Greenberry  Fields  Burgess


          This old and respected farmer was born in Scott Co., Ky., July 6, 1819, and is the son of  Edward and Sarah Burgess, nee Fields—he a native of Virginia and she of Maryland, who settled in Kentucky when children. There they grew to maturity, and Feb. 6, 1800 became man and wife, and spent the balance of their days in that State. Greenberry F. was the ninth in the family composed of  Nancy,  William C.,  Bathsheba,  Maria,  Joseph,  Margaret A.,  James H.,  Edward,  Greenberry F.,  and  Marietta.  His youth was passed in his native county, and in 1847 he moved to Shelby Co., Ind., settling in Addison Township.  He was married in Scott Co., Ky., Oct. 16, 1841, to  Elizabeth Wikoff, who was born in Kentucky May 18, 1818.  She was the daughter of  Nicholas and Susan Wikoff, natives of that State; they had the following children—Burlington B., who died in the Army Sept. 24, 1862; Susan D., deceased; William C., deceased; Sarah F.; Mary M., deceased; Maggie E.; and Joseph G., deceased. Mrs. Burgess was a member of the Christian Church, and died April 16, 1853. He was again married Feb. 17, 1855, to Arthusa F. Wright, daughter of William and Sarah Wright, natives of Kentucky, where she was born Jan. 27, 1830. The following children are the fruits of this union: John C., James E., Nannie G., Noah T., Belle, Mary E., and one died infancy. This wife was also a member of the Disciples Church, and died Aug. 15, 1871. He was married a third time, April 29, 1873, to Margaret A. Jacobs, daughter of Nathaniel and Margaret Jacobs—he a native of Virginia, and she of Kentucky, who settled in this county in 1857, where Mrs. Jacobs is still living, her husband having died May 2, 1879. Mrs. Burgess was born in Scott Co., Ky., June 8, 1855, and has two children—Florence Helena and William Clement Burgess. Mrs. Burgess is an industrious, economical wife, and a faithful member of the Catholic Church. Mr. Burgess has always been a hardworking man, and it was by determined industry and frugal habits that he has been able to own today 256 acres of land. Politically, he has always been an unflinching Democrat. He is upright and honest in every transaction, and is truly one of “Old Shelby’s” self-made men. A view of his home will be found in this book, denoting that he is considered one of the representative farmers of Addison Township.
History of Shelby County, Indiana, 1887, Brant & Fuller


          A worthy scion of a fine old pioneer family, and he himself a popular and venerable early settler who merits the praise due all hardy and honest men of this type, is Greenbury [sic] Fields Burgess of Addison township, Shelby County, Indiana, who was born in Scott County, Kentucky, July 6, 1819, the son of Edward Burgess, a native of Virginia, who married Sarah Fields on Feb. 6, 1800, a native of Maryland. After spending their long and useful lives on a farm, which they developed from the primeval forest, they both died in Scott County, Kentucky. Ten children were born to them, named as follows: Nancy, William C., Bathsheba, Joseph, Maria, Margaret, Edward, James Henry, Greenbury F., and Marietta.
          Greenbury F. Burgess received only a limited education in the old-time log school-houses. He remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age. In 1847 he came to Indiana, and began life for himself amid new conditions, locating in Addison township, Shelby County, where he secured land, which he at once began to clear and develop into a farm, erecting rude buildings, which, as he prospered by dint of hard toil and good management, gave way in time to more substantial buildings. He finally became the owner of two hundred and fourteen acres of valuable land. He cleared about one hundred acres of this himself. He has always been a very robust, rugged, and hard-working man, consequently he has succeeded. He has always carried on general farming in a manner that not only insured a good living from year to year, but enabled him to lay by quite a competency. He has devoted considerable attention to the raising of grain and various kinds of live stock. His farm is highly improved, and he has a good dwelling and substantial out-buildings, and an excellent orchard and garden.
          Mr. Burgess has been three times married, first on October 16, 1841, to Elizabeth Wikoff, of Kentucky, who was born May 18, 1818. She died April 16, 1853, and he married a second time on February 17, 1855, his second wife being Arthusa F. Wright, born January 27, 1830; she died August 15, 1871, and Mr. Burgess’ third marriage was solemnized on April 29, 1873, to Margaret A. Jacobs, of Scott County, Kentucky, a daughter of Nathaniel and Margaret (Sharp) Jacobs, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Scott County, Kentucky. They came to Shelby County, Indiana, in 1851, and secured land in Liberty Township. Mr. Sharp [sic], who devoted his life to farming, died May 2, 1879, and his wife passed away October 22, 1894. They were the parents of thirteen children, namely: Malissa, Harvey, Maranda, Amanda, Mary, Susan, William, George W. and Thomas J. (twins); Narcissus; Margaret, wife of the subject of this review; Amanda [sic]; and Serelda.
          Greenbury F. Burgess’ children by his first wife were: Burlington B., deceased; Susan D., deceased; William C., deceased; Sarah F.; Mary M., deceased; Maggie E.; Joseph G., deceased. The subject’s children by his second wife were six, as follows: John C., James E., Nannie G., Noah T. Belle, Mary E., and an infant. The children by Mr. Burgess’ third wife are: Florence Helena, wife of William Midkiff, of Liberty Township, Shelby County; William Clement, a farmer on the old home place; Roy Otto, a farmer in Addison Township, who married Nora Hatfield, on April 9, 1901, and they have two children, LaRue and Gladys; Leona G., married Albert Brown, of Fort Benjamin Harrison, and to them three children have been born, namely: Burgess B., Ruth, and Margaret Helena; the fifth child of the subject and his third wife was Francis Nathaniel, who died May 2, 1884.
          Mr. Burgess has always been a Democrat. He is a member of the Baptist Church. He is truly self-made man, and has won the respect of a wide circle of friends and acquaintances in Shelby County. While feeble at the age of ninety years, owing to rheumatism, his health is otherwise unimpaired. His eyesight is particularly good, as he is enabled to read magazines and the finest print of the daily newspapers without glasses. It is a source of pleasure and satisfaction to him, and he devotes most of his time to reading.
Chadwick's History of Shelby County, Indiana, by Edward H. Chadwick, B.A., assisted by well known local talent, B.F. Bowen & Co, Publishers: Indianapolis, IN, 1909
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming


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