vital records sources
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Joseph grew up in Rochester, Province of Massachusetts Bay. He didn't marry until he was 28, and by then he was in neighboring Dartmouth. He was probably the Joseph who defaulted on a £7 note signed by a Rochester man in 1738.1 When the case went to court in 1740, Joseph was described as a laborer of Dartmouth. Being a laborer may explain why there is no record of him buying or selling land. He was likely a tenant somewhere near the borders of Dartmouth and Rochester. All his children's births are recorded in Dartmouth.

children of Joseph Burges and Tabitha Mitchell:2

Elizabeth, b. 24 November 1738
Benjamin b. 10 October 1740
Luther b. 12 March 1743
Joseph b. 14 April 1745
Phebe b. 5 August 1747
Tabitha b. 11 December 1749
Thomas b. 23 June 1752
Patience b. 17 June 1760
Ruth b. 27 July 1766

vital records sources:

1. 4 Mar 1739/40, Anthony Savery, Rochester, husbandman, vs Joseph Burges, Dartmouth, laborer, note dated 18 Dec 1738 for £7, judgement for £7 plus £ 4, 2 sh. NEGHS image 204 of Plymouth County Common Pleas, vol. 6, case 140.
2. Vital Records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts to the Year 1850, vol. 1 (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1929), 52.

There are Joseph Burge/Burges who were involve in deeds in Rochester, but they were his cousins, an elder Joseph, son of John and Mary (Worden) and his son Joseph. Among these were almost certainly the following who are in Plymouth Co. court records:
Joseph, Rochester, yoeman defaulted on a bond held by Seth Pope, Jr. dated 15 Aug 1732 for three score and seven pounds on demand. chancered, judgment £41, 1 sh, 8 p and £3, 3 sh costs, appealed vol. 5, mss 5:55-59, case 20, common pleas, 18 Dec 1733 Benjamin Hammond vs JB, R, yoeman, default on bond of 29 June 1735 for £137. Joseph came to court on 10 Mar before the jury was impanelled and offered a "three pound bill of this province" and demanded the appearance of Hammond to invoice his costs so he could pay those, Hammond didn't appear, case dismissed. 1 Mar 1735/36, vol. 5, Common Pleas, case 62, ms 5:476-479, NEGHS image 501 18 May 1736, case came up again, case 18, ms 6:9-11, NEGHS image 3, Joseph, weaver, defaulted on an 1741 note,