Ninth Generation

510. Nathan Burton^307,360 was born on 21 November 1735 in Hopkinton, Rhode Island (Washington).^{147,307,360,361} He died after 1820 at the age of 85 in prob. Unity, Maine (Kennebec).¹⁴⁷ From "History of Clinton, Maine" :

"Nathan Burton, Sr., (b. 1735) a native of Rhode Island, was an early settler on the Sebasticook River above the present Clinton Village. He came to town some time before 1786 and lived near the Fifteen mile Rips until about 1800, when he moved to Fairfield. He sold the land to his sons, Joel and David, and in 1802 deeded the same lot to another son, Nathan, Jr. This lot was east of Samson Doe's line and south of Michael McNelly's land. In 1805 Nathan, Jr., sold one undivided half to John Hunter of Topsham. In 1807 the same two hundred acres was deeded by Nathan, Jr., to David Hunter and William Hunter, Jr., both of Topsham. The senior Burton's wife Hannah, (b. 1736) was also from Rhode Island. Their children who came to town with them were:"

The following research done by Mary Beth Wheeler [www.thewheelers.com].

"Nathan Burton was born in Rhode Island according to the 1799 Clinton, ME census and according to Clinton, ME vital records. In that same census, daughter Sarah (Burton) Fowler gives her birthplace as Hopkinton, RI in 1761. Much checking of old Rhode Island records has resulted in the identification of Nathan and Hannah "Button" as parents to 3 children born in Hopkinton, RI 1761-1763, Hannah, Sarah & Nathan. Sarah's birth in Hopkinton as daughter of Nathan and Hannah "Button" is listed in Hopkinton Vital Records; same date, one year difference from that stated in the 1790 Clinton, ME records. Similarly, son Nathan's birth in Hopkinton is also confirmed by Hopkinton Vital Records against the date shown in the 1799 Clinton, ME census; same date, two year difference. No Burtons of the name Nathan have been found anywhere in RI at this time. It appears that Nathan altered his name, or it was altered in official records, from "Button" to "Burton" sometime after leaving Hopkinton, RI after the birth of son Nathan, Jr. in 1763.

"Button Families of America" reports the marriage of Nathan "Button" to Hannah, no date given, and lists the birth of the 3 eldest children in Hopkinton, RI. However, it further states that it's likely that Nathan, Hannah and the 2 oldest daughters died of smallpox before the Revolution, although no evidence is cited. It appears that the authors had no knowledge of Nathan & Hannah's move to Maine. It further states that son Nathan, Jr. served in the Revolution, enlisting 1 Feb. 1781 and returned to Hopkinton to live with Abel Tanner who became his guardian after his parents died. I believe that while such a Nathan Button did serve as a soldier in 1781, it is not THIS Nathan, Jr. who married in Vassalboro, ME in 1786 and was living in Clinton, ME in 1799.

It's not yet known when Nathan and Hannah left Rhode Island, although it was after the birth of son Nathan, Jr. in 1763 there. Son Joel was born in Clinton, ME in 1778 and may have been youngest; daughter Mary was born 1776 in nearby Winslow, ME, possibly indicating a residence at Winslow for a time prior to their residence at Clinton.

According to "Maine Families in 1790," pg. 31, Nathan Burton received a land grant in 1766 on the Kennebec River which he sold in 1774, the land being in Winslow (from Lincoln Co. Deeds Book 10:226, Book 24:23). His occupation was cooper.

At the time of his son John's marriage in Vassalboro, ME in August, 1794, Nathan and Hannah were living at Hancock Plantation (later Clinton), Lincoln Co., ME. At daughter Phebe's marriage in Nov., 1798, they were living at Clinton, the town having been established under that name in 1795. Nathan, Sr. does not appear in the 1800 Federal census at Clinton, ME and, according to the "History of Clinton, ME," he allegedly had moved to Fairfield, ME where his son John and daughter Mary were living. His death is not recorded in Fairfield, ME vital records, although the death of his wife is recorded there. According to Virgil D. White, Genealogical Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files, (Waynesboro, TN, 1991), pg. 1248, in an article regarding the pension file of son-in-law Matthew Fowler, Nathan Burton, then aged 75, was living with the Fowler family in 1820. He likely died while resident with that family, although the date or place is not known. The Fowlers were living in Unity, ME in 1818 and died there in 1842, so it's likely that Nathan died in Unity." : Original research done by Mary Beth Wheeler [www.thewheelers.com]." Hannah (MNU) Burton and Nathan Burton³⁶⁰ were married in 1759/60 in Hopkington, Rhode Island (Washington).^147,307

511. Hannah (MNU) Burton^307,360 was born on 13 February 1736 in Rhode Island.^{147,307,360,361} She died on 9 September 1806 at the age of 70 in Fairfield, Maine (Somerset).¹⁴⁷

Children were: