Burnett, George bio

Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County, Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890; page 222-225; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
George Burnett is noted for his industrious habits and enterprising spirit, and is the oldest settler of Fairview Township who is engaged in any active pursuit. When only five years of age he was brought to this county by his parents, William and Sarah (Poland) Burnett, but his birth occurred in Harrison County, W. Va., April 19, 1830. The trip from Virginia to this State was made in 1835, in a wagon pulled by three horses. The parents sought a new home and found it in Fulton County, Ill., where the father bought a claim with a cabin on it for $100. He entered the and from the Government and at once started to work to improve it. They went to Ellisville to mill and the country around was in a purely primeval state.
The first school our subject attended was where Lyons graveyard is now located, and he can give a most interesting description of this country in its pioneer days when game abounded on every side having seen fourteen or fifteen deer in a heard many a time. Breaking up and clearing land and farming engaged his time and attention from an early period in life. He has turned acres of the virgin sod of the State of Illinois, and has had a long and prosperous career as an agriculturist.
Mr. Burnett was married in 1854 to Miss Abigail Barbee, daughter of Franklin and Lucinda (Merris) Barbee, natives of Virginia and Canada respectively. Her parents were married in Ohio, where she was born, and later moved to Illinois, settling in Scott County and in 1853 coming to Fulton County. Mrs. Burnett was only seventeen year of age when she was married and to her and our subject have been born four children: John F. married Miss Eliza Pratt, who died in 1888 leaving four children; he is now in charge of the home farm; Eliza E., married Henry Rist and lived in Fremont County, Iowa, where she died in 1880 at the age of twenty-two years; Mary C. died when seventeen years of age; Clymena R. is the wife of Joseph T. Gourley, and has one child, Blanche R. Mr. Burnett has noted with great satisfaction all the improvements in the way of farm machinery and the general progress throughout his county. He is opposed to secret societies and gives strict attention to his business in which he has met with marked success. He is also giving much attention to stock-raising and is very proud of his horses. The principal part of his wealth has been accumulated in the pork producing industry. He is a member of the Republican party, and religiously, he and his estimable wife belong to the United Brethren Church.
Our subject’s father was a native of County Tyrone, Ireland, and left that country when only eighteen years of age, coming to the United States and settling in Virginia where he married the mother of our subject. They came to Illinois from Virginia in 1835 and were numbered among the pioneer of Fairview Township, locating on section 18. The mother died in 1859 when fifty-seven years of age and the father in 62 when sixty-one years old. To them were born twelve children: viz: Rachel, who married John Roberts, died at Ipava leaving five children; Elizabeth, who married John Hubanks, lived in Iowa. She died at the home of her father leaving six children; John, who resides in Davis County, Iowa, married Charlotte Johnson and has had thirteen children; George is the subject of our sketch; Martin died in infancy; Mary, who married Reuben Hungerford, lives in Metropolis, Ill.; James lives in Fairview Township, of which he is one of the well-to-do farmers. He was twice married; Margaret died when twenty-three years of age; Sarah A., the wife of Benjamin Sampson, lives in Warren County, Ill., and is the mother of seven children; Martha was the wife of Alex. Phillippi, and at her death left two children; Anettie is the wife of Wm. Boden, of Sacramento, Cal., and has two children; William, who married Neosha Davis, died in 1888 when forty years of age.