Aunts & Uncles~ John Burk Dease: Pioneer of the Mississippi Territory

The “Aunt & Uncle” series of biographical sketches are Artificial Intelligence (AI) compiled narratives of selected individuals from my Genealogical database.  The selected AI will used the RootsMagic Individual Summary from my Genealogical Software, Roots Magic. All genealogical data is my research material acquired over the past 46 years of research. Today's Biography is of John Burk Dease   (1782-1846) was compiled with the assistance of Claude Sonnett 4 and is entitled: 

John Burk Dease: Pioneer of the Mississippi Territory

Early Life and Origins

John Burk Dease was born on March 3, 1782, in County Westmeath, Ireland, to parents Mark Deese (1747-1790) and Nancy Buckston (1747-1790). Growing up in Ireland during turbulent times, John would eventually seek opportunities in the young United States, becoming part of the great wave of Irish immigration that helped settle the American frontier.

Journey to America and Early Settlement

By 1800, at approximately eighteen years of age, John had made his way to the Mississippi Territory and settled in Washington County. This was a bold move for a young man, venturing into what was then considered the far western frontier of the United States. The Mississippi Territory had only been organized two years earlier, in 1798, and was still very much a wilderness area with scattered settlements along the rivers.

In the fall of 1802, when John was just twenty years old, he began an ambitious project that would establish his claim to land in the new territory. He entered upon a tract of land and commenced building a mill—no small undertaking for a young man in the frontier wilderness. He built a house to accommodate himself and his workmen, and even managed to cultivate a small garden while pursuing this work.

Establishing Legal Claim to His Land

John came of age on March 3, 1803, turning twenty-one years old, which was significant for his land claims. Under the third section of the act of Congress passed on March 3, 1803, John filed a claim for pre-emption rights to his land. On March 9, 1804, he formally presented his claim to the Commissioners appointed to receive and adjust land claims south of Tennessee and east of the Pearl River.

His claim was for fifty acres situated on the waters of the Tombigbee River in Washington County, where his mill stood. Witnesses Daniel Johnson and James Powell, who served as chain carriers for the survey, testified before the Board of Commissioners. They confirmed that John had entered the land in fall 1802, commenced building a mill, constructed a house, and cultivated a garden. They also verified that he had turned twenty-one on March 3, 1803.

After due consideration, the Board granted John an even more generous award than his original fifty-acre claim. On March 9, 1804, he was granted pre-emption rights to 320 acres of land, to be located with his mill dam and saw mill at the center of the tract. The land was situated on the east side of Bilbo's Creek, and the boundaries were carefully surveyed and recorded.

Work as a Surveyor

John didn't just benefit from the surveying system—he participated in it. On March 24, 1804, he made oath before Justice of the Peace R. Harwell that he had carried the chain for measuring a tract of land for Cornelius McCurtin. This work as a chain carrier and surveyor helped John become familiar with the land and establish himself in the community.

Marriage and Family Life

On July 12, 1805, at age twenty-three, John entered into a marriage contract with Bridget Gillard Burke (1776-1840), a widow. This was a significant union, documented with careful legal provisions. Bridget was entitled to one-third of a 640-acre tract of land on Bilbo Creek as her dower, and she possessed considerable personal property including enslaved people, livestock, and horses.

The marriage contract, witnessed by John Johnston Sr., Jacob Neely, and Margaret Sullivant, stipulated that Bridget's property would be secured for her own use during her natural life, then pass to any heirs born of their union. If there were no children from their marriage, the property would revert to John. The contract was recorded on September 16, 1805.

John and Bridget built a family together, having at least five children:

Colonel Oliver Cromwell Deese (1807-1893)

Nancy Deese (1811-1899)

Edward Deese (1812-1860)

Eleazer Burke "Elzy" Dees (1814-1900)

William Dease (1818-unknown)

Community Leadership and Business Affairs

John quickly became a respected member of the Washington County community. In September 1807, he served as an administrator for the estate of Richard Hawkins, advertising the sale of 640 acres of land situated on the west side of the Tombigbee River, one mile from Fort Stoddert.

On November 3, 1808, John gave an important deposition before the County Court of Washington County. In it, he testified that he had become an inhabitant of Washington County in 1800 and had knowledge of lands claimed by the heirs of William Powell and John Johnston Sr. He also revealed that he had been one of the committee members who possessed a treaty made between the Spanish Government of West Florida and the Choctaw Indians, whereby the Choctaws had transferred title to lands on both sides of the Tombigbee River. This treaty had been obtained from the Spanish government and was believed to have been forwarded to General Wilkinson for transmission to the United States government.

Land Transactions and Moves

By 1809, John's claim to his 320 acres on Bilbo's Creek was officially recognized by the land board. However, on February 3, 1811, John sold his rights to this land to Edwin Lewis for one hundred dollars. The deed conveyed all of John's "tight title interest & claim to the land whereon said Deas built a mill on Bilbo creek about three miles from Tombigbee river," including the certificate of pre-emption for 320 acres that had been granted by the Board of Commissioners.

In 1810, John appears in census records as residing in West Florida. His name appeared on a petition to Congress dated December 11, 1816, by inhabitants of Jackson County, Mississippi Territory, many of whom had settled on land in West Florida while it was under Spanish control and were seeking recognition of their grants.

Public Service

On August 3, 1812, at age thirty, John was appointed Coroner for Washington County in the Mississippi Territory. This appointment recognized his standing in the community and demonstrated the trust placed in him by local authorities.

Later Years and Family Growth

The 1820 census found John and his family living in Jackson, Mississippi. The household included John (listed as over 45 years old), his wife Bridget (age 26-44), and several children of varying ages, along with eight enslaved people.

By 1830, the family was residing in Perry, Mississippi. The census recorded John as between 60-69 years old and Bridget as 50-59. They still had children at home, including a male aged 15-19 and a female aged 20-29, along with eleven enslaved people.

The 1840 census found John in Mobile, Alabama, listed as a male between 70-79 years old. Bridget had passed away by this time (in 1840), and John's household included only one female enslaved person aged 24-35.

Final Years and Legacy

John spent his final years in Heidelberg, Jasper County, Mississippi. He passed away on October 22, 1846, at the age of 77 (though he was actually 64 based on his birth year of 1782). He was laid to rest in the Dease Cemetery in Heidelberg.

Obituary

His obituary, published in the True Democrat of Paulding, Mississippi, on October 28, 1846, provides a touching tribute to his life and character:

[COMMUNICATED]

Departed this life, on the 22d inst., JOHN DEASE, aged 77 years, a native of West Meath, Ireland. Mr. Dease was well and extensively known to the people of East Mississippi, having been the first settler of that section of country lying between the Pascugoula and Pearl rivers; and, amid all the privations and discouragements incident to an entirely new country, he succeeded in amassing a considerable fortune, in raising a large and highly respectable family, and constantly preserved the reputation of an honest, independent and generous hearted man. He proved his zeal for the general good of the country by many liberal donations, the chief of which was con- tribute towards the erection of the orphan asylum of Mobile. All who knew Mr. Dease have ample reason to respect and revere his memory. His numerous friends and relatives have wept over the loss which heaven, in its inscrutable judgment, has called upon them to bear, but not as those without hope. It pleased God to grant him, in his last hours, the full and abundant consolations of his church, which he received, nothing wavering, but with triumphant pace and joy. May his children, and children's children, emulate his virtues, and terminate their earthly career, as he did, in the confident hope of a blissful immortality.

Historical Context

John Dease's life spanned a remarkable period in American history. Born just after the American Revolution ended, he came of age during the early years of the American Republic. The Mississippi Territory, where he settled, was carved out of lands ceded by Georgia and South Carolina in 1798. When John arrived around 1800, the territory was still contested ground, with Spanish claims to the south and Creek and Choctaw nations surrounding the scattered American settlements.

The land claim process John navigated was established by Congress to sort out competing claims in territories newly acquired by the United States. The system of pre-emption rights he utilized gave preference to settlers who had actually improved the land they claimed—exactly what John had done by building his mill.

Life on this frontier was challenging. The Tombigbee River region where John settled was remote, with Fort Stoddert serving as one of the few military outposts. Travel was difficult, disease was common, and conflicts with Native American tribes were an ongoing concern. The Creek War of 1813-1814 would bring violence close to home for many settlers in the region.

John witnessed the transformation of the Mississippi Territory into the state of Mississippi (admitted to the Union in 1817) and later saw the organization of Alabama as a separate state in 1819. His moves between Mississippi and Alabama reflect the fluid nature of settlement patterns in this era, as people followed economic opportunities and family connections across territorial boundaries.

His work as a surveyor and chain carrier was essential to the orderly settlement of the frontier. The surveying system established by the Land Ordinance of 1785 required careful measurement and documentation of land boundaries—work that men like John performed, often under difficult conditions.

A Pioneer Remembered

John Burk Dease exemplified the pioneer spirit that built the early American South. From his arrival as a young man in the Mississippi Territory through his final years in Jasper County, he worked to build a life for himself and his family while contributing to the establishment of civil society on the frontier. His service as a surveyor, coroner, and administrator showed his commitment to his community. His generous donations, particularly to the orphan asylum in Mobile, demonstrated his concern for the welfare of others.

Though he faced the "privations and discouragements incident to an entirely new country," as his obituary noted, John succeeded in creating a lasting legacy. His children and grandchildren would continue to build on the foundation he established, spreading the Dease name throughout Mississippi and beyond. Today, the Dease Cemetery in Heidelberg stands as a testament to this Irish immigrant who helped settle the American frontier and raised a family that would span generations in their adopted homeland.

John Burk Dease is my 3rd Great Grand Uncle. 

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1. THE TERRITORIAL PAPERS OF THE UNITED STATES: The Territory of Mississippi, 1798-1817 (MISSISSIPPI TERRITORY: Compiled and edited by Clarence Edwin Carter, 1), Vol. 5, page 669, Age and birth of John Burk Dease; digital image, Clarence Edwin Carter, https://babel.hathitrust.org/ (http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt : onlie January 2025).

3. John Burk Deese affidavit, 24 March 1804, Mississippi Territory, Washington County; certified by R. Harwell, J.P.; "Mississippi, Compiled Censuses and Census Substitutes Index, 1805-1890," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSMW-H77D-Z : accessed 11 October 2025).

4. Land Deed - Marriage Contract John Dease and Bridgett Burke; 12 July 1805; Deed Book #A; Page(s) 114 & 115; Register of Deeds; Winona, Montgomery County, Mississippi; 10 March 2020.

5. "640 Acres," Land for Sale, The Mississippi Messenger, Natchez, Adams Coiunty, Mississippi, 27 October 1807, 640 Acre's of LAND, Situated on the weft fide of the Tombigbee river.

6. THE TERRITORIAL PAPERS OF THE UNITED STATES, Volume V, page 669, John Dease.

7. 1810 Census Reconstructed Record, West Florida, census reconstructed records, 1660-1820, West Florida, John Dease, John Dease; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed ); https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/160674:2234.

8. Mississippi, DEED BOOK “A”,: Page 248, John Deas to Edwin Lewis; Chancery Clerk, (Washington County, Mississippi; accessed January 2025). www.familysearch.org.

9. John Burk Deese appointed Coroner 3 August 1812, Mississippi Territory, Washington County; database with images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/138065:1898 : accessed 11 October 2025).

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3QY-NST9-S?view=fullText&keywords=Dease%2CMississippi%2CCounty&groupId=TH-909-85426-73977-9

10. 1820,  Hinds County, Mississippi, population schedule, Jackson, Mississippi, Page:#47 (Penciled); Line:#Last Line, Bottom of Page;, Household of John DEASE, John DEASE; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : online January 2025); Family History Library Film:.

11. 1830, Perry County, Mississippi, population schedule, Perry, Mississippi, Page:#151 (Penciled); Line:#-Next to Last Line, Bottom of Page, Household of John DEASE, John DEASE; digital images, www.ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : online January 2025); citing NARA micro-film Roll: M19.

12. 1840 U. S. Census, Pike County, Alabama, population schedule, Mobile, Alabama, Page:#81 (Stamped); Line:#-8 from Last Line, Bottom of Page;, Household of John DEASE, John DEASE; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : online January 2025); citing  National Archives Microfilm M23.

13. "John Dease," Death notice, Obituary, True Democrat, Paulding, Mississippi, 28 October 1846, Page 2, column 2; Digital On-Line Archives, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : viewed & transcribed 9 March 2023); https://www.newspapers.com/.

14. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed  October 2023); Memorial page for John Dease Sr.; (1769–22 October 1846); Find a Grave memorial # 42083958, Citing Dease Cemetery; Heidelberg, Jasper County, Mississippi, USA.

15. "John Dease," Death notice, Obituary, True Democrat, Paulding, Mississippi, 28 October 1846, Page 2, column 2; Digital On-Line Archives, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : viewed & transcribed 9 March 2023); https://www.newspapers.com/.

16. U.S. and International Marriage Records, "U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900," database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : online January 2025), Marriage: John Dease & Bridget Gilland Burke; https://