Keziah Burgess
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keziah had another child

8/29/2015

13 Comments

 
Picture
Son's Ben and Scott Burgess on the property I believe is where ggggrandmother Keziah Burgess was indentured to the John Nichols family.

I was reviewing some old research done by Sherrie Boone, and discovered a note that I forgot about, or was too involved with the other children to followup with. 

Lets review for context. Keziah was taken to the John Nichols family to grow up as she was abandoned by her mother Mary Burgess in 1790. After she grew up and presentably on her own she bore Armstead in 1810 at the age of 20 or 21. 

She later had two more boys:

Armsetad July 1810  Father was a Hale (or Haile)
Sperril July 4,  1820  Different father unknown in 2016
Oliver              1824   Different father from the other two, unknown in 2016

Sherie states that she found this statement in the court records of Bedford County. 

*Bk 18, 1822, June ct “Archibald Nichols who was recognized to appear here this day on the charge of being the father of a bastard child begotten on the body of Keziah Burgess--called and failed to appear This therefore ordered that the said default be recorded.”Bedford Co VA ob 18, p 254

This puts a new sibling Keziah Jr. right in between her two brothers Oliver and Sperrill. And of course is now, four known children. 

Sherrie also states that she think this may be a female. She checked the Nichols DNA and the other two testers of the two brothers, that do not match the Nichols DNA. The John Nichols DNA is also represented as well as a son Archibald. However other relatives (probably John's brothers), also have son's names Archibald; a total of three. 

John Nichols died in 1803 at 83, just 3 to 5 years after Keziah was released from indentured servitude.  

When we look at the Nichols children we find at least eight children starting with Flayl in 1747 to Jessie in 1767. 

This would make the youngest child 33 years old in 1790 when Keziah at about 1 year old was bound to the Nichols. John was 70 and his wife Martha was 60 then. 

It seems like an advanced age to raise another child (although they certianly were experienced!) However according to John NIchols will, at lease two sons had farms given to them adjacent to the homestead. In addition, two domestic slaves were willed to Marta in 1803, So they may have had domestic help when Keziah was young too. 

At least three sons including Archibald are on land owned by John and adjacent to the home place, when Keziah was with them. This land was given to them or sold cheaply in the will.

Sherrie also has researched all the Archibalds. Her notes are below. 

"And Ron to clarify, there are 4 Nichols families  in Bedford same time and place, I suspect they were all brothers. 1.) John, to whom Keziah & James were bound did have a son Archibald. But 2.) George and 3.) William also had sons "Archibald". 4.) Bazdel, did not have a son named Archibald. 1820 tax list for Bedford shows all 3 Archibalds.

 
1.) John's son Arch appears to be older, marries:

Nov. 25, 1779; Archibald Nichols & Sarah Woolington; John Payne, Surety.

 
2.) George's son Arch is a bit younger, marries:

Dec. 10, 1792; Archibald Nichols & Judith Hatcher, dt Richard; Ward Hatcher, Surety; Married by John Ayers, Dec. 20, 1792

 Arch is admin for her estate 1823..... and he's in the neighborhood...

 
3.) William's son Arch is also younger, marries:

Jan. 1, 1819; Archibald Nichols & Polly Updike; Daniel Black, Surety; Consent of Amon and Hannah Updike; Married by William Leftwich, Jan. 10, 1819.

note they live a bit to east, Just married I doubt he's the Arch.

Sherrie."

So it is established that the Archibalds are from the mid twenties to the the mid forties in 1822. Keziah was herself, thirty two or thirty three, with one young son (Sperril) living with her at the time. Armstead was bound to a Hollihan in about 1807 and was probably still there until 1820 or 1822. Sherrie is right, it is unlikely that the younger Arch would be with Keziah unless she was a prostitute. So that leaves John's son or Williams son. 

What does this mean overall to the narrative we have now?
 
Keziah may have been supported by a Hale while Armstead was young. The Hales were prosperous, married and generally respected, so this would have been a quiet affair. For some reason, Keziah released Armstead at about seven, so I'm thinking she lost support or work. 

She survives somehow then gets pregnant again in 1820 with Sperril and then '22 and '24. we know that all are back together by 1835 or 1836 when they went to Kentucky, so her baby in 1822 probably died young or was given up for adoption never to be seen again. 

The big question then remains, what did she do from 1820 until 1835? 
With four children now, each with different fathers, it becomes more clear that she was a loose woman, a prostitute (following 1807) or an extremely unlucky woman with four marriages, none recorded. This is very doubtful, leaving the first two options. 

Clearly Keziah had a jaded life from early 1800's until at least 1824 and perhaps until she went to Kentucky. I believe the evidence points to informal prostitution at the minimum, if not a "professional" participant to survive this difficult situation with children in those days.

A special thanks to Sherrie Boone genealogist, for all her work on the Burgess Family! 

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Picture
The Smith Mountain Gap as seen from the Nichols property. Today a dam in the gap holds back the Smith Mountain Reservoir. The river forming it is the Staunton, formerly the Roanoke River.
13 Comments
Tonya Jackson
1/21/2016 08:02:15 pm

My great grandmother was Clara Rose Burgess. Her father was a Sparrel Newton Burgess and his father was also Sparrell Burgess but i think his middle name was Edward. Ive traced him back to Keziah but haven't found much info about her. I have a few pics of Sparrell and of course my great grandmother. She lived to be almost 100 and was such an inspiration too me. My grandmother, her daughter is still living. There still 6 generations living of Sparrell's line. Would love to know more.

Reply
Michael Burgess
4/21/2016 07:04:50 pm

My great grandfather was Oliver Austin Burgess. Don't know much about the family. Would like to learn more.

Reply
Ron Burgess link
4/22/2016 10:36:56 am

Hi Michael. I have a son named Michael as well.
Oliver was a farmer and minister in the Concord Church in Barren County during the years before and during the Civil War. I think his sympathies were with the anti-slavery movement as some members of the church were African American. I'll post more on Oliver on this site so check back.

Ron Burgess link
4/22/2016 10:33:41 am

Hi Tonya, Yes Sparrel Sr. was Edward. Nice to hear from you. This website is intended to explore Keziah's family. I have not been as active with postings as I should, but have continued to study her family. I would love to see photographs of Sparrel Jr. or Sr.

As you probably know from the website, Keziah had at lease three boys, and possibly one girl who was only mentioned in a suit to expose the father. who did not show up to court. The daughter is completely unknown at this point other than a single reference.

Of special interest to you will be a piece I wrote on Sperrel's Civil War service on the Union side. I will post a link to the paper on the site in a few days. I have always thought that Sperril left Kentucky because most of this family supported the South, and Barren County boys fought each other in the same battle at Stones Creek. Please forward me your email at RonB@Burgessmanagement.com.

Reply
Shelia Gibson-Ivanoff
12/19/2016 07:32:26 pm

I am from Sparrell Edward Newton Burgess' first child, Joseph DeWitt Burgess. He was from his first marriage. I would enjoy speaking with anyone related.

Reply
Bob Bennett
7/4/2016 10:01:14 am

Hi Ron; I have been doing family research for many years and have always traced roots back to Keziah Kessey Burgess. She would have been my grandma's great-great grandma. My grandma's name was Kizzie Burgess. Her great-grandfather was Sparrell Burgess. So I am assuming this is the same Keziah Burgess and am learning as much as I can about her. Thanks for your site!

Bob

Reply
Tonya
7/6/2016 05:15:59 pm

Hi, Sparrell was also my 2nd great grandfather. My great grandmother was Clara Rose Burgess and her father was Sparrell Newt Burgess, son of Sparrell Edward Burgess. I would love to know more.

Thanks

Reply
Ron link
12/20/2016 09:42:54 am

Hi Bob,
Late reply, but thanks for your post.
Wonder if Kizzie was named for Keziah? I have Kizzie in my records. Who were here line down to you?

Reply
Shelia Gibson-Ivanoff
12/19/2016 07:40:03 pm

Hi Ron, I am thrilled to find this blog site. I too would like to see the pictures from Tonya of "Newt". In Oklahoma he was known as Newt or Nuton Burgess. His gravestone has Nuton Burgess inscribed. I realized Sparrell Edward was from his father but have not found where the Newton came from. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Shelia

Reply
Ron
12/20/2016 09:33:01 am

Merry Christmas Shelia! Nice to hear from you.
Strangely Newton is my father's middle name. I always thought it was from my (other) grandmother's line, but perhaps not.

Keep in touch.

Reply
Richard Burgess
11/12/2017 09:35:49 am

Hi Ron, I'm a great, great, great grandson of Sparrell E. Burgess and I love all the work you have published here regarding the search for Keziah. I'm reading the excerpt you have posted here from, Bedford Co VA ob 18, p 254, regarding Archibald Nichols on a charge of fathering a bastard child. I'm wondering if you may be misinterpreting what's stated. I'm reading it as Archibald fathered a child with Keziah, not that he fathered another child named Keziah. It also seems to be referring to a child born before the court date of June, 1822. Is it possible this child is Oliver A Burgess, who would have been almost two years old?

Reply
Sherrie Boone
11/27/2022 07:40:22 am

Richard you are correct. The gender of the child fathered by Archibald is not known. But it's not likely that the 2 known tested sons of Keziah were Nichols, they would've matched the tested son that matched surname Nichols. Also, FYI, Keziah had another son named James McDaniel. He was also bound to John Nichols.

Reply
DARLENE BURGESS INGERSOLL
8/31/2019 08:00:30 am

I AM GETTING INTO FAMILY HISTORY MY LATE HUSBAND WAS A BURGESS MY SON FROM THE MARRAGE IS REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND ANY THING WE CAN ON KEZIAH BURGESS AS SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN A GRANDMOTHER WAY BACK

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    Ron Burgess

    A marketer, writer, and small business consultant. This blog was inspired during my genealogy work and the story of Kehiah Burgess of Kentucky. 

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