The source of information about Paul’s family, not otherwise verified, comes from the Genealogy of the Staats Family, found in Ancestry.com. It quotes from memorials on a monument in Wequetequock Cemetery in Stonington CT providing the history of Paul’s family. Thomas Burtch (Thomas #1) left England to settle in North Stonington CT where he married Mary Davis. Their son Thomas (Thomas #2), born in Stonington, married Desire Eliot, daughter of James Eliot, He “went to sea”, was taken prisoner by the British, and moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia where he died, presumably in captivity. Thomas #3, son of Thomas and Desire, married Mary Burdick, daughter of John and Betsey Burdick. They had two children, Paul (born about 1824, see census information below) and Harriet Palmer Burtch who married into the Staats family. Paul was thus great grandson of Thomas #1. Thomas and Mary, Paul’s parents, both died in 1883.The 1850 census for Stonington records shows Paul (age 25, making him born about 1824) living with Thomas and Mary, his parents, his occupation shown as “laborer”. On May 14 in the following year Paul married Abby Thompson on North Stonington CT.Less than a month later, Paul sailed for the North Pacific and died in Honolulu on November 27, 1852 according to Starbuck. CT records record his death as November 11, 1852. He is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Stonington.
Paul served briefly as replacement master of one ship with a home port in New London:
VESPER (AS2557): (ship, 321 tons, built in Newbury MA in 1827, condemned and sold in Hilo, Hawaii on May 1, 1861). Paul was a member of her crew (last name show on crew list as “Bush”) when she sailed for the North Pacific on June 10, 1851, less than a month after his wedding. Edward M Howes (House in Decker and Starbuck) (AM2697), the initial master, was killed at sea, by a whale according to Starbuck, on July 15, 1852. Paul, listed second on the crew list, assumed command as replacement master, and when he died in Honolulu he was succeeded by a replacement master identified only by his last name, Lopes. (AS3156). VESPER returned to New London onApril 14,1855. Dennis Wood Abstract 2-210 provides brief information about this cruise, but, curiously, mentions nothing of the death of either master. Williams & Barnes was the agent. AV15129.
New London Crew Lists shows “Paul Burtch (?)”, then age 24, serving on the crew of PIZARRO (AS2198) on her voyage departing on May 30, 1822. The ship’s crew list has similar information. The sailing date was two years prior to Paul’s birth about 1824, so this entry must be in error.
Sources used: see sidebar and sources cited in text.
George Shaw (Mystic Seaport Museum) July 2024