M. (1) about 1639 in Massachusetts1
Wife: Mary _______
M. (2) before 1655 in Massachusetts1
Wife: Joanna Stowers
D. 19 Oct 1685 in Charlestown, Massachusetts1
Before there were bridges or landfills, there was only a narrow neck of land to travel in and out of Boston. Another way was by ferry, and people who ran them, like John Burrage, were vital to the everyday life of the region.
John was the son of Thomas Burrage and Frances Dey, baptized on April 10, 1616 in Norton Subcourse, a village of Norfolk, England, one of seven children.1 When he was 16, his father died. It isn't known what ship John took to America, but he turned up in Charlestown, Massachusetts by 1637.1 He acquired property in 1638 that bordered on the Charles River;1 it was at a point where Boston was a short distance across the water. He owned four acres of land with a house, garden, warehouse and wharf. He lived at this location until 1661, when he made an exchange of waterfront properties with a man named Richard Russell.1
John married a woman named Mary in about 1639;1 her surname is unknown. They had four children born between 1640 and 1646. Mary died and John then married Joanna Stowers,1 daughter of some of the first settlers of Charlestown. They had seven children born between 1655 and 1668. John was admitted as a freeman in Charlestown on May 18, 1642.1
Sometime between 1648 and 1657, John began operating a ferry between Charlestown and Boston.1 He partnered with a man named Francis Hudson, who was based on the Boston side. John worked from his side of the river to take people to Boston in a small boat. The two men worked together for many years. When John moved in 1661, it was likely to have a more prime location for the ferry, since it was nearer to the center of business in Charlestown.
John married a woman named Mary in about 1639;1 her surname is unknown. They had four children born between 1640 and 1646. Mary died and John then married Joanna Stowers,1 daughter of some of the first settlers of Charlestown. They had seven children born between 1655 and 1668. John was admitted as a freeman in Charlestown on May 18, 1642.1
Sometime between 1648 and 1657, John began operating a ferry between Charlestown and Boston.1 He partnered with a man named Francis Hudson, who was based on the Boston side. John worked from his side of the river to take people to Boston in a small boat. The two men worked together for many years. When John moved in 1661, it was likely to have a more prime location for the ferry, since it was nearer to the center of business in Charlestown.
John's house and ferry.
17th-century map showing route of John's ferry.
In addition to running the ferry, John was elected to serve as "clerk of the market" in Charlestown from 1658 to 1672.1 The market area was described in 1650: "Charlestown hath a large market place near the water side, built round with houses comely and fair, forth of which there issues two streets orderly built with some very fair houses beautified with pleasant gardens and orchards. The town consists in its extent of about a hundred and fifty dwelling houses. Their meeting house for Sabbath assembly, stands in the market place very comely built and large."1 It is believed that the market was held once a week there.
In the years following his tenure as clerk of the market, John was appointed "salt measurer" by town officials.1 He was also involved in a business venture with his oldest son John — they shipped horses to Barbados during the 1660s.1 John Jr. helped his father with his ferry business, but tragically died of small pox in 1677 at the age of 31.1
By this time, John Sr. was suffering the effects of an accident that happened in around 1672 when he fell off a horse. His ferry partner Francis Hudson described that John had "so shattered his brains that he was never capable of managing any business after so long as he lived, so that I was forced to manage the whole affairs of the ferry for his wife and family."1 He said that John's mind was so muddled, that when strangers asked where the ferry boat was, he would get angry and say such things as, "She has not been here in one thousand years."1
In this condition and with his older brother John Jr. dead, John's middle son William tried to take title of all of his father's property, and on October 23, 1678, John signed everything over to William.1 John died on October 19, 1685,1 and the other surviving children contested the title. The court sided with the family, but it wasn't finalized until May 2, 1694.1 The inventory of John's estate amounted to over £246.1
Famous descendants of John Burrage include former Major League Baseball Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti and actor Paul Giamatti.2
Children by Mary ________:
1. Mary Burrage — B. before 8 Mar 1640, Charlestown, Massachusetts;3 D. 30 Oct 1680, Billerica, Massachusetts;4 M. John Marshall (~1632-1702), 27 Nov 1665, Billerica, Massachusetts5
2. Hannah Burrage — B. 14 Dec 1643, Charlestown, Massachusetts;6 D. 7 Jun 1667, Billerica, Massachusetts;7 M. John French (~1635-1712), 3 Jul 1662, Billerica, Massachusetts8
3. Elizabeth Burrage — B. before 1655, (probably) Charlestown, Massachusetts;1 M. (1) Thomas Deane (1641-1677), 12 Aug 1668, Massachusetts;9 (2) John Poor (~1636-1686), 12 Aug 1668, Massachusetts10
4. John Burrage — B. before 1655, (probably) Charlestown, Massachusetts;1 D. Jun 1677, Charlestown, Massachusetts;1 M. Susannah Cutler, 15 Jun 16751
Children by Joanna Stowers:
1. Nathaniel Burrage — B. Dec 1655, Charlestown, Massachusetts;1 D. 21 Dc 1656, Charlestown, Massachusetts1
2. William Burrage — B. 10 Jun 1657, Charlestown, Massachusetts;12 D. 1720, Newton, Massachusetts;13 M. Sarah ______, about 169013
3. Sarah Burrage — B. 24 Nov 1658, Charlestown, Massachusetts;14 M. John Mayo (1658-1732), 8 Jul 1685, Roxbury, Massachusetts15
4. Bethiah Burrage — B. 23 May 1661, Charlestown, Massachusetts16
5. Thomas Burrage — B. 26 May 1663, Charlestown, Massachusetts;17 D. 11 Mar 1718, Lynn, Massachusetts;18 M. Elizabeth Breed (1667-1709), 30 Nov 1687, Lynn, Massachusetts19
6. Ruth Burrage — B. 28 Feb 1664, Charlestown, Massachusetts;20 M. Ignatius White, 4 Apr 1683, Charlestown, Massachusetts21
7. Joanna Burrage — B. about 1666, (probably) Charlestown, Massachusetts;22 D. 16 Jun 1668, Charlestown, Massachusetts22
Sources:
1 The Burrage Memorial, Alvah Augustus Burrage, 1877
2 FamousKin.com listing of Elizabeth Burrage
3 Christening record of Mary Burrage, Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org
4 Death record of Mary Marshall, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
5 Marriage record of John Marshall and Mary Burrage, M.T.C.,V. & T.R.
6 Birth record of Hannah Burrage, M.B. & C.
7 Death record of Hannah French, M.T.C.,V. & T.R.
8 Marriage record of John French and Hannah Burrage, M.T.C.,V. & T.R.
9 Marriage record of Thomas Deane and Elizabeth Burrage, M.T.C.,V. & T.R.
10 Marriage record of John Poor and Elizabeth Deane, M.T.C.,V. & T.R.
11 Marriage record of John Burrage and Susannah Cutler, M.T.C.,V. & T.R.
12 Birth record of William Burrage, M.T.C.,V. & T.R.
13 Find-a-Grave listing for William Burrage
14 Birth record of Sarah Burrage, M.T.C.,V. & T.R.
15 Marriage record of John Mayo and Sarah Burrage, M.T.C.,V. & T.R.
16 Birth record of Bethiah Burrage, M.T.C.,V. & T.R.
17 Birth record of Sarah Burrage, M.T.C.,V. & T.R.
18 Find-a-Grave listing for Thomas Burrage
19 Marriage record of Thomas Burrage and Elizabeth Breed, M.T.C.,V. & T.R.
20 Birth record of Ruth Burrage, M.T.C.,V. & T.R.
21 Marriage record of Ignatius White and Ruth Burrage, M.T.C.,V. & T.R.
22 Death record of Joanna Burrage, M.T.C.,V. & T.R.
