My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Lewis County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Hon. Thomas S. Burnett, lawyer, was born in this county, October 14, 1854, the son of George G. and Mary (Stowers) Burnett; the former of Scotch-Irish stock, born in Henry County, Ky., in 1813, and the latter of German descent, born in the same county in 1823. Their ancestors were natives of Loudoun County, Va. The grandfather, Samuel Burnett, went to Henry County, Ky., in 1808, where he died in 1823. George G., the father, lived in Harrison County, Ky., until in November, 1836, when he moved to this county, and entered 360 acres of land. He was married, January 30, 1840, and was one of the largest land owners of the county, having owned at one time more than 1,200 acres. He is now retired from a very active life of many years in Northeast Missouri; has been living for the last eleven years with his children, and fully merits all the esteem placed upon his honor and manhood. The mother was thirteen years old when her parents, William and Elizabeth (Grant) Stowers, came to this county. She was a woman universally admired for her social, kind disposition and charitable life. Her mother was a daughter of Gen. Grant, of Grant County, Ky., a second cousin of Gen. U. S. Grant. She was also a niece of Daniel Boone. The mother died in 1876. Her children were Samuel, Elizabeth (deceased), Alexander (accidentally shot in Texas), William S., K. Grant, Washington J., Margret J. (the wife of J. Flowerree) and Thomas S. Our subject was educated at the seminary in Monticello, and graduated from Christian University with the class of 1877. During the last year of his course he was an assistant college teacher, and at the age of seventeen entered that profession for three terms. He then entered the law office of Blair & Marchand, in Monticello, and in 1878 was admitted to the bar. Having spent a time in the office of Hon. W. H. H. Russell, of St. Louis, he went to Dallas, Tex., and, after teaching a couple of sessions, began practice at Dallas, in December, 1879, and remained until August, 1883, when ill health compelled him to retire. In April, 1884, he came to Monticello, where he has since been one of the leading lawyers. He is an eloquent speaker, and highly esteemed as a man. He is a Democrat, and first voted for Samuel J. Tilden. He is an Odd Fellow, and has been a member of the Christian Church since fourteen years of age.

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This family biography is one of 293 biographies included in the Lewis County, Missouri portion of the book,  The History of Lewis, Clark, Knox and Scotland Counties, Missouri published in 1887.  For the complete description, click here: Lewis County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Lewis County, Missouri family biographies here: Lewis County, Missouri Biographies

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