Samuel Burwell

biography

Samuel Burwell —The following is a biographical sketch of Samuel Burwell, Findley Burwell, and Oliver E. Burwell, as far back as memory and records go, and extending down to the present date, January 2, 1899.

Samuel Burwell was born at Rockaway, New Jersey, in 1777, the exact date not being positively known. His father, Samuel Burwell, Sr., was the oldest son of John Burwell, who removed from Jamestown, Virginia, in the year 1721, a relative of the extensive family of Burwells in this country, formerly from Bedford and North Hampton, England. One of his ancestors was of the Virginia deputation, in the year 1646, to invite the fallen monarch, James I., to come to America for protection against the rebellious Puritan subjects.

James Burwell, brother of the subject of this sketch, enlisted in His Majesty’s service in the year 1776, at the age of twenty-two; served in the war of the American rebellion (Revolution) seven years; was present at the battle of Yorktown, Virginia, when Lord Cornwailis surrendered to George Washington, and was there slightly wounded. After the war of 1783 he moved to Nova Scotia, where he remained three years; he then returned to New Jersey to take care of his mother, where he married, and in company with his two younger brothers, John and Samuel, moved to Red Stone, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and thence moved to upper Canada, in the year 1796. He died at his home in Southwold, Elgin county, Canada, June 18, 1853, aged ninety-nine years and five months.

Returning to the subject of our sketch, we find him located at Red Stone, Pennsylvania, where he married Miss Hannah Paden, daughter of Isaac Paden, in 1798. Four years later he moved to Crawford county, Pennsylvania, his wife making the trip on horseback, carrying two children and part of their goods, and he on foot, carrying the balance. He settled in Linesville, where he supported his family by his trade, which was that of a weaver, and for some time had charge of the Linesville grist mill; until its usefulness became impaired by the dam washing out. He then moved to Conneaut township, bought a piece of land near Paden creek, built a house on it, took charge of his father-in-law’s grist mill until the breaking out of the war of 1812, when he was drafted. He served under Commodore Perry on Lake Erie, when the great victory of the lakes was won, which ended the war between the United States and the mother country. Being a great singer, he is credited with the authorship of the once famous war song, “Perry’s Victory.”

On returning from the war, in 1814, he found poverty had crept into his home and his family must be separated. They decided to bind out three of their children: Isaac, to William Henry, of Hartstown; Findley and Hannah, to William Shellito of North Shenango. Shortly afterward he moved to North Shenango, and on July 6, 1819, bought one hundred acres of land of Archibald Davis, for the sum of two hundred and sixty dollars. He served as tax collector for the Shenangos for some time. He died July 31, 1822, aged forty-five years, leaving a wife and eleven children. His wife, Hannah, died May in, 1862, aged eighty years.

Findley Burwell, the second subject of our sketch, was born in Linesville August 19, 1808. At the age of six, he and his sister Hannah were bound to Mr. William Shellito. Five years later his parents secured their release by paying eighty dollars. While with Mr. Shellito he was deprived of the privilege of attending school and had to put up with a great many hardships and very harsh treatment. After his father died he became the main support of the family. The farm being new and covered with timber, it required a great deal of labor to clear the land and prepare it for cultivation, and he proved himself equal to the task. After becoming of age he leased the farm from his mother for a few years and later on bought it. He was married to Miss Sarah Fonner. February 1, 1836, in a log schoolhouse, on Sunday after church services. His wife died August 15, 1896, after more than sixty years of married life. After his marriage, he became a member of the Methodist church, and in turn held all the different offices of the church, and was a constant official member as long as he was able to attend to official duties. At the beginning of the century religious discussions played a conspicuous part in the early life of the settlers, and he found himself at variance with the Calvinists, who could not see any good in his way of thinking. He is a well preserved man, both physically and mentally, and has by his upright life won the respect of the whole community.

His children were: James F., a graduate of Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania, who became an experienced teacher, and died at Fairfield, Iowa, August 3, 1878; Nancy R., widow of the late Lieutenant D. A. Bennett, resides at Geneva, Ohio; Rhoda J., widow of Mandley Hollister, lives at Fairfield, Iowa; Benjamin, who enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and Forty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, in August, 1862, was wounded at Fredericksburg. and died January 20, 1863, in the hospital at Washington, aged twenty-two years ; Elizabeth, a promising teacher, died January 14, 1864, at the age of twenty; Oliver E., who was horn on the farm January 24, 1848, married Miss Carrie Webster of Jefferson, Ohio, December 28, 1870. He has always lived on the farm of his birth except two years, 1871 and 1872, when he purchased a small farm at Bennettville, with a sawmill on it, and was engaged in lumbering while there. He returned to the farm in 1873 to take care of his parents; built a house and engaged in the dairy business, which he has followed for over twenty years. In company with J. B. McNutt, he owned and operated a cheese factory at Stewartsville. He built the first silo in the township, is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics a Republican. His family consists of Agnes Irene, a graduate of the Meadville Commercial College, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, also of the local, Pomona and State Grange; and George Findley, a graduate of the New Lyme Business College, New Lyme, Ohio, and now a merchant and postmaster at Espyville Station, Pennsylvania.

Our county and its people: a historical and memorial record of Crawford County, Pennsylvania by Samuel P. Bates, 1899, pages 705-707.