John Howell Burnett was born 7-8-1830 Greenville,
Greene Co., TN and died 6-29-1901 in Houston, Harris Co., TX; the
son of Silas Burnett and Malinda Howell. On the 1900 census his wife
had died and he was living with his daughter (Ellen) and her husband
(James O. Ross) in Harris Co., TX. He is in Galveston, Galveston
Co., TX on the 1880 census along with his wife, Kate, son Henry,
daughter and husband Helen & James Ross, adopted daughter Lizzie
Burnett age 11, daughter Mattie Ross age 5/12. Occupation for the
men is Rail Road Contractors. On the 1870 census he and wife and
daughter Ellen (9) are in Crockett, TX living close of Wm. M.
Beavers age 26 who is a brother to his wife. 1850 census shows him
age 21 and wife Catharine A. age 17 in Chattooga County, Summerville
Dist., Georgia.
He
married Catherine Beavers in 1851 from GA; the Burnett's were
originally from GA, too.
Catherine Beavers was born 7-25-1833 GA; died 6-5-1886 Galveston,
Galveston Co., TX. She was the daughter of John Beavers (1800-c.1866
Houston Co., TX) and Nancy Hill (1799-1861 Houston Co., TX).
After the brick courthouse in Crockett, TX burned in 1865, a new
courthouse of lumber was erected about 1869. It was a large
two-story, wooden building, and it was used as a courthouse until it
burned in Nov 1882. This wooden structure was built by John H.
Burnett.
He is listed on a petition to the Texas Legislature asking for
remission of the State Tax levied and collected in Houston County to
the county to aid in building the wooden courthouse which was in
progress because of a fire in 1865 that entirely consumed the town
and courthouse; and in April 1871 the jail and a large portion of
the town burned, then on the first day of October the entire portion
of Crockett remaining was destroyed. John H. Burnett built that
courthouse for about five thousand dollars.
He is listed as Treasurer in the Randolph Lodge #229, F.A.M.
In 1871 he is listed on a committee to solicit funding to build a
new Baptist Church in Crockett.
John H. Burnett sold a stock of merchandise to Judge Robert Read for
the sum of $5,000.00 in gold and silver that was in a store located
on the corner of E. Houston & 7th Street where the Crockett State
Bank was located for many years. He was also in business with Judge
William Wall after the close of the Civil War.
He had a brother that moved to Houston County. He was Judge James
Russell Burnett and in 1864 he published the Crockett Quid Nunc
until after the war. Later leaving Houston County moving to Kerr
Co., TX. I know one other brother was in Galveston... possibly more
in Houston County but I don't have anything more.
TIMELINE:
1830 born Greene Co., TN
1850 Georgia
1870 Crockett, Houston Co., TX
1871 Committe for funding to build Baptist Church, Crockett.
1880 Galveston, Galveston Co., TX - occupation Railroad Contractor
1900 Living Houston, Harris Co., TX with daughter and s-n-law James
& Ellen Ross
1901 died Houston, Harris Co., TX
|