Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

charge of blasphemy ; for his successful
defense of her, "for saving her neck," the
court condemned him to "ye prison-keep."
The sentence was not carried out, but he
was deprived of citizenship for a period,
and prohibited from acting as attorney
for others. In 1665 he served on the jury.
In 1662 he gave bonds to keep the peace,
because of a complaint against him for
abuse in the case of Abigail Betts. Some
of the land originally purchased from the
Indians by Thomas Burnham is still in
the possession of the Burnham family.
Thomas Burnham married Anna Wright
in 1639. She was born in England in
1620, came to America with her husband,
and died here on August 5, 1703. He died
on June 24, 1688, before his death dividing
the greater part of his estate among his
children by deed. His wife did not produce
his will immediately after his death
when it was called for by the court. It
was proved by witnesses in June, 1690.
(II) Richard Burnham, son of Thomas
and Anna (Wright) Burnham, was born
in America in 1654 and died on April 28,
1731. He married Sarah Humphries,
daughter of Michael and Priscilla (Grant)
Humphries, of Windsor, Connecticut, on
June I, . He inherited extensive
land holdings from his father, and on
May 29, 171 1, with three of his brothers,
he received a deed of land from three
women. In 1721 Richard Burnham re-
ceived another deed of land, from John
Morecock. In 1730, in place of lands
taken by the town of Windsor, the pro-
prietors of five miles of land on the east
side of the great river, in the township of
Hartford, conveyed to the heirs of Thomas
Burnham the title to two hundred and
twenty-seven acres of land. Richard
Burnham was a wealthy property owner
and prominent in local affairs.
(III) Lieutenant Richard (2) Burn-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ham, son of Richard (i) Burnham and
Sarah (Humphries) Burnham, was born
July 6, 1692, and died February 11, 1754.
He married Abigail Easton, on May 5,
1715
married (second) Hannah Goodwin or
Hannah Risley. His second wife died
on March 28, 1784. In 1738 Richard
Burnham was confirmed by the general
assembly to be lieutenant of the third
company in the first regiment in the col-
; she was born March 16, 1687. He
ony. He was an important man in the
affairs of the community, as is shown by
the fact that on December 26, 1716, he,
with Roger Wolcott, Captain Stoughton
and Ensign Burnham, was "appointed to
dignify the seats in the Meeting House."
He received a deed of land on the east
side of the Connecticut River from the
administrators of the estate of John
Easton, his wife's father, in 1726. A deed
of land to him from Joseph Keeney is also
recorded.
(IV) Elisha Burnham, son of Lieutenant
Richard (2) Burnham, was born on
June 22, 1717, and died on July 18, 1770.
He received much land in the vicinity of
Hartford from his father, to which he
added by purchase. Elisha Burnham was
noted in the community for his size and
extraordinary strength. He married, on
February 5, 1742, Sarah Olmstead, daughter
of Deacon Joseph and Hannah (Marsh)
Olmstead of East Hartford. She was
born November 10, 1716, and died at the
home of her daughter at Hartford Neck,
on September 3, 1810, at the advanced age
of ninety-four years. Elisha Burnham
died in an epidemic of fever which swept
130
Hartford in 1770. On November i, of the
same year, the court granted letters of ad-
ministration on his estate to Joseph
Church, Jr., who gave bonds with Elisha
Burnham, son of the deceased.
(V) George Burnham, son of Elisha