Florence Bradshaw Burgess was born 1883 in Rootstown OH. She obtained a teaching certificate and taught in OH and later in VA when her parents moved to Henry County VA. She married John Abe Burgess in 1907. Her early life including initial time with Abe Burgess is documented in her diary. She had four daughters and Jack Burgess. She died at age 50 in Ettrick VA.

Her father Charles Homer Bradshaw was born in OH in 1854. His father Almon was born in CT as where several generations. It appears that William Bradshaw brought the family from Ireland to New Milford, Litchfield CT in 1729. Many very old family records from the CT period were handed down. A sample is John Bradshaw's mid 1700s Bible.

Florence's Mother was Mary Louise Russell of OH. Mary's Father George move from Nantucket Island MA in the mid 1800s. The Russell's of Nantucket were know to be whalers with Florence's Great Grandfather Charles C. Russell passing down his log of a two year whaling voyage (partly documented last section of Cherie Burgess Shindell Autobiography). A late 1700s sample from Russell family records, documents the birth and marriage dates for Charles Russell (Father) and Hepsabeth Coffin (Mother). The Russell Family was one of the earliest families to settle on Nantucket Island MA. John Russell's marriage to Ruth Starbuck in 1731-2 established a link too many other English families.

The early genealogy includes King Malcom III of Scotland (1033) and his wife Queen Margaret (1042) who was later name Saint Margaret. Their daughter Matilda married King Henry I of England (1068). .