On 21 December 1801, John Jones and Erasmus Jones were bound $1,000 for John Jones’s guardianship of Elizabeth, Nancy and James Burke, orphans of James Burke. [Essex County, Virginia, Guardian Book 3, pages 111–112.]

John Jones, the guardian of Nancy, Betsey and James Burke, submitted their accounts for 1801 and 1802 on 21 February 1803. [Essex County, Virginia, Guardian Book 3, page 131.]

In 1808, Nancy Burke, the widow of James Burke, and Betsey and James Burke the only children of James Burke, decd., infants by Nancy Burke their next friend, complained against John Jones, the administrator of James Burke’s estate. That James Burke died intestate about 1801 in the County of Essex, that James had another daughter named Nancy who died intestate and an infant in 1807. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 12, Item 12-I-31.]

The valuation and division of the slaves belonging to the estate of James Burke decd. Widows Dower: Sarah, Prince, and Tom, total £153:6:8. Lot No. 1 to Betsey: Lucy and Child George. Lot No. 2 to James: Rose and Humphrey. Lot No. 3 to [blank]: Peggy. All three lots equal, with cash, £102:4:5. Contains original signatures of Ann Burke and Elizabeth Burke. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 12, Item 12-I-32.]

An undated bill of complaint in Essex County states that Rickard Burke died in March 1801, leaving a widow Ann (still alive at the writing of the bill); son John Burke, who died about February 1803, testate, who appointed Thomas Barton executor; son Thomas Burke, who died about February 1802, testate, never married; son Martin Burke, died 1806 intestate, estate administered by Ben H. Munday; son Lewis Burke; daughter Barbara Burke, who married John Chenault and died in 1807; daughter Mary Burke, who married Richard Meador; daughter Nancy Burke, who married Caleb Gatewood and had an only child named Lucy Gatewood, who married William Howard; son William Burke, who died during his father’s lifetime leaving a daughter Polly Burke; and son James Burke, who died in his father’s lifetime leaving children Betsey, Nancy and James Burke. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 32, 1823, Item 32-G-38.] The bill was answered by John Jones, Ann Burke, and Richard and Mary Meador and sworn to on 22 September 1807, confirming by and large the facts in the bill of complaint. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 32, 1823, Item 32-G-32.] A decree settling the case was issued by Essex County court the same day. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 32, 1823, Item 32-G-36.] The decree settled the estate by giving one-eighth portions each to: Richard Meador and Mary his wife; Thomas Barton executor of John Burke; Ben H. Munday, administrator of Martin Burke; Lewis Burke; William Howard and Lucy his wife; Polly Burke; Betsy, Nancy and James Burke; John Chenault. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 32, 1823, item 32-G-33.]

On 17 July 1809 (date recorded), Lewis Booker was bound as security for Hundley and Lewis Moody in three obligations payable to Nancy Burke, widow, and Betsey Burke and James Burke, children of James Burke deceased. Bonds amounting to £87-5 became due 17 April 1810. Hundley Moody and Catharine his wife indemnify Booker by parcel of land 37 acres bounded by the land of Hundley Moody which lately belonged to John Boughan and was recovered by Boughan from John Chenault. by land of Rickard Burke deceased and by land of Carter Croxton and by main road leading from Piscataway Old Mill bridge to Tappahannock and being that part of the tract with land held by John Chenault which was not recovered from his by the said John Boughan and which has since been conveyed by John Chenault (or by Stephen Chenault agent) to said Hundley Moody. Signed Hundley Moody. Witnesses: James Allen, John Jones, Lewis Dix. Recorded 17 July 1809. [Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 37, pp. 512-514.]

On March 21, 1810, a petition was presented to chancery court in Essex County, “Humbly complaining shew unto your worships your orators & oratrices Wm Burke and infant under the age of twenty one years by John Jones his next friend, Polly Burke daughter of Martin Burke an infant under the age of twenty one years by Andrew Monroe her next friend, Polly Burke daughter of Wm Burke an infant under the age of twenty one years by John Martin her next friend and Betsey & James Burke infants under the age of twenty one years by John Jones their next friend, that Rickard Burke formerly of Essex county died seised in fee of a tract of land situated in south Farnham parish & Essex county containing about 271 acres, having made & publishing his testament & last will & writing by which he devised to his wife Ann Burke during her life his whole estate real & personal & after devising some Kentucky land he devised all the remainder of his estate, real & personal, to be equally divided among all his children John, Thomas, Martin, James & Lewis Burke, Barbara Chenault & Molly Meador & lent to his grand daughters Lucy Gatewood & Polly Burke an equal part of his estate real & personal & if they should dye without heirs their respective portions should go to the survivors, as will appear by an office copy of the same recorded in this court hereto annexed as part of this bill; that the testator’s son Thomas died in his life time & without having been married whereby the devise in his favor became void, and his sons John & Martin also died in the lifetime of the testator’s widow who died in Jany 1810; that his said son John left a will whereby he devised his interest in the said land in Essex county to your orator Wm Burke, his son, as will appear by the said John Burke’s will recorded in this court; that Martin Burke died intestate and your oratrix Polly Burke is his only child & descendant living. that James Burke died intestate in the lifetime of his Father Rickard and your orator & oratrix James & Betsey Burke are his only children & descendants living; that your oratrix Polly Burke, mentioned in the will of the testator as his granddaughter, is the only child & descendant of the testator’s son Wm who died in the testator’s lifetime; and the testator’s grand daughter mentioned in his will by the name of Lucy Gatewood was the only child & descendant living of a daughter of the testator who died in his life time, which said Lucy Gatewood intermarried with Wm Howard jr after the testator’s death…” Hundley Moody had purchased some of this land, and the petitioners seek division of the land. The case was finally settled in 1822 with division. [Essex County, Virginia, Box 138 D&W, 1820–1821, Folder N.]

William Beazley married Betsey Burke on 20 April 1812 in Essex County. The source is Book 1, page 228, line 4. Both parties were single (not widowed). The bondsmen were John Beazley and Richard Gatewood. Cora Lee Boughan said that Elizabeth Ann Burke married William
Beazley.

1840 U.S. Census, Essex County, Virginia:
Beazley, William
1 male age 10-15 [this would be John Beazley]
1 male age 50-60 [this would be William Beazley]
1 female age under 5 [this would be Martha Ellen Beazley]
1 female age 10-15 [this would be Elizabeth F. Beazley]
2 females age 15-20
1 female age 30-40 [this would be Elizabeth Ann Burke]

1850 U.S. Census, Essex County, Virginia
Dwelling 589, Family 589
Beazley, William, 62, farmer, $1,800 real estate, born in Virginia
Beazley, Elizabeth, 55, born in Virginia
Beazley, John, 26, laborer, born in Virginia
Beazley, Martha, 13, born in Virginia

Elizabeth was mentioned but not named in the 29 March 1845 will of her husband William Beazley, which was proved on 18 November 1850. She was to receive his estate both real and personal during her life or widowhood, and was to permit their children to live on the property at no charge. [Essex County, Virginia, Will Book 26, pages 618–619.]

On 10 January 1851, Elizabeth Beazley and John R. Beazley of the first part sold to Leonard Henley of the second part, all of the County of Essex. For $10, Elizabeth and John sold 1/2 acre of land in the County of Essex supposed to contain one half acre adjacent the lands of Leonard Henley purchased of Mary M. Crow and being also contiguous to the fork near the residence of the late Wm Beazley, it being a part of the tract held by the said Beazley during his lifetime. Signed Elizabeth her x mark Beazley, John R. Beazley. Witnesses: Ed: R. Boughan, Caston Boughan. Ordered recorded 20 January 1851. [Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 50, pages 101–102.]

In 1855, Nancy Taylor, Elizabeth Verlander, Henry Beazley, John R. Beazley, and William R. Johnson and Lucinda his wife complained to the County Court of Essex in Chancery sitting. That William Beazley late of this county departed this life several years ago, testate. Your orator Nancy Taylor is the widow of George Taylor, deceased, who died sometime in the year 1852, and that she is a daughter of William Beazley. Elizabeth Verlander is the widow of James Verlander, deceased, who died sometime in 1853, and a daughter of William Beazley. And that Nancy Taylor, Elizabeth Verlander, Henry Beazley, John R. Beazley, Lucinda the wife of Wm. R. Johnson, and Martha Ellen an infant under 21 are the children and only children of the said William Beazley. In his will, the testator lent his estate to his wife, Elizabeth. After her death, he gave to Martha Ellen the choice of megro woman Judith’s three youngest children, the personal estate to be equally divided, and real estate is to be divided between his two sons Henry and John. Elizabeth the widow died in 1854. Martha Ellen cannot agree to division except through a court of equity.
In a division of slaves, James Robert (or James and Robert?) went to Henry Beazley; Sally went to Nancy Taylor; page with others apparently not scanned. A plat with the division of the land is included.
[Essex County, Virginia, Chancery Causes, Nancy Taylor et als v Martha Ellen Beazley, infant, 1855-032.]

In 1858, orator and oratrix Moses T. Crow and Martha Ellen his wife complained to the Circuit Court of Essex County that William Beazley, the father your oratrix, died testate in 1850. He devised to his wife Elizabeth Beazley during her life or widowhood all his estate, and after her death he bequeathed to your oratrix the choice of the three youngest children of his negro woman Judith, and further that the balance of the personal estate was to be divided between all his children or their heirs. The testator nominated his two sons Henry Beazley and John Beazley his executors, and administration was granted to Henry Beazley. Henry Beazley sold personal property to settle debts, and the estate remained with Elizabeth Beazley until she died intestate on 5 July 1854. On 25 January 1855, Henry Beazley sold the estate’s personal property other than the negroes for the sum of $105.17-1/2. In January 1855, the said negroes were divided between the legatees under a decree of the County Court of Essex in the Chancery suit of Taylor v Beazley, but Henry Beazley has never accounted with your complainants for their distribution share of the estimated hires of said negroes nor for the $105.17-1/2. Just before the said division took place, your oratrix having under said William Beazley’s will, the selection of one of the three youngest children of the testator’s negro woman named Martha, made choice of a negro boy named Charles, and in the said division she drew the negro woman Martha, but Henry as adminsitrator took possession of Charles and Martha, and hired out Charles for 1855 to Aubrey H. Jones and Martha to George H. Van Ness. William Beazley left children your oratrix the said Martha Ellen, who intermarried with your orator on the 5th July 1856, the said Henry Beazley and John Beazley, Nancy, who intermarried with [blank] Taylor, now deceased, Elizabeth, who intermarried with James H. Verlander, now deceased, and Lucinda R. who intermarried with William C. Johnson. The said [blank] Taylor and James H. Verlander departed this life before the said Elizabeth Beazley.
The answer of Henry Beazley in his own right and as administrator with the will annexed of William Beazley, deceased. He denies that he has not settled an account of his administration on the estate of William Beazley, deceased. That Charles and Martha were hired out for 1855 prior to the decree dividing the estate in January 1855. That on 4 August 1856, Martha Ellen Beazley entered into a marriage contract with Moses T. Crow in which she conveyed all her estate in trust to Richard P. Banks, who should have been a plaintiff.
[Essex County, Virginia, Chancery Cause, Moses Crow et ux v Henry Beazley, 1858-029, Box 66.]

In the 1880 Essex County census her daughter Elizabeth stated that her mother had been born in Virginia.