Kentucky:  A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 3rd ed.,
1886. Barren County.

JAMES J. BURCH was born in Woodford County, April 13, 1818. In early
life he received a common school education, which he improved greatly in
after life by a systematic course of reading.  At the age of eighteen he
entered the dry goods trace with a firm in Glasgow, Ky., where he
remained for several years, when he was compelled to abandon it on
account of ill health. He soon after took a trip to old Mexico, where he
remained some time, and was employed in the dry goods trade in the city
of Nechidoches for Cevellier & Co. In 1841 he returned to Kentucky and
located at Horse Wells, in Barren County, where, until 1861, he carried
on a flourishing trade in dry goods and tobacco in connection with
farming. At the beginning of the civil war he suffered heavy losses in
property.  He removed to Louisville and engaged largely in the tobacco
trade for two years, and in 1865 returned to his farm, and began to
repair damages and in the meantime engaged in a commission business, and
operated largely in the tobacco trade in connection with some parties in
New Orleans. In 1870 he turned his attention entirely to agricultural
pursuits, in which he has been very successful.  He is now the
proprietor of 500 acres of excellent land situated near Cave City. His
farm is in a high state of cultivation; is very productive in grain and
tobacco, and the improvements in the way of buildings are among the best
in the county.  In 1845 Mr. Burch was married to Miss Mary Jane Stark,
of Barren County. Their union has been blessed with six children, two of
whom are living:  Katie and Stapleton C.  Mrs. Burch is a daughter of
Theophilus and Lucinda (Marlin) [Martin] Stark, who were natives of
Allen and Barren Counties, respectfully. She has passed the fifty-
seventh anniversary of her birth, which occurred on the 30th of April,
1828.  Theophilus Stark was by occupation a farmer, and died in 1835;
his widow survived him ten years, when she departed this life at the age
of forty-five years.  James J. Burch was politically an old line Whig,
but since the demise of that party he has been a Democrat.  He is a son
of Stapleton C. Burch, of Scott County, Ky. His mother was a Miss
Bullock of Lexington. She left six children:  Mary, Sarah, Martha,
Catherine, Lucy and James J.  Stapleton C. Burch in his youth received a
nautical education with a view of following a sea-faring life; this he
afterward abandoned, and entered into agricultural pursuits, in which he
amassed considerable property, including 600 acres of land and a number
of slaves, all of which at his death descended to children.  He and wife
were life-long members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and died in
that faith.

Bullock Burch Marlin Martin Stark
=
Allen Lexington-Fayette Louisville-Jefferson Mexico LA Scott Woodford

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/barren/burch.jj.txt