Identifying the Parents of Burgess Sullivan through Onomastic, Court, and Probate Analysis
by Shawn Henry Potter and Lois Carol Potter
renatuspress@gmail.com
Background
In 1990, William L. Deyo, former President of the Virginia Genealogical Society and Historian Emeritus of the Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia, identified Burgess Sullivan, who married Ann Carver in St. Paul’s Parish, King George County, Virginia, on 3 Feb 1747/8, as a brother of Darby Sullivan III of Stafford County, Virginia, and explained that the given name of Burgess Sullivan “may be a clue to the maiden name of Darby’s mother, as it is also used by some of Darby’s descendants.”[1] More recently, Deyo privately shared his discovery of court and probate records that conclusively identify the parents of Burgess Sullivan, and his brother Darby Sullivan III, as Darby Sullivan, Jr., and Elizabeth Burgess, daughter of William Burgess, who died in Richmond County, Virginia, after 23 Apr 1712 and before 4 Jun 1712.[2] This discussion presents Deyo’s archival discoveries and associated insights regarding the parents of Burgess Sullivan.
Naming Patterns
Deyo discovered, through a lifetime of research among early Virginia records, that colonial families often chose to honor a maternal-line ancestor by naming a child after the mother’s or grandmother’s maiden name. Examples abound, such as: Beheathland Bernard, daughter of Thomas Bernard and Mary Beheathland; Woffendall Kendall, son of Samuel Kendall and Elizabeth Woffendall; and Dade Massy, son of Robert Massey and Mary Dade.[3] The appearance of a typical surname used as a given name can be a powerful clue as to the surname of the individual’s mother or grandmother. In this case, the Burgess Sullivan bears as a given name a typical surname, which appears in contemporary local records. Accordingly, Deyo observed that the given name of Burgess Sullivan “may be a clue to the maiden name of Darby’s mother.”
Court Records
On 3 Sep 1761, Burgess Sullivan brought suit at the King George County court against Joseph Strother, Jr., for slander. On 4 Mar 1761/2, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, ordering Joseph Strother, Jr., to pay Burgess Sullivan £2 current money for damages, plus Burgess Sullivan’s costs. Also on 4 Mar 1761/2, the court ordered Burgess Sullivan to pay David Bronaugh, witness for Burgess Sullivan, 100 pounds of tobacco for four days attendance; and the court ordered Burgess Sullivan to pay Benjamin Massey, witness for Burgess Sullivan, 440 pounds of tobacco for five days attendance.[4]
The approximate price of tobacco in Virginia during the 1760s was about £0.65 per hundred pounds. Since the court ordered Joseph Struthers, Jr., to pay Burgess Sullivan £2 plus costs, the total amount Joseph Struthers, Jr., paid Burgess Sullivan was £3.5 (£2 + £1.5), and Burgess Sullivan received £2 in damages after he paid for witness attendance (£3.5 – £1.5 = £2). The suit obviously addressed a matter of honor rather than material injury.
One wonders about the nature of the slander. But perhaps more interesting from a genealogical perspective is the association between Burgess Sullivan, David Bronaugh, and William Burgess. In his nuncupative will, William Burgess left his son Edward Burgess (until he came to the age of 21) and his daughter Sarah (until she came to the age of 16) in the care of Jeremiah Bronaugh.[5] David Bronaugh, witness for Burgess Sullivan, was a son of Jeremiah Bronaugh.[6]
Probate Records
So far, these records suggest that a daughter of William Burgess was the mother of Burgess Sullivan. Families in colonial Virginia honored maternal line ancestors by giving children the surname of the mother or grandmother as a first name; the first name of Burgess Sullivan was a surname found in the local area at the time; and Burgess Sullivan was associated with David Bronaugh, whose father, Jeremiah Bronaugh, was guardian of two children of William Burgess. But further – and truly definitive – evidence is found in probate records.
On 3 Sep 1712, the Richmond County court clerk recorded the inventory, dated June 1712, of the estate of William Burgess made by James Grant, Henry Gollop, and William Proctor.[7] The inventory ends with the statement: “Darby Sullivant wch: Delivered the above & had the Estate in possession Sworne before me as also the above appraisers Sworne before me [next line] Alexa Doniphan.” Darby Sullivan, Jr., had the estate in his possession and took the inventory to the court because he married a daughter of William Burgess.
But which daughter? William Burgess named three daughters in his will – Elizabeth, Sarah, and Mary. Does another contemporary source reveal which daughter of William Burgess married Darby Sullivan? Yes. From Darby Sullivan’s will, we learn the name of his wife – Elizabeth Burgess.[8]
Conclusion
Naming patterns, court records, and probate records prove beyond any doubt that the parents of Burgess Sullivan – and of Darby Sullivan III – were Darby Sullivan, Jr., and Elizabeth Burgess, daughter of William Burgess. who died in Richmond County, Virginia, after 23 Apr 1712 and before 4 Jun 1712. The June 1712 inventory of the estate of William Burgess, with the subscribed statement that the estate was in the hands of Darby Sullivan, further reveals that Darby Sullivan married Elizabeth Burgess by June 1712. Once again, Deyo’s impressive archival discoveries and associated insights have uncovered long-hidden family relationships among early residents of colonial Virginia.
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[1] William L. Deyo, “A Sullivan Family of Stafford County, Virginia,” in Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 28, Nov. 1990, Number 4, 249. See also See also John Bailey Calvert Nicklin, St. Paul’s Parish Register (Stafford – King George Counties) 1715-1798 (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Book Company, 1962), 62.
[2] Virginia, Richmond County, Order Book Vol. 6-8, 1711-1721, Film # 008191516, p. 21, image 30, and p. 24, image 32. Nuncupative Will of William Burgess, declared 23 Apr 1712, proven 4 Jun 1712.
[3] William L. Deyo, Pocahontas and Kocoum Their Early Descendants and Indian Ancestors (Colonial Beach, Virginia: Dejoux Publications, 2025), 86, 281. https://billdeyo.com/
[4] Virginia, King George County, Order Book 4 1751-1765, Film 004145191, p. 945, image 369, p. 946, image 370, p. 349, image 373, p. 966, image 388, and p. 975, image 397.
[5] Virginia, Richmond County, Order Book Vol. 6-8, 1711-1721, Film # 008191516, p. 21, image 30, and p. 24, image 32. Nuncupative Will of William Burgess, declared 23 Apr 1712, proven 4 Jun 1712.
[6] Virginia, King George County, Will Book A-1 1721-1752, pp. 228-230. Will of Jeremiah Bronaugh, signed 14 Apr 1736, proven 5 Jan 1749/50. See also George Harrison Sanford King, King George County, Virginia, Will Book A-1, 1721-1752, and Miscellaneous Notes (Fredericksburg, VA: Published by George Harrison Sanford King, 1978), 174-175.
[7] Virginia, Richmond County, Wills and Inventories, Vol. 1-3 1699-1717, Film # 007646142, p. 105, image 207, and p. 106, image 208. Inventory of William Burgess, recorded on 3 Sep 1712.
[8] George Harrison Sanford King, King George County, Virginia, Will Book A-1, 1721-1752, and Miscellaneous Notes (Fredericksburg, VA: Published by George Harrison Sanford King, 1978), 274. “Sullivan, Darby (d. i., 1729), COB#1, p. 458: 4 July 1729, Elizabeth Sullivant, the widow of Darby Sullivant, deceased, qualified as his administratrix and on the same day gave bond as such with Wm Thornton her security (BB#2, p. 2b. On 1 August 1729, Elizabeth Sullivant, widow and administratrix of Darby Sullivant, deceased, returned an inventory of his estate and it was recorded in I#1, pages 130-131.”