My family tree

John Burton's family was from Wales, however, it is likely he was born and reared in Virginia. In January, 1793, Burto n built a grist mill in Buncombe County which stood until 1865. Sometime after the mill was built, the miller in charge , a man named Handlen, crossed to the west side of the French Broad River and was found scalped, austensibly by the Che rokees. In 1794, Burton got two 200 acre tracts of land from the North Carolina. On one of them, he laid out 42 lots of a tow n first called Morristown or Buncombe Court House. In 1797, the village was renamed Asheville. The first lot was sold t o his son,Thomas, on July 28, 1794. A plot was presented by John Burton to the county for a courthouse with the conditi on that upon discontinuance of its use for a courthouse, it would revert back to the family. The court house is now loc ated elsewhere, and the old courthouse plot has long since been a public park. A portion of "An Anecdote of the Early Days of Asheville," published in 1918 by Dr. F. A. Sondley reads as follows: John Burton married Jean Forster, daughter of William and Mary Forster and aunt of Capt. Thomas Forster who several tim es represented Buncombe County in the different branches of the legislature and who settled and until his death in 185 8 residedon the place where the Biltmore was afterwards built. Everyone called John Burton, "Uncle John" and his wife " Aunt Jean." At one time Uncle Burton was a prosperous man and owned much valuable land in Asheville and other parts o f Buncombe County.It was he who builton Glenn's Creek near its mouth the first mill in the county. But he lost all hi s property before he died. He was of jovial disposition and fond of his dram and sometimes drank to excess. The drinkin g habit grew on him as headvanced in years and no doubthad something to do with his loss of property. When he was intox icated it seemed to him exceedingly funny to throw his wife's clothing into the fire and watch her struggle as she endeavored t o save it from the flames. It was not through any intention to be unkind to her that he gave way to these frolics. He simply could not forego th e entertainment which he derived from the good woman's consternation. It was in vain that Aunt Jean remonstrated.