emigrated from Eng. to Roxbury MA,by 1638 to Springfield 1640.
Some time in 1640 Henry Burt moved thither from Roxbury and his name first appears in the town records as follows : December 24, 1640. There is leave granted to Mr. Holyoke, William Warriner and Henry Burt to seek out for ye use of each of them a cannoe tree. Samuel Hubbard shall have the same leave granted him for a cannoe tree. Samuel Hubbard is also appoynted by a general vote to keep an ordinary for ye entertainment of strangers." Probably already provided with a house to shelter himself and family on land, this canoe enabled Henry Burt to traverse the " great river " and thoroughly acquaint himself with the surroundings of his new home, where he was to spend his remaining days. The founder of Springfield, William Pynchon,administered the law to the settlers, besides selling them goods and buying beaver skins of the Indians. Henry Burt was frequently called by William Pynchon to serve as juryman, and his first appearance in the records of the court was on February 15, 1641, when Robert Ashley entered a complaint against John Woodcock for not delivering to him a gun.
Henry came to Roxbury, Massachusetts prior to 1638, when his name appears in the records of the General Court in reference to paying 8 pounds to Roxbury on account of the burning of his house.
In 1640, he appears in Springfield, Hampden Co. Massachusetts. On January 13, 1641/42 in Springfield, Massachusetts, Henry Burt "Complaines against Judith Gregory in an action of the Case for breach of Covenant in Molestinge him in his daughter Sara[h] Burt. Judith Gretory was 3 tymes caled by the Constable to answer the action abovesaid and she appeared not."
On September 26, 1644, in Springfield, Hampden Co. Massachusetts, by general vote of the town, Henry Smith, Thomas Cooper, Samuel Chapin, Richard Sikes, & Henry Burt were elected Selectmen with power "to order in all the prudential affaires of the Towne, to prevent anythnge they shall judge to be to the dammage of the Towne or to ordr anything they shall judge to be for the good of the Towne: and in these affaires they shall have power for a yeere space and that they, 5, or any three of them shall also be given full power and virtue, alsoe to here complaints, to Arbitrate controversies, to lay out High ways, to make Bridges, to repayr High wais ... to see to the Scouring of Ditches, and to the killing of wolves, and to training up of children in some good caling, or any other thing they shall judge to be to the profitt of the Towne."
On April 14, 1648, in Springfield, Henry Burt was "sworne to be Freeman." As for military service, on November 7, 1648, in Springfield, "Henry Burt was this day sworne Clarke of the Band". On May 29, 1649, in Springfield, "Henry Burt was chosen Clark of the writts for this Towne. This day all the printed lawes were read: the whole Towne being present:" On March 29, 1659, in Springfield, "Henry Burt Plantiff contra James Bridgman defendant in an action of debt to the vallue of 27 19s 4d."
On April 7, 1660, in Springfield, Henry Burt served on the jury investigating the death by drowning of Ebenezer Herman, youngest child of John Herman who was found dead in the brook in Nathaneell Pritchard's yard. The death was ruled accidental. On September 25, 1660 he served on another jury in Springfield.
On May 14, 1661, in Springfield, "Henry Burt Complaines against John Henryson for not paying of Three bushells of wheate according to promise for spinning and knitting of Stockens. To which John Henryson says that the debt which he owes Henry Burt is but 10s and this he ingaged 2 bushells of wheate towards it and noe more: and he hat paid Henry Burt in worke so that Henry Burt owes him 8x for worke: Henry Burt ownes owing him 8s which says he John Henryson was to have a shurt cloth for and John owning it is adjudged to take the shurt cloth: and for the other 10s John Henryson is adjudged to pay Henry Burt Two bushells ow wheate (7s) and Three shillings in a day and halfe worke."
On September 24, 1661, Henry Burt again served on a jury in Springfield. Henry Burt, "the Clark of ye Writtts", died on April 30th 1662 "in ye evening" and was buried on May 1, 1662. He wasn't quite as well-off as his father, and the creditors descended on his property:
