Genealogy of the Burnham Family of Durham New Hampshire

Strafford County NH

A genealogy of the Burnham family of Durham New Hampshire as extracted from the History of Durham New Hampshire and other sources.

First Generation

1

Family of Robert Burnham of Oyster River, New Hampshire

Robert Burnham, born about 1614, probably at Norwich, Eng., son of Robert and Mary (Andrews) Burnham, came over in the Angel Gabriel, which was wrecked off Pemaquid, Me., 15 Aug. 1635. He was at Ipswich, Mass., in 1636, in Boston, 1644, and at Oyster River in 1654. Carpenter by trade. He married, about 1646, Frances _______. She was not daughter of Valentine Hill, as many have guessed. Two hundred acres, which had been granted to Ambrose Gibbons in 1654 and were willed by him to his son-in-law, Henry Sherburne, were sold by Sherburne to Robert Burnham and were laid out to the latter, 9 Nov. 1661, on the south side of Oyster River, a mile or more below the Falls. Here on a hilltop may be seen the cellar of his garrison house, beautiful for situation and successfully defended against the attack of the Indians in 1694. Robert Burnham died at Ipswich, where a brother lived, 12 June 1691. His will, made the day previous to his death, names only his wife, Frances, and sons, Samuel and Jeremiah. Children were:

  1. Robert Burnham b. 25 July 1647; d. 25 Feb. 1663.
  2. 2. Samuel Burnham b. 1649; m. Elizabeth b. 27:8:1651; m. John Davis, Jr.
  3. 3. Jeremiah Burnham b. 1653; m. Temperance Bickford.
  4. Sarah Burnham b. 1654; m. James Huckins abt. 1673, (2) Capt. John Woodman.
  5. Robert Burnham b. 21:2: 1664; prob. d. young.

Second Generation

2

Family of Samuel Burnham of Oyster River, New Hampshire

Samuel Burnham (Robert1) born 1649, died before 172O, leaving at least three children. The name of his wife is unknown. [See N. H. Prov. Deeds, XI, 358 and XIII, 253.]

  1. Mary Burnham m. John Allen before 1720.
  2. 4. James Burnham m. (1) Temperance Harrison, (2) Mary Hill.
  3. Frances Burnham m. John Bartlett of Amesbury, Mass.

3

Jeremiah Burnham of Oyster River, New Hampshire

Jeremiah Burnham (Robert1), born 1653, married Temperance Bickford, daughter of John and Temperance of Oyster River Point. There seems to be no evidence for the statement sometimes made, that he married Catherine Sherburne. No such person appears in the Sherburne Genealogy. He married (2) Mary, widow of John Spinney and daughter of John Diamond of Kittery. In her will, 1733, she names a son, Jeremiah Burnham. [See Maine wills.] Jeremiah Burnham is called sergeant in 1702 and was selectman in 1694. His son, John, was appointed administrator of his estate, 5 June 1718.

  1. Hannah Burnham b. 13 May 1690; m. 15 Feb. 1709/10, Samuel Smith.
  2. 5. John Burnham m. 9 Jan. 1717/8, Lydia Chesley.
  3. 6. James Burnham m. (1) Sarah Rogers, (2) Relief Bunker.
  4. 7. Robert Burnham m. 14 May 1714, Elizabeth Smith.
  5. Sarah Burnham bapt. 30 June 1717; m. 23 June 1717/8, Jonathan Thompson.
  6. Temperance Burnham bapt. 30 June 1717, “a maiden,” living in 1720.
  7. Elizabeth Burnham, mortally wounded by Indians, 24 May 1724, d. four days later.
  8. 8. Jeremiah Burnham b. 17 Aug. 1714; m. Anne _______, (2) Sarah _______.

Third Generation

4

Family of James Burnham of Oyster River, New Hampshire

James Burnham (Samuel2, Robert1) and Temperance, his wife, sold to John Downing, 8 July 1713, land at Fox Point, Newington, which Nicholas Harrison bequeathed to his daughter, Temperance Harrison. [See N. H. Prov. Deeds, XVI, 454.] James, son of Samuel Burnham, sold to Joseph Meader, Jr., 17 May 1714, land granted to Robert Burnham, grandfather to said James. [See N. H. Prov. Deeds, XII, 468.] James Burnham sold to Samuel Smith, 24 April 1718, eighteen acres which were sold by John Miles to Samuel Burnham, except one and a half acres sold to Hugh Adams. James and Mary Burnham sold to Jonathan Crosby, 22 Oct. 1718, land and buildings south of Oyster River, which had been sold by John Miles to Samuel Burnham. James Burnham is named in the will of Nathaniel Hill as his son-in-law, with grandchildren, Samuel, Nathaniel, Joshua and James. It appears, then, that James Burnham married (1) Temperance, daughter of Nicholas and Mary (Bickford) Harrison of Newington, and (2), about 1718, Mary, daughter of Capt. Nathaniel and Sarah (Nutter) Hill, who died before 1741. She was, probably, bapt. 22 Aug. 1726. Children:

  1. 9. Samuel Burnham m. Elizabeth _______.
  2. 10. Nathaniel Burnham m. Mehitable Colbath.
  3. Joshua Burnham owned land in Lee in 1765.
  4. James Burnham sold to Benjamin Mathes, 1747, right in estate of Nathaniel Hill.

5

Family of John Burnham of Durham, New Hampshire

John Burnham (Jeremiah2, Robert1) married, 9 Jan. 1717/8, Lydia Chesley. He was then a widower. The name of his first wife is unknown. Lydia Chesley may have been daughter of Philip and Sarah. Family names suggest it. Jeremiah Burnham, John Burnham, David and Abigail Daniels, all of Durham, and William and Sarah Parsons sold to Jonathan Thompson, 6 Feb. 1749, lands in Durham “granted to Jeremiah Burnham formerly of Oyster River, Gentleman, deC^,” and two acres and a half granted to Robert Burnham deceased. [See N. H. Prov. Deeds, XCIV, 76.] Administration on the estate of John Burnham was granted to his son, John, 30 May 1749.

  1. Sarah Burnham bapt. 25 Feb. 1721; m. Rev. Wm. Parsons of Hampton, 15 May 1742.
  2. Ebenezer Burnham bapt. 2 May 1723; d. unm.
  3. 11. Jeremiah Burnham bapt. 2 May 1725; m. Elizabeth Adams, (2) Abigail Emerson.
  4. Abigail Burnham m. David Daniels.
  5. 12. John Burnham m. Joanna _______.

6

Family of James Burnham of Durham, New Hampshire

James Burnham (Jeremiah2, Robert1) married (1) 27 Dec. 1713, Sarah Rogers, (2) 6 July 1725, Relief Bunker. James and Relief Burnham sold to Samuel Smith, 13 Nov. 1748, their right in the estate of Joseph Bunker.

  1. 13. Joseph Burnham bapt. 30 March 1729; m. Elizabeth _______ (?).

7

Family of Robert Burnham of Durham, New Hampshire

Robert Burnham (Jeremiah2, Robert1) married, 14 May 1714, Elizabeth, daughter of Capt. John and Susanna (Chesley) Smith, born 6 Aug. 1697. Administration of his estate granted to Winthrop Burnham, 30 July 1760. His estate was divided, 28 Sept. 1762, among widow, Elizabeth, grandson Joseph, Robert, son of late son Winthrop who bought the share of Elizabeth Wheeler, grandson, John Burnham Hanson, daughter, Hannah Mathes, and granddaughter, Rebecca Gage.

  1. Susanna Burnham b. 1 March 1715/6; m. 6 June 1739, Joseph Hanson, his 3d wife.
  2. Robert Burnham bapt. 31 Aug. 1718, “one month old.”
  3. Hannah Burnham bapt. 29 Dec. 1723; m. Valentine Mathes.
  4. 14. Winthrop Burnham bapt. 24 Sept. 1727; m. Meriel Adams, 6 Aug. 1754.
  5. Elizabeth Burnham m. Benjamin Wheeler, 23 April 1760.

8

Family of Jeremiah Burnham of Durham, New Hampshire

Jeremiah Burnham (Jeremiah2, Robert1), born 17 Aug. 1714, married (1) Anne _______, (2) Sarah _______. He quit-claimed to John Burnham, Oct. 1738, all right in estate of “our father,” Jeremiah Burnham. Sept. 19, 1745, Jeremiah Burnham and Anne, his wife, sold land to Samuel Smith. His will, 23 Oct. 1793, names four nephews of his wife sons of John Hicks, David, John, Jonathan and Benjamin, daughter, Hannah, wife of Benjamin Mooney; granddaughter, Mary, daughter of son, John Burnham; grandson, Jeremiah Burnham Mooney. He died 13 April 1799, aged 86. His wife, Sarah, died i6 June 1798, aged 74.

  1. Hannah Burnham b. 28 Jan. 1745; m. Lieut. Benjamin Mooney.
  2. Capt. John Burnham b. 20 Feb. 1747; m. Elizabeth Burnham, dau. of Dea. Jeremiah; d. 13 Jan. 1781, leaving dau. Mary, who m. David Clark. John’s widow m. Solomon Buzzell.

Fourth Generation

9

Family of Samuel Burnham of Nottingham, New Hampshire

Samuel Burnham (James3, Samuel2, Robert1) had wife, Elizabeth. His estate was administered in Nottingham, 1768. Children :

  1. Silas Burnham b. abt. 1760; m. (1) 2 March 1785, Judith, dau. of Richard Hoitt of Northwood, (2) 5 Jan. 1792 Anna Wallace of Nottingham, dau. of William and Molly (Brown) Wallace, b. abt. 1770. He rem. to Vershire, Vt., and d. 31 Dec. 1835. His widow d. 25 Aug. 1852. 11 ch.
  2. Samuel Burnham of Nottingham in 1793.
  3. Jacob Burnham b. 20 Oct. 1748; m. 24 Feb. 1785 Polly McDaniel. Was of Nottingham in 1793.
  4. Solomon Burnham (?) taxpayer in Durham, 1760.

10

Family of Nathaniel Burnham of Newington, New Hampshire

Nathaniel Burnham (James3, Samuel2, Robert1) married Mehitable Colbath and had children baptized in Newington, where he owned the covenant, 25 Jan. 1740/1.

  1. Susannah Burnham bapt. 1740/1; m. abt. 1758, John Roberts of Somersworth (?).
  2. Joseph Burnham bapt. 11 Nov. 1744; d. 22 April 1818.
  3. Enoch Burnham bapt. 7 Oct. 1746; d. 11 Sept. 1819; lived in Farmington, N. H. His will, 31 March, 1815, names wife, Sarah, and children:
    1. Nathaniel Burnham.
    2. Paul Burnham.
    3. Mehitable Burnham m. _______ Jones.
    4. Tryphena Burnham m. _______ Busher.
    5. Polly Burnham m. _______ Pickering.
    6. Lois Burnham.
    7. Olive Burnham.
    8. Betsey Burnham m. _______ Calef.
    9. Enoch Burnham, Jr.
  4. Amos Burnham bapt. 7 Oct. 1746.
  5. child bapt. Aug. 1750.
  6. James Burnham b. 13 June 1754 m. Abigail Pickering; d. 17 June 1845. He was a pensioner of the Revolution and lived in Somersworth. 2. ch.
  7. Dudley Burnham b. 15 Aug. 1762; m. 1 Jan. 1793, Sarah Wentworth; d. 29 April 1826.

Perhaps George, Abigail and Temperance.

11

Family of Dea. Jeremiah Burnham of Newington, New Hampshire

Dea. Jeremiah Burnham (John3, Jeremiah2, Robert1) married (1) 17 April 1749, in Newington, Elizabeth, sister of the Rev. John Adams of Durham. She died 2 June 1753, in the 22d year of her age. Two infants died about the same time. He married (2) 14 March 1756, Abigail, daughter of Timothy and Mary (Smith) Emerson. He was a tanner. He died 21 Aug. 1784.

  1. Sarah Burnham bapt. 31 Dec. 1749; prob. d. in infancy.
  2. Lydia Burnham bapt. 3 Oct. 1751; m. Moses Emerson, (2) Joshua Ballard, 16 June 1785.
  3. Children by second marriage:
  4. Samuel Burnham bapt. 13 Nov. 1757; d. 1800. Unm.
  5. Elizabeth Burnham bapt. 7 July, prob. b. 28 June 1759; m. (1) John Burnham of Barrington and had daughter:
    1. Mary Burnham, b. 11 July 1781, who m. 9 March 1806, David Clark, b. 22 May 1782, (2) Solomon Buzzell, 25 May 1786. She d. 3 Aug. 1797.

12

Family of John Burnham of Durham, New Hampshire

John Burnham (John3, Jeremiah2, Robert1) had wife, Joanna. Both signed a deed in 1750. Administration of his estate was granted to Jeremiah Burnham, 25 Oct. 1769. Mention is made of child, Ebenezer, who had for guardian, Valentine Mathes. A Widow Burnham died 20 June 1783.

  1. 15. John Burnham b. 13 Feb. 1752; m. Phebe Langley.
  2. Ebenezer Burnham bapt. 22 Oct. 1758; d. 19 March 1826, aged 67. Unm.

13

Family of Joseph Burnham of Durham, New Hampshire

Joseph Burnham (James3, Jeremiah2, Robert1), bapt. 30 March 1729, is here classified by conjecture as the father of the following children. It may be that the Joseph Burnham, named in the division of estate of Robert Burnham (No. 7) was the father of the following. He had wife, Elizabeth, who administered his estate. The inventory is dated Oct. 1775. His estate was divided, 16 April 1798. His widow had then married Michael Ryan. Children were:

  • Joseph Burnham who had d. before the div. of est., leaving son, Robert, who was then of New Durham, and daughter Abigail, who was b. 15 Jan. 1774, and m. 13 May 1799, Job Thompson. Valentine Mathes was made guardian, 18 Nov. 1790, of Joseph and Abigail Burnham, above 14 yrs. of age. The will of Robert Burnham of New Durham, 29 Oct.-25 Nov. 1825, names wife, Susannah, and ch.:
    • Daniel Burnham.
    • Joseph Burnham.
    • Thomas Burnham.
    • Eliza Burnham.
    • Abigail Burnham.
    • Polly Burnham.
  • Robert Burnham of Durham; m. 3 Jan. 1793, Nancy, dau. of Reuben Doe of Newmarket. She d. 9 Nov. 1807. Robert had purchased the share of Robert, son of Joseph.

14

Family of Winthrop Burnham of Durham, New Hampshire

Winthrop Burnham (Robert3, Jeremiah2, Robert1) married, 6 Aug. 1754, Meriel Adams of Newington, daughter of Matthew and Meriel (Cotton) Adams. He died soon after and his widow married Dea. Nathaniel Norton.

  1. Susanna Burnham bapt. 25 July 1756.
  2. 16. Lieut. Robert Burnham b. 18 Oct. 1757; m. Abigail Smart.

Fifth Generation

15

Family of John Burnham of Durham, New Hampshire

John Burnham (John4, John3, Jeremiah2, Robert1), born 13 Feb. 1752, married Phebe, daughter of Thomas Langley. He died 4 April 1838, aged 86. She died Aug. 1813.

  1. Sally Burnham d. 11 Sept. 1807.
  2. Joanna Burnham b. July 1779; m. Ballard Pinkham.
  3. Moses Burnham b. 26 March 1781; m. 30 March 1815, Elizabeth Merrill; d. in W. Newbury, Mass., 15 April 1848.
  4. Jeremiah Burnham b. 30 May 1785; d. 21 Dec. 1839. Unm.
  5. 17. Joseph Burnham b. 14 Sept. 1789; m. Lydia Hodgdon.
  6. Hannah Burnham b. 1791; d. 1 March 1836. Unm.
  7. John Burnham b. 1796; d. 17 Oct. 1823. Unm.

16

Family of Lieut. Robert Burnham of Durham, New Hampshire

Lieut. Robert Burnham (Winthrop4, Robert3, Jeremiah2, Robert1), born 18 Oct. 1757, married, 1805, Abigail, daughter of Joseph Smart, who was born 24 March 1770, and died 8 March 1853. He died 6 March 1835, aged 78.

  1. Gen. Samuel Burnham d. 9 Dec. 1841, aged 36.
  2. Robert Burnham d. 10 April 1813, aged 4 years.
  3. 18. Col. Joseph S. Burnham b. 1 March 1811; m. Mary A. Langley.

Sixth Generation

17

Family of Joseph Burnham of Durham, New Hampshire

Joseph Burnham (John5, John4, John3, Jeremiah2, Robert1), born 14 Sept. 1789, married, 7 Dec. 1815, Lydia, daughter of Peter Hodgdon. He died 4 Dec. 1867. She was born at Dover 7 Oct. 1788.

  1. Lavinia Burnham b. 9 April 1816; d. unm.
  2. John Langdon Burnham b. 6 Feb. 1819; m. 22 Dec. 1850, Louisa G. Whitehouse, b. 30 Aug. 1824. Ch.:
    1. Emma L. Burnham b. 30 April 1852.
    2. Charles L. Burnham b. 30 Sept. 1857.
  3. George Washington Burnham b. 4 May 1822; d. unm.
  4. Sarah A. Burnham b. 20 Nov. 1830; d. unm.

18

Family of Col. Joseph S. Burnham of Durham, New Hampshire

Col. Joseph S. Burnham (Robert5, Winthrop4, Robert3, Jeremiah2, Robert1), born 1 March 1811, married 1 Jan. 1845, Mary Ann Langley, daughter of James and Mary (Garland) Langley. He died 25 Feb. 1890. She was born 1 March 1817, and died 20 April 1894.

  1. Samuel Burnham d. 27 March 1872, aged 19, while a student in Dartmouth College.
  2. 19. James W. Burnham b. 22 Jan. 1856; m. Lydia Buzzell.
  3. Robert Burnham m. 11 Dec. 1884, Myra Hall.
  4. Mary Abbie Burnham lived in Durham.

Seventh Generation

19

Family of James W. Burnham of Durham, New Hampshire

James W. Burnham (Joseph6, Robert5, Winthrop4, Robert3, Jeremiah2, Robert1), born 22 Jan. 1856, married, 20 Dec. 1877, Lydia, daughter of John E. and Esther (Young) Buzzell. He died 1 May 1908.

  1. Frances Burnham m. 30 Aug. 1906, Robert Keown. Has son:
    1. Robert Keown.
  2. Robert C. Burnham m. 1905, Augusta Neal. Has sons:
    1. Robert Burnham.
    2. Richard Burnham.
  3. Joseph R. Burnham m. 1900, Bessie Winkley. 4 ch.
  4. Esther Y. Burnham.
  5. Mary Langley Burnham m. Aug. 1911, George Roberts. Has son:
    1. Henry Roberts.

Unclassified Burnham’s of Durham, New Hampshire

1

Family of Joseph Finder Burnham of Durham, New Hampshire

Joseph Finder Burnham, born 19 April 1795, married, 22 April 18 1 5, Esther Varney, born 29 Oct. 1788. He died 1 Oct. 1857. Children recorded in Durham:

  1. Hannah Burnham b. 17 Nov. 1815; m. Alfred Langley.
  2. Moses Varney Burnham b. 17 Nov. 1817.
  3. Eliza Burnham b. 10 May 1820.
  4. Jeremiah Burnham b. 8 Sept. 1822; m. 6 Aug. 1848, Mary J. Canney; d. 25 Sept. 1849.
  5. Lycurgus Burnham b. 28 Jan. 1825; d. 17 Sept. 1831.
  6. John Kelly Burnham b. 14 Jan. 1827; unm.
  7. Joseph Burnham b. 27 Dec. 1830; m. 22 July 1849, Harriet Boutwell of Exeter. He died 11 Sept. 1872.
  8. Harriet Burnham m. Alfred Pinkham.

Additional Burnham Families found in Durham Records

Eliot G. Burnham was born 1 Aug. 1796, perhaps brother of Joseph Finder Burnham. He married, 6 March 1817, Anna Dame. He was drowned, 10 April 1852 in the Pascataqua River, with a son, Joseph Finder Burnham, aged 22. He had other children, Samuel who married Olive Giles, and Caroline who married John Gate.

Edmund Burnham was a Revolutionary soldier; was taxed in Durham 1786-1806. He died 25 March 1808. He seems to have had wife and son in the census of 1790.

Pike Burnham was a Revolutionary soldier from Durham and lived there in 1790. He probably removed from town soon after.

A John Burnham, Jr., married Elizabeth _______, and had three children. His widow married, 1807, Joseph Wormwood, as his second wife, and died 29 March 1852, aged 80 or 82. This John Burnham, Jr., was taxed only in 1803 and 1804.

A Joseph Burnham married, 1810, Sarah York of Lee.

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