The family name of Burnham is exclusively English-Scotch in its origin. A "burn" is the Scottish for a small stream or brook, and the prefix or suffix "burn" in the names of English and Scotch towns, implies that the latter are near a stream, as Blackburn, Bannockburn etc. "Ham is the Anglo-Saxon for a house, a home, a village. It is a common element in the names of English towns and villages: as Brockingham, Durham, Nottingham, Hamlet, Burnham and so on. "Burnham simply means, therefore, "a village by a brook", or "a home by the stream". As early as the 9th century at least, there were no less than eight villages in the county of Norfolk, England, known by the name of Burnham (Villages or hamlets by the stream). These villages were known as Burnham-Deepdale, Burnham-Westgate, Burnham-Norton, Burnham-Ulph, Burnham-Broom, Burnham-Overy, Burnham-Sutton and Burnham-Thorpe.
So when Walter Le Veutre came to England at the Conquest in 1066, with William of Normandy, in the train of his cousin German, Earl Warren, he was made Lord of the Saxon villages of Burnham, County of Norfolk, at the survey of 1080, and of many other manors. From this manor he took the surname of De Burnham and became the ancestor of the family name.
The name Burnham is sometimes spelled Bernham, Burnam, Barnham, Beornhom, Byrnhom, etc. Our name therefore, is Anglo-Saxon, But Walter Le Veutre, the first man who adopted the name, was a Frenchman. One of the blue blooded Normans who crossed the channel with William the Conqueror to subdue the Saxons.
Scott's "Ivanhoe", Dicken's "Child's History of England", and all English histories give the details of the conquest of England, which the Encyclopedia Britannica says is the most important event in English history. The Saxons were bitter foes of the conquerors, but the final amalgamation produced the finest race that the world has ever known, the present "English" and American people. There is no doubt that our first English Ancestor, Lord Walter De Burnham (Le Veutre) was as cordially hated by the Saxon "churls" who were subject to his sway in the eight villages, as were the other Norman Conquerors.
Take any modern map of England and turn to the county of Norfolk and you will see the eastern part of the county, the village of Norwich, in which lived the three Burnham Boys who emigrated to America in 1635.
Burnham is a very familiar name to Englishmen. There is a village of Burnham on the southeast coast of Essex county, two of them in Lincoln county, and several others in England. All readers of Shakespeare's Macbeth will remember how "Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane shall come again".
Our old Saxon name of Burnham is an honored one. In our blood is mingled that of the conquering Norman and the sturdy Saxon. The family of Burnham was one of the oldest families in the United States of America. We have a right to be proud of the name Burnham.
The Angel Gabriel was a typical boat of the time of Elizabeth and James, a slow sailor, but staunch and seaworthy. It was built by Sir Charles Snell for Sir Walter Raleigh, and in it he made his second and last trip to Guiana, South America. That was in 1617 or 18 prior to his final arrest, which lead to his execution for treason on the 29th of October in 1618. He was a victim of the caprices of Queen Elizabeth.
The Gabriel would make a grotesque figure today in comparison with the modern vessels of the 19th century. It was fully up to the average of its day is evidenced by the fact that it was chosen by Raleigh for his South American voyages. It was a boat of 240 tons burden, and carried twelve guns, of what caliber is not stated. On the 23rd of May 1635, the vessel Angel Gabriel, the vessel James, and several other vessels left Bristol with colonists for America. Aboard the ships were included 100 passengers, 23 seamen, 23 cows, and 3 suckling calves.
The former vessel The Angel Gabriel, was commanded by Captain Andrews. The early records mention his name, also the names of his three nephews, John, Robert, and Thomas Burnham, who accompanied their uncle on the trip. Also aboard was Mr. Cogswell, a merchant of distinction, The passenger and crew list were destroyed when the vessel was wrecked, no other names are obtainable.
Captain Andrews was a brother of Mary Andrews Burnham. Whether his nephews accompanied him to America on a pleasure trip, or if they were bent on seeking their fortunes in the New World, we do not know. Whatever their motive, the disastrous ending of the voyage left them in America. They became the ancestors of the Burnham family of America, and they never saw England again.
Living and dying at Essex, 25 miles northeast of Boston. John was 17 years of age, at the time they sailed from England, Thomas was 12 years of age and Robert 11 years of age.
The vessel, Angel Gabriel and the vessel, James touched at Milford Haven, Pembroke Co., South Wales. After sailing from this port they kept company for two weeks, then they became separated, but, arrived off the coast of New England about the same time. The James lay at anchor off the Isle of Shoals, coast of Maine. The Angel Gabriel off Pemaquid, Maine. The great storm of August 15, 1635 struck them. The James was torn from its anchor and was obliged to put about to sea. After a two day's struggle it reached Boston. The storm was frightful at Pemaquid. The wind blowing North East and the tide rising to an unusual height, in some places more than twenty feet. It was succeeded by another tidal wave still higher, finally resulting in the destruction of the Angel Gabriel. The Reverend Richard Mather was one of the distinguished passengers on the James. He was fleeing to America to escape religious intolerance. He became minister of Dorchester and was the father of Increase Mather, president of Harvard College, and grandfather of Reverend Cotton Mather, Minister of Boston. Mather kept a journal of his voyage, which has been preserved. From that journal was taken the following quotation.
"May 27, 1634. While at anchor, Captain Taylor, Mr. Maud, Nathaniel Wale, Barnabas Fower, Thomas Armitage, and myself, Richard Mather went aboard the Angel Gabriel. When we came there we found diverse passengers, and among them some loving and godly Christians that were glad to see us. The next day the visit was returned.
June 4, 1635. Five ships, three bound for Newfoundland Viz: The vessel, Diligence 150 tons, The vessel, Mary 80 tons, and the vessel Bess (Elizabeth), and tow bound for New England viz: The Angel Gabriel, 240 tons, The Vessels James of 220 tons. At Lundy they were detained by adverse winds and tides from June 5 to 9.
Pembroke County, South Wales, Sunday June 14, 1635. Still lying at Milford Haven. Mr. Maud, Mathews Michael of the James and many of the passengers of the Angel Gabriel went to church on shore at a place called Nangle, where they heard two comportable sermons made by an ancient grave minister living at Pembroke, whose name is Mr. Jessop. Ps XCI-11 "For He shall give his angels charge over Thee to keep Thee in all thy ways". On Thursday, June 18 Reverend Jessop, who was a non-conformist, visited the Angel Gabriel.
Monday June 22, 1635. After having been delayed for 12 days, we sailed. The next evening we lost sight of the three vessels for Newfoundland. The Angel Gabriel is a strong ship and well furnished with 14 or 16 pieces of ordnance, and therefore our seamen rather desired her company, but yet she is slow of sailing, and we went sometimes with three sails less than we might have, so that we might not overgo her.
Wednesday June 24, 1635. We saw abundance of porpoises leaping and playing about the ship, and we spent some time that day in pursuing with the Angel Gabriel, what we supposed was a Turkish pirate, but we could not overtake her.
June 29, 1635. Captain Taylor went aboard the Angel Gabriel and found there had been much seasickness, and two cases of smallpox, all recovered. We were entreated to stay to supper and had good cheer, mutton boiled and roasted good sack ect.
July 4, 1635, ye Lord sent Forth a most terrible Storme of rain, and ye Angel Gabriel lying in at anchor at Pemaquid, was burst in pieces, and cast away in ye Storme and most of ye cattle and other goodes with one seaman and three or four passengers did also perish therein, besides two of ye passengers died by ye way. Ye rest having lives given ym. ' The Angel Gabriel was the only vessel which miscarried with passengers from Old England to New, so signally did the Lord in his Providence watch over the Plantation of New England."
The rest of the story is told by survivors of the Gabriel. The gallant ship went down in the storm of August 15, and John Cogswell, and other passengers, including Captain Andrews and his three nephews escaped to the shore by means of rafts and boats, losing practically all their belongings, but among the valuables saved was a chest belonging to the Burnham boys. A portion of the passengers erected tents and the rest of them were taken to Boston in a bark commanded by Captain Gallop. He returned to Pemaquid Bay, and took off Mr. Cogswell and his family, and the others, and landed them in Ipswich the latter part of August whence they went to Essex in October.
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