The first two generations here are what are believed to be the ancestry
of Oliver BURCH of Charles County, Maryland.  These records are taken
from published records of the Penrith parish regiser.1 Many of these entries
were confirmed with the original parish register,2 although some entries were
not readable on the microfilm.  The name was most commonly spelled BRITCH,
occasionally BIRCH or other spellings.  These spellings were retained in
the listings below.  Although the records begin in 1556, the only other
entry for this family in the church records is the marriage of Jane BRITCH
to John BIRKBECK on 27 October 1611.

Oliver BIRCH married Margret WALLEIS 27 Oct. 1611 Penrith, Cumberland, England.
Margaret wife, of Oliver BRITCH was buried 16 Feb. 1617/8.2

Oliver BRITCH secondly married Ales READHEAD on 30 Nov. 16192
Oliver BRITCH, householder, was buried 15 Apr. 1642,2 and Ales BRITCH, "widdow,"
was buried 26 Mar. 1660.
Oliver and Ales had children baptized at Penrith:
1. Dorothy BIRCH bap. 24 Sep. 1620;2 Dorothy BRICH m. Christofer SIMPSON
   19 Jan. 1646/7
2. Thomas BIRTCH bap. 18 June 1622;2 m. Annas
3. Ales BRITCH bap. 24 June 1624;2 Ales BRITCH bur. 11 Aug. 16412
4. Marie BIRCH bap. 23 June 1629; Marie BIRTCH bur. 8 July 1631

Thomas BRICH/BIRCH/BURCH married Annas. Annas, wife of Thomas BRITCH, was
buried 17 June 1660. Thomas' daughter Dorithy died in 1656 from smallpox.
For most earlier and later entries the church register did not identify
the causes of death.  As the wife of Thomas died in 1660, and three children
died within 4 months in 1662, there may have been another smallpox, or
some other epidemic.  It may have been this that led Thomas to leave Penrith.

The deaths of Thomas and his two eldest sons Oliver and Edward are not
in the parish register, and there are no further BRICH/BIRCH entries
through 1812. 

A Thomas BIRCH BIRCH (signed BURCH) on 6 July 1665, assigned 50 acres of
land in Maryland to John RICHARDSON, with Robert STAPLEFORD and Edward COOK
as witnesses.  On 21 Nov. 1665, Henry Hare of Calvert Co., MD sold Thomas
BIRCH 200 acres, "Harefeild" described as being in Talbot County.3
Whether this Thomas is identical to the father of Oliver is uncertain.

The land was actually located in Kent County.  On 4 August 1719 George
HADDAWAY and wife Sarah sold to William HARRISSON, 200 acres "Harefeild"
on the the north side of the Chester River and east side of Morgans Creek,
adjacent to Henry WOOLCHURCH and Toby WELLS, the tract having been laid
out for Thomas BIRCH, and sold by said BIRCH to Elizabeth BENSON, from 
whom by heirship it went to Sarah, wife of George HADDAWAY.4

The sale from Thomas BIRCH to Elizabeth BENSON is not found.  As the sale
was to Elizabeth BENSON, it was presumably after the death of her husband
John, whose Calvert County will was written 20 Dec. 1676 and probated
20 Jan. 1676/7, implying Thomas BIRCH was living at that time. Loss of
early Calvert County records prevents knowing what happened to Thomas.

Thomas and wife Annas had children baptized at Penrith:
1. Ayles BRICH (daughter of Thomas) bur. 19 Nov. 16462
2. Oliver BRICH bap. 30 Oct. 16472
3. Edward BRITCH bap. 1 Feb. 1649/50
4. Dorethy BRETCH bap. 16 Nov. 1652; Dorithy BRITCH bur. 20 July 1656 from
   smallpox
5. George BRITCH bap. 12 Oct. 1656; George BRITCH bur. 22 Oct. 16622
6. Ann BRITCH (twin) bap. 12 June 1660;2 Ann BRITCH bur. 30 June 16622
7. Grace BRITCH (twin) bap. 12 June 1660;2 Grace BRITCH bur. 20 Oct. 16622

Oliver BURCH was baptized 30 Oct. 1647 Penrith, Cumberland, England.  He
patented a tract of land "Penray" in Charles County.5  In his will, this
tract was called "Penrick/(Penrich?).6  Although in later deeds, the tract
is also called "Penray," the similarity between the spelling in his will of
Penrick/Penrich, and the town in Cumberland, England of Penrith lends
credence to the thought that Oliver BURCH of Maryland is identical to the
Oliver baptized in 1647 at Penrith, and that he named the tract after his
village of origin.  

Supporting evidence is that Oliver in MD named his first two sons Justinian
and Thomas (Justinian after his wife's father), and his first two daughters
Katherine and Ann (Katherine after his wife's mother). Thomas and Ann, being
the names of the parents of Oliver of Penrith. Note that Oliver also named
a son Edward after what would be his surviving brother. In a 1726 land deposition
Oliver BIRCH gave his age as about 80, closely corresponding with the 1647
baptism at Penrith.9

Oliver died between 15 Feb. 1726/7 and 27 May 1729 when his will was written
and probated in King and Queen Parish, Charles Co., MD.6 He married Barbara
TENNISON who was born about 1660 in Northumberland Co., VA.

On 20 Oct. 1763 Oliver's son Thomas BURCH in a land deposition mentioned
a tree shown to him about 40 years ago by his "uncle John SCOTT."8  From
that record, some researchers came to the incorrect conclusion that Oliver's
wife Barbara was a SCOTT.  She was not.  Barbara's sister Katherine TENNISON
married John SCOTT, is how he was the uncle of Thomas BURCH.
Oliver BURCH and Barbara TENNISON had children:
1. Justinian6 BURCH b. ca. 1680/2;9 m. Susanna7 DAVIS10; d. between 23 Oct. 1758
   and 23 Feb. 1760 Charles Co., MD11 (note: He did not have a middle name
   Thomas as alleged by some researchers.  They have confused him with a later
   Justinian Thomas BURCH.)
2. Katherine6 BURCH b. say 1682;29 m. Thomas12 SWAN6; living
   15 Apr. 1762 Prince George's Co., MD12
3. Thomas6 BURCH b. ca. 1684-1686;9 m. Margaret;37 d. before 30 Oct. 1765
   Charles Co., MD35
4. Ann6 BURCH m. Samuel13 SWANN6; living 30 May 1744 Charles Co., MD13
5. John6 BURCH m. Mary15 JOHNSON. (Note her mother Mary ROSE named
   two "daughters" Mary in her will, their married names being Mary
   CLARKE and Mary BURCH.16 The estate of her second husband John ROSE
   paid a legacy to Mary CLARKE.30 Mary BURCH would have been, nee
   JOHNSON, a daughter of her mother Mary's first husband.)17
   d. between 21 Feb. 172914 and 5 Mar. 173415 Charles Co., MD
6. Elizabeth6 BURCH m.1. John18,20 CADE6; m.2. 1727/8 Thomas OWEN;19 living
   2 May 1743 Prince George's Co., MD36
7. Barbary6 BURCH m.1. Thomas21 ALLISON/ALLANSON6; m.2. ca. 1733 William 
   COLLYAR21 (COLLIER); living 21 Mar. 1750 Frederick Co., MD22
8. Edward6 BURCH b. ca. 1700;9 m. Mary31 ANDERSON23; d. between 25 Apr. 1763
   and 14 Oct. 1765 Charles Co., MD24
9. Benjamin6 BURCH b. ca. 1703;9 m. Winifred27,28 COAD;25,26,38 d. before
   11 Mar. 1744/5 St. Mary's Co., MD28
10.Elinor6 BURCH
11.Jonathan6 BURCH b. ca. 1707;32,34 m. Elizabeth;34 d. between
   19 Jan 1785 and 14 Feb. 1786 Prince George's Co., MD33

1. John Francis Haswell, transcriber The Registers of St. Andrew's Parish
   Church, Penrith, Cumberland and Westmoreland Antiquarian and
   Archaeological Society, Parish register section,, (Penrith: Herald 
    Printing Co., 1939). 
     Volume II, 1605-1660
      p. 21   24 Sep. 1620 Dorithy d. of Oliver Birch bap.
      p. 23   18 June 1622 Thomas s. of Oliver Birtch bap.
      p. 25   24 June 1624 Ales d. of Oliver Britch bap.
      p. 32   23 June 1629 Marie d. of Oliver Birch bap.
      p. 58   30 Oct. 1647 Oliver s. of Thomas Brich bap.
      p. 61   1 Feb.  1649 [1649/50] Edward s. of Thomas Britch bap.
      p. 65   16 Nov. 1652 Dorethy d. of Tho. Bretch bap.
      p. 71   12 Oct. 1656 George s. of Thomsas Britch bap. 
      p. 75   12 June 1660 Ann and Grace twins of Thomas Britch bap.
      p. 80   27 Oct. 1611 Oliver Birch and Margaret Walleis married
      p. 84   30 Nov. 1619 Oliver Britch and Ales Readhead married
      p. 112  16 Feb. 1617 [1617/8] Margret wife of Oliver Britch buried
      p. 129  8 July 1631 Marie d. of Oliver Birtch bur.
      p. 143  11 Aug. 1641 Ales d. of Oliver Britch bur.
      p. 144  15 Apr. 1642 Oliver Britch, householder bur.
      p. 151  19 Nov. 1646 Ayles d. of Thomas Brich bur.
      p. 164  20 July 1656 Dorithy d. of Thomas Britch bur. po.
      p. 168  26 Mar. 1660 Ales Britch, widdow bur.
      p. 168  17 June 1660 Annas wife of Thomas Britch bur.
    Volume III, 1661-1713
      p. 105  30 June 1662 Ann d. of Thom. Britch bur.
      p. 106  20 Oct. 1662 George s. of Thom: Britch bur.
2. St. Andrew Church of England Parish register 1556-1714, Penrith, Cumberland,
   England FHL microfilm 1,472,072, item 20.
3. (Archives of Maryland 57:102-103) Several other mentions of Thomas
   BURTCH/BURCH/BIRTCH are found on pages 169, 186, 187, 197, 207 showing 
   his residence as Calvert County.
4. Kent Co., MD Land records JS#W:55, FHL microfilm 0,014,149.
5. MD Patents CC, pp. 139-140 [images 86-87 of 102].
6. Oliver Burch will transcribed, MD wills 19:725-726, FHL microfilm 0,012,848.
   Oliver Burch will, Charles Co., MD Wills No. 3:221-222.
7. Charles Co. MD deeds X2:20-22, FHL microfilm 0,013,754.
8. Henry C. Peden, Jr. Maryland Deponents 1634-1776, (Westminster,
   MD: 3:38 quoting CCLR M3:354. Deposition of Thomas Burch [son of Oliver]
   in 1763 mentioned his "uncle John Scott."
9. Robert W. Barnes, "Charles County Depositions," Maryland Genealogical
   Society Bulletin, 33 (Fall 1992): 696, 698-699.
   Oliver age 80 in 1726.
   Justinian 50 in 1732, age 71 or 72 in 1752, age 75 in 1755.
   Thomas age 48 in 1734; 49 in 1737; 55 in 1741, 68 in 1752, 71 in 1755,
      78 in 1763.
   Edward age 45 in 1745.
   Benjamin age 41 in 1744.
10. Edward Davis will, Charles Co., MD wills 4:71-74.
11. Justenian Burch will, Charles Co., MD wills 5:145-148
12. Thomas Swann will, Prince George's Co., MD Wills No. 1:554-555.
13. Samuel Swann account, Charles Co., MD accounts 1738-1759, p. 133.
14. Thomas Allen will, Charles Co., MD Wills 4:55-57.
    John Birch signed as a witness, and stated as deceased when the will
    was proved in 1735.
15. John Burch inventory, Charles Co., MD inventories 1717-1735, pp. 437-438.
    "Edwd. Burch Brother to Jno. Burch" signed as one of next of kin.
16. Mary Rose will, St. Mary's Co., MD wills PC1:228.
17. John Johnson will, St. Mary's Co., MD wills PC1:60-61.
18. John Cade inventory, Prince George's Co., MD inventories P.D. No. 1:220-221.
    Edward Burch and Thomas Burch signed as next of kin.
19. Elise Greenup Jourdan, The Land Records of Prince George's County,
    Maryland 1726-1733, (Westminster, MD: Family Line Publications,
    1994), 57, citing M:352, Thomas Owen and Elizabeth in deed dated
    11 Jan. 1728. (Cade in will in #6, 1727).
20. Prince George's Co., MD land records Q:351-357, FHL microfilm 0,014,249.
21. Thomas Allison (Allerson) inventory, Charles Co., MD inventories 1717-1735, pp. 337-338.
22. William Collier inventory, Frederick Co.,  MD inventories 1:45-46.
23. Charles Co., MD land records M2:244-245, FHL microfilm 0,013,753.
    Deed from John Anderson to "son-in-law" Edward Burch.
24. Edward Burch will, Charles Co., MD wills 5:360-364.
25. Richard Coade inventory, MD inventories, 21:517-518.
    Winifred Burch signed as next-of-kin.  That she was nee Coad(e), and
    Richard's sister, see #26.
26. Debbie Hooper, Abstracts of Chancery Court Records of Maryland 1669-
    1782, (Westminster, MD: Family Line Publications, 1996), 56.
    The 9 Mar. 1723 petition of Richard Cood, Justinian Jordan and Mary his
    wife, William Scot and Ann his wife, and Winifred Cood states that Richard,
    Mary, Ann, and Winifred are children of Col. John Cood, late of St. Mary's
    Co., who has been deceased about 14 years. Cood left his wife, Elizabeth,
    sole executrix. Elizabeth then married William Hook. 
    See also #25 and #38.
27. Benjamin Burch account, MD accounts 22:250, FHL microfilm 0.012,906.
28. Benjamin Burch inventory, MD inventories 31:157-159.
29. Prince George's Co., MD land records T:506, FHL microfilm 0,014,249.
    Son Edward Swann in a 1737 land deposition was age 37.
30. John Rose account, MD inventories and accounts 35B:93-94.
31. Edward Burch inventory, Charles Co., MD inventories 1753-1766, pp. 455-456.
32. Peden, Maryland Deponents, 25.
    Jonathan age 30 in 1737
33. Jonathan Burch will, Prince George's Co., MD wills T1:231, FHL microfilm
    0,014,279.
34. Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh, Maryland Records, Colonial, Revolutionary,
    County and Church, (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co.,
    1975), p. 74 [image 84 of 524].
    Jonathan age 68, [wife] Elizabeth 58
35. Thomas Burch inventory, Charles Co., Maryland inventories 1753-1766, pp. 457-459.
36. Prince George's Co., MD land records Y:673-675, FHL microfilm 0,014,250.
37. Prince George's Co., MD land records Y:7-8, FHL microfilm 0,014,250.
38. Ann Scott inventory, Charles Co., MD, Inventories 1753-166, pp. 408-410.
    Ann Scott 1764 inventory was signed by Winifred Berch as next of kin.
    See also #26 that Ann was nee Coode, and a sister to Winifred.