Family Matters

Jesse's Final Trip to Old Fort
(As told by Thomas Lee Burgin to his daughter Mary Patton Burgin Roberts)

During a period just prior to the Civil War, Jesse Burgin son of John, and his wife Rosalind Burgin, daughter of Major Ben Burgin, bought land on Horse Shoe Road in the Mills River Section of Henderson County, North Carolina. This land was located near the home of John and Rebecca Murray Osborne and each of these families had a number of children.

   
Teresa & Thomas Logan Burgin

One of Jesse's boys, Thomas Logan, married Teresa Ann Osborne and daughter Lucy Ellen, married Hamilton Osborne.

When the Civil War began, both Thomas Logan Burgin and Hamilton Osborne, joined the Confederate Army. Thomas left Teresa with one son, Joseph H., and two daughters, Rachel Rebecca and Mary Malinda.

Both of Thomas' daughters died of diphtheria while he was away. Their cousin Thomas Elijah Osborne, who lived to be almost one hundred years old, recalled, "We were playing and 'Becky' said she was feeling bad and went and got in bed. She died the next day. 'Lindy' died two days later."

Hamilton Osborne was killed in action, leaving Lucy Ellen with one son, Thomas Elijah. Thomas Logan Burgin returned home following the war, but died shortly thereafter in 1865. Thomas Lee Burgin was born after his father's death. The two widows lived near Teresa's parents (the John Osbornes).

   
#1521442 Thomas Lee Burgin

Jesse and Rosalind Burgin lost their farm after the war and returned to Old Fort. When Rosalind died in 1879, Lucy Ellen brought her father Jesse back Henderson County to live with her.

When Jesse died in 1890, the family wanted him buried with Rosalind in Old Fort. Two grandsons, Thomas Lee Burgin and Thomas Elijah Osborne, took his body to Old Fort in a wagon.

The trip took them two days, because this was quite an undertaking in those days. They spent the night in Fairview with a former slave. Jesse was buried at Bethel Methodist Church in Cherry Springs Cemetery, beside his devoted wife.

(From the papers of Peggy Silvers)
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