BURNETT, John W. - 1890 Bio (1847-1929)

BURNETT, BADGELEY, ZIMMERMAN

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 7/29/2007 at 13:32:26

Portrait and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties, Iowa, Printed 1890 by Lake City Publishing Co., Chicago
Pages 564-565

John W. BURNETT, President of the J. W. BURNETT Lumber Company, of Fairfield, and dealer in hardware, lumber and building material, established business in this city in 1874, and is now at the head of one of its leading enterprises. He came to Fairfield as agent and resident manager of the E. D. Rand Lumber Company, of Burlington, here established a yard and was associated with that company until 1880. He embarked in the hardware business soon after his arrival and from 1880 until January, 1890, continued operations alone. At the last mentioned date, he was instrumental in organizing and incorporating the existing J. W. BURNETT Lumber Company, which was incorporated with an authorized capital of $100,000 and a paid up capital of $25,000. Mr. BURNETT was elected President; William Day, Vice-President; and Frank Zimmerman, Secretary and Treasurer. The extensive hardware business carried on by Mr. BURNETT is his individual affair. In 1879, he established a branch house in Elden (sic - Eldon?), Iowa, consisting of a lumber yard and hardware store which business was included in the stock of the J. W. BURNETT Lumber Company on the incorporation of that company and is conducted under the management of Vice-President William Day. The annual business of the Fairfield house is $50,000 and upwards, while that of the Elden (sic) branch is $15,000.

As a leading and influential citizen and the head of one of the important business industries of Fairfield, we feel that a sketch of the life of Mr. BURNETT will be of interest to our readers. He was born in the town of Chatham, Morris County, N. J., April 28, 1847, and is a son of Andrew J. and Lydia (BADGELEY) BURNETT. His parents were natives of New Jersey and were descended from old Colonial families. The paternal great-grandfather was a patriotic soldier of the War for Independence. During his early childhood, John W. BURNETT lost his father and with his mother removed to Mansfield, Ohio, in 1855, where he was educated in the public schools. Thirteen years later, in 1868, he first set foot upon Iowa soil, making a location at Osceola, where he spent nine months as a clerk, after which he removed to Cromwell, Union County, there having charge of the E. D. Rand & Co's lumber business until 1874, when he came to Fairfield as agent for the same company.

Mr. BURNETT was married in Mansfield, Ohio, on the 3d of May, 1871, the lady of his choice being Miss Rosetta ZIMMERMAN, who was a native of that city and a daughter of Levi ZIMMERMAN. Six children have been born of their union, five sons and a daughter, as follows: Jennie E., James M., Hubert H., Levi Z., John Fred and Carl D. The last named died in infancy.

Mr. and Mrs. BURNETT are members of the Congregational Church and in politics he votes with the Republican party but has had neither time nor inclination to serve in official positions. In addition to his lumber and hardware business, he has other important business connections. He is a stockholder in the Fairfield Manufacturing Company; an equal partner with C. C. Risk in the Fairfield Canning Company; and is one of the organizers and original stockholders of the Iowa State Savings Bank, of Fairfield. Mr. BURNETT has now been identified with the mercantile and manufacturing interests of Jefferson County for sixteen years and is widely and favorably known as an enterprising and successful business man, whose integrity and promptness is always to be relied on. He is public-spirited, taking a warm interest in all that affects the general prosperity of the people, and enjoys the confidence and esteem of his fellow-citizens in a marked degree.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.