Brendon Burns

Presentation

New York City and Long Island hold the distinction of having the longest British occupation during the Revolutionary War. The events leading up to the occupation caused many residents to flee, while many Loyalist refugees from elsewhere flooded into the occupied area. However, Loyalism was prevalent across all of the Hudson River Valley during the war and they were a constant threat to the patriots. How can you find out whether your ancestor was a Loyalist or a patriot? Were those residents of New York and Long Island within the occupation true Loyalists? This presentation will highlight new avenues in Loyalist research and some unlikely areas you may find some useful collections.

Speaker

Brendon S. Burns is a senior genealogist with the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) in Washington, D.C. A native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, he grew up in a Navy family but aside from three years in Tennessee, he has resided almost entirely in Virginia, including in Fairfax, Blacksburg, and, since 2012, in Arlington. He graduated with two B.A. degrees from Virginia Tech in 2008, one in studio art and the other in public and urban affairs. From about the age of 9 years, he combined his love of history with an interest in genealogical research, a love he inherited from his grandfather. Over the years, he has focused on his Virginia roots in colonial and southwestern Virginia as well as his paternal roots in western New York, and spread internationally into some German, Dutch, and Polish research, all found in his own ancestry. He has worked professionally in the field since 2013, when he began working with the NSDAR. He has published 13 books since 2017, most focused on his maternal family's roots in Grayson County, Virginia, but also some books related to New York and the Revolutionary War. Burns operates a blog, "The Ancestral Clark," for some of his own genealogical research and topics. He also operates a side job as "The Virginia Genealogist," working for clients to investigate inquiries relating to Virginia as well as 18th century research across the American colonies.

Registration opens May 1st, for members of CDGS. If there is space remaining, non-members can register starting May 10th. Registration closes at 11pm, 2 days prior to the event.