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Rev. John Burruss |
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John Burruss was born in 1745 in Caroline County, Virginia. He was the son of Jacob Burruss and Martha Harris. His boyhood home was along present day US Route 1 and CR 601, between Golansville and Carmel Church. His father Jacob Burruss, Jr. likely owned a plantation consisting of over 700 acres. Their home was well recognized for their grist mill located along the banks of Polecat Creek. |
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When John Blair became acting governor of Virginia, he used his position to oppress religious dissenters in the colony. In March of 1768, a grand jury, presented a case against John Burruss for illegally preaching at the home of his father, Jacob, in the Saint Margaret's Parish of Caroline County and at the home of Phillip Tinsley in the Drysdale Parish. The grand jury, presented a case against Jacob Burruss and Phillip Tinsley for holding unauthorized divine services in their homes. John Thompson, James Gatewood, Thomas Terrell, Robert Chandler, George McNails, William Blades, Christopher Terrell, Robert Woolfolk, Thomas Burk, Martha Noden, Henry Terrell, and his sister Rachel Terrell were charged with attending unauthorized religious services. This was the first court recorded religious persecution in Caroline County. (3) |
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The Established Church of England was the Established Church of Virginia. The residents of St. Margaret's Parish in Caroline County, were mostly homesteaders, removed by just one generation from the original frontiersmen. Being pioneers, most resented restraint of their liberties, including freedom of worship.
The Quakers of Caroline County, were for the most part, left alone to worship freely. This was not true for the first Baptists. The first known Baptist in Caroline County was Daniel Stover of Orange. In 1744 he appeared in court to reclaim a stolen horse. Though a Baptist dissenter, the justices afforded him the privilege of presenting and then accepting his evidence upon affirmation, rather than under oath. (2) It doesn't appear that these early Baptists were persecuted for their beliefs. |
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Members of the Terrell family, who were in attendance at these early Baptist meetings, were Quakers There is evidence in the Quaker records that they continued to attend their Golansville Meeting House. Quakers, Rachel Terrell and her sister Susannah Terrell were daughters of David Terrell and Agatha Chiles Terrell. Rachel Terrell married the Reverend John Burruss, and Susannah her sister married William Burruss, the preacher's brother. |
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Rev.John Burruss and Rachel Terrell were married in 1765. (4) The couple had four sons,
Henry born in 1769,
Thomas born 1772,
John born 1776, and
Nelson in April 1777-78
Nelson was born just prior to the death of his father and mere months before his grandfather Jacob's death. |
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In July 1771, John Burruss again, came into the Caroline County Court and acknowledged that he had preached the Gospel contrary to a license granted him by the General Court (he preached in other places than that specified in his license) (5) For this offense, John Burruss, Lewis Craig, John Young, Edward Herndon, James Goodrick and Bartholomew Chewing, were imprisoned. (6) John Burruss was assistant to the Rev.John Waller in Lower Spotsylvania . It also appears that John Burruss was never ordained. (7) |
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In July 1775, for love and affection, John Burruss received 225 acres along Polecat Creek, from his father Jacob, Jr. The property included the Burruss Grist Mill. Jacob Burruss was in his sixties, and must have felt unable to continue the sometimes arduous duties of a Miller. The ministry of John Burruss may have, out of necessity, become self-limiting with his growing young family. As the court increased its punishment of religious dissenters, John Burruss' time in jail and persecution by the courts, must have adversely affected his young wife and life with his family. Jacob may have deeded the Mill and acreage in an attempt to encourage his son to consider a new profession. |
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Unfortunately we do not know if John Burruss embraced farming, but there is every reason to think he continued to preach. His church evolved from a few members to the well recognized Carmel Baptist Church today. The present day church is located on U.S. Route 1, in Caroline County, Va. |
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John Burruss died in his early thirties of unknown cause. His Will was written on the 15th day of September 1777, and reads as follows: |
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In the name of God amen, I John Burruss of the County of Caroline, do make and constitute this my last Will and Testament to be disposed of in manner and form following: Item - I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Rachel Burrus my lands and house with my wet Mill during her widowhood. Provided that she makes provision therefrom to educate my children fit for Country business. Otherwise is desired that my hereafter named Executors shall have power to dispose of so much of the aforesaid Estate as shall be sufficient to make full provision for their Education, after my wife's death or intermarriage. I direct the whole to be sold and equally divided between my then surviving children and their representatives, I lend all the rest of my Estate being personal to my wife during her Widowhood or until my last child arrives at age or marries, then I direct a division to be made at that period and an equal part be given to that child after my wife's dower is taken out and in like manner to every child as they arrive at age. I also direct that in case my wife should intermarry that she should be allowed only her dower of all my Estate both real and personal during her life and after her death to be sold and equally divided between my children - I appoint my friends Samuel Temple, John Thompson and William Burrus Executors of this my last Will and Testament. I also direct that in case I died before I acknowledge my right to Pleasant Terrell of half of the aforementioned Mill, that they are empowered with my wife to make a sure Title of the same given under my hand this 15th day of September 1777. Signed and delivered in the presence of us Joseph Campbell, Jas Gatewoood, Jr Robert Terrell John Burrus [seal] |
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By some accounts, John Burruss died 4-12-1778. His will was proven on Thursday, May 14, 1778 in Caroline County court. On the 11th day of November 1779 in Caroline County court, John Thompson and William Burrus executor for John Burruss sold to James Gatewood 230 acres of land on the south side of Polecat Creek for $4828. This was a great deal of money, and the value of the Mill must have been taken into consideration. One acre of property was laid off, from the above property for the Quaker meeting house. (8) |
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Sons of John and Rachel Burruss |
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HENRY BURRUSS-FIRST SON
THOMAS BURRUSS - SECOND SON
JOHN BURRUSS - THIRD SON
NELSON BURRUSS, FOURTH SON
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RETURN TO HOME PAGE |
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| 1. History of Albemarle, Woods, pages 134, 176 |
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| 2. Colonial Caroline, Campbell, page 201 |
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| 3. Ibid, page, 201 |
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| 4. William and Mary Quarterly Ser 1 Vol 18, page 106-07 |
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5. Religious Herald, January 28, 1828 John Waller letter. |
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6.. Caroline County Order Book 1770-1772 page 242. |
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| 7. Semple, page 121. |
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| 8. Encyclopedia of Quakers, Hinshaw |
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