Alexander Burns Family
South Carolina, Alabama


Alexander Burns
b. c1812 (perhaps N. Ireland and some conjecture)
d. c1857, "thirteen months prior to June 1859", Tallapoosa Co., AL

m. Margarett Greer 29 Jan 1834 in Tallapoosa Co., AL
b. c1816 SC
d. between June 6, 1860 and probate on May16, 1861, Tallapoosa Co., AL
her father: Joseph Greer
her mother: Priscilla

his father: unknown (?Robert Burns "The Bard")
his mother: unknown


Both Alexander and Margarett seem to have been born in South Carolina. I had originally thought that Alexander Burns may be related to the other Alexander Burns settlers of Blount Co., Alabama. I have so far been unable to make any connection with any other Burns family. If anyone out there has information on this family, I need help.

Children
Martha Ann Burns b. 1835 AL d. after1880 AR m. John L. Machen
21 Jan 1856 Tallapoosa Co.,AL
Solmon W. Burns b. 1838 AL . in Chambers Co, AL 1861
Henry Hilliard Burns b. 6 Aug 1840 AL d. 30 Jun 1907
(age 66, 10m and 24 days)*.
buried: Roxana Meth. Cem., Lee Co., AL

January 1870 to Isabella (?) Walton, (in mar. record as Mrs N(or M). P. Walton, no maiden name known)
Rachael Eveline Burns b. c1842 /between 1840 -1847 AL . in Butler Co, AL 1861
Margaret S. Burns b. c1844 /perhaps 15 Nov 1845 AL . m. Hugh McCalla  July 3, 1865 Roxana, Lee Co., AL
(b 22 May 1840 - d 18 July 1892)
buried :Roxana Meth. Cem., Lee Co., AL
Samuel A. Burns b. 20 Jan 1850 d. 6 Aug 1889* m. N. J. ?  
  d.  Macon Co., AL May 1939
Elizabeth Aldora J. Burns b. after 1850 AL . in Chambers Co, AL 1861 w/ Joseph Greer
Priscilla Ophelia E. Burns b. about 1855 AL d. after 1910 Calhoun Co., AR
m. Richard Henderson 1872, Chambers Co., AL (b. c1856 AL)
?2m. 3 Dec. 1888 Lee Co., AL
Mary Lewella G. Burns b. after 1845 AL . in Chambers Co, AL 1861 w/ Allen L. Bailey
*cemetery record of Roxana Methodist Church, Lee Co., AL.

We don't know have a definitive connection to any other family outside of Alabama.   We are looking at a number of families and hope that someone comes through with documentation that will clear up this mystery. 

Connections between several families seem to point to an immigration from Fairfax County, Virginia as part of a resettlement of Seven Day Baptists in Georgia by 1757.  They later move just over the border into South Carolina.   "We the Church of Christ on Tyger River under the Care of Frederick Crowder Minister of Gospel Was Examined and found fit and Constituted the 22nd . Day of November 1784, by John Webb & John Cole Minsiter of the same faither and order." However when it entered the Bethel Association in 1789 they had to take a different name due to a conflict with another similarly named church.  The Paggetts Creek church was probably on a branch of Fairfarest or Tyger River.  Crowder apparenty found himself in financial problems and John Putnam was ordained minister in1794. "The church also arranged for the ordination of Spencer Bobo and Thomas Greer, Jr., in 1799, and of Nathan Langston in 1804, besides licensing Lewis Hunt, Jeremiah Burns, Joshua Greer, Hosea Holcombe, and Thomas Ray, and permitting exhertation by Nathanial Jackson, John Curtis, Jesse Howard, William Wilbanks, Jr., Christopher Robinson, and Caleb Smith. "  [p. 248]

1800- US Census, South Carolina.

Burns, Alexander
Burns, Alexander
Burns, David
Burns, Edmonds
Burns, Han
Burns, James
Burns, James
Burns, Jeremiah
Burns, John
Burns, John
Burns, Robert
Burns, Robert Sr.
Burns, Samuel
Burns, Torrence
[Edgefield 175]
[Fairfield 233]
[Laurens 23 ]
[ Laurens 14 ]
[ Laurens 28 ]
[ Laurens 29 ]
[Spartanburg208]
[ Laurens 24 ]
[ Laurens 35 ]
[ Laurens 14 ]
[ Laurens 25 ]
[ Laurens 24 ]
[Spartanburg 181]
[ Laurens 25 ]
1 0 0 0 0 - 1 0 0 1 0 - 2 5
2 0 1 1 0 - 3 1 0 1 0 - 0 4
2 1 2 1 0 - 1 1 0 0 1 - 0 0
0 2 0 1 0 - 6 0 0 1 0 - 0 0
1 0 1 0 0 - 0 1 1 0 1 - 0 0
1 0 0 1 0 - 1 0 0 1 0 - 0 0
2 0 0 0 1 -  2 2 0 1 0 - 0 1
0 0 1 0 0 - 0 0 1 0 0 - 0 0
0 0 0 1 0 - 0 0 1 0 0 - 0 0
3 1 1 1 0 - 2 0 1 1 0 - 0 0
0 0 1 0 0 - 0 0 1 0 0 - 0 0
2 1 0 0 1 - 1 1 1 0 1 - 0 0
2 0 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 0 0 - 0 1
0 0 1 0 1 - 0 0 0 0 1 - 0 0


1803 - Thomas Burns is listed as "other messengers to association" of Rocky Creek (Broad River) Church 1790-1803. He seems to be reporting on the members in the church that 8 persons' were listed as baptized, 3 received by letter, 6 dismissed, 1 excluded, 1 dead, 28 total members. 
A footnote on this page indicates that some of the members of the "Clouds Creek Church were Snowden Kirkland and wife and some others not named:  Snowden Kirkland had a survey of 350 acres on Pipe Creek of Savannah River touching Joshua Kirkland and John Clayton in 1763; The preacher James Warren had a survy of 200 acres in St. Paul's Parish ..."
[Townsend p169]

A footnote on p. 249
"Padgett Creek CB, 1794-1804;  The bridge so often referred to was probably Murphy's bridge of Tyger River; Bethel Assoc. Min., 1791-1803;  Asplund's Reg. 3, 5., and 6. ed; list of members of Padgetts Creek Church made up from the church book 1784-1804l Sally Addenton, Angus Alexander, Anne Alexander, Charity Alexander, Eunity Alexander, John Alexander, Lewis Alexander, William Alexander,  Isaac Barnet, Mary Barnet, Patty Barnet, Sarah Barnet, James Bennett, Fanny Blossengame, Thomas Blossengame, Barram Bobo, Spencer Bobo, William Bograin, Lydda Boman, Thomas Boman, John Bond, John Bond, Sr.. Martha Bond,  Betsy Boteman, Jessie Boteman, John Boteman, Rebekah Brandon, Hannah Briant,  Phillip Briant, William Briant, Mrs. William Briant, Charles Browning, Daniel Browning, Robert Browning., Jr., Thompson Brown, Betty Bruton, John Builington, Benjamin Burns, Jeremiah Burns, Levina Burns, Marget Burns, Rachel Burns, Robert Burns, Rhoda Busclark, Nelly Call, William Call, Mary Canada, Mordecai Chandler, Polly Clayton, Nancy Cocksey,  Polly Coleman, Daniel Comer, Elijah Cooper, James W. Cooper, Richard Cooper, John Couch, Rev. Frederick Crowder, Milly Crowder, Charity Curtis, Fielding Curtis, John Curtis,

1810- Here another researcher, Ralph Burns, indicates his conjecture on the parents of Alexander and Margaret Geer.

"I think I found the parents of Alexander and Margaret Greer Burns in Pendleton Dist,, SC in 1810 and 1820. I think the older David Grier is her father.
Ralph Burns
 
1810 Pendleton Co., SC
Burns, John      4 3 0 0 1     1 0 1 1    Image 32
Grier, David      2 0 1 0 1     2 0 1 1    Image 31
 
1820 Pendleton Dist., SC (98 images in all)
Burnes, John   2 3 0 2 0 1    1 1 0 1    Image 16
Grier, David     3 1 1 1 0 1    3 2 0 1 1 Image 24
Grier, David,    1 0 0 1         1 0 1        Image 96
(I think the older David is Margaret Burns` father) 
 
1830 Anderson Co., SC
Burnes, John   1 1 0 0 0 1    2 1 0 0 0 1 Image 47
Grier, Hannah  0 0 0 0 0 0    0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Image 47
(Anderson Co. was formed from Pendleton Dist. in 1826. I think this John Burnes is Alexander`s brother. I think Hannah is David Grier`s widow. Some Burns` and Griers/Greers from this area had gone to Bedford Co., TN by 1830) "
                                    [
email on Nov 1, 2007 from Ralph Burns <ralphburns@telepak.net> ]


1810 Burns in SC, Indexed by bracket, males on left, females on right. Reading from left to right, ages by bracket, 1st 0-10; 2nd 10-15; 3rd 16-25; 4th 26-44, 5th; 45 and up. [records of Ralph Burns]
 
Abl Burns
Anthony Burn
Benjamin Burns
Benj. Byrn
Creacy Burnes
Daniel Burns
David Burnes
Edmon Burns
Geo Burns
Henry Burns
Henry K. H. Burnes
Isham Burns
J. Burnes
J. Burnes
J. Burnes
J. Burns
James Burness
James Burns
Jeremiah Burns
John Burn
John Burnes
John Burns
Jno Burns
John Burns
John Burns
John Burns
30010/10001  Marlboro      p141
10010 /21100 Chesterfield  p321
01101/10010  Laurens         p82
0201  /00010  Laurens
01300 /01201 Edgefield       p56
10010/00000  Fairfield        p202
10010/00010  Edgefield        p57
20210/12200  Greenville    p137
20010/31010  Greenville     p110
40001/11010  York              p455
0001  /10100    Laurens
01101/20110  Marion          p119
12101/11110  Greenville     p125
00100 /00100 Greenville     p121
21010/21010  Greenville     p121
10010 /00100 Greenville     p126
001    /20010  Charleston
02001/32010   Spartanburg  p320
10100 /00100  Laurens        p83
10301/00101   Charleston    p230
00101/00100   Edgefield   p38
00001/00001   Beaufort       p128
10010/01010   Lancaster    p9
10020 /00100  Newberry     p162
43001/10110   Pendleton      p248
43110/10110   Pendleton      p263

Laird Burns
Leroy Burns
Luke Burnes
Merrymon Burnes
Michael Byrne
Patrick Burns
Peggy Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Saml Burnes
Saml Burns
Terrance Burns
Thomas Burns
Wm Burnes
Wm Burnes
Wm Burnes
William Burns
Wm Burns
Wm Burns
Wm Burns
21010 /20100   Greenville     p108
20010/10100    Spartanburg   p321
01100 /00101  Abbeville      p11
00010/00001    Greenville     p137
11001/31010    Colleton
00101/00010    Charleston    p203
01000/00011    Chester         p297
20010 /30010   Laurens        p82
21011/11110    York
22000/02201   Chester         p283
22211/01101   York              p447
00010 /00100   Laurens       p83
20101/11100    Fairfield      p202
10010/00110   Chester        p299
31010/23010   Fairfield       p205
31010/23010   Edgefield     p55
00211/23010   Fairfield       p195
00020/10001   Orangeburg
20010/20010   Pendleton    p242
01401/10001   York            p438s



c1812- Alexander Burns is born in South Carolina.
According to family tradition we were related to Robert Burns. I assumed it was "the national bard" of Scotland when I first started this research. Unfortunately my relatives were born only shortly after he was and most of them died in Scotland. My Robert Burns may be related to his father or grandfather but no direct connection is expected. There is a Robert Burns in Laurens Co. S. C. IN 1820 (LAURENS 026) which could be a relative. Also here is John Burns. (LAURENS 021).
For Robert Burns "The Bard" my doubtful ancestor

1820 - Robert Burns [Laurens Co. 026]
John Burns [Laurens Co. 021]

1829 - State of So. Carol. census, Laurens. Co. , So. Carolina Geneological Bulletin.

1830 Alabama [M19 - ]
1834, 29 Jan. - Alexander Burns (c 22 yrs) marries Margarett Greer (c18yrs), by W. Atkins, in Tallapoosa Co. AL.
[Marriage Book I, p. 81, Tallapoosa Co. AL and also in Alabama Records, Vol. 212, p.81, Tallapoosa Co. , Pauline Jones Gandrud, 1981, So. Hist. Press, Easley S. C.]

1840, US Census, Alabama.  Alex Burns in Tallapoosa Co. is indexed as Alex. Burus.

1843, May 15 - Alexander Burns signs a promissary note indebted to G. W. Hester for thirty-six dollars and 34 cents. G. W. Hester is his brother-in-law who marries Martha's sister. He signs over as security for the note with

1848, May 10- "Alexander Burns of Tallapoosa County Alabama"files a land claim in Montgomery County for 40 acres in Tallapossa County, Alabama in "the southeast quarter of the South East quarter of Section Four in Township twenty of Range Twenty four East, in the District of Lands subject to Sale at Montgomery Alabam, containing Forty Acres and Seventeen hundredth of an acre."
Serial number AL4360 - 341. AL No S/N
                                [Bureau of Land Management web site - http://glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch/]

1850- [US Census, Tallapoosa Co., So. Dist. p. 32]

1850- [US Census, Chambers Co. 276]
Priscilla Greer (age 75) in the previous document is the mother to Margaret Burns. All come from South Carolina. Joseph is the brother to Margaret and their father, Joseph Greer Sr. had died in 1843. Jane Wilson is probably the mother of Joseph's wife, Jane.

1857- Alexander dies? "thirteen months prior to June 1859"
abstract of document #1:

Joseph Greer is listed as administrator to the Alexander Burns estate is Margaret Burns brother.

1860- US Census, Beat NO #5, Tallapoosa Co., AL, 
Roll: 25  Page: 37. Alexander has apparently died within three years of this census.  Margaret is left with a sizable holding mostly in slaves.  This census lists eight slaves by age with no names.   They generally fit the list in the probate record within a year or two.  1 male 60, 1 female 32, 1 male 13, 1 female 12, 1 male 8, 3 females 6, 3 and 1.  

             Margaret Burnes              47 f    Farmer            $500    $4458              South Carolina
             Hilliard                            19 m                                                              Alabama
             Evalina                            17 f                                                                Alabama
             Margaret                          14 f                                                                Alabama
             Samuel                            12 m                                                               Alabama
             Aldora                              7 f                                                                  Alabama
             Ophelia                             5 f                                                                  Alabama
             Luella                               3 f                                                                  Alabama  

1861, May16 - There are a lengthy series of documents to the estate of Margaret Greer Burns. It is interesting that she inherited the estate of Alexander and claims poverty yet ends up in only a three years with $4900 dollars in slaves.

1865- Hugh K. McCulla to Margaret K. Burns. Judge Appleby signed marriage license July 3, 1865 (incomplete).
[Marriage Records 1861-1890 of Chambers county, Alabama., pub. The Genealogical Society of East Alabama, Inc., 1974]

After Margaret's death the youngest children were probably split up living with various relatives including Joseph Greer Jr. until they came of age. Eventually they lived with their brothers or sisters as they married. They did live near one another in the 1870 Tallapoosa County census.

Henry Burns married in January of 1870 to Isabella (?) and has living with him his thirteen year old sister Luella.
On the same page is Hugh McCauly with Martu (probably Martha) age 24. This is probably Martha Burns and her husband since they have living with them Ophelia Burns age fifteen. Ann McCauly, age 10, is also here but is listed as "black".
Aldora would have been seventeen by this census and probably married.

Samuel Burns apparently continues to live in the area and is buried in the same cemetary with Henry Hilliard Burns. [cemetery records of the Roxana Methodist Church, Lee Co., AL.]

1870 - US Census, Rome Beat #14, Tallapoosa Co., AL, page 161
            Henry Burns has married this year.  He has in the household his sister and another girl who may be the daughter of Isabella.  If I'm correct this would be Isabella's married name.   The other black girl may be household help.  

             Burnes, Henry  H.  29  m   w      Farmer                  2000        500          Alabama                   mar. January
            _____,  Isabella       39  f     w    keeping house                                        Georgia                     mar. January
            _____ ,  Luella        13  f     w                                                                   Alabama
            Wal?tin, Mary          10  f    w                                                                    Alabama
            Kimberly, Lou         13   f    b  earning money by labor                             Alabama

1872- Ophelia Burns married Richard Henderson, by W. E. Shealey, JP. Home of Allen Branch, with R. Henderson (mother) giving consent. Richard Henderson is probably not 16 years old at this marriage with his mother signing for him. Ophelia apparently is at least 16 years old since no one seems to have signed for consent. [Marriage Records 1861-1890 of Chambers County, Alabama., pub. The Genealogical Society of East Alabama, Inc., 1974]

1880- (Richard) Avan Henderson and Ophelia (Burns) are listed in the Ettowa Co., Gadsen, AL census.

1890 census was destroyed

1900 Census - Lee County, Beat 4, Bethal Precinct, Alabama, [vol. 35, enum. dist. 36, Sheet 2, line 77]
Henry H. Burns is here with his wife but all of his children seem grown and moved on. She states she is the mother of 4 with 2 living. Living in the household is a black servant girl, Rena Peason, and Mary (S?) McCulla, a widow, and her son. I have no idea who this is but probable a close relative of Hugh McCulla who married Henry Burns sister, Margaret. His age should be 59. Henry and Marg/Mary can read and write and own their farm. Margaret states she had four births w/ two living,  Mary McCalla had two births with two alive.

1900 Census - Calhoun County, Jackson Twp., AR [vol. 4, enum. dist. 26, sheet 3, line 62]
Richard Henderson is listed here with his wife and all their living children, Ophelia stated that they have been married 27 years, had 10 children with 7 living. Richard is illiterate, while she can read but can't write. He owns his farm and the sons apparently work on it. According to the birth dates of the children they move to Arkansas between 1888 and 1894 when the last child was born. Bracketed information was not stated in this record.

Cemetary Records of the Roxana Methodist Church Cemetery, Lee Co., AL.
            6.5 miles SW of Waverly on County Road 54- NW 1/4 of SE 1/4 of SE 1/2 Section 29, T20, R24

                         Mason
            Henry Hilliard Burns                                        Hugh L. McCalla
            Aug 6 1840 - Jun 30 1907                                Jan 20 1838 - July 18 1892
            Age 66 years, 10 Months, 24 days

1910 - US Census, Jackson Twp.,  Calhoun Co., AR. Roll: 44  Page: 205 (this one doesn't seem as accurate)
            Henderson, Richard       head    m    w     59  mar. 30    AL        SC       SC          Farmer  / Gen. Farming
            ________ , Ophelia            wife    f     w      59  mar. 30    AL        AL      Ireland(mother)
            ________ , Manson D.       son    m    w      23   s              AL        AL        AL
            ________ , Ed  M.              son     m    w      21   s              AL        AL        AL
            ________ , Mattie B.          dau     f     w      15   s              AL        AL        AL

1920 - US Census,Jackson Twp.,  Calhoun Co., AR,  Roll: 55  Page: 241
            Henderson,  Richard       head    m    w      70     (born) AL, (father) AL,       (mother) AL
            ________ ,  Ophelia           wife    f       w      71     (born) AL, (father) Ireland, (mother) AL;
            ________ ,  Manson           son     m      w      33     
(born) AL, (father) AL,       (mother) AL
              __________________ ,   Eddie
            son     m      w      31     (born) AL, (father) AL,       (mother) AL

sources:


Burns Index | Ancestor Chart #17 | Machen Index
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