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Below is a family biography included in The History of Morgan County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Addison Burford is a native of Albemarle County, Virginia, having been born there in 1822. He moved to West Virginia in 1847, and was married to Miss Martha McCoy, daughter of Samuel McCoy, in 1849. While in Virginia he was overseer on a farm. About five years after his marriage he, with his brother-in-law, William Johnson, and Wilson C. Burford, and their families, traveled overland in covered wagons to Missouri. They crossed into Ohio at Point Pleasant, came as far north as Dayton, and struck the military road and came west through Indiana and Illinois to St. Louis. From there they went up the west side of the Missouri River to near where Syracuse now stands, where their relatives were living. They arrived after a trip of five weeks and four days. Here Mr. Burford bought 120 acres of land, on which he built a log house, which he occupied for several years, when he built the residence which he now occupies. To his first purchase he has added about 300 acres. He and wife have been the parents of fourteen children, eight of whom now survive: Walter, of Meade County, Kas.; Edward Hamilton, of the same place; Charles, lives on his father’ s farm; Nellie, married to William Steele, of Cooper County, living in Sumner County, Kas.; Emma, Fanny, Eva and Lewis are at home. Mr. Burford’s grandfather, William Burford, came to this country from Wales, and served under Gen. Washington in the Continental army, being with him at Valley Forge. His parents were William and Elizabeth (Simpson) Burford. Mr. Burford is a Republican, and he and his family are members of the Baptist Church at Mt. Olivet.

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This family biography is one of 120 biographies included in The History of Morgan County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Morgan County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Morgan County, Missouri family biographies here: Morgan County, Missouri Biographies

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