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Title
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Jonathan Burchall
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Description
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Jonathan Burchall, a mariner, inherited 20 Clarence St. from his father, Humphrey Burchall, in 1713. It is possible that Burchall assisted in 1714 with the construction of the new St. Peter's Church, following a major hurricane. In 1723, Burchall married Mary Brooke, the widow of the lately deceased Thomas Brooke, Collector of Customs. Burchall and Brooke had several children.
Surviving newspaper records from 1734–55 reveal Burchall's travels as a mariner to New York, Philadelphia, Curacao, and St. Croix. As Michael Jarvis writes, Burchall's career spanned the British Caribbean world: “Jonathan Burchall’s identification as ‘a Dane’ living in St. Croix in the 1740s suggests that he had become a naturalized Danish citizen, but he also had a wife and children living in St. George’s, Bermuda. Burchall’s voyages between Dutch, Danish, and British Caribbean islands and Bermuda in his ‘Danish’ ship Betsey demonstrate his enduring links with his family back home” (Jarvis, IEAT, 353).
Consider also this note by Jarvis: “Marblehead mariner Ashley Bowden shipped with Burchall in 1746 after a French privateer captured him and put him ashore at St. Eustatius; he sailed on Burchall’s sloop ‘in the Dane service’ for six months. His mss. diary includes a sketch of the Betsey; see The Journals of Ashley Bowden (1728–1813) of Marblehead, 2 vols., ed. Philip Chadwick Foster Smith (Boston, 1973), 1:28–29, plate 4." (IEAT, 607 n. 60).
When Burchall's will (drafted on 19 Oct. 1744) was proven on 28 Jan. 1760, his permanent address was listed as Pembroke, not St. George's. He had a sister, Elizabeth Stowe, and an aunt, Rebecca Cornuck (widowed). Elizabeth executed the will. Witnesses: Edward Jones, Rebecca Cornuck. It would appear that Jonathan was estranged from his wife and children.
Note: Research Mix-up: In my research, I saw a reference to a “sweetheart,” Ruth Tynes, daughter of Benjamin the shipwright, in Jonathan’s will, but when I looked at the microfilm of the will, I could not find her name. Furthermore, when I reviewed my notes, I realized I had not recorded the source mentioning Ruth. Due to this mistake, I did not put Ruth in the main essay text. I welcome Prof. Jarvis’s assistance in tracking down this information, as a Ruth Tynes is mentioned in the STG Tax List Compilation.
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Source
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Assizes 1704–18: 53–54, 381; BAH: STG, 29, 88; BCR9: 258; CV 4: 340; CV5, 1: 258, micro 513–2; CV9, 2: 99 - microfilm, micro 593–2; Hallett Early Bermuda Wills, 76; Jarvis, IEAT, 353, 607 n. 60; STG Tax List Compilation; Wills (Cigar Box) for Humphrey Birchall [sic]; W4: 159; W12a: 70, 115.
Newspaper Notices:
• “[No Headline — Shipping News],” The American Weekly Mercury (Philadelphia, PA), Thursday 21–Thursday 28 Nov. 1734, 3: “Outward Entries … Brig. Lancashire Witch, J. Burchall for St. Christophers.”
• “[No Headline],” New-York Gazette (New York, N.Y.), 16 June 1735, 4: “–––red Outwards, … Brig Lancashire Witch, J. Burchall for Barbados.”
• “[No Headline,” New-York Gazette (New York, N.Y.), 25 June 1736, 4: “Cleared Out. … Brig Lancashire-Witch, J. Burchall and Sloop Inerease, W. Darrell for Barbados…”
• “[No Headline — Shipping News],” New-York Gazette, Revived in the Weekly Post-Boy (New York, N.Y.), 18 May 1747, 3: “Custom House, New-York, Inward Entries: … Outward Entries: … Brig Jamaica-Packet, A. Beregeau, and Ship Fame, J. Burchall for Coracoa….”
• “[No Headline — Prices],” The Pennsylvania Gazette (Philadelphia, PA), 29 Jan. 1754, 2: “Custom-House, New-York, Inward Entries: … Cleared: Sloop Huza, J. Burchall to S. Carolina.”
• “[No Headline — Shipping News],” The New-York Mercury (New York, N.Y.), 8 Sept. 1755, 3: “Custom-House, New-York, Inward Entries: … Brig Charming-polly, J. Burchall from St. Croix.”
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Date
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28 Jan. 1760 (will proven)
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Biographical Text
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Jonathan Burchall, mariner, husband of Mary Brooke, and owner of 20 Clarence St.
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Occupation
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Mariner
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Gender
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M
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Race
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W
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givenName
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Jonathan
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familyName
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Burchall
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deathDate
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Circa Jan. 1760