Jeffery Burgis

Jeffrey Burgis was formerly slave to Nathaniel Burgess who lived in the Portsmouth to New Mill Creek area of Norfolk county. It is likely Jeffrey first appears in Burgess’ tithable listing in 1765 (aged 17 years). The name actually appears in two earlier listings (1759 and 1761), but this may be a different person. Jeffery's age is recorded as 35 in the Book of Negroes and 25 in the Birchtown Muster, but the early appearance of his name in the tithable lists suggests that 35 is likely to be closer to the mark.

In the Book of Negroes Jeffrey and his wife, Molly, leave New York together on L’Abondance. Jenny Toney, who we assume to be Molly’s mother, travels on the same ship. The couple are both in Colonel Blucke’s Company in the Birchtown Muster, but unusually they are not in the same family grouping. Molly is listed with what we assume is her maternal family in the Muster - her mother Jenny, probable siblings Judith and Patience, and Edward Parsley – and Jeffrey is listed on his own.
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Name Owner
Jeffery Nathaniel Burgess - Norfolk

1748

Born

1765

Tithables for Portsmouth to New Mill Creek - 1765 - Portsmouth to New Mill Creek

Source for this event: Norfolk County Virginia Tithables, Volume 2, 1751 - 1765
Name Owner [Narrative]
Jeffery Nathaniel Burgess - Norfolk [Jeffery would have been about 17 years old in 1765 and therefore too young to be included in tithable listings prior to 1764. There are however two earlier listings which mention a Jeffrey amongst Nathaniel Burgess' slaves - for the first time in 1759 (Jeffry) and again in 1761 (Jaffree). ]

10/ June
1767

Tithables for Portsmouth and Southern Branch Precinct - 1767 - Portsmouth and Southern Branch Precinct

Source for this event: Norfolk County Virginia Tithables, Volume 3, 1766 - 1780
Name Owner
Jeffery Nathaniel Burgess - Norfolk

10/ June
1768

Tithables for Portsmouth to New Mill Creek-1768 - Portsmouth to New Mill Creek

Source for this event: Norfolk County Virginia Tithables, Volume 3, 1766 - 1780
Name Owner
Jefrey Nathaniel Burgess - Norfolk

11/ June
1770

Tithables and Land Taken -1770 - Norfolk

Source for this event: Norfolk County Virginia Tithables, Volume 3, 1766 - 1780
Name Owner
Jefrey Nathaniel Burgess - Norfolk

10/ June
1772

Tithables Acreage Not Given-1772 - Norfolk

Source for this event: Norfolk County Virginia Tithables, Volume 3, 1766 - 1780
Name Owner
Jeffery Nathaniel Burgess - Norfolk

10/ June
1774

Tithables for Acreage Not Given- 1774 - Norfolk

Source for this event: Norfolk County Virginia Tithables, Volume 3, 1766 - 1780
Name Owner
Jeffrey Nathaniel Burgess - Norfolk

7/ Nov
1775

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Lord Dunmore's Proclamation - Norfolk

  • John Murray, Lord Dunmore -

    John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore (1732 – 25 February 1809), was the  colonial governor of Virginia at the outbreak of the American Revolution.
Source for this event: Lord Dunmore's Proclamation

1778

Tithables for Portsmouth to New Mill Creek-1778 - Portsmouth to New Mill Creek

Source for this event: Norfolk County Virginia Tithables, Volume 3, 1766 - 1780
Name Owner
Jeffery Nathaniel Burgess - Norfolk

May
1779

The Burning of Portsmouth - Portsmouth

  • The Burning of Portsmouth 1779 -

    In May 1779 the British detached a fleet of ships under Admiral Collier with a army detachment under General Matthew to make a putative raid into the Lower Chesapeake and destoy the tobacco warehouses. This fleet was supported by a smaller fleet of privateers owned by John Goodridge. After destroying much of Portsmouth, the British took away a large contingent of runaways from the Portsmouth and Norfolk area. A group consisting of 256 men, 135 women and 127 children.

1779

Ran

1782

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Treaty of Paris - Paris France

  • Treaty of Paris -

    In November 1782 a provisional peace treaty was hammered out between the British and the Americans in Paris.
Source for this event: Treaty of Paris

1783

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Evacuation of New York - New York

  • Evacuation of New York -

    In April 1783 the first evacuation fleet left for Nova Scotia. A week later  the British Commander, Sir Guy Carleton, sailed up the Hudson River to Orangetown for a conference with General Washington to discuss the evacuation. As the victorious commander, Washington opened the meeting by reiterating the resolution of Congress regarding “the delivery of all Negroes and other property.”
Source for this event: The Book of Negroes
Vessel Names and their Commanders Where Bound Names Age Description Names of the Person in whose Possession they now are Remarks
L'Abondance - July
Master: Lt. Philips		 Port Roseway Jeffery Burgis 35 Stout fellow Formerly Slave to Nathaniel Burgess, Norfolk. Left 4 years ago.
Jeffery Burgis's Relationships
Assumed to be traveling in the Book of Negroes with:

1784

Birchtown Muster - Birchtown

Source for this event: Birchtown Muster of Free Blacks
Name Age Occupation Families they lived with Companies they belong to Remarks Company They Are Now With
Jeffry Burgess 25 Sawyer Col. Blucke

1785

Patriot claims for losses to the British

Source for this event: Patriot claims for losses to the British
[We have assumed that Nathaniel Burgess claimed Jeffery Burgis]