The following information was assembled from numerous sources and cannot be used directly as proof of Qualifying Service or Lineage.
It is considered a research aid and is intended to assist in locating sources that can be used as proof.
State of Service: MA
Qualifying Service: Private / Patriotic Service
Birth: 01 Nov 1741 Barnstable / Banstable / MA Death: 18 Feb 1827 Barnstable / Barnstable / MA
Qualifying Service Description:
NSDAR cites
PVT, CAPTs EBENEZER JENKINS, MICAH HAMLEN, SIMON FISH - COL NATHANIEL FREEMAN, MILITIA
COMM TO INQUIRE INTO THE TOWN'S PROVISIONS, 1780
Additional References:
MA Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Rev, Vol 2, pg 911
Musters/Payrolls of the Rev War (MA/RI)
Vol 35, pg 279 (image 628)
Vol 36, pg 129 (image 181)
MA Town REcs, Vol 3, 1765-1785, pg 415
Spouse: Mary Howland Children: Lemuel; Heman; John; Josiah; Mercy;
Members Who Share This Ancestor
None*
*This means that the NSSAR has no applications for this Patriot on file.
Instead the information provided is best effort, and from volunteers who have either researched grave sites, service records, or something similar. There is no documentation available at NSSAR HQ to order.
The gravestone for John Bursley is made of slate and measures 24' wide, 41" tall, and 3" thick. At its upper section is carved a Weeping Willow with Urn
The photo is displayed courtesy of David C. Schafer, MA SAR
Directions to Cemetery / Gravesite:
From the Cemetery entrance at Rt. 6A, on the cemetery road turn left and proceed 25 yards to the bend in the road. From this point walk in an easterly direction 11 yards to the gravesite of John Bursley
Photo: 1 of 1
Author: David Crandall Schafer
John Bursley, the eldest child of Joseph and Bethiah (Fuller) Bursley, was born November 1, 1741, at Barnstable, Massachusetts. John had five siblings Bethiah, Lemuel, Sarah, Abigail, and Joseph. (1)
John married Mary Howland, daughter of Jabez and Elizabeth (Percival) Howland, on November 20, 1766, at Barnstable. Together they had six children from 1768 to 1777, Lemuel, Heman, John, Josiah, and Mercy.(2)
On September 5, 1778, a British squadron of 32 vessels anchored at Clark’s Cove on the southern coast of (New) Bedford. Ordered to destroy all wharves, storehouses, vessels, and materials of privateers, 4,000 troops marched through Dartmouth, Bedford, Acushnet, and Oxford. In response, General Joseph Otis called an alarm of the militia companies of Barnstable County, on September 6th for Dartmouth and Falmouth. Leaving the western coastal communities of Buzzard’s Bay in flames the British squadron sailed east through Quick’s Hole of the Elizabeth Islands. Anchored at Martha’s Vineyard from September 10th through the 15th the British demanded livestock & feed, arms, and supplies before returning to their Newport Garrison. (3) The payroll of Capt. Ebenezer Jenkins’s co. of militia in Col. Freeman’s regiment on the alarm at Dartmouth and Falmouth, September 6, 1778, lists Private John Bursley, with service of 4 days. (4)
On November 2, 1778, the British Man of War “Somerset” was run aground at Truro, Massachusetts by a Northeast gale, with the Captain surrendering his crew to local officials. Under the command of County Sherriff Lt. Col Enoch Hallet, local militia companies guarded over 400 prisoners as they were marched through each town until their arrival at Boston. The payroll of Capt. Micah Hamblen’s co., Col. Nathaniel Freeman’s regt. in the Town of Barnstable to Guard Prisoners that belonged to the Somerset from Barnstable to Sandwich and Plymouth in November 1778 lists John Bursley, with two days service. (5)
September 1779 the sighting of British vessels at Tarpaulin Cove of the Elizabeth Islands brought renewed fear of an attack at Falmouth. General Otis again ordered out the militia companies from Barnstable and Sandwich to the defense of Falmouth. Captain Simeon Fish’s co., of Col. Freeman’s regiment on the alarm at Falmouth on September 1779 musted 98 men, including Private John Bursley, with 2 days service, and wages of 10 shillings, 8 pence. (6)
At a town meeting of Barnstable held at the Court House on the 26th day of December 1780, it was voted to “Choose a committee in Enquire into the State of Provisions in this town”, with eight men being selected including John Bursley. (7)
The 1800 census for the household of John Bursley lists four males and two females. Mrs. Mary (Howland) Bursley died on January 24, 1820, and was buried at the West Barnstable Cemetery. John Bursley wrote his last will and testament on May 22, 1822, naming his sons Lemuel, John, Josiah, and Heman. John Bursley died February 16, 1827, at Barnstable and was buried beside his wife.
References:
(1) Barnstable Town Records, 1713-1781, Vol. 2, pg. 261
(2) Ibid, 1763-1783, Vol. 3, pg. 202
(3) A Journal of Occurrences along the Rebel Coast, 1775-1781, by Frederick V. Lawrence, Jr., pp. 86-93.
(4) Muster/Payrolls of the Revolutionary War (MA&RI) Vol. 36, page. 129 (image 181)
(5) Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 146, pg. 469 (image 23)
(6) Muster/Payrolls of the Revolutionary War (MA&RI) Vol. 35, pg. 279 (image 628)
(7) Barnstable Town Records, 1640-1793, Vol. 3, page 415.
Send a biographical sketch of your patriot!
Patriot biographies must be the original work of the author, and work submitted must not belong to another person or group, in observance with copyright law. Patriot biographies are to be written in complete sentences, follow the established rules of grammar, syntax and punctuation, be free of typographical errors, and follow a narrative format. The narrative should unfold in a logical manner (e.g. the narrative does not jump from time period to time period) or have repeated digressions, or tell the history of the patriot's line from the patriot ancestor to the author. The thinking here is that this is a patriot biography, not a lineage report or a kinship determination project or other report published in a genealogy journal. The biography should discuss the qualifying service (military, patriotic, civil) of the patriot ancestor, where the service was rendered, whether this was a specific state or Continental service, as well as significant events (as determined by the author) of the patriot's life. This is the entire purpose of a patriot's biography.
Additional guidelines around the Biography writeup can be found here:
Send your submission1, in a Microsoft Word compatible format, to patriotbios@sar.org for inclusion in this space 1Upon submission of a patriot biography, the patriot biography becomes the property of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, and may be edited to conform to the patriot biography submission standards.
Additional Information:
Capt Ebenezer Jenkins's co., Colonel Freeman's regt., service, 4 days on an alarm at Dartmouth and Falmouth, September 6, 1778. Also, Private, Capt Micah Hamlin's co., Colonel Nathaniel Freeman's regt., service, 2 days in Nov. 1778 guarding prisoners from the "Somerset" from Barnstable to Sandwich and Plymouth. Also, Private, Capt Simeon Fish's co., Colonel Freeman's regt. engaged Sept. 11, 1779, discharged Sept. 12, 1779, service at Falmouth on an alarm. Also, chosen to a committee "to Enquire into the State of Provisions" in the Town of Barnstable, Dec. 26, 1780
