Tag Archives: Burgess

Records of the Stillwater, New York Baptist Church

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Somewhere along my genealogy journey, I acquired a microfilm of the records of the Stillwater, New York Baptist Church from the American Baptist Historical Society. I went through the microfilm and transcribed parts of the records. The following are excerpts from the records:

Organization of the Stillwater Baptist Church

The Stillwater Baptist Church was organized in 1781.

In the Course of Providence we was [in] this wilderness land destitute of a Preacher for the most part in livily unacquaintance with true religion or Gods love in the sou. And as God was Pleased in his Providence to direct the steps of his servant Beriah Keele into the part of the land to preach the Gospel of peace amongst us. And out of self moving motives God was pleased to bless his labours and as an instrument in his hand made him useful of opening the Eyes and understanding of some ( ) to hear a preached gospel. And by the pouring out of his spirit caused a number to become acquainted as we humbly hope and believe to the saving knowledge of the love of god in their souls. Then M. Keele thought it his duty for some or other to move away and leave us which he did for space of about fifteen months. Then it pleased God to move in his mind to visit again in Company with Elder Joseph Cornel of Man[chester] in August 1781 the Inhabitants of this place being disposed to M. Keele Did give him a call to come again and settle with us as a publick imporver of the [ ]
Then M. Keele attending on a meeting with us on Day the 19th of August 1781 Elder Cornel being present in mercy was pleased to summons up and bring [ ] following persons to own him and his cause and[ ]The world by following him in his Examples being [ ] ordinances of the gospel and being in fellowship with (each) other and with Elder Cornel went forward with and come under his and the care and watch of the [church] at Manchester.

Persons Names first went forward
Lemuel Taylor, Ephraim Woodworth, Exekiel Sayles, John [ ]

 

Conference met according to the former appointment. Elder attended with us opened meeting by Prayer 1ly Elder Enquiring for our fellowship found the same union as at first then come forwards the following persons told what god done for their souls being fellowshipt went forwards in the ordinances and joined with us. Persons names went forwards
Gabriel Strang
Sarah Sayles
Caty Strang
Mary Green
Kaziah Keele

On Nov 20, 1781 In the course of Providence Elder Cornell was directed over to visit us in Nov. following at a conference with us on Wednesday 28th Instant at the house of Ezekiel Sayales opened meeting by prayer. Elder Enquired how we [ ] in our minds and found the union to them then come forwards the following persons told the travail their minds being fellowshipt went forward in the ordinances of the gospel and joined with us

Persons Names went forwards
Rodah Titus
Hannah Bryan
Lois Richman

At a meeting the next day but one being 4-2 day of March [1782] at the house of James Fremans, Come forward the following persons gave declaration of there experience being fellowshipt went forwards and joined with us.—-Persons Names went forwards
Gideon Freeman
Stephen Freeman
Phebe Freeman
Mary Freeman

A Conference Meeting met at the Meethinghouse on Thursday 16 Day of May opened meeting by Prayer Enquired for the fellowship found it to remain good as at first to our Joy and Rejoicing—Then Procceded to enquire of the and sisters how their minds was concerning being set apart as a Church to which all that it was their mind and desire and thought it duty to be set apart as a Church. Then Proceeded to send to the Church at Manchester Desiring to have faithful Brethren for God and his Cause come over as a church. . .

Conference met according to appointment opened meeting by Prayer then come forwards the following persons declared what the Lord had Done for there souls being fellowshipt went forwards and joined with us. Persons Names went forwards
Peter Clements
William Robbins
George Edmonds
Elizabeth Collins
Caty Cool
Anne Clements
Freelove Chatfield

Now agreeable to the former appointment of the Baptist Church of Christ at Manchester being arrived at this place the Bro and sisters having appointed this Day as a Day of fasting & prayer to almightly God for his Presence and Directions in seting apart a Church of christ in this place.
The aforessaid Brethren and Sisters Proceeded by prayer and [sing]ing and by subscruibing to the following Articles and Covenant there were then by Elder Joseph Cornel by and with the advice and assistance of a number of Brethren then present disf as a Gospel Church of Jesus Christ.
To whom the said Elder gave a Solemn Charge to be faithful in loving one another and to watch of each other in the of God for good.
In Presence of
Elder Joseph Cornel
Benjamin Vaughan
Jacob Odle
Nathaniel Boon

(Note: Organization of the West Church about June 3rd 1782 meetings were already standing)

Church Articles of Faith

1st We believe the lord our God is but only one living true god whose substance is in and of himself infinite of being and perfection whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but by himself a most pure spirit invisible and we are to take heed to our selves that we draw no manner of (tom-tude) of the almighty who only hath immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto who is immutable, Immense, Eternal Incomprehensible the almighty according to

2nd We believe in one Mediator between god and man the man Christ Jesus who tasted Death for every man and that all that believe in him shall be saved according to Jon 10.9, Heb [ ], firs epistle Jn 2 & 2

3rd We believe in the fall of man and of sin and the punishment then of according to gm 2:17, Ch 3:22 Mat 25.46, Luke 16.2

4th We believe in gods Covenant wherein he freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ according to Mat Mark [ ]

5th We believe in the Doctrine of Election of grace in Christ and in the perseverance of saints to the end acct to Rom 9:11, Jn 6.39:40

6th We believe in unfeigned Repentance from Dead works and faith towards god wrought by the Diving Spirit acct to

7th We believe such Persons ought to be Baptized confession acct to

8th We believe that such persons should be pray[ful] [ ] laying on of hands accord to Gens 40:14 Acts 2:17 ch 19 2 Tim 4 1:6

9th We believe such persons being in union ought to meet together to partake of the bread and wine in Remembrance of christs broken body and that they Examine themselves and eat of that bread and Drink of the Cup acct to

10th We believe in the Resurrection of the Dead both of the just and the unjust acct to

11th We believe that we shall all appear before the judgement seat of our lord Jesus Christ to give an account for the (deeds) done in the body and that the Righteous shall then enter into life Eternal and that the wicked shall go into E[—ing] punishment acct to

12th We believe that the old and New Testaments is the only [ ] given to the Church of God by the spirit for there faith and practice acct to

13th We believe that Every Person before they are Received into [the] church ought to Declare unto the church what God had [done] for their soul and when the church is satisfied that they [be] received. But notwithstanding if any one brother or [sister] is dissatisfied the Church shall not Receive the person until they Examin unto the matter and cause of the objection acct to

14th We believe that brother ought not to go to law with [ ] but that secular controversies as well as all doctrine [ ] Delivered in Publick or private ought to be settled by the Church acct to

15th We believe that it is the duty of Christians acco[ ] several abilities to communicate of their substance both for the support of the Gospel and the necessary use of the Church and the Relief of the Poor acct to

16th We believe that it is the Duty of Christians to observe the Sabbath Day and to avoid all Servile labour on said day and to assemble together to worship god according to the directions of the holy scriptures also to maintain and practice Prayer in their families acct to

The Covenant

We whose names are hereunto subscribed doth fully freely and absolutely agree to the above said articles and we do by these Presents covenant to give ourselves up to god and to each other in the [faith] of the lord to watch over each other for good as witness our hands

Lemuel Tayler                                        Sarah Sayles
John Carpenter                                     Caty Strang
Ephraim Woodworth                             Mary Green
Ezekiel Sayles                                        Kaziah Keele (dead)
Benjamin Collins                                   Rodah Titus
Beriah Keele                                          Hannah Bryan
Gabriel Strang                                       Lois Richman
Gideon Freeman                                   Mary Freeman
Stephen Freeman                                 Elizabeth Collins
Peter Clements                                     Caty Cool
William Robbins                                   Anne Clements
George Edmonds                                 Freelove Chatfield

The Church being set apart as a Politic body to as God and them selves Made choice of brother Ezekiel Sayles for Clerk of the Church.

Background on the Formation of this Church

It appears that this church, like others, started with a group of people joining together to worship and being led by lay leadership. Eventually, through the help of ministers of other Baptist Churches in the area, a formal church was then organized. At the time of organization, Articles of Faith were written which outlined the beliefs of the church. Though there were many similarities and the same general beliefs stated in the Articles of Faith of the various churches, each could express unique emphasis on particular doctrine or practices. Following the Articles of Faith was a stated “Covenant” which was then signed by the members of the church. This was an agreement by all signing that they accepted and would abide by these Articles of Faith and Practice. Those joining the church later by baptism, would then covenant to accept and abide by these Articles as well.

Beriah Kelle was the first lay leader of this Stillwater Church. After some time the church members wished to have him formally ordained to the ministry. A conference was scheduled with leaders of other area churches, but upon meeting it was learned that Br. Kelle was still a member of another Church and so could not be ordained at that time. He was later dismissed from Elder Drake’s church and ordained as Elder of the Stillwater church. In 1789, complaints were made against Elder Kelle by several members of the congregation.

There was a lengthy investigation, calling for assistance from leaders of area churches including some congregational churches as well as the Baptist churches. Some of the accusers later recanted their accusations, but others stood and eventually Brother Kelle was disfellowshiped. Instructions were given that any continuing to fellowship Brother Kelle would also be disfellowshipped. Some did continue with him and were later disfellowshiped.

The Two Stillwater Churches Merge

Brother Kelle’s disfellowship left this church without a leader. It was then decided that they would join with another Baptist church in Stillwater, known as the East Baptist Church or Elder Lemuel Power’s church. Apparently this original church of Elder Kelle’s was known to them as the West Baptist Church.

In September 1790 Samuel Rogers, Seth Burgess and Ezekiel Sayles were appointed to rewrite the Articles of Faith. Apparently Seth Burgess was a member of Elder Power’s church and Ezekiel Sayles had been with this Stillwater Church since it’s beginning, serving as clerk much of the time. Samuel Rogers is referred to as Elder and the meeting at which the churches were merged was held at his home.

In merging these two churches there would have been a merging of the Articles of Faith, which was what this committee, with representation of both churches, was appointed to do. We do not have access to Elder Power’s original Articles or the revised version. A meeting was held December 25, 1790, at which time the two churches were officially merged “receiving each other in gospel fellowship and do consider ourselves for the future but one church” and “every member that have formerly belonged to both church that are now in good standing by consideration in this union.” At that time, the revised Articles of Faith were accepted and Ezekiel Sayles was chosen Clerk of the Church with Elder Lemuel Powers continuing as its pastor. The Record Book has a new title page: “United Baptist Church Book in the town of Stillwater United Dec. 25, 1790.”

Lemuel Powers served for some time but eventually had his own scandal and was likewise disfellowshipped. Many of his family members migrated to Sempronius and joined with former members of the Stillwater Church there.

There was a Saratoga Baptist Association, which appears to have been organized around 1805. A list of churches belonging to this Association was included in the Stillwater Church records. Among them were the Bottskill Church which withdrew from the organization in 1830, the Stillwater Church which united with the organization in 1814, and Churches in Kingsbury, Saratoga, Halfmoon, Salem, Galway, Greenfield, Ft. Ann and others. The Stillwater Church records mention many of these churches and their leaders. There appears to have been a close association between the Stillwater Church and the Bottskill Church with mention in records of both of visits from the others ministers and conferences.

Notes:

The yellow highlights are my doing, indicating names I was familiar with and other things that seemed significant to me at the time. The explanatory information at the end of this post was taken from an appendix of my book The Joseph Eggleston Family: Seven Generations from Joseph (d.1767) of Stonington, Connecticut to Joseph (1885-1965) of Utah and Wyoming (Including Maternal Lines: Hill, Burgess, Titus, Sammis & Johnson)

Church lists and other information from the records will be shared in future posts.

Lurania Powers Burgess Eggleston

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Early Life of Lurania Powers Burgess Eggleston

Lurania Powers Burgess, daughter of Mary (Polly) Titus and Harvey Burgess was born August 15, 1808 in Sempronius, Cayuga County, New York. Her father Harvey’s family can be traced back to Thomas Burges, an early resident of Plymouth, Massachusetts and the Hopkins family of the Mayflower. Her Mother Mary’s parents came from Long Island where their ancestors were early colonial residents.

The Burgess and Titus familles migrated from Stillwater, Saratoga, County New York to Sempronius, Cayuga County about the same time and quite possibly together. A History of Cayuga county mentions the Burgess family coming in 1796, and being one of the first families to settle Sempronius. Mary’s father Jonas Titus died in 1795 in Stillwater, and his widow and children probably came shortly after that. Both of these families were members of the Baptist church in Stillwater and are listed as original members of the First Baptist Church of Sempronius. The two families were neighbors in Sempronius and probably were very close as Harvey and Mary grew up together in both Stillwater and Sempronius. Harvey Burgess and Mary (Polly) Titus were married in Sempronius around 1802. Lurania was the third of their eleven children.

Skaneateles Lake

Sempronius, Cayuga County is in the finger lakes area of northern New York. It consists of hilly country nestled in between Oswaco and Skaneateles Lakes. The area was largely settled after the Revolutionary War. It was part of what was known as the Military Tract, which consisted of land given by the government to Veterans of the Revolutionary War, though the majority of Veterans given land never lived there. The Burgess and Titus families came as pioneers to this new settlement.

Lurania grew up in this small new frontier town where her extended family made up a large portion of the initial population. Her grandfather Seth Burgess had the first tavern in the area, which probably served as a community as well as family gathering place during Lurania’s early childhood. The first school was in a log building on the Titus farm, belonging to one of Lurania’s uncles. Later a school was built on her cousin Byron Burgess’ land. Lurania may have attended this school in her early years, but most likely attended a newer school built in 1815 at Sayles Corners near her home. The first Town Officers of Sempronius included Lurania’s grandfather and uncle.

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2001 An Eggleston Genealogy Odyssey Part 4 – Sempronius, New York

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A continuation of the 2001 Eggleston Genealogy trip with my Father to places where our ancestors had lived. Part 4 is our visit to Sempronius, New York.

Cayuga County

After our fruitless Cemetery searching in Springwater, New York, we visited some L.D.S. Church History sites in Western New York. Then we drove toward Cayuga County. As we came into the village of Skaneateles we saw the Lake View Cemetery right there by the lake. The village of Skaneateles is quite quaint with nice homes, especially those along the lake. There are boat docks and it appears to be quite a recreational or resort area. We drove down the west side of the lake, which is in Cayuga County. The lake is not very wide, but is long and we drove quite a while south. It was now cloudy and threatening rain, but was also cooling off.

New Hope

Map of Niles. The area marked New Hope is near where Thomas Marsh lived. Toward the bottom is “Kellogsville” which is just north of the Burgess land and the Kellogsville Cemetery, which are on the Sempronius map below.

I had some maps, so we went directly to the New Hope Cemetery. We looked around and saw lots of Cadys, but unfortunately we don’t know which Cadys are related to Selinda Olive Cady Burgess.

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Family Genealogies Gathered by Orson Hyde Eggleston

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Early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were encouraged to search out their family genealogies in order to provide baptisms for their dead family members. Samuel and Lurania Eggleston were the first of our family to join the LDS Church. I am not sure if Samuel did any active genealogy, but it does appear that he encouraged his son Orson in efforts to gather information. While on his Mission in Michigan during 1876-1877, Orson visited family members and obtained names and dates. He wrote to his father several letters with such information.

I don’t know what happened to the original letters. It appears that at some point Orson’s son Theron, or his wife, transcribed these letters. I found several typed pages of letters when I visited Theron’s daughter Ruth. I made copies of them. They were all typed on numbered legal size sheets and include some notes made by whoever transcribed them. Included with these letter were correspondence with W. E. Hagens and other letters from Orson to his father and from family members to Samuel.

There is also some question about whether Orson kept this information himself or simply sent it on to his father in these letters. Orson went to the Logan Temple in 1914 to do proxy baptisms. The records of the work done then do not fit exactly the information in these letters. There is a possibility that some of the handwritten information was misread or typos made when typing them up.

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Seth Burgess, Revolutionary War Soldier & Patriot

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Seth Burgess was born May 31, 1745 in Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut.  He died January 24, 1814 in Sempronius, Cayuga, New York. He was buried in the Kellogsville Cemetery in Sempronius in February 1814. He married Selinda Olive Cady about 1767. She was born November 16, 1748 in Windham County, Connecticut. She died August 20, 1837 in Sempronius, Cayuga, New York.

Seth Burgess served in the Revolutionary War from Berkshire County, Massachusetts. The early history of Berkshire County parallels the history of the Revolution. In its earliest days there were stirrings of rebellion and the residents of Berkshire were very involved. In 1777 it was voted that in order to encourage enlistment in the Continental Army, a bounty of $10 would be assessed to anyone refusing to serve. Later, in August 1777, it was voted that if any one drafted to serve should refuse to march or to get a substitute, he would be fined $40. This money was to help pay the soldiers. Seth Burgess apparently took the option to serve in the Army.

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Harvey Burgess – Disabled War of 1812 Veteran

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What an unexpected surprise to learn that Harvey Burgess, father of Lurania Powers Burgess Eggleston, not only served in the War of 1812, but was injured and left somewhat disabled for the rest of his life.

I recently joined the Daughters of the American Revolution, using Seth Burgess as my Patriot ancestor. His service in the Revolution was documented in the Joseph Eggleston book. In the process of documenting family relationships and birth and death places, the DAR registrar found in the newly digitized War of 1812 Pension Files this new information.

Harvey Burgess, the son of Seth Burgess, was living in Sempronius, New York at the time of the War of 1812. He apparently enlisted with some other men from Sempronius, including his brother-in-law Stephen Carroll. He served from August to October 1812.

Harvey Pension 1

Harvey began the process of applying for a pension for his service in 1851 when he was 72 years old. At that time he appeared before a Justice of the Peace in Macomb County, Michigan where he was then living and made the following deposition:

State of Michigan
County of Macomb
On this 21st day of May 1851 personally came before me a Justice of the Peace, for said County, Harvey Burgess aged seventy two, a resident of Shelby in said County, who being duly sworn, declares, that he is the identical Harvey Burgess, who was a soldier in the Company Commanded by Captain Martin Barber in the Regiment of New York Militia Commanded by Col. Henry Bloom in the War with Great Britain, declared by the United States on the 18th day of June 1812, that on or about the 1st day of August 1812 aforesaid, he was called into the service of the United States for the term of three months, and that while in said service, on or about the last days of September 1812 aforesaid, that he was detached for what was called Boat duty, in removing the boats of the United States from Schluper in the State of New York to Black Rock in said State, while thus employed he received a severe injury on his right leg that prevents him from performing further duty and that said injury or disability has continued to ca.. and at times renders him wholey unable to labor for his support. And he further says that the reason why he has not heretofore made application for a pension was a desire on his part to live without calling on the Government for assistance, that as he advances in years, the injury or disability became more disturbing and painful, and renders him less able to labor for his support, consequently he makes this application for a pension which he feels entitled to receive from his country, from the fact that he cannot now do but little towards his support by reason of said disability. And he further declares that the Officers above mentioned, are dead, but that Joseph B. Miller, whose affidavit is herewith amended, was a soldier in the same company, as also a Stephen Carroll, who was present when deponent was injured, and the deponent received no regular discharge.
Harvey Burgess

Stephen Carroll, the husband of Harvey’s sister Olive, who was still living in Cayuga County, New York made a statement in Harvey’s behalf:

State of New York
County of Cayuga
On this twenty first day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty one personally came before me a Justice of the Peace in and for said county Stephen Carroll, who being duly sworn says that he is well acquainted with Harvey Burgess, a resident of the township of Shelby in the County of Macomb in the State of Michigan, that he was in the service of the United States on the 18th day of June AD 1812 with said Burgess, and that on or about the last day of September 1812 deponent and said Burgess were employed in the said service, in removing the Government boats from Schulpler to Black Rock in said state, and while thus engaged and in the discharge of their respective duties, the said Burgess received an injury on his right leg that prevents him from performing any further duty, and that said injury continued until they were discharged from service and that he has good reason to believe and does believe that said injury or disability still continues.
Stephen Carroll

A Doctor Taylor examined Harvey at that time and made a statement:

State of Michigan
County of Macomb
On this 21st day of May 1851 Personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace for said County, Dr. Henry Taylor who being duly sworn according to law, says that he is a practicing physician and surgeon in Mount Clemens in said county, and that he has examined the injury or disability of Harvey Burgess of Shelby, whose application for a pension has been read to me and finds said disability to be a carposity of the tibia involving the flexor muscles of the foot, disabling the ancle joint to some extent, and that the degree of disability is three fourths.
H Taylor

This form apparently was filled out by Dr. Taylor:

It is hereby certified that Harvey Burgess in the company of Martin Barber in the Regiment of the United States Militia Commanded by Col. Henry Bloom is rendered incapable of performing the duty of a soldier, by reason of wounds or other injuries infliced while he was actually in the service aforesaid, and in the line of his duty, viz:
By satisfactory evidence and accurate examination, it appears that on the 25th day of September in the year 1812 being engaged as corporal of a guard at or near a place called Black Rock in the State of New York . . he received
wound in his leg by the location of which upon the spine of the tibia exposes it to injury and has now the character of a fever sore, the bone, no doubt being involved in the difficulties. The place has two openings which frequently discharge profusely, the length of time which it has existed renders it the leg wholly unfit for use.. . and he is thereby not only incapacitated for military duty, but, in the opinion of the undersigned is totally disabled from obtaining his subsistence from manual labor.

The 1850 Census is the only one with an occupation listed for Harvey Burgess. He was living then in Shelby, Macomb County, Michigan next door to his son Zadock. Other sons Stephen, age 21 and Charles age 27 with his wife and child lived with Harvey and Mary. His occupation is listed as “cooper” the same as Zadock. They were likely in business together, but because of his injuries and age Harvey was probably limited in the actual work that he did. Charles and Stephen were listed as farmers and probably helped to support their parents.

Years went by without Harvey receiving a pension and then he passed away in in January 1859. After his death, his son-in-law Lorin Johnson made this inquiry about the pension:

Harvey Pension 2Harvey Pension 3

Hon Sect of Interior
I wis to make the following inquiry
Harvey Burgess a soldier of 1812 while living in McComb Co Michigan applied for pension in the year 1854. He told a daughter that he would get his money in March but in January 20th he died.
Col. Stocton of Mount Clemmens McComb co Made out the papers for him after his death.
The col Stockton was told by a grand daughter that the papers were all ready and sent to Washington and that is the last was heard of it.
Was there a pension granted, that it paid and to whome and by what authority. If not paid, what steps are necessary to get it there are several Heirs they wife being one of them.
Pleas give me the information sought and obliege.
Respect yours
L. G. Johnson

In spite of his service to his country and the lifelong disability he was left with, he never did receive a pension.