Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice Families of the Tri-Counties

Israel Parshall Burt

Bradford County PA Chemung County NY Tioga County PA

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Israel Parshall Burt

Ancestry & Descendants of a Centenarian

[The following article is based upon material contributed by reader  Shirley RUPRIGHT Sydney.. Her husband, Philip H. Sydney, was a great-great-grandson of Israel Parshall Burt (1801-1904).] Sylvia Smith , Town of Ashland Historian, sent it to Tri-Counties for inclusion. Jane Webb retyped it for us.

Israel Parshall Burt, who lived 103 years, during his life bridged what for us is a huge ancestral gap. He was born before the War of 1812 and died in our own century. Many of us had several generations of ancestors alive during that time span. Indeed, Israel’s parents, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren lived then. Had he not been born when his father was 51 and had his father not been born when his dad was 43, it is quite possible that six or seven generations of this family would have shared some of Israel’s time on earth since his father died 119 years after his grandfather was born. Israel, of course, was the record setter. He died 197 years after his grandfather was born!

Israel Burt was born March 19, 1801 at Chemung, NY, son of Benjamin Burt III (1750-1826) and the former Johanna Parshall (1755-1850), who lived to age 95. His father was one of Chemung’s first settlers, having come there from Warwick, NY. The Burt ancestors were among the earliest settlers of Northampton and Springfield, Mass. One ancestor performed the first marriage at Northampton. Israel’s great-grandparents were captured by Indians in 1704 and carried off to Canada. They were ransomed and returned to Boston in 1706. Israel’s grandparents moved from Connecticut to Orange Co., NY in 1748 and died there in 1796 within an hour of each other. Israel’s parents survived the 1778 Wyoming Massacre. His dad marched with Sullivan’s Army up the Susquehanna River to avenge the massacre victims. Benjamin returned to live there in 1788.

Israel’s maternal grandfather served in the Revolution and also first saw the Chemung region as a member of Sullivan’s Army. The Parshalls had lived in Suffolk Co., NY many generations.

Israel wed Polly Hammond in 1824 and moved to Ridgebury, PA. She died in 1865. In 1874, he went to East Smithfield, PA and drove the stage between there and Wellsburg 12 years. His later years were spent with daughters at Waverly, NY.

Israel cast his first ballot in 1824 for John Quincy Adams and never missed an election. On his 100^th birthday, Israel walked up two flights of steps to be photographed, then went to the polling place to cast his ballot as it was charter election day.

The year 1901 was a big one for this centenarian. He was invited to New York City by The New York Sunday Journal. His trip on the Lackawanna Railroad covered land he had traveled before by oxcart and sled. He was surprised at the size of many towns. In New York he rode an elevator for the first time in his life, lunched at the Waldorf-Astoria and viewed the city from a skyscraper.

Israel died Dec. 27, 1904 at the Ridgebury, PA home of daughter Sarah.

Bradford County PA Chemung County NY Tioga County PA

Published On Tri-Counties Site On 12 FEB 2005 By Joyce M. Tice Email Joyce M. Tice You are the  visitor since the counter was installed on 12 FEB 2005