BURCH.
In 1763 Thomas Burch, of Caroline County, together with
Ritchins Brame, purchased from Francis Jerdone four hundred
acres on Ivy Creek, a part of the Michael Holland tract,
of which another part is the present Farmington. He died
in 1775, leaving his widow Sarah, and fourteen children,
Mary, the wife of a Howlett, Cheadle, John, Benjamin,
Keziah, the wife of a Cook, William, Sarah, the wife of a
Bowles, Ann, Frances, Samuel, Joseph, Richard, Jean
Stapleton, the wife of John Rodes, son of the first Clifton,
and Thomas. His widow and James Kerr were designated
executors of his will. As to what became of most of this
large family, no sign remains.
Samuel was shot by George Carter in his own door on
Main Street in Charlottesville in 1800. His house was situated
about where the store of T. T. Norman now stands. His
wife, who was Mary, daughter of James Kerr, with her
daughter Sarah, who became the wife of Robert Andrews, removed
to Fleming County, Kentucky, and their interest in the
lot on which Samuel had lived, was sold to William Thombs
in 1828. Two sons, Thomas D. and James Kerr settled in
Wake County, North Carolina, James K., whose wife's name
was Helen, became a Presbyterian minister, preached at one
time in Kentucky, and in his last years removed to Missouri.
His daughter, Catharine was the wife of the distinguished
divine of Kentucky, Dr. Nathan L. Rice.
Joseph Burch in 1786 married Mary, daughter of the elder
Clifton Rodes and his wife Sarah, daughter of John Waller,
of Pamunky. He removed to Kentucky. A son of Joseph
was the Rev. Clifton R. Burch, whose daughter was the wife
of John C. Breckinridge, the Vice President; and a daughter
of Joseph was the wife of Waller Bullock, and mother of the
late Rev. J. J. Bullock, of Baltimore and Washington.
Richard Burch married Lucy, daughter of William Barksdale
in 1791. He was the owner of what is now known as
the Ivy Cottage plantation, which was no doubt a part of his
father's place. In 1793 he entered upon a contest with Moses
Bates in regard to the erection of a mill on Ivy Creek; and
in 1813 the Court decided that the right to the bed of the
creek belonged to Burch. Meanwhile he devoted himself to
tavern keeping. He conducted a public house at Stony
Point, then at Michie's Old Tavern, and still later at the
Swan in Charlottesville. In 1821 he was engaged in the
same business in Lovingston, Nelson County.
