BURNETT, John Wesley 1847 - 1929

BURNETT, FORDYCE, DARRAH, BRADLEY, ZIMMERMAN, CRANE, SMITH, WOOD, WALLEN

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 5/25/2021 at 20:23:27

"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Saturday, May 25, 1929
Front Page, Column 1

J. W. BURNETT DIED IN SOUTH
Was in the Hardward Business in Fairfield Many Years Ago; Burial Here

John W. BURNETT, a resident of this city for more than 35 years, and who conducted a hardward store in New Chicago, died yesterday morning at his home in Arapoho (sic - Arapaho), Okla. The body will arrive in this city Monday evening over the Rock Island at 4:59 and will be taken to Evergreen cemetery where short services will be held before interment. The regular funeral services will be in Arapoho tomorrow.

Mr. BURNETT was born in New Jersey but came to Iowa as a young man and first located at Cromwell where he was manager of a lumber yard for E. D. Rand. Later he was transferred to Osceola and then to Fairfield, where he bought out the Rand yard and operated it himself. Upon retiring from active business he went to Oklahoma in 1903.

Surviving is one son, J. M. BURNETT, who married Miss Mary FORDYCE of this city, and two daughter, Mrs. Jennie DARRAH of Arapoho and Mrs. Henry C. BRADLEY of Ft. Gibson, Okla.

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"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Saturday, June 1, 1929
Page SIX, Columns 2 and 3

OBITUARY

John Wesley BURNETT

John Wesley BURNETT was born on April 28, 1847 at Chatham New Jersey. He was the son of Andrew Jackson BURNETT and Lydia Ann BURNETT and was of colonial descent He lost his father while he was still a small boy When he was seven years old his mother and stepfather moved to Mansfield, Ohio, and it was here that he grew to manhood. His parents were of humble circumstances and he only received a meager education but was naturally studious and became well versed in spite of this handicap. When he was sixteen years old it was necessary for him to start out for himself and for a short time he was employed in the Post Office Department at Mansfield, Ohio.

It was here that he met Rosetta ZIMMERMAN who later became his wife.

In 1868 Mr. BURNETT accepted a position with the Rand Lumber Company at Cromwell, Iowa, which was then the western terminus of the C. B. and Q railroad and was considered to be in the far west. He spent five years here as the yard manager.

On May 3rd 1871 Mr. BURNETT was married to Rosetta ZIMMERMAN his boyhood sweetheart. To this union were born eight children, three of whom survive.

In 1873 Mr. BURNETT returned to his old home town of Mansfield, Ohio where he made his home until 1874 when he returned to Fairfield, Iowa, in the employ of Rand Lumber Company again. This became the family home and it was here that all of his children except Jennie B. DARRAH were born. The family lived in Fairfield, Iowa for twenty-three years. During these years spent at Fairfield the family were reared and educated and these years probably consituted the happiest and most prosperous years of Mr. BURNETT's life. During a great part of this time he engaged in the Lumber and Hardware business for himself, at one time operating a chain of yards throughout southeastern Iowa. In 1897 the family moved to Clayton, Illinois, thence to Mt. Sterling, Illinois and in 1904 the family moved to Ft. Gibson, Oklahoma where he lived until the death of his beloved wife in 1924, since which time he has lived with his daughters Jennie B. DARRAH of Arapaho Oklahoma and Margaret BRADLEY of Ft. Gibson, Oklahoma, having retired from active business in 1923.

Mr. BARNETT was a devoted Christian having spent practically his entire life in active service of his Master. During his lifetime he was affiliated with several denominations, among which were the Methodist, Congregational and the Presbyterian churches. During the latter part of his life he was affiliated with the Presbyterian church at Ft. Gibson, Oklahoma, and for the last twenty years was an elder in that church. However during the time which he has spent at Arapaho, Okla., he was very active in the Methodist church there, having taught a boys Sunday School class. He had a keen perception of God, was tolerant in his views and steadfast in his belief and even though he lived to be of advanced years being past the age of 82 years at date of death, he never lost his mental faculties and apparently his mind was as keen in his old age as it had been in youth.

He was a student of good literature and an ardent lover of the sport of fishing and had spent many happy hours along the creek (possible 2-3 lines of text missing at this point) a close student of nature and took great pleasure in studying the habits of the birds and the wild life.

He had been afflicted with asthma for many years and this was the direct cause of his death. He had only been ill a very short time and was apparently getting better. His death occurred at the home of his daughter Jennie B. DARRAH at Arapaho Okla., on May 24, 1929 at about 9:30 A. M. Death was unheralded and he was called home without any apparent notice.

He was prepared for death and while his presence will be missed by those who remain behind, his memory will be cherished and we believe that he has gone to his last great reward to join the beloved wife and mother who had preceded him to death, together with five of his children. His was a well-spent life and a finer example of a true Christian gentleman could not be found. He was kind, loving and considerate to those about him. He thought no evil and did no evil. His last thoughts in life were not about himself but rather about those to whom he might be of some concern. He was very active physically until the last and even in spite of his advanced years was not satisfied to be idle but kept himself in constant activity, performing little acts of kindness for those he loved.

He is survived by his son J. M. BURNETT of Burlington, Iowa, two daughters Jennie B. DARRAH of Arapaho, Okla., and Margaret BRADLEY of Ft. Gibson, Okla., five grandchildren, Elizabeth DARRAH CRANE, Arapaho Okla., Genevieve BURNETT SMITH of Burlington, Iowa, Louise BURNETT WOOD of Crosset, Arkansas Donald B. DARRAH Arapaho, Okla., Georgia BURNETT WALLEN of Burlington Iowa and eight great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife Rosetta and five children. Hubert H., Lee Z., and Fred who died in young manhood and Carl and Clayton who died in infancy .

"It is appointed unto men once to die, and after death cometh the resurrection the dust shall return to the earth and the spirit unto God who gave it. And, so trusting in the infinite love and tender mercy of Him without whose knowledge not even a sparrow falls let us prepare to meet them where there is no longer parting and where (sic - bottom of page image was cut off)

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

Note: Buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Fairfield, IA, in Lot Old.P.032 with wife Rosetta/Rozetta.