Re: Titus Ketcham Burgess, c1820 - 1899

Hello Shirley, I have found some of the information you are looking for. I have also made some speculations based on some of the information available. You would need to follow up with some primary sources to verify these before claiming the information as fact.

The 1850 census that you refer to shows James Burgess married to Huldah Ann (Gage) Burgess along with their 2 children, Texana and Gage. James, Huldah and Gage are on findagrave.com. Huldah’s death record found on familysearch.org shows her spouse as James Burgess, her maiden name as Gage and her father as Isaac Gage. My speculation here is that James is older brother to Titus.

Titus Burgess and Frances Burgess are husband and wife. I will show the relationship later but I wasn’t able to find a marriage record. Their marriage was probably between 1845 and 1850 when Frances was 16 to 21 years old. The marriage was most likely in Wisconsin, either Janesville or Milton.

Note that this census was taken on 16 July 1850. The reason I mention this is that Titus Burgess and his wife, Margaret F. Burgess (the middle initial “F” for Frances) are also listed on the 1850 census taken two months later on 14 September 1850 in Buchanan, Iowa.

Titus K. Burgess, M, 32, Farmer, POB New York
Margarett F. Burgess, F, 21, POB New York
Elbert H. Clinton, M, 15, New York

Elbert H. Clinton is the younger brother of Margarett and was probably staying at the farm during their visit to Wisconsin. Doing a search on Elbert Clinton, I also find him on another 1850 census taken one month before in August 1850 in Milton, Wisconsin.

Alexander Clinton, M, 49, POB Pennsylvania
Margaret Clinton, F, 44, POB Pennsylvania
Cornelius Clinton, M, 26, POB New York
Melvina Clinton, F, 19, POB New York
Alexander Clinton, M, 17, POB New York
Elbert Clinton, M, 15, POB New York
George Clinton, M, 12, POB New York
Mary Clinton, F, 4, POB Wisconsin

Needless to say, I found it interesting that they were listed twice in the 1850 census.

For the 1860 census, I found Titus and Francis in Sacramento County, San Joaquin Township, California;

Burgess, T K, 41, M, Farmer, POB New York
Francis, 32, F, POB New York
Emily, 7, F, POB New York
Plus four more entries of farm laborers

This shows a daughter, Emily, being born in New York about 1853. Looks like some travel was done to New York before going to California. Next door to Titus and Frances is Alex Clinton, his wife Margaret and daughter Melvina. These are parents and sister of Frances (Margaret named after her mother).

The 1870 census shows them at the same location, Sacramento County, San Joaquin Township;

Burgess, T K, 52, M, Farmer, POB New York
Margaret F., 42, F, Keeping House, POB New York
Emma, 17, F, At Home, POB New York
Plus two more entries of farm laborers

Alex and Margaret Clinton are staying with their daughter, Melvina Spaulding and her daughter, May.

The 1880 census shows them in Sacramento County, 4th Ward Sacramento, California;

Burgess, T K, 61, M, Head, Feed Stable, POB New York
Margaret, 50, F, Wife, Keeping House, POB New York
Elizabet, 8, F, Daughter, At School, POB California
Spaulding, Melvina, 49, F, Widow, Lodging, At Home, POB New York
May F., 16, F, Lodging, At School, POB California

This census shows a second daughter being born to Titus and Margaret in about 1872. That could be possible for their age but the possibility also exists that this could be a dau of their first dau, Emily/Emma Burgess making Elizabet their grand-dau. Melvina Spaulding is the widowed sister of Margaret.

The majority of these family members can be found on findagrave.com with pictures of their headstones in the Elk Grove Cosumnes-Cemetery, Elk Grove, Sacramento County, California. There appears to be a large family plot under the name CLINTON with multiple stones of family members to include Titus Burgess. His stone shows a birth date of Sep 1821 which I believe should be 1818. His wife’s marker is marked as Frances C. (for Clinton) Burgess with a birth date of 28 Jan 1828. A wide angle picture of the family plot and stones is listed under Alexander Clinton. There is a point of contact on the page under “ResearchRansom”. Check that link as the person has an email address and may be able to fill in some blanks for you.

Sorry I couldn’t find the parents of Titus as you were seeking but we do have his marriage to Margaret Frances Clinton, between 1845/1850 and evidence of at least two daughters.

BTW, your email is still hidden.

Hope this helps and good hunting, William Perry