Burnett, James 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 665–666; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
James Burnett. One of the valuable farms of Fairview Township is located on section 18, and comprises one hundred acres owned and operated by the subject of this sketch and represented by a view on another page of this volume. The residence is a handsome and commodious one, and is located on what was the old Burnett homestead. Other buildings necessary for storage of farming implements and grain are to be found conveniently located and the thrifty air betokens the careful supervision of the husband-man.
In 1836 the parents of our subject, William and Sarah (Poland) Burnett, removed from their home in Virginia to Illinois, locating in Fulton County and buying a claim whose only improvement was a log cabin. The father at once entered upon the hard task of developing a comfortable home in the raw land and in is efforts was prospered, becoming well-to-do and gaining the esteem of his fellow-citizens. Prior to his parents’ removal to Illinois, our subject was born February 4, 1835, in Virginia and was accordingly about one year old when his parents brought him to the Prairie State.
For further parental history see sketch of George Burnett, a brother of our subject and represented on another page. When ready to establish home ties of his own, James Burnett was united in marriage at the age of twenty-three years, with Miss Eliza McFarland. Of their union five children were born, three of whom died in infancy. Mary Vanora married Scott Montwaller and died in 1881 leaving one child named Iceal; William Alexander married Miss Mattie McCoy and they have two children, Susan Iceal and James F. Their home is on a farm in Fulton County, Ill. Mrs. Burnett died in 1862 at the age of forty-nine years. On the 20th of October, 1864, our
subject was again married, his bride being Miss Phoebe Eaton, whose parents were natives of Pennsylvania and are now resident of Missouri. Of this union two children have been born – Earl Commodore and Dell Roy.
In 1859 our subject went to Pike’s Peak with William Beer and Dr. McFarland. They made the trip in wagons, starting in Match and reaching their destination the latter part of July. After prospecting about for some time without any success, they returned as far as Southern Kansas and there Mr. Burnett took up a claim, but after breaking the land, he left and traveled through the Indian Territory and Texas. For six months he never slept in a house, and yet, strange to say, when he returned to Illinois he was well and strong, although when starting on the trip he was exceedingly ill.
In 1865 Mr. Burnett removed to Sagetown, Henderson County, this State and engaged in the hotel business for about ten years, at the end of that time returning to the farm and devoting his time and attention to the improvement of his property. He has labored with such success that he has accumulated a comfortable competency and is independent. Politically he is a member of the Democratic party and a firm believer in the principles of that organization. His success has not been attained without difficulties but his life verifies the old belief that everything is possible to the man possessing energy and good judgment.