DAUGHTERS OF ROBERT BURTON

This is my draft of the article I wrote and it was published in April 2001 issue of "Delaware Genealogical Society Journal" as COMMENTARY ON BURTON, PRETTYMAN ARTICLE.

Re: Elizabeth Burton, Joseph Burton, William Prettyman of Sussex County, Delaware

I really enjoyed the above article in April 2000 issue of the journal.

I certainly agree that William Prettyman had to be married prior to marrying Elizabeth Burton Burton widow of Joseph Burton. When you eliminate the other possible Prettyman males it is probable that William’s first wife was "Frances Prittyman, Formerly the Widow of Anthony Inlows, deceased" who came into Sussex County, Delaware Court on 4 March 1707.1

There is disagreement on the fact that Elizabeth Coulter was the daughter of Elizabeth Prettyman. Certainly this is not the fault of Mr. Woodland G. Shockley as he only accepted what John Goodwin Herndon had stated in his article on Robert Burton.2 Herndon in his footnote 32 states…..Sussex County Deed Book K-10; 176 on 8 August 1763 she is called Elizabeth Coulter, widow, granddaughter of Robert Burton ye elder, and daughter of Elizabeth Prettyman. This deed does not state that Elizabeth Coulter is the daughter of Elizabeth Prettyman. The deed states:3

"Elizabeth Coulter widow Late of Sussex…. Granddaughter of Robert Burton Elder deceased to Burton Waples Blacksmith….land Indian River Hd….part of 1100 acres….Above said Elizabeth Coulter then Elizabeth Preteman being a granddaughter

above said by last will.

Elizabeth "X" Coulter

The deed describes Elizabeth Coulter as granddaughter of Robert Burton and at time of will she was Elizabeth Prettyman. It is obvious that she was a Prettyman and married a Coulter. How then did she come to have an interest in 1100 acres of Robert Burton by his will. Robert Burton in his will, made 16 Sep 1724, provided:4

"and my five daughters (viz) Sarah Elizabeth Anne Patience and Comfort."

"I will and devise that all that tract of land and premises….by estimation Eleven

hundred acres …I purchased of Thomas Bedwell…. to be distributed as hereafter mentioned. "

"Item, …be equally divided into seven parts whereas three parts be taken of and distributed as hereafter mentioned the other four remaining parts to be equally divided between my Loving wife Comfort Burton and my three daughters Sarah Anne and Patience them and Their Heirs forever."

Item……one part of these Three parts taken out … be equally divided between my nine children of Daughter Mary Waples deceased Once the wife of William Waples."

"Item………another of these three parts….Divided …that one half of the third part …unto my Daughter Elizabeth Prettyman wife of William Prettyman. The other Half part to be equally divided between her four youngest children she had by her former husband Joseph Burton…….Catharine Cornelius Jacob and Joseph Burton."

"Item……The Third part…be divided…..half part …given my Daughter Comfort Walker…half part to be equally divided between her Children she had by her (Two Children) she had by her former husband Thomas Prettyman." Witnesses: Job Barker and Thomas Leatherbury.

The quotes from Robert Burton’s will above shows how the 1100 acres of Robert were divided. The possibility for Elizabeth Prettyman is one of the two children of Comfort Burton by her former husband Thomas Prettyman. Thomas Prettyman in his will made 17 May 1719:5

that I had of my brother William Pretteman Lying .. back Creek…."

estate…."

It is obvious from his will that Thomas Prettyman and Comfort Burton had three children why does Robert Burton say two children? The Sussex County Orphans Court records explains why Robert Burton said two children:6

"17 June 1763-Petition of James Coulter of Sussex ….by power of atty from Elizabeth

We can see from the Orphans Court records that Thomas Prettyman’s son, Robert, had inherited 112 acres of land from his father, and had died young. It is obvious that Robert had died between the time his father, Thomas Prettyman, made his will on 17 May 1719 and when his grandfather, Robert Burton, made his will on 16 Sep 1724. As a result of Robert’s death his sister, Elizabeth Prettyman Coulter, became one of his heirs with the other being his brother, Thomas Prettyman. Thomas Prettyman in his deed on 2 Aug 1758 sold the land:7

"Thomas Prettyman of County Worcester in Maryland to William Waples Sussex….land

Prettyman."

We still have not shown how Elizabeth Prettyman Coulter had an interest in a part of the 1100 acres of land of Robert Burton. A deed between Paull Waples and others explains how Elizabeth acquired the interest in the land:8

"1 Aug 1763 Paull Waples & his son William Waples Comfort Burton widow & relick of Joshua Burton decd & Baker Wharton & his wife Betty all of Worcester Co in Maryland

to Burton Waples of Sussex Co on Delaware Blacksmith….Land surveyed for Richard Bundock 400 acres conveyed to Richard Shoulter 26 Sep 1681 & 400 acres granted Thomas Nixson 8 June 1677 & 300 acres granted 6 June 1682 making all 1100 acres….begin corner white oak on Ivey Branch preceding from Middle Creek of Rehoboth Bay……. Richard Bundock did convey to Phillip Russels 10 Dec 1687 to Thomas Bedwell to Robert Burton 1715….said Robert Burton by last will 16 Sep 1724 to his wife Comfort & three daughters Sarah Ann & Patience. Whereas Comfort Prittyman & her two children to with Thomas Prettyman and Elizabeth Prettyman became invested in right by will of Robert Burton decd aforesaid was father aforesaid Comfort Prettyman & grandfather to her two children aforesaid…..Said Paull Waples purchased of Thomas Walker & Comfort his wife daughter of said Robert Burton decd & of ye said Thomas & Elizabeth Pretyman & ye said two sisters Sarah & Ann….Laid out by 3 division 1730….Paull Waples & his wife Patience took southern most division of 408 ½ acres.

One wonders how a college professor such as Herndon could have made a serious error in reading the deed identifying Elizabeth Coulter as the daughter of Elizabeth Burton Burton Prettyman. Herndon was an accomplished writer and his article appears to be very scholarly and the article is impressive on a first reading. A complete examination of the article does reveal the previously discussed error and an additionally error we will discuss further regarding three of the daughters of Robert Burton. Question is did he make an error or did he leave part of it out so as not to create doubt on his theory that three of the daughters, Anne, Patience and Comfort, that Robert Burton named in his will were Leatherburys It does appear that Herndon never actually read the actual deeds or wills as he cited Nottingham’s Accomack Wills9 and deValinger’s Sussex Wills.10 I suspect that Herndon was furnished with abstracts of the deeds and used the published abstracts of the Accomack and Sussex wills. When a researcher only looks at abstracts of records they are subject to making errors in their thought process as abstractors like all of us are subject to making errors in writing and interrupting the handwriting of others. That Herndon probably used abstracts of deeds furnished by others seem to be suggested by his comments at the start of his Burton article he writes:11

"So many enquires have come to The Genealogical Society concerning descendants of Robert Burton of Accomac County, Virginia and Sussex County-on-Delaware, that the following may be helpful as one way out of some Burton perplexities, caused by similarity of Christian names and intermarriages of children and descendants of Robert Burton the first, with those of William Burton the first, also of Accomac County, Virginia. The latter, though dying in Accomac County, likewise had land holdings in Sussex County-on-Delaware.

 

We can surmise that the ones writing to Genealogical Society furnished abstracts to discuss the problem just like we do now in discussing a research problem.

Another record that gives evidence of the relationship of Thomas Prettyman, Jr and his sister is found in the Sussex Co., DE Orphans Court Records:12

We previously mentioned that Herndon developed the theory that three of the daughters that Robert Burton called his daughters in his will were Leatherburys. Herndon in his article stated:

"It is our opinion that three of those whom Robert called his daughters in his Will, namely Comfort Walker, Patience Waples, and Ann Burton (she being wife of Woolsey Burton), were in fact stepdaughters. We know that Comfort Leatherbury, whom Robert Burton married as his second wife, was the mother of daughters named Comfort, Patience, and Ann. No record of the marriage of any of the three Leatherbury girls has been found, so far

as we are aware. Moreover, it would be almost too much of a coincidence for a man with daughters named Comfort, Patience, and Ann, to marry a widower with daughters of those three names-possible, yes, but extremely unlikely."13

We shall examine three areas where Herndon did not look at all the facts in resolving this problem of the three daughters. First is what do the other records have to say about who is father of the three daughters. Second is there possible marriage for Anne, Comfort and Patience Leatherbury? Third is it really such a coincidence that a man could marry a woman with three daughters with the same names?

First what other records have to say about identity of the father of Anne, Comfort and Patience. There are three other records in which one of the daughters states that Robert Burton is their father. Those records are:

"8 Aug 1734. Bond. Ann (Anne) Burton widow and relic of Woolsey Burton late of Sussex Co decd am firmly bound unto Anderson Parker of Sussex Co yeoman in the sum of 24 pounds.. the condition is such that if Ann Burton, widow and dau of Robert Burton late of same co decd….."14

All of the records confirm that Robert Burton was the father of Anne, Comfort, and Patience.

We shall examine second the possibility of a marriage for Anne, Comfort and Patience Leatherbury. The two wills below certainly offer suggestions of a marriage:

Onamastic evidence or naming patterns sometimes point like an arrow to an answer to a genealogical research problem. The names of Job’s two sons, Perry and Leatherbury, say look at who I am. "I am a descendant of Perry Leatherbury." It is also important to remember that the two witnesses to Robert Burton’s will were Job Barker and Thomas Leatherbury. Robert with his business like mind may have had them there as relatives of his second wife, Comfort, so there would be no questions about his will. As we will see later there is no onamastic evidence in families of Comfort Burton Prettyman, Anne Burton Burton or Patience Waples to suggest they were daughters of Perry Leatherbury.

The will below also points to an answer:

Again this will with the names of John’s children, Perry and Elinor, says, "Look at who I am." "I am a descendant of Perry Leatherbury." At this point in time the Sussex and Accomack County Prettyman had never used the names Perry or Elinor in the naming of their children. Elinor is important as Perry Leatherburys mother was Ellenor.21 This onomastic evidence is even more convincing when you consider that Rev. Edgar Prettyman in his book22 shows that John’s wife was Comfort. We should also take into consideration that John Prettyman’s younger brother, Isaac, married Sarah Leatherbury daughter of Thomas Leatherbury.23

The third area of Herndon’s we wish to examine, is it really such a coincidence that a man could marry a woman with three daughters with the same names? Robert Burton had 5 daughters, Anne, Comfort, Elizabeth, Patience and Sarah. I went through Accomack Co., VA wills where Perry Leatherbury made his will in 1709 and studied the period 1692 to 1720 when it is possible Robert could have married a widow in Accomack County. I took out the men making their wills that had three or more daughters that named one of their daughters Comfort24 or Patience25. Those men with three or more daughters only three would not have had three or more daughters with same names as Robert Burton’s daughters. Those that would have had three or more daughters with same names as Robert Burton’s daughters total nine. This study only covered a period of thirty two years, and was only for ones with daughter named Comfort or Patience. When you look at this period of 1692 to 1720 when Robert Burton could have married a widow from Accomack Co., VA those men with a daughter Ann that also had a daughter Comfort or Patience numbered seven (7).26 Those men that had three or more daughters with a daughter Comfort or Patience that then had three or more daughters that would have matched Robert Burton's daughters total seven (7)27, and those that would not have total one (1)28. Odds of Robert Burton marrying widow with three daughters with same names as three of his daughters is 87.5 per cent and odds against 13.5. This is not much of a coincidence! Two households29, Ayres and Ewell, one in 1703 and one in 1718 had daughters with names of Comfort, Patience and Ann. Three of the households, Ayres, Baker, Bayly, Tatum & Simson, had four daughters that would have matched the names of four of the daughters of Robert Burton’s.30 If Robert Burton had married one of these widows would Herndon have said all four of Robert Burton’s daughters were Ayres’, Baker’s, Bayly’s, Tatum’s or Simson’s. Several of the Comfort or Patience households only had one daughter. Plus several men mentioned daughters but not their names. Could there have been Comfort’s or Patience’s in those households? When you look at frequency of Comforts and Patience it is not much of a coincidence that a man with daughters named Comfort, Patience or Ann would marry a widow with daughters Comfort, Patience or Ann. I wonder if Perry's sons had been William and Robert would we have said ones named by Robert Burton in his will were Leatherburys?

One point that we should discuss on the onamastic evidence is the naming pattern of Robert Burton’s three daughters, Anne, Comfort and Patience. We have already listed the will of Thomas Prettyman. The wills that reflect children of descendants of Robert Burton is also germane to this argument:

The naming pattern of the three daughters, Anne, Comfort and Patience, do not indicate that they were the children of Perry Leatherbury. Why? Because they were the daughters of Robert Burton as he so called them in his will. Anne the wife of Job Barker does indicate her Leatherbury descent by naming sons, Perry and Leatherbury. Comfort Burton Prettyman Walker Woolf’s son, Thomas Prettyman, had several sons and not one of them was named Perry. He did however name one for his step father, Rees Woolf. Why did none of the three daughters or their descendants not name a son Perry. I submit that they were the daughters of Robert Burton.

End Notes
1. Horle, Craig W., "Records of the Courts of Sussex County Delaware 1677-1710", University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 1991, Volume II, page 1267.
2. Herndon, John Goodwin, "Notes on The Ancestry of Robert Burton (1730-1785) of Sussex County, Delaware, and Some Related Lines, Cotton, Leatherbury, Bagwell, Robinson, Rickards, and Russell", Part One: Robert Burton (ca 1647-1725) of Shropshire, Accomack, and Sussex., Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine as reprinted in "Genealogies of Pennsylvania Families", Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1982, page 255. (Hereafter cited as Herndon) Herndon at time he wrote the article was Editor of Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine.
3. Sussex Co., DE Deeds Liber K-10 folio 176, microfilm 0006628, Family History Library (hereafter cited as FHL) Salt Lake City, Utah. FHL.
4. Sussex Co., DE Wills, Liber A folios 187-190, microfilm 0006619, FHL .
5. Sussex Co., DE Wills, Liber A1 folios 108-109, microfilm 0006619, FHL.
6. Sussex Co., DE Orphans Court, Jan 1761-May 1772, page 75, microfilm 0006688, FHL.
7. Sussex Co., DE Deeds Liber I-9 folios 180-181, microfilm 0006627, FHL.
8. Sussex Co., DE Deeds Liber K-10 folios 22 & 23, microfilm0006628, FHL.
9. Herndon page 251.
10. Herndon page 252.
11. Herndon page 243.
12. Sussex Co., DE Orphans Court Records, Page 97-1 Mar 1736/7, microfilm 0006688, FHL.
13. Herndon page 253.
14. Sussex Co., DE Deeds Liber K-10 folio 50, microfilm 0006628, FHL.
15. Sussex Co., DE Deeds Liber K-10 folio 49, microfilm 0006628, FHL.
16. Sussex Co., DE Deeds Liber H-8 folio 289, microfilm 0006627, FHL.
17. Sussex Co., DE Deeds Liber I-9 folios 289/290, microfilm 0006627, FHL.
18. Sussex Co., DE Deeds Liber K-10 folio 141, microfilm 0006628.
19. deValinger, Jr., Leon, compiler, "Calendar of Sussex Coutny Delaware Probate Records 1680-1800", Heritage Book, Inc., Bowie, MD, page 55. (Hereafter cited as deValinger.
20. deValinger p 63.
21. Nottingham, Stratton, Editor & Compiler, "Wills and Administrations of Accomack County, Virginia 1663-1800", Heritage Press Inc., Bowie, MD, 1990, page 5. (Hereafter cited as Nottingham)
22. Prettyman, Reverend Edgar Cannon Prettyman, "The Prettyman Family In England and America 1261-1968, page 46.
23. Sussex Co., DE Deeds Liber I-9, folio 32, microfilm 0006627, FHL. deValinger, p 62 will of Thomas Leatherbury; deValinger, p 80 will of Isaac Prettyman; deValinger, p 85 will of William Perry Leatherbury.
24. Nottingham; pages that listed women with the name Comfort: page 22-Peter Clovell made 6 Aug 169-prob. 21 Feb 1692 Wife Elizabeth and dau Comfort, one daughter; Page 28-Alexander Massey made 22 Sept 1696 19 Nov 1696 Comfort Stockley; Page 30-Nicholas Millechoppe made 20 Dec 1697 prob. 7 June 1698, wife Mary; daus Mary Lucas, granddau Comfort Lucas, one dau and one granddau; page 30-William Anderson made 23 July 1698 prob. 4 Oct 1698 3 granddaus, Elizabeth, Naomi and Comfort Taylor daus of Edward and Comfort Taylor, daus Naomi and Comfort, wife Mary, sister Comfort Scott; page 35-James Ewell Made 7 Aug 1703 prob, 13 July 1703, wife, Anne, daus, Patience and Ann Ewell and Comfort Tatum; Page 50-John Baker made 15 Nov 1712 prob. 2 Mar 1713/14, wife, Elizabeth, daus Lishea, Mary, Elizabeth, Ann, Comfort, Sebrou; page 55-Edward Bayly made 2 Dec 1716 prob. 7 May 1717, daus, Hannah Conty, Elizabeth Glading, Comfort Ginkinson, Ann, Catherine, & Rachel; page 61-Edmund Ayres made 10 Dec 1718 Prob. 4 Aug 1719, wife, Ann, 5 daus, Tabitha, Patience, Huddah, Comfort, Ann Mary and Elizabeth Ayres; page 71-Thomas Rose-Made 2 Nov 1722 Prob. 4 Dec 1722- Comfort Lurton; & page 72-Edmund Tatham Made 1 Feb 1720 Prob. 3 Dec 1723 Wife unnamed, daus Tabitha, Comfort, Ann, and Sarah.
25. Nottingham, pages listed with women with the name Patience: page 24-John Abbot made 7 Nov prob. 19 Mar 1694, wife, Ann, daus, Elizabeth, Mary & Patience; page 35-James Ewell Made 7 Aug 1703 prob. 13 July 1703, wife, Anne, daus, Patience and Ann Ewell and Comfort Tatum; page 49-John Drummond-made 10 Oct 1713 prob. 6 Jan 1713/14-daus Margaret Bagwell, Mary Chance; Grand dau, Patience Allen; page 57-Rowland Savage made 21 Aug 1709 prob. 5 Nov 1717-wife, Mary’ daus, Mary Roads & Patience Lecatt; page 61-Edmund Ayres made 10 Dec 1718 Prob. 4 Aug 1719; wife, Ann, 5 daus, Tabitha, Patience, Huddah, Comfort, Ann Mary and Elizabeth Ayres; page 63 & 64- Timothy Owen made 24 Apr 1720 Prob. 6 Sep 1720, wife, Patience, dau Mary; page 70-Capt George Hope made 20 Jan 1721/22 prob. 7 Aug 1722, dau, Comfort, Temperance Scarburgh, 3 granddaughters, Comfort, Patience & Temperance daus of son Thomas, grand dau Johannah Custis Hope dau of William Hope; page 76-Thomas Simson made 6 Jan 1725/6 prob. 2 Feb 1725/6 daus, Sarah, Elizabeth, Mary, Margaret, Rachel, Patience. 
26. Nottingham, pages listing women with the name Ann that have sister Comfort or Patience: page 35-James Ewell made 7 Aug 1703 prob. 13 July 1703, wife, Anne, daus, Patience and Ann Ewell and Comfort Tatum; page 50-John Baker made 15 Nov 1712 prob. 2 Mar 1713/14, wife, Elizabeth, daus Lishea, Mary, Elizabeth, Ann, Comfort, Sebrou; page 55-Edward Bayly made 2 Dec 1716 prob. 7 May 1717, daus, Hannah Conty, Elizabeth Glading, Comfort Ginkinson, Ann, Catherine, & Rachel; page 61-Edmund Ayres made 10 Dec 1718 Prob. 4 Aug 1719, wife, Ann; 5 daus, Tabitha, Patience, Huddah, Comfort, Ann Mary and Elizabeth Ayres; page 71-Thomas Rose-made 2 Nov 1722 prob.4 Dec 1722-Comfort Lurton; Page 72-Edmund Tatham made 1 Feb 1720 Prob. 3 Dec 1723 Wife unnamed, daus Tabitha, Comfort, Ann, and Sarah; page 79-William Nock made 4 Sep 1724 Prob.5 Feb 1726, daus, Patience, Ami, Temperance, Ann. Total of 7.
27. Nottingham pages 24 John Abbott; 35 James Ewell; 50 John Baker; 55 Edward Bayly; 61 Edmund Ayes; 72 Edmund Tatum; & 76 Thomas Simson.
28. Nottingham page 79-William Nock
29. Nottingham pages 35 Ewell & 61Ayres.
30. Nottingham pages 50 Baker, 55 Bayly, 61 Ayres, and 76 Simson.
31. deValinger page 40.
32. deValinger page 39.
33. Wright, F. Edward, "Vital Records of Kent and Sussex Counties Delaware 1686-1800", Family Line Publications, Silver Springs, MD, 1986, page 90.
34. deValinger page 68.
35. deValinger page 220.

For further reading on this subject see Pat Hatcher's article in October 2000 issue of TAG (The American Genealogist). 

            
           
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