that period he was re-appointed for nine years more. In 1813 Governor Snyder appointed him prothonotary of the court of common pleas, register of wills, recorder of deeds, and clerk of the several courts. After serving four years, he resigned and returned to his farm. He was three times nominated for congress, but never elected. General John Burrows was a man of high integrity and sterling worth. He left behind him quite a fortune, and his son Nathaniel Burrows became heir to one, hundred and twenty-five acres of land upon which now stands the chief part of Montoursville, Pennsylvania. His daughter, Sarah, married Tunison Coryell and their descendants are numbered among the most prominent people of the West Branch Valley.

Nathaniel Burrows was born December 11, 1797, and died September 14, 1879. March 30, 1824, he married Eliza Jordan, born November 30, 1802; died December 24, 1886. They lived together five years after they celebrated their golden wedding. He was for many years a justice of the peace. Eight children were born to them. 1. The first died in infancy; 2. The second, Sarah Jane, born February 27, 1827, died March 17, 1897. On October 1, 1850, she married George Bubb and they had seven children. Two died young, the others were : (1) Nathaniel Burrows, a successful business man, whose active interest in the board of trade has done much for the growth of Williamsport. (2) Mary Helen, who married James S. Lewars. (3) Henry Clay, the well known wholesale grocer. (4) Alice M., who married George H. M. Good, of Osceola Mills. (5) Nellie Tree (deceased), who married Samuel Stevens.

3. The third child was John Hubbell Burrows, born July 9, 1829, October 9, 1855, he married Jane Gallaher Ziegler, who was born November 21, 1836. On October 9, 1905, they celebrated their golden wedding. They had two children : Kathryn D. and Laura E. The latter married Justin L. Hill, on December 3, 1886. They have two children, Helen Burrows Hill and Justin Edgar Hill.

4. Cornelia Burrows, born September 15, 1831, married Ambrose Barber Henderson on March 2, 1859, and they have six children living as follows: (1) Elizabeth, (2) Samuel (married to Jean Wells), (3) May (married to the Rev. George L. VanAlen), (4) Gertrude, (5) Blanche, (6) Charlie.

5. Mary Williamson Burrows, born May 4, 1834, married William James Paulhamus, and had five children. Two died young; the others are: (1) Frank, who married Harriett Everett and lives at Bethlehem. (2) Cora. (3) Harry.

6. Charles Scott Burrows, born February 25, 1837, married Elizabeth Jones, and they had two children: Herbert and Bessie.

7. Francis Jordan Burrows, born January 20, 1840; married, April 7, 1873, Margaret Huling Low and had two sons : (1) Alexander Beede (deceased), and (2) Frank G., a journalist residing at Dayton, Ohio.

8. George Coryell Burrows, born September 17, 1842; June 16, 1863, married Anne Wilson. They had nine children, as follows : Herbert, Walter, Nathaniel, Fleming, John, Bertha, Clyde, Charlie and Nellie.

Nathaniel's three sons, John, Charles and Francis, were gallant soldiers in the Civil war-the first two were wounded, but the latter, although he was in many battles, escaped without a scratch, but he was shot through the coat.

Of the first maternal ancestors, of whom, any positive knowledge is possessed today, it may be said, was John Jordan, born 1693; (lied April 25, 1758, and wife Elizabeth, born 1694, died August 1, 1779. They had a son Francis Jordan, born August 19, 1733; died November 12, 1804. Francis Jordan belonged to the Sixth Battalion, Fourth Company of Eighth Class. Volume 13, Pennsylvania Archives, Second Series, page 736, gives Francis Jordan as belonging to the Sixth Battalion, Fourth Company, Eighth Class. He probably saw but little service. Francis Jordan's wife, Catherine, died August 4, 1804. Amos Jordan, their son, was born January 5, 1762, married Sarah Davis, who was born September 26, 1762. Their daughter, Eliza Jordan, born. November 30, 1802, died December 24, 1886, married March 30, 1824, Nathaniel Burrows, who was born December ii, 1797, and died September 14, 1879. * See Hubbell's History, page 5.


Source: Genealogical and Personal History of Lycoming County, John W. Jordan, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1906.

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