Edward Burwell was a subscriber to the Second Charter of the Virginia Company of London. Of Houghton Park in Harlington, Bedfordshire, he had married Dorothy Bedell, daughter of William Bedell of Catsworth, Huntingdonshire. Edward died sometime between 18 October and 9 November 1626 at which time the record shows that administration of his estate was granted to "Dorothea Burwell". After Edward's death Dorothy married Roger Wingate and together they traveled to Virginia with the young Burwell children.

Edward and Dorothy had the following children: William, who patented 200 acres in Northumberland County in 1641 for the transport of himself and three siblings and left a will dated in 1647; Edward, died about age four.

Dorothy, baptized in 1618, married John Woodington, Elizabeth, baptized 1621, married George Hull with whom she had two sons and then Robert Vaulx, with whom she had one son; and Lewis, baptized in 1622, married Lucy Higginson, and had one son.