Burnett Genealogy


William Burnett

Married: Eliza (or Elizabeth) Jane Overby (1832-).

Eliza was the daughter of Yelvington Overby (born 9 Jan 1800 Madison County, KY - died 28 (or 26th) Aug 1852 Davis County, Ky, more info here and here) and Nancy Bassett (born 8 Nov 1804 Mercer County, KY - died 19 September 1860, Hancock County, KY; buried in Yelvington Cemetary, more info here) who were married in 1824. Yelvington and Nancy resided in Yelvington, Daviess county, Kentucky and had five children. Nancy Bassett is a sixth generation descendant of Thomas Bassett of Virginia - following that line takes the family back to Myles Standish.

Children:

Elventon Oberby Burnett

William served in the Union army in Illlinois. He was captured by the Confederates and stayed at the prision in Camp Sumter, Andersonville, GA until he was released. During that time he made a carving of a woman's hand made from a broomstick. Below are pictures of the 5-7/8" long carving:




Click on pictures above for a larger view

Elventon Oberby Burnett

Spelling of first name may actually be Yelvington, Yellvington, Yelvinton. Middle name may be "Overby" or Obervy" as well.

Father: William Burnett
Mother: Eliza (or Elizabeth) Jane Overby

Married:

Children:
Oscar Edmond Burnett


This is just a guess, but perhaps the picture below is Elventon with his son Oscar:


Unknown Burnett family picture


Oscar Edmond Burnett

August 21, 1885 (Pulaski, Illinois) - March 18, 1943 (Saint Louis, Missouri)

Note: not sure of spelling of middle name: sometimes "Edmund" other places "Edmond". It is reported that even "Oscar" is listed as "Asker" in Census records, whose father is listed as "Melvington".

Nickname: "O. E."
Father: Elventon Oberby Burnett
Mother:

Married: Mary Francis Banks September 28, 1906 at Carthage, MO. She was the daughter of Louis Banks. She grew up in Arkansas, was raised by her aunt (perhaps her mother s sister?). Her sister was Elvira Banks who lived in California. Mary is buried in Warner Robbins, GA with her son Goob (Gub) Lou Burnett.

Children:

Earl Jacob Burnett June 22, 1908
Ethel May Burnett April 17, 1910 She had two boys. Ethel went on to become a Pentecostal preacher. However, she died an early death at the age of 38 that may have been hastened by not seeing a doctor when she had colon cancer.
Elmenie
Jackson Lucy (sp?)
Edward A. Russell Burnett (or Edward Quinn Russell Burnett) - October 28, 1917
Louis Oberby Burnett (Goob) - January 30, 1922 (or 1921) - good cartoonist
Ruth Pandora Burnett September 9, 1923 (or 1922)


Ruth Pandora, Lou Goob (Gub) Burnett, Mary Francis Banks


Here's some interesting notes from Ruth.
Separated: Feb 1924
Divorced: Aug 1924

Married: Mattie Cordelia Cummings on September 8, 1924 at Hoxie, AR by Rev. Weeks

Children:
Peggy June Burnett - October 27, 1926
Anna Lee Burnett - September 27, 1928
Billy Boy - January 1, 1931

O.E was a station master. He lost a leg, severed by a train he was working on. It is also thought the he served time for breaking into a box car. O.E. spent the last years of his life living with his son and daughter-in-law, Earl Jacob and Clara Burnett. Cause of death: fall from several floors up at Saint Louis City Hospital. The hospital called it a suicide but Clara Burnett believed this was mistaken as he was looking forward to a visit from his daughter Ethel. This was at a time when hospitals didn't have screens on the windows and there was no air conditioning.


Oscar Edmond Burnett Family Bible



Oscard Edmund Burnett and Earl Burnett at work
Click on above picture for a high resolution scan.

Made at Hoxie, Ark. 1926

Back row: Arch Talfirt - Round House forman; O. E. Burnett - Car shop forman; Marshel - Round House Forman; Taxi driver

Front row: John Anderson; Earl Burnett; Tom Smith; (don't know next); Vance Broadway; H.O. Blankenship; J. Pirece; Gilly Chpel; (don't know next)

To see a scan of the text on the back side of the picture, click here.

The roundhouse left Hoxie in the late twenties and it was moved to Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Some of the workers went there after the round house closed.

Buried New Saint Marcus Cemetery, 7901 Gravois, St. Louis, MO 63123
Gravois at River Des Peres. Telephone: 314-352-0227.
Section 41, row 16, grave 24

Oscard Edmund Burnett tombstone
Click on above picture for a high resolution scan.


Earl Jacob Burnett & Clara May Huddleston Burnett

Earl & Clara Burnett at the wedding of Bill Lynch & Cindy Osborn

Earl Jacob Burnett

June 22, 1908 - May 3, 1993

In spite of a very tough childhood that Earl did not like to talk about, Earl became a very hard worker. As a child, he supported his family. Starting as a farmer, later his primary career became that of a railroad engineer on the Missouri Pacific railroad. He also was a landlord and owned several rental homes.

Clara May Huddleston Burnett

February 9, 1909 - January 3, 2003

Clara was born Clara May Huddleston on a farm in Arkansas to the parents of Wiley and Arstene Edmonia "Eddie" Huddleston. She had an older half-sister Pearl, an older sister, Nellie, and two younger sisters, Opal and Emma. All of her sisters have preceded her in death.

Clara married Earl Jacob Burnett in Evening Shade, Arkansas on January 2, 1932 during the great depression. During this time they farmed in Arkansas as well as Earl working on the railroad when work was available. During this period Earl "John" Burnett Jr. was born in 1933, twin daughters, Barbara and Betty were born in 1935.

In 1941 the family moved to St. Louis and lived in the Soulard area on 9th Street. Earl was now working full time for the railroad. St. Louis would be home for Earl and Clara until the Lord took them home to be with Him. Later they purchased a home at 5616 Devonshire and in 1968 moved to a home in the suburb of Affton at 6403 Darlow Drive, across the street from their daughter Barbara. Clara remained their until January of 1997 when she entered Good Samaritan Home, 5200 S. Broadway and in late 2001 moved to Bethesda Dilworth, 9645 Big Bend Boulevard in Kirkwood.

Clara had 10 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. She was a wonderful grandmother who loved to do things for her grandchildren. She left wonderful memories for them to cherish. Each grandchild can tell of things she did that made them feel so special. This was one of her gifts from the Lord as well as her gift of hospitality.

Clara was a homemaker, beautician, and an expert seamstress, she loved to sew everything from children's clothes to quilts. She was always busy working. She even mowed her own yard until she was 85.

Since 1948 she attended Spring & Blaine Church of Christ, which later became Affton Church of Christ, until 1997 when her health no longer permitted. She was a strong Christian who knew her Bible well.

She was preceded in death by Earl. He died in 1993 at the age of 83. They had 61 years together. His death was the biggest loss in her life. She never quite recovered from his death. She passed on at the age of 93 and is buried alongside Earl at Our Redeemer Cemetary, 8300 MacKenzie Road, St. Louis, MO.

She will be missed by all who loved her.



Clara requested this song for her funeral:

JUST A ROSE WILL DO
J. A. McClung

Click to hear song: MIDI

When time shall come for my leaving,
When I bid you adieu;
Don't spend your money for flowers,
Just one rose will do.

For I'm going to a beautiful garden,
At last when life's work is through;
Don't spend your money for flowers,
Just one rose will do.

Just have an old fashioned preacher
Preach a sermon so true;
I'll need no beautiful flowers,
Just one rose will do.

For I'm going to a beautiful garden,
At last when life's work is through;
Don't spend your money for flowers,
Just one rose will do.

I'll need no organization
Just to make a "to-do;"
I'll need no bright decorations.
Just one rose will do.

For I'm going to a beautiful garden,
At last when life's work is through;
Don't spend your money for flowers,
Just one rose will do.

Here's a few more pictures.


Earl & Clara Burnett tombstone