1.0. Nathaniel BURGESS (1809-1871) & Mary BARRATT (1809-1886)
2.0. Thomas BURGESS (1812-1876) & Rachel EVANS (1811-1888)
2.2. Nathaniel Robert BURGESS (1836-1926) & Annie Eliza BURGESS (1841-1921)
2.3. Thomas BURGESS (1839-1906) & Jessie BRUNTON (1846-1922)
Thomas "Captain" BURGESS b. circa 1780, New York, USA? After 1812, At Sea ?, Master Mariner, residence, London, ENG (1807-1812+) married 13 May 1807 Saint Botolph, Aldgate, MDX, ENG to Anne SPRIGGS b. 4 Mar 1788 London, ENG, christened 6 Apr 1788, St Giles, Cripplegate, London, ENG, d. 22 Jan 1863, Digby, Vic, AUS, buried Jan 1863, Digby Cemetery, Vic, AUS.
Oral history reported that Thomas BURGESS was "taken by pirates, a ranson was paid, not seen again" and "the family was cheated out of money by a lawyer."
Ann BURGESS (nee SPRIGGS) widow of Thomas, emigrated her son Thomas and family from Plymouth to Portland on the "Severn" in 1856. Her other son Nathaniel and wife Mary had already emigrated from London to Melbourne in 1841 to Portland and to Digby by 1847.
Anne SPRIGGS parents were John SPRIGGS (1747-1791) and Charity ? and her SPRIGGS family line can be traced back in Leicestershire for hundreds of years.
Thomas BURGESS and Anne SPRIGGS had the following two children who were responsible for beginning the two BURGESS family groups in Digby:
Nathaniel BURGESS was born London in 1809, the eldest son of Captain Thomas BURGESS and Anne SPRIGGS. He along with his wife Mary BARRATT and their children were the first of the BURGESS families to arrive in the settlement of Digby in 1846. Nathaniel and Mary arrived in 1841 at Melbourne on the "Fergusson" and shortly after, their first child, Annie Eliza was born. They moved to Portland and later to Digby where Nathanial setup his Blacksmith shop and his daughter Mary Ann was said to be the first white child to be born and survive in Digby. His family details:
Nathaniel BURGESS, the eldest son of Captain Thomas BURGESS and Ann SPRIGGS b. 4 Jul 1809 London, ENG and christened 29 Aug 1813 St Botolph, Aldgate, London, ENG. He died 11 Jun 1871, Digby, Vic, AUS and was burial: 14 Jun 1871 in the Digby Cemetery, Vic AUS. Nathaniel was a Blacksmith who emigrated from ENG To Port Philip, AUS on the "FERGUSSON" in 1841. He married 2 Sep 1838, Limehouse, Middlesex, ENG to Mary BARRATT b. circa 1809 London, ENG, christened: 4 Apr 1809, Stepney, St Dunstan, LND, ENG daughter of Thomas and Mary BARRATT (1780-?) butcher of Limehouse. They had the following children:
Thomas BURGESS the second son of Captain Thomas BURGESS and Anne SPRIGGS arrived in Digby in 1856 along with his two sons Thomas and Nathaniel and his widowed mother Anne (SPRIGGS). Anne was one of the early burials in the Digby Cemetery when she died in 1863. Thomas BURGESS established a Saw Mill in partnership with Robert HAWORTH in 1868.
A summary of the family details of Thomas BURGESS shows that he was b. 19 Aug 1812, London, England and christened Oct 1813, St John Wapping, London, England and he died 1 Jul 1876 Digby, Victoria, Australia. His occupation was listed as Blacksmith and probably emigrated to Australia in the 1850's although he is not listed on the "Severn" in 1856 which brought his wife, mother and one son to Portland. Thomas was the second son of Captain Thomas BURGESS and Anne SPRIGGS and he married 7 Sep 1833, Saint Botolph, Bishopgate, London to Rachel EVANS, b. 1811, London, d. 15 Jan 1888, Digby, Vic, Aus the daughter of Robert EVANS and Rachel RUSH (1780-?). Thomas and Rachel BURGESS had the following family:
Nathaniel Robert BURGESS was b. 1837, London, son of Thomas bURGESS and Rachel EVANS and in 1859 he was married at Digby, Victoria to his cousin Ann Eliza BURGESS b. 1841 Melbourne, dau of Nathaniel BURGESS & Mary BARRATT.
Nathaniel & Annie BURGESS had the following children:
Link to photograph: Nathaniel & Annie BURGESS's Diamond Wedding, 1919.
Thomas BURGESS b. 4 May 1839, London, ENG d. 23 Apr 1906 Place: Digby, Vic, AUS. His occupation was Sawmiller and he emigrated from Plymouth to Portland on the "Severn" in 1856. Thomas married Jessie BRUNTON 10 Oct 1867 at the Parsonnage on Wannon, VIC, AUS. and their children were:
Link to photograph: Thomas BURGESS's Sawmill at Digby.
Link to: Old BURGESS Family photographs. Unidentified. Can you assist? .
1863 - N. R. BURGESS listed as Chief Ranger for Court Perseverance No 3319, Ancient Order of Foresters at Digby.
1865 - T. BURGESS listed as Chief Ranger for Court Perseverance No 3319, Ancient Order of Foresters at Digby.
N., A.R., G. J., T. N., R. T. BURGESS were listed as buyers on the list of sales for the first Digby town allotments.
1892 - R. J. BURGESS listed as Chief Ranger for Court Perseverance No 3319, Ancient Order of Foresters at Digby.
Msg Daryl Povey