Johnson / Bryans Families

Tracing the ancestry of Pamela Murdoch Bryans and Maurice Alan Johnson

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Nelson Burtsal

Farmer
Male Abt 1735 - 1808  (~ 73 years)


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  • Name Nelson Burtsal 
    Relationshipwith Marion Murdoch Johnson
    Gender Male 
    Born Abt 1735  [1] 
    Baptism 11 Apr 1735  [1] 
    Name Nelson Burtsell 
    Occupation Between 1755 and 1800  Bungay, Suffolk, England, Kingdom of Great Britain Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Farmer 
    Died 1808 
    Buried 15 Jan 1808  Holy Trinity, Bungay, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom Find all individuals with events at this location  [2] 
    Will 7 Mar 1808  [3] 
    Siblings 2 Siblings 
    Last Modified 14 Sep 2021 

    Father William Burtsal, of Ludham
              b. Abt 1690
              d. 11 Jul 1737  (Age ~ 47 years) 
    Mother Frances Nelson
              b. Abt 1695
              d. 31 Jan 1760  (Age ~ 65 years) 
    Married 29 Apr 1716  St Stephen, Norwich, Norfolk, England, Kingdom of Great Britain Find all individuals with events at this location  [4] 

    Wife Susanna Sparll
              b. Between 1 Sep 1745 and 31 Dec 1745
              d. Abt Sep 1824  (Age ~ 79 years)  [5] 
    Married 25 Feb 1770  St Mary, Bungay, Suffolk, England, Kingdom of Great Britain Find all individuals with events at this location  [6] 
    Age at Marriage He was 35, she was 24  
    Children 
     1. Richard Nelson Burtsal
              b. Abt 1770
              d. 1794  (Age ~ 24 years)
     2. William Burtsal, of Stow Park
              b. Abt 1772
              d. 1816, Earsham, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 44 years)
     3. Marianne Susan Burtsal
              b. 1774
              d. 24 Apr 1832  (Age 58 years)
     4. Robert Burtsal, of Bungay
              b. 1778
              d. 1841  (Age 63 years)
     5. Henry Burtsal
              b. 1781
              d. Abt Dec 1847  (Age 66 years)
    Last Modified 19 Oct 2018 

  • Notes 
    • Early Life
      Nelson Burtsal was born in 1735, to William Burtsal and Frances Nelson; he was baptised on the 11th of April 1735 in Bungay, Suffolk.

      Career
      Nelson is listed as "Gentleman" or "Esquire", but his will mentions his household farming stock and a notice posted in the Ipswich Journal on the 30th January 1808 shortly after he died lists a wide range of farming equipment being put to auction. So it's most likely that he was a wealthy Suffolk farmer, perhaps inheriting wealth from his parents (thought it looks like his father was a school-teacher, so not an obvious source of wealth - perhaps instead the money came from the Nelson family: a hand-drawn tree I have shows that Nelson inherited Rose Hall from his uncle Richard Nelson).

      The Burtsal family was closely associated with two churches in Bungay: St Mary's and Holy Trinity. Nelson married in St Mary's and in 1784, he was noted as a churchwarden of Holy Trinity1 (along with Matthias Kerrison, see Death below), where he was also buried.

      In 1802, an article in the Ipswich Journal2 talks about a great feast for the poor of Bungay, arranged by Matthias Kerrison:
      Yesterday se'nnight was set apart by the Ladies and Gentlemen of Bungay, for the purpose of entertaining, with old English hospitality, the little tradesmen and the poor, for the happy return of Peace. The worthy Magistrate, Matthias Kerrison, Esq. attended by all the most respectable inhabitants, distributed to upwards of 1300 persons, 1lb of beef each, and also 6d. in beer and bread; the infant not excepted...In addition to the number so entertained, the old or infirm people received 2s. each, to make themselves joyous in a manner most suitable to their own desires...On Monday following the Volunteers were drawn out, and after a short parade, were all invited by the Town Reeve, Nelson Burstal [sic], Esq. to dine at the Tuns Tavern with the gentlemen of the place and their country friends. The day was spent in the midst of the greatest conviviality. The poor out of gratitude had strewn the streets with flowers, the bells rang, flags were flying, and many loyal and constitutional toasts were given...


      So it's clear that Nelson, like his grandfather Richard, was important enought to be made Town Reeve, a Saxon position that was almost universally wiped out by the Norman conquest, but survived (and still survives) in Bungay uniquely in the whole of England. A book about the Town Reeves of Bungay is available to buy and may feature a profile of Nelson.

      Family Life
      Nelson married Susanna Sparll on the 25th February 1770 at St Mary's in Bungay. At the time, Nelson would have been 35. They had at least five children who survived to adulthood:
      1. Richard Nelson, born ~1770 and who died in 1794 "of a fever in the West Indies" aged 24
      2. William, born ~1772 and who was a farmer in Stow Park, a few miles to the southwest of Bungay; he married Mary Aggas
      3. Marianne Susan, born ~1774 and who married Maj. Gen. Robert Kelso
      4. Robert, born ~1778 and who was a miller and grandfather of Henry John Burtsal, a somewhat successful manufacturer of adjustable spanners (Google it). He married Lucy Longe
      5. Henry, born ~1781, who married Maria but appears not to have had any children

      It's interesting to note the different social statuses occupied by Nelson and subsequent generations. Nelson is described as a gentleman and esquire; his daughter Marianne married a Major General from an established, landed family with ancient Royal connections (the Kelsos). On the other hand, his son William continued the farming tradition and one of William's children in turn was a grocer and linen draper. Robert became a miller and Robert's son Henry an entrepreneur and manufacturer of spanners. Henry, the youngest, is a bit of a mystery as there are very few records of him.

      Death
      Nelson Burtsal died in 1808, aged around 73. He was buried on the 15th of January 1808 in Holy Trinity, Bungay. In his will, Nelson nominated his son-in-law Robert Kelso and his friend Matthias Kerrison (see above) as Executors. On the 1st of February 1808 an auction was held of his estate, which included amongst other items:
      • 7 capital cart mares and horses
      • 8 excellent milch [sic] cows, 2 bulls, 2 steers, 2 heifers
      • 5 large and 7 smaller shoats [whatever one of those is]
      • 1 sow
      • 3 waggons, 3 tambrels, various ploughs and harrows
      • 10 tons of hay
      • 3 1/2 acres of turnips

      According to the Bungay Town Trust, Matthias Kerrison was a self-made millionaire who owned Hexne Hall near Bungay.
      The will abstract:
      Testator: Nelson Burtsal of Bungay in Suffolk County
      Executors: Robert Kelso his son-in-law & Matthias Kerrison of Bungay, Esquire
      Legatees: Mary Burtsal wife of Testator[?]’s son William Burtsal [i.e. Mary Aggas]

      [For Mary Burtsal] An annuity of £30 during her life, to be paid half-yearly out of real estate in Bungay dev[?] to said [?] in case she should survive her said husband. The first payment to be made on the 6th of April or the 11th October whichever should first happen after the death of said William Burtsal.

      And I direct that all the [?] residue & remainder of my household furniture[?] and implements[?] of household farming stock[?], implements[?] & utensils, goods, chattels & effects shall be sold & disposed of as soon as may be after my decease. And all the net moneys arising therefrom[?] / after payment of any just debts and all incidental charges & expenses, together with all my other monies and securities for money whatsoever I give & bequeath unto the said Susanna my wife and all my children [?] Marianne [Wife of Mr Robert Kelso], William, Robert & Henry equally between them.

      Notes:
      1. Matthias Kerrison was evidently a man of some repute as he has a memorial stone in Holy Trinity, Bungay, which reads:

      Matthias Merrison Esquire, many years magistrate for this county, who died April 12th 1827 aged 85 years.


      See also https://nrocatalogue.norfolk.gov.uk/index.php/burtsal-nelson-gentleman-of-bungay-suffolk

      Rose Hall
      This building, which Nelson apparently inherited from his uncle Richard Nelson is still extant today and can be seen in Google StreetView (having its gates painted, as of the current set of images). It is shown on this old map from 1906 (just south of Holy Trinity church, near the vicarage). This site notes that:
      Richard Nelson , who owned and made considerable improvements to Rose Hall in Upper Olland Street, succeeded [William] Brooke in 1726, and went on to become Reeve for another six terms of office.


      Footnotes
      [1] http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/bccf4c25-10e0-4eaf-ad8e-f34fa9b11ada
      [2] The Ipswich Journal, 8 May 1802, Page 2

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Farmer - Between 1755 and 1800 - Bungay, Suffolk, England, Kingdom of Great Britain Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 25 Feb 1770 - St Mary, Bungay, Suffolk, England, Kingdom of Great Britain Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - 15 Jan 1808 - Holy Trinity, Bungay, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Sources 
    1. [S0083] FMP, FindMyPast, (www.findmypast.com), Suffolk Baptism Index 1538-1911 (Part 1), 1735.

    2. [S0071] National Burial Index for England & Wales, FindMyPast, (findmypast.co.uk), Nelson Burtsal - Bungay, Suffolk, 15 Jan 1808.

    3. [S0069] National Archives, The, http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7238447.

    4. [S0309] England Marriages, 1538–1973, FamilySearch, (familysearch.org), William Burtsall; (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NXNR-XJQ : 12 March 2020), William Burtsall, 1716., 29 Apr 1716.

    5. [S0035] familysearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NFK2-RQ7.

    6. [S0083] FMP, FindMyPast, (www.findmypast.com), England Marriages 1538-1973 (Nelson Burtsall), 1769.