John Burbank Genealogies – Monkton Museum and Historical Society

John Burbank, a retired minister who lives just south of us in Bristol, Vt, has shared the genealogies he has prepared for Monkton families. John has Monkton roots, and he is an excellent researcher. His Monkton family records were originally started by his aunt, Ruth Dean Hathaway and his sister-in-law, Bertha Brown Hanson to which he has added much more data.

Algier/Alger: There were two families in Northeast Addison County, Vermont named Alger although one sometimes is found as Algier. Abraham was the first of the family known to settle in VT (Richmond).
Atwood: Some nephews of John, Sr., named Harmon, John, Stephen and Henry did arrive in the New World and this nephew, John was called John, Jr. to differentiate the two Johns when both were living in Plymouth. Until further documentation is forthcoming, it is best to start the family with Stephen.
Baldwin: The Baldwin name has been spelled in various ways, such as Bawldwyn and Baldwyn.
Ball (Dean line): The name BALL appears popular among surnames in many parts of England. Some have thought that it was a nickname for the baptismal name of Baldwin and others, that it was derived from Bald.
Barnes: A number of Barnes family members migrated from Addison Co., VT to Bedford, OH and are mentioned in a township history there. Where they were before being in Monkton, VT has yet to be discovered.
Barton: Solomon Barton, from New York, came to Monkton VT in 1785, locating on road seventeen at the place where A. J. Cushman lived. Solomon’s second son, Moses, built a house where the Jewell family later lived. Solomon had nine children, the first four age ten or under when the family arrived in Addison County and the last five born in Monkton. Primarily those who continued to live or are buried in the northeast section of Addison County will be presented.
Barnum: Research initially followed the descent as Francis > Thomas, b. 1625 > Thomas, b. 1663 > Ebenezer b. 1712 but it has been determined that such a descent was not supportable and eliminated both Francis and Thomas b. 1663. The current supported line is: Thomas b. 1625 > Ebenezer b. 1682 > Ebenezer b. 1712.
Beers: It is claimed that the Beers family traces itself back to Martin Beers who was notary of the diocese of Rochester, England in 1486. This, however, is not substantiated by other research. The Monkton Beers were evidently in Addison Co. in the person of Eliakim in 1798 and the family name continued down to recent days. Daniel Beers was in Starksboro as early as 1800, evidently died before 1820, but his widow evidently remained as did some descendants, but the Beers name in Starksboro was not perpetuated there.
Bentley: Considerable research has gone into the Bentley family that had connections in Monkton VT. This documents a Connecticut line of Bentleys that is completely separate from the better known line of Bentleys from Rhode Island.
Bishop: According to tradition, John Bishop was the first settler in town. His farm was on the Ridge, upon which he undoubtedly located with the idea, so prevalent in those days that the heights were better than the valleys for the habitations of men. He came in 1774.
Booth: Initial sources for this compilation were found in the History of Stratford CT which contained a pedigree of the family by Miles B. Bates, great-grandson of Gideon Booth and town clerk in Monkton, VT. Gideon and Mabel were both of Stratford, CT.
Briggs: Arnold Briggs was said to be “of Buell’s Gore” on 30 Jun 1832 when he purchased land from John Peake. Arnold of Starksboro purchased land in Monkton on 1 Oct 1835 and Arnold of Monkton sold land on 4 Aug 1841. This apparently was land east of Hogback Mt in a section of Monkton which was later set off to Starksboro. Arnold of Monkton sold to William & Caleb Eddy on 17 Nov 1835. He signed with his mark rather than a signature.


Burritt: Most of the data on the Burritt family was obtained from Mrs. George Larry Burritt of Stuarts Draft VA which she obtained from research in numerous records, cemeteries, etc. including a genealogy by Lewis L. Burritt. Also consulted was Burritt Family Genealogy, a manuscript by Mat Thomas of Hilton NY.
Dean #1 & #2: There were three Dean families who settled separately in Monkton although the first two were related: the ancestors and descendants of James⁶ who arrived first from Connecticut and/or Ohio and the descendants of Moses⁵, who came to Monkton from Cornwall CT.
Dean #3: The third Dean family, ancestors of the compiler, arrived in Monkton from Connecticut in the person of Nathaniel⁴ who died in Monkton in 1813.
Hanson: The parentage of Thomas Hanson is uncertain although there is a claim that he was a descendant of the Hanson’s of Rastrick in Yorkshire ENG. When he arrived in America is also unknown. He came to Dover NH in 1639 according to one researcher. He was granted 100 acres near Salmon Falls NH on 11/11/1658 probably old style for 11 Jan. He was admitted a freeman on 5, 4, 1661.
Jewell: Many of the Monkton Jewell’s are traced in The Descendants of Solomon Barton of Dutchess County, New York and Monkton, Vermont compiled by Joshua Lindley Barton. The ancestral line of Solomon is briefly traced in this work from Edward¹ BARTON, a sea-captain in the Barbadoes Islands, Roger², Joseph³, Caleb⁴, Solomon⁵. The compiler states that Caleb and his wife Rose “apparently accepted the Friends faith, the family previously having been chiefly Presbyterians.”
Layn: Ancestors and descendants of Truman “True” Layn b. 1822 d. 1902 Bristol VT.
Little: Both Gabriel and Mary Little were said to have been born in Canada on the 1880 Census listing of Mitchell Little giving where his parents were born. A recent researcher believes Gabriel Petit came from Yamasaka, QUE.
McEntee: The name is sometimes found spelled as Mcentee.
Rotax: Bertha Rotax is enumerated with her son in Monkton VT on the 1900 Census indicating that she immigrated in 1887. Probably Frederick Rotax also came then.
Shattuck: The Shattuck family has been rather well presented on Ancestry.com. Presented here will be the line of descent to Nathaniel (1768-1843) who was the first Shattuck known to settle in Monkton, Addison VT and from that point including some of his descendants.
Smith: Because of Mormon genealogical interest, the descendants of Robert¹ Smith have had considerable attention. The Latter Day Saint’s prophet, Joseph⁶ Smith (Joseph⁵, Asael⁴, Samuel³, Samuel², Robert¹) was born when Joseph⁵ lived in Sharon VT. The family left Sharon after four crop failures and moved to Palmyra, Wayne Co. NY, where Joseph⁶ grew up. The Smiths traced here is a branch of the family that migrated from England to Ipswich, MA to Bennington, VT and then to Monkton in Addison Co. VT.
Tatro: The name used for the family in the Monkton – Starksboro – Bristol, Vermont area has had many variations, the most common being Tetreau, Tetrau, Tetreault, Tetrault, Tetro, Tatroe and Tatro. In this part of Vermont the latter is probably the most common.
Tracy: Daniel Tracy was one of the earliest settlers in the Town of Monkton VT. The Tracy Genealogy indicates that Daniel and Marry [sic] lived at Winsor and Great Barrington MA prior to VT.