Burnett, Smith J.

BURNETT

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/28/2021 at 23:13:37

History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, by Rev. W. C. Martin, Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1908, p.510

SMITH J. BURNETT
Smith J. Burnett, a farmer and stock-raiser residing on section 15, Otter Township, was born in Logan County, Ohio, August 12, 1850, a son of John and Anna (Vanness) Burnett. His parents came to Iowa in November 1851, and located in Cedar County, where they purchased a farm. His paternal grand­father, John Burnett, Sr., also came to Cedar County, Iowa, from Ohio, together with Governor Kirkwood. He and his wife resided there until the time of their deaths, which occurred during the Civil war. Mrs. Burnett, the mother of our subject, died in early womanhood, her death occurring in 1856 when she was but twenty-eight years of age. Her husband survived her for five years, passing away in 1861 at the age of forty-two years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Burnett were born six children. Thomas died in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, in 1888, aged forty-two years. Katie married William Winterstein and resides in Griswold, Cass County, Iowa. They are now retired from farming. George, also a retired farmer, resides at Anita, Cass County. Smith J. is the next of the family. Charles is a farmer of Wheaton, Pottawattamie County, Kansas. Mary was the wife of a Mr. Dobbins. She died in Kentucky some fifteen years ago.
Smith J. Burnett passed the days of his boyhood and youth under the parental roof until ten years of age, and began earning his own living at the age of thirteen years. He received his education in the public schools. In his young manhood he removed to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, where he bought a farm, near Griswold. Here he made his home for several years. Later he removed to Oregon and spent nine years on the Pacific coast, conducting a railroad eating house on the Oregon Coal & Navigation line. He then returned to Iowa and has since sold his farm and town property in Griswold. He spent one year in Colorado, where he operated a farm, after which he was in the employ of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway for some time. He also engaged in cement work, having been connected with a large contracting company in this line.
On June 26, 1907, was celebrated the marriage of Smith J. Burnett and Miss Sarah L. Nutting, the daughter of David H. and Mary (Fitts) Nutting. Mrs. Burnett was born and reared on the place which is still her home, which consists of a farm of about five hundred acres. Up to the time of their death her life was devoted to the care of her aged parents and Mr. Burnett is to be congratulated on having won this loyal heart, whose strong affection has been so amply proven in the case of her parents. In the care of the farm Mr. Burnett finds plenty of opportunity for the exercise of his ingenuity and skill as a farmer, and the broad experience he has gained in other lines stands him in good stead in applying the same business principles to his farming opera­tions. Mrs. Burnett is a member of the Presbyterian Church at Milo.