John Woodend Burns 1842 -

BURNS, PURNELL, LANE, TWOMBLY, HENRY, WILKIN, THORN, PERKINS, WILLIAMS, MOODY

Posted By: LuRee Runnells (email)
Date: 1/18/2006 at 15:33:09

OBITUARY SKETCH OF A GOOD MAN
WAS CIVIL WAR VETERAN
And Had Held Important Postions And Was Faithful And Just In All Things

John W. Burns, postamster at this place, a pioneer of Van Buren county, and a highly esteemed citizen, died Sunday, April 11, {year unknown], at 3 p.m. He had been sick with pneumonia since Saturday evening, April 3. Mr. Burns was a highly respected citizen, esteemed by all, and his demise is sincerely regretted by all who knew him.

John Woodend Burns was born in Vernon township, this county, July 5, 1842. His parents, James and Mary Burns came from Pennsylvania to Farmington in 1837 and the next year moved to a claim in Vernon township, where the deceased was born and resided for 48 years, except the four years he served in the Civil War.

Mr. Burns passed his boyhood on the farm and attended the country schools until 17 or 18 years of age, when he came to Keosauqua to attend a high school taught by Rev. Daniel Lane. He was attending this school when the Civil War broke out, and he and V.P. Twombly and the late Thos. P. Henry laid down their books and enlisted in the 1st Iowa Volunteer infantry.
For some reason the company they enlisted in was not received and later Mr. Burns enlisted in Co. G. 3d Iowa cavalry. He served three years to the expiration of the term of his enlistment and then re-enlisted, serving until Aug. 9,1865, being mustered out of the service as color sergeant. Mr. Burns was a good soldier and his (rest of paragraph too faint to read).

On Christmas Day 1867, Mr. Burns was united in marriage to Miss M.J. Purnell, who with two daughters and two sons and a brother and sister, survive him. During his residence in Vernon township, Mr. Burns served term after term as township trustee, assessor and school director. In 1883, he was nominated by his party for county treasurer, being committed to {print too faint to read) - he was defeated by Judge ??? of Keosauqua, but both were always the best of friends. In 1889 he was again nominated for the same office and was elected by a large majority and was re-elected two years afterwards. He discharged his duties as treasurer with the utmost fidelity as he did every trust ever undertaken by him. It was he who introduced the practice in the treasurer's office of notifying tardy taxpayers that their taxes would be delinquent if not paid by a certain date on the theory that the taxpayer had forgotten; and that proved to be the case, as many taxpapers came in and paid, thus saving the county (missing rest of sentence).

In December, 1906, Mr. Burns received the appointment as postmaster here to succeed Col. Wilkin who died suddenly Sept. 12, 1906. Mr. Burns did not desire the office, and declined two tenders of the appointment, but finally prevailed upon to accept. The duties of the office were too exacting for one of his age and physical condition, but having accepted, he gave the office his entire attention and with his most efficient assistants, Mrs. Wilkin and Miss Dora Burns, he gave the public a very acceptable and popular service. In this position as in all the other positions he ever held, he was kind and just to all and made it pleasant for all with whom he transacted business.

Mr. Burns was taken with a cold, which was thought at first to be merely an attack of the grip. He left his office for the last time Saturday, afternoon, April 3. Pneumonia quickly developed and he passed away Sunday, April 11[year unknown]. His two sons, Charles of Mason City and Owen of Minneapolis, and Mr. Miles Burns, a brother all arrived before his death, Miss Marie, a daughter, arrived from Los Angeles the day prior to the funeral.

The funeral was held Friday afternoon, the 16th. Notwithstanding the steady rainfall that prevailed all the afternoon, there was a large attendance, there being people present from nearly all parts of the county.

The funeral services were held at his late residence, and consisted of discourses by Rev. W.B. Thorn, and C.E. Perkins, the discourse of the latter being read by Supt. Williams on accound of Mr. Perkins' illness. The floral tributes were beyond anything seen here for a long time. The burial was conducted by Keosauqua Lodge No. 10, A.F. and A.M. The Knights Templar were to act as an escort, but as the rain was so persistent they fell in with the blue lodge. The Masonic burial service at the grave was conducted by Elder Moody of the Christian church.

Mr. Burns will be greatly missed by the community at large, as he always had a pleasant, kindly greeting for all, by the church of which he was a faithful and honored member, and by the lodges which held him in the highest esteem. His life was an example which old and young might follow with profit. (End of article).

I am not related, but this newspaper article is in my possession, quite old and the print is quite faint; submitted for those who might have an interest in Van Buren County history.