Posted by Bill Burroughs The other Burroughs line in Princess Anne County descends from Elzy (or Elsay) Burroughs, who may have been from New England, either directly or via Stafford County, Virginia. Elzy was a stone mason and built three lighthouses on the Chesapeake, as well as possibly roads in the Hampton Roads area, and some courthouses in the area. He emigrated to Princess Anne County (London Bridge area) as a widower with a large family in 1810 from Mathews County, Virginia, where he had been the keeper of New Point lighthouse which he had built around 1803-04 or so. He was a military "hero" in the War of 1812 at Craney Island, and died in his 40's, apparently in Princess Anne County. His descendents included a John J. Burroughs. Either John or his son John Jr. was educated at William & Mary along with a brother as an attorney. The brother became a judge. John J Jr. was a clerk of the court (I think) in Princess Anne County. They were a very successful family and well off financially. There was also a John Burroughs who was also in Mathews County at the same time and who apparently emigrated with a large family to Hampton in the 1830s or 40s. Probably a close relation (maybe brother) to Elzy. If you require more info on these lines, check out the family trees posted on this website, as well as on MyFamily.com (our data is posted to the World Family Tree there so just do a search in that section and it will come up). If you still do not find what you need, don't hesitate to contact me at bburroug@inna.net . Good luck!
on 9/21/2001, 7:13 pm
The Princess Anne Burroughs family are probably from one of two lines. The first line descends from a Captain Christopher Burroughs and has been in the area since the early 1600s I believe. The first Burroughs in the area was a woman who came to Jamestown as a maid to one of the wealthier ladies, and married and bore the first child born in Virginia. Later (still in the early 1600s), a John Burroughs (I think) founded the Burrows Hill Plantation (note the spelling) in the area now called Surrey, Virginia, on the south side of the James River across from Jamestown. I think this branch of the family may now use the Burrows spelling of the name, but then again that may be a different branch. There may also be a relation to the Burrows family of Bermuda, best known for being in the liquor trading business. I must admit that I am writing this from memory but I do have more info on paper if you need it. I am not descended from this line.
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