Francis Marion Burns
F. M. Burns is one of the prominent representatives of
commercial and financial interests of western Texas, the
base of his operations being Colorado. His success has
resulted from his ready recognition and utilization of
opportunity, his strong purpose and his unfaltering
diligence, and his life record proves what may be
accomplished through the exercise of these qualities. His
father, Marion T. Burns, was a native of South Carolina,
who was born, reared and spent his entire life in
Fairfield county. His wife bore the maiden name of Sally
Nettles and was also a native of that county.
Francis Marion Burns, born July 2, 1850, was one of a
family of thirteen children and was reared upon the farm
in Fairfield district. At the time when he would
otherwise have been in school the Civil was was in
progress and it was impossible to maintain schools in
that locality. He remained with his father up to the time
of the latter's death in 1871, working upon the farm and
also pursuing his education at intervals in one of the
old log schoolhouses such as the country afforded at that
time. After the death of his father he began farming on
his own account, but seeing that there was little chance
for a young man in that part of the country he gathered
his belongings and started for Texas, reaching ATHENS,
Henderson county, in January, 1874, with a capital of six
dollars and seventy-five cents. For six months he was
employed on a farm in that locality and was then
appointed deputy sheriff of the county, in which capacity
he served for eighteen months. He next turned his
attention to clerking in a dry goods store, where he
remained for nine months, after which he engaged in
business on a small scale for himself in ATHENS. In the
spring of 1878, however, he moved to Canton, Van Zandt
county, where he conducted a mercantile enterprise until
1882. In the spring of the latter year he arrived in
Colorado, which was then a recently organized town. Here
he turned his attention to the sheep business, which he
carried on until 1884, and then sold out. In the fall of
1882 he had been instrumental in organizing the firm of
Dunn, Coleman & Company, general merchants, which
firm was succeeded in July, 1883, by the firm of Burns,
Walker & Company, under which style the business was
continued until January, 1892, when the store became the
property of the firm of Burns & Bell, which has had a
continuous existence to the present date. They have had a
trade extending as far as Paloduro Canyon about twenty
miles south of Amarillo and west to New Mexico, the
carrying trade being done in wagons. The sales of the
house are now represented by a large figure annually and
the business has long since reached extensive and
profitable proportions.
Mr. Burns is the vice-president of the Colorado National
Bank of Colorado, Texas, which is capitalized for one
hundred thousand dollars and has a surplus of similar
amount. It is the strongest and largest bank between Fort
Worth and El Paso. Prior to his connection with this
institution Mr. Burns was vice-president of the Citizens'
National Bank from 1890 until 1892, when it went into
liquidation.
On the 15th of December, 1877, was celebrated the
marriage of Mr. Burns and Miss Flora Bell, a daughter of
Mrs. A. S. Bell, of Colorado, Texas. Mrs. Burns was born
in Alabama but was married in ATHENS, this state. Their
family numbers a son and two daughters: Brookie, the wife
of Dr. J. B. Gray, of El Paso, Texas; Douglas, who is
with his father in the store; and Linnie, the wife of D.
L. Harell, a druggist of Pecos, Texas. Mr. Burns belongs
to the Baptist church, with which he has been identified
for twenty years, and since 1880 he has been affiliated
with the Masonic fraternity, taking the degrees of the
lodge and chapter. He has also been an Odd Fellow since
1875. Mr. Burns is an interesting talker and his fund of
information concerning general subjects is extended. He
has been a close observer, thinking along practical
lines, and is a man of action rather than of theory. He
has also aimed to secure tangible results, the value of
which could be tested in the competitive market.
Systematic in the transactions of business, absolutely
truthful and reliable in everything, and well informed as
to the progress of events, with a watchful eye upon the
business world, he allows nothing to escape his attention
that may add to his efficiency in the work to which he
has devoted his life.
A Twentieth
Century History and Biographical Record of North and West
Texas
Capt. B. B. Paddock Editor
Vol 2, The Lewis Publishing Co. Chicago, New York, 1906
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