John H. Burnett, Senator, Soldier, and Executive,
Was born in Greene County, Tennessee, on July 8, 1830, the son of Silas E. and Malinda (Howell) Burnett, both of whom were natives of Virginia.
He was reared in Summerville, Chattooga County, Georgia.
During the Mexican War he enlisted in Lt. Col. James S. Calhoun's battalion of the Georgia mounted volunteers, a part of Gen. Winfield Scott's army. He was in several engagements, including the storming of the castle of Chapultepec, was twice slightly wounded, and before the end of the campaign was promoted to lieutenant.
After the war Burnett was made a colonel in the Georgia militia. He also was elected sheriff of Chattooga County, Georgia, at the early age of twenty-one and served for two years.
In 1854 he moved to Crockett, Texas, where he engaged in farming and merchandising. He was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1857. In August 1861 he was elected a member of the Texas Senate from Houston, Anderson, and Trinity counties. He served until February 1862, when he resigned to command the Thirteenth Texas Cavalry.
His senatorial colleague, Anderson F. Crawford of Jasper County, became the lieutenant colonel of the regiment, which was soon dismounted and attached to the first brigade of John G. Walker's Texas Division.qv In November 1863, after service in Arkansas and Louisiana, Burnett was transferred by medical recommendation to post duty, and he never again commanded his regiment in the field.
He resigned his commission in April 1864 because of continuing illness and disability.
He returned to Crockett after the war, then in 1866 moved to Galveston and became a partner with W. B. Wall in the commission business. By 1875 his firm, J. H. Burnett and Company, was doing general contracting and building as well as brokering cotton. The firm was one of the contractors for the third and last Tremont Hotel, completed about 1880. It built the Gulf City Street Railway, added seventy miles to the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, and contracted for $350,000 worth of Galveston streets and sidewalks. For a number of years Burnett was president and director of the Galveston National Bank and a large stockholder in several railroads. In 1899 he moved to Houston, where he had acquired extensive real estate holdings, and became president of the Planters and Merchants Bank.
He was thought to be one of the largest taxpayers in South Texas at the time of his death, when his estate was appraised at more than a million dollars.
In 1851 Burnett married Catherine Beavers, daughter of Gen. John F. Beavers of Summerville, Georgia. They had three children. Burnett died on June 24, 1901.
∼BURNETT, JOHN H.Born: 8 July 1830 Greene County, Tennessee, Died: 24 June 1901 Burial; Glenwood Cemetery, Houston Spouce: Catherine H. Beavers, married in 1851 Parents: Silas E. & Malinda (Howell) Burnett Service; Co. B, 13th Texas Cavalry. Veteran of the Mexican War. Sheriff of Chattooga County, Georgia. In 1854 he moved to Crockett, Texas. Elected to House of Representatives in 1857. August 1861 he was elected to the Texas Senate. Resigned February 1862 so he could command the 13th Texas Cavalry. Resigned his commission April 1864 because of continuing illness and disability. Sources; Houston County History, p. 19; 1860 Houston County Census, p. 18; 1870 & 1900 censuses Houston County; Confederate State Roster I, p. 70; Broadfoot CD; 1850 Census Chattooga County, Georgia; Ancestry.com; Handbook of Texas online.
Does he need a civil war marker?
~
BURNETT, COLONEL J. H.
Galveston,--John H. Burnett was born in the town of Greeneville, Greene county, Tennessee, July 8, 1830. His parents were Silas E. and Malinda (Howell) Burnett, natives of Virginia, who settled early in the present century in Tennessee, whence, after a residence of some years, they moved to Georgia, where they subsequently lived and died. John H. was reared in Greeneville, Tennessee, and in Somerville, Georgia, in each of which places he attended school, receiving very good educational advantages. At the opening of hostilities between the United States and Mexico, in 1846, he volunteered in Colonel Calhoun's regiment, with which he joined Scott's army and took part in all the engagements in which that army participated, rising by meritorious conduct from a private to Lieutenant. He quit the service with the reputation of being the best drill-officer of his regiment, and soon after his return home was honored with a Colonelcy in the local militia.
In 1854 Colonel Burnell came to Texas, being attracted to the State by the favorable opinion formed of it during his service in the Mexican war. He settled at Crockett, in Houston county, where he engaged in mercantile and farming pursuits. In 1857 he was elected to the Legislature and represented Houston county in the lower branch of that body two terms. He was then elected to the Senate from the Senatorial district in which Houston county was at that time located, but resigned his seat to enter the Confederate army. He raised a regiment composed of sixteen companies, intending to join Joseph E. Johnston's army, but, failing to secure transportation, subsequently joined the Confederate forces operating under General Ben McCulloch in Arkansas. His regiment was known as the Thirteenth Texas Cavalry and took part in most of the campaigns and engagements in Arkansas and Louisiana, including Jenkins' Ferry, Milliken's Bend, and all of the engagements incident to Banks' Red river campaign, beginning with Pleasant Hill. Colonel Burnett was with his command and shared its fortunes from the date of its organization to the close of hostilities.
After the war he returned to Crockett and again took up business pursuits, and, with the era of prosperity following that date, reaped good fruits form his industry and business-like management. In the fall of 1866, he opened a commission house in Galveston, in partnership with W. B. Wall, under the firm name of Burnett &Wall, which was continued under that name and under the name of J. H. Burnett & Company until 1878.
In 1875 Colonel Burnett began to interest himself in railroad construction, taking the contract that year to build sixty-five miles of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad. After completing this contract, he took others, and built a considerable portion of each of the roads, --the Texas & St. Louis, the Houston, East & West Texas and the Sabine & East Texas. He was also one of the original projectors of the International Railroad, helped to secure its charter and to affect its consolidation with the Houston & Great Northern, and also to float the bonds in New York, from which each was built.
Purchasing property in Galveston as early as 1870, Colonel Burnett moved his residence to this city and at once began to take an active part in its business and social affairs. For twenty years past he has had to do, in some capacity, with almost every public enterprise in the city. As contractor he did $350,000 worth of street paving and filling; he built the Gulf City Street Railway, the Galveston & Western Railway; the two compresses (the Gulf City and the Shippers') and the present Tremont hotel, in all of which he took stock, owning at one time a majority of the stock in the two railways mentioned. His investments in the cities of Galveston and Houston, and in the Gulf coast country generally, easily run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, he being the largest single taxpayer in southern Texas.
At sixty-four Colonel Burnett is still hale, and is actively engaged in business affairs, interesting himself in everything around him. He has never held public office since the war, being too much absorbed with business pursuits to devote any time to office seeking. He is a Democrat in politics, well grounded in the principles of his party, widely read in its history and capable of making, when occasion demands, a clear, logical and convincing presentation of his views.
In 1851 Colonel Burnett married Miss Catherine Beavers, a native of Somerville, Georgia, and a daughter of General John F. Beavers, who served his country with distinction in the Indian wars of the earlier part of this century. The issue of this union was two children, --a son, Oscar H. Burnett, now a Brazos valley planter: and a daughter, Mrs. Ellen B. Ross, of Galveston. Colonel Burnett's wife died in 1886. (Source: History of Texas Biographical History of the Cities of Houston and Galveston (1895)
Was born in Greene County, Tennessee, on July 8, 1830, the son of Silas E. and Malinda (Howell) Burnett, both of whom were natives of Virginia.
He was reared in Summerville, Chattooga County, Georgia.
During the Mexican War he enlisted in Lt. Col. James S. Calhoun's battalion of the Georgia mounted volunteers, a part of Gen. Winfield Scott's army. He was in several engagements, including the storming of the castle of Chapultepec, was twice slightly wounded, and before the end of the campaign was promoted to lieutenant.
After the war Burnett was made a colonel in the Georgia militia. He also was elected sheriff of Chattooga County, Georgia, at the early age of twenty-one and served for two years.
In 1854 he moved to Crockett, Texas, where he engaged in farming and merchandising. He was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1857. In August 1861 he was elected a member of the Texas Senate from Houston, Anderson, and Trinity counties. He served until February 1862, when he resigned to command the Thirteenth Texas Cavalry.
His senatorial colleague, Anderson F. Crawford of Jasper County, became the lieutenant colonel of the regiment, which was soon dismounted and attached to the first brigade of John G. Walker's Texas Division.qv In November 1863, after service in Arkansas and Louisiana, Burnett was transferred by medical recommendation to post duty, and he never again commanded his regiment in the field.
He resigned his commission in April 1864 because of continuing illness and disability.
He returned to Crockett after the war, then in 1866 moved to Galveston and became a partner with W. B. Wall in the commission business. By 1875 his firm, J. H. Burnett and Company, was doing general contracting and building as well as brokering cotton. The firm was one of the contractors for the third and last Tremont Hotel, completed about 1880. It built the Gulf City Street Railway, added seventy miles to the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, and contracted for $350,000 worth of Galveston streets and sidewalks. For a number of years Burnett was president and director of the Galveston National Bank and a large stockholder in several railroads. In 1899 he moved to Houston, where he had acquired extensive real estate holdings, and became president of the Planters and Merchants Bank.
He was thought to be one of the largest taxpayers in South Texas at the time of his death, when his estate was appraised at more than a million dollars.
In 1851 Burnett married Catherine Beavers, daughter of Gen. John F. Beavers of Summerville, Georgia. They had three children. Burnett died on June 24, 1901.
∼BURNETT, JOHN H.Born: 8 July 1830 Greene County, Tennessee, Died: 24 June 1901 Burial; Glenwood Cemetery, Houston Spouce: Catherine H. Beavers, married in 1851 Parents: Silas E. & Malinda (Howell) Burnett Service; Co. B, 13th Texas Cavalry. Veteran of the Mexican War. Sheriff of Chattooga County, Georgia. In 1854 he moved to Crockett, Texas. Elected to House of Representatives in 1857. August 1861 he was elected to the Texas Senate. Resigned February 1862 so he could command the 13th Texas Cavalry. Resigned his commission April 1864 because of continuing illness and disability. Sources; Houston County History, p. 19; 1860 Houston County Census, p. 18; 1870 & 1900 censuses Houston County; Confederate State Roster I, p. 70; Broadfoot CD; 1850 Census Chattooga County, Georgia; Ancestry.com; Handbook of Texas online.
Does he need a civil war marker?
~
BURNETT, COLONEL J. H.
Galveston,--John H. Burnett was born in the town of Greeneville, Greene county, Tennessee, July 8, 1830. His parents were Silas E. and Malinda (Howell) Burnett, natives of Virginia, who settled early in the present century in Tennessee, whence, after a residence of some years, they moved to Georgia, where they subsequently lived and died. John H. was reared in Greeneville, Tennessee, and in Somerville, Georgia, in each of which places he attended school, receiving very good educational advantages. At the opening of hostilities between the United States and Mexico, in 1846, he volunteered in Colonel Calhoun's regiment, with which he joined Scott's army and took part in all the engagements in which that army participated, rising by meritorious conduct from a private to Lieutenant. He quit the service with the reputation of being the best drill-officer of his regiment, and soon after his return home was honored with a Colonelcy in the local militia.
In 1854 Colonel Burnell came to Texas, being attracted to the State by the favorable opinion formed of it during his service in the Mexican war. He settled at Crockett, in Houston county, where he engaged in mercantile and farming pursuits. In 1857 he was elected to the Legislature and represented Houston county in the lower branch of that body two terms. He was then elected to the Senate from the Senatorial district in which Houston county was at that time located, but resigned his seat to enter the Confederate army. He raised a regiment composed of sixteen companies, intending to join Joseph E. Johnston's army, but, failing to secure transportation, subsequently joined the Confederate forces operating under General Ben McCulloch in Arkansas. His regiment was known as the Thirteenth Texas Cavalry and took part in most of the campaigns and engagements in Arkansas and Louisiana, including Jenkins' Ferry, Milliken's Bend, and all of the engagements incident to Banks' Red river campaign, beginning with Pleasant Hill. Colonel Burnett was with his command and shared its fortunes from the date of its organization to the close of hostilities.
After the war he returned to Crockett and again took up business pursuits, and, with the era of prosperity following that date, reaped good fruits form his industry and business-like management. In the fall of 1866, he opened a commission house in Galveston, in partnership with W. B. Wall, under the firm name of Burnett &Wall, which was continued under that name and under the name of J. H. Burnett & Company until 1878.
In 1875 Colonel Burnett began to interest himself in railroad construction, taking the contract that year to build sixty-five miles of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad. After completing this contract, he took others, and built a considerable portion of each of the roads, --the Texas & St. Louis, the Houston, East & West Texas and the Sabine & East Texas. He was also one of the original projectors of the International Railroad, helped to secure its charter and to affect its consolidation with the Houston & Great Northern, and also to float the bonds in New York, from which each was built.
Purchasing property in Galveston as early as 1870, Colonel Burnett moved his residence to this city and at once began to take an active part in its business and social affairs. For twenty years past he has had to do, in some capacity, with almost every public enterprise in the city. As contractor he did $350,000 worth of street paving and filling; he built the Gulf City Street Railway, the Galveston & Western Railway; the two compresses (the Gulf City and the Shippers') and the present Tremont hotel, in all of which he took stock, owning at one time a majority of the stock in the two railways mentioned. His investments in the cities of Galveston and Houston, and in the Gulf coast country generally, easily run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, he being the largest single taxpayer in southern Texas.
At sixty-four Colonel Burnett is still hale, and is actively engaged in business affairs, interesting himself in everything around him. He has never held public office since the war, being too much absorbed with business pursuits to devote any time to office seeking. He is a Democrat in politics, well grounded in the principles of his party, widely read in its history and capable of making, when occasion demands, a clear, logical and convincing presentation of his views.
In 1851 Colonel Burnett married Miss Catherine Beavers, a native of Somerville, Georgia, and a daughter of General John F. Beavers, who served his country with distinction in the Indian wars of the earlier part of this century. The issue of this union was two children, --a son, Oscar H. Burnett, now a Brazos valley planter: and a daughter, Mrs. Ellen B. Ross, of Galveston. Colonel Burnett's wife died in 1886. (Source: History of Texas Biographical History of the Cities of Houston and Galveston (1895)
John H. Burnett, Senator, Soldier, and Executive,
Was born in Greene County, Tennessee, on July 8, 1830, the son of Silas E. and Malinda (Howell) Burnett, both of whom were natives of Virginia.
He was reared in Summerville, Chattooga County, Georgia.
During the Mexican War he enlisted in Lt. Col. James S. Calhoun's battalion of the Georgia mounted volunteers, a part of Gen. Winfield Scott's army. He was in several engagements, including the storming of the castle of Chapultepec, was twice slightly wounded, and before the end of the campaign was promoted to lieutenant.
After the war Burnett was made a colonel in the Georgia militia. He also was elected sheriff of Chattooga County, Georgia, at the early age of twenty-one and served for two years.
In 1854 he moved to Crockett, Texas, where he engaged in farming and merchandising. He was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1857. In August 1861 he was elected a member of the Texas Senate from Houston, Anderson, and Trinity counties. He served until February 1862, when he resigned to command the Thirteenth Texas Cavalry.
His senatorial colleague, Anderson F. Crawford of Jasper County, became the lieutenant colonel of the regiment, which was soon dismounted and attached to the first brigade of John G. Walker's Texas Division.qv In November 1863, after service in Arkansas and Louisiana, Burnett was transferred by medical recommendation to post duty, and he never again commanded his regiment in the field.
He resigned his commission in April 1864 because of continuing illness and disability.
He returned to Crockett after the war, then in 1866 moved to Galveston and became a partner with W. B. Wall in the commission business. By 1875 his firm, J. H. Burnett and Company, was doing general contracting and building as well as brokering cotton. The firm was one of the contractors for the third and last Tremont Hotel, completed about 1880. It built the Gulf City Street Railway, added seventy miles to the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, and contracted for $350,000 worth of Galveston streets and sidewalks. For a number of years Burnett was president and director of the Galveston National Bank and a large stockholder in several railroads. In 1899 he moved to Houston, where he had acquired extensive real estate holdings, and became president of the Planters and Merchants Bank.
He was thought to be one of the largest taxpayers in South Texas at the time of his death, when his estate was appraised at more than a million dollars.
In 1851 Burnett married Catherine Beavers, daughter of Gen. John F. Beavers of Summerville, Georgia. They had three children. Burnett died on June 24, 1901.
∼BURNETT, JOHN H.Born: 8 July 1830 Greene County, Tennessee, Died: 24 June 1901 Burial; Glenwood Cemetery, Houston Spouce: Catherine H. Beavers, married in 1851 Parents: Silas E. & Malinda (Howell) Burnett Service; Co. B, 13th Texas Cavalry. Veteran of the Mexican War. Sheriff of Chattooga County, Georgia. In 1854 he moved to Crockett, Texas. Elected to House of Representatives in 1857. August 1861 he was elected to the Texas Senate. Resigned February 1862 so he could command the 13th Texas Cavalry. Resigned his commission April 1864 because of continuing illness and disability. Sources; Houston County History, p. 19; 1860 Houston County Census, p. 18; 1870 & 1900 censuses Houston County; Confederate State Roster I, p. 70; Broadfoot CD; 1850 Census Chattooga County, Georgia; Ancestry.com; Handbook of Texas online.
Does he need a civil war marker?
~
BURNETT, COLONEL J. H.
Galveston,--John H. Burnett was born in the town of Greeneville, Greene county, Tennessee, July 8, 1830. His parents were Silas E. and Malinda (Howell) Burnett, natives of Virginia, who settled early in the present century in Tennessee, whence, after a residence of some years, they moved to Georgia, where they subsequently lived and died. John H. was reared in Greeneville, Tennessee, and in Somerville, Georgia, in each of which places he attended school, receiving very good educational advantages. At the opening of hostilities between the United States and Mexico, in 1846, he volunteered in Colonel Calhoun's regiment, with which he joined Scott's army and took part in all the engagements in which that army participated, rising by meritorious conduct from a private to Lieutenant. He quit the service with the reputation of being the best drill-officer of his regiment, and soon after his return home was honored with a Colonelcy in the local militia.
In 1854 Colonel Burnell came to Texas, being attracted to the State by the favorable opinion formed of it during his service in the Mexican war. He settled at Crockett, in Houston county, where he engaged in mercantile and farming pursuits. In 1857 he was elected to the Legislature and represented Houston county in the lower branch of that body two terms. He was then elected to the Senate from the Senatorial district in which Houston county was at that time located, but resigned his seat to enter the Confederate army. He raised a regiment composed of sixteen companies, intending to join Joseph E. Johnston's army, but, failing to secure transportation, subsequently joined the Confederate forces operating under General Ben McCulloch in Arkansas. His regiment was known as the Thirteenth Texas Cavalry and took part in most of the campaigns and engagements in Arkansas and Louisiana, including Jenkins' Ferry, Milliken's Bend, and all of the engagements incident to Banks' Red river campaign, beginning with Pleasant Hill. Colonel Burnett was with his command and shared its fortunes from the date of its organization to the close of hostilities.
After the war he returned to Crockett and again took up business pursuits, and, with the era of prosperity following that date, reaped good fruits form his industry and business-like management. In the fall of 1866, he opened a commission house in Galveston, in partnership with W. B. Wall, under the firm name of Burnett &Wall, which was continued under that name and under the name of J. H. Burnett & Company until 1878.
In 1875 Colonel Burnett began to interest himself in railroad construction, taking the contract that year to build sixty-five miles of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad. After completing this contract, he took others, and built a considerable portion of each of the roads, --the Texas & St. Louis, the Houston, East & West Texas and the Sabine & East Texas. He was also one of the original projectors of the International Railroad, helped to secure its charter and to affect its consolidation with the Houston & Great Northern, and also to float the bonds in New York, from which each was built.
Purchasing property in Galveston as early as 1870, Colonel Burnett moved his residence to this city and at once began to take an active part in its business and social affairs. For twenty years past he has had to do, in some capacity, with almost every public enterprise in the city. As contractor he did $350,000 worth of street paving and filling; he built the Gulf City Street Railway, the Galveston & Western Railway; the two compresses (the Gulf City and the Shippers') and the present Tremont hotel, in all of which he took stock, owning at one time a majority of the stock in the two railways mentioned. His investments in the cities of Galveston and Houston, and in the Gulf coast country generally, easily run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, he being the largest single taxpayer in southern Texas.
At sixty-four Colonel Burnett is still hale, and is actively engaged in business affairs, interesting himself in everything around him. He has never held public office since the war, being too much absorbed with business pursuits to devote any time to office seeking. He is a Democrat in politics, well grounded in the principles of his party, widely read in its history and capable of making, when occasion demands, a clear, logical and convincing presentation of his views.
In 1851 Colonel Burnett married Miss Catherine Beavers, a native of Somerville, Georgia, and a daughter of General John F. Beavers, who served his country with distinction in the Indian wars of the earlier part of this century. The issue of this union was two children, --a son, Oscar H. Burnett, now a Brazos valley planter: and a daughter, Mrs. Ellen B. Ross, of Galveston. Colonel Burnett's wife died in 1886. (Source: History of Texas Biographical History of the Cities of Houston and Galveston (1895)
Was born in Greene County, Tennessee, on July 8, 1830, the son of Silas E. and Malinda (Howell) Burnett, both of whom were natives of Virginia.
He was reared in Summerville, Chattooga County, Georgia.
During the Mexican War he enlisted in Lt. Col. James S. Calhoun's battalion of the Georgia mounted volunteers, a part of Gen. Winfield Scott's army. He was in several engagements, including the storming of the castle of Chapultepec, was twice slightly wounded, and before the end of the campaign was promoted to lieutenant.
After the war Burnett was made a colonel in the Georgia militia. He also was elected sheriff of Chattooga County, Georgia, at the early age of twenty-one and served for two years.
In 1854 he moved to Crockett, Texas, where he engaged in farming and merchandising. He was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1857. In August 1861 he was elected a member of the Texas Senate from Houston, Anderson, and Trinity counties. He served until February 1862, when he resigned to command the Thirteenth Texas Cavalry.
His senatorial colleague, Anderson F. Crawford of Jasper County, became the lieutenant colonel of the regiment, which was soon dismounted and attached to the first brigade of John G. Walker's Texas Division.qv In November 1863, after service in Arkansas and Louisiana, Burnett was transferred by medical recommendation to post duty, and he never again commanded his regiment in the field.
He resigned his commission in April 1864 because of continuing illness and disability.
He returned to Crockett after the war, then in 1866 moved to Galveston and became a partner with W. B. Wall in the commission business. By 1875 his firm, J. H. Burnett and Company, was doing general contracting and building as well as brokering cotton. The firm was one of the contractors for the third and last Tremont Hotel, completed about 1880. It built the Gulf City Street Railway, added seventy miles to the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, and contracted for $350,000 worth of Galveston streets and sidewalks. For a number of years Burnett was president and director of the Galveston National Bank and a large stockholder in several railroads. In 1899 he moved to Houston, where he had acquired extensive real estate holdings, and became president of the Planters and Merchants Bank.
He was thought to be one of the largest taxpayers in South Texas at the time of his death, when his estate was appraised at more than a million dollars.
In 1851 Burnett married Catherine Beavers, daughter of Gen. John F. Beavers of Summerville, Georgia. They had three children. Burnett died on June 24, 1901.
∼BURNETT, JOHN H.Born: 8 July 1830 Greene County, Tennessee, Died: 24 June 1901 Burial; Glenwood Cemetery, Houston Spouce: Catherine H. Beavers, married in 1851 Parents: Silas E. & Malinda (Howell) Burnett Service; Co. B, 13th Texas Cavalry. Veteran of the Mexican War. Sheriff of Chattooga County, Georgia. In 1854 he moved to Crockett, Texas. Elected to House of Representatives in 1857. August 1861 he was elected to the Texas Senate. Resigned February 1862 so he could command the 13th Texas Cavalry. Resigned his commission April 1864 because of continuing illness and disability. Sources; Houston County History, p. 19; 1860 Houston County Census, p. 18; 1870 & 1900 censuses Houston County; Confederate State Roster I, p. 70; Broadfoot CD; 1850 Census Chattooga County, Georgia; Ancestry.com; Handbook of Texas online.
Does he need a civil war marker?
~
BURNETT, COLONEL J. H.
Galveston,--John H. Burnett was born in the town of Greeneville, Greene county, Tennessee, July 8, 1830. His parents were Silas E. and Malinda (Howell) Burnett, natives of Virginia, who settled early in the present century in Tennessee, whence, after a residence of some years, they moved to Georgia, where they subsequently lived and died. John H. was reared in Greeneville, Tennessee, and in Somerville, Georgia, in each of which places he attended school, receiving very good educational advantages. At the opening of hostilities between the United States and Mexico, in 1846, he volunteered in Colonel Calhoun's regiment, with which he joined Scott's army and took part in all the engagements in which that army participated, rising by meritorious conduct from a private to Lieutenant. He quit the service with the reputation of being the best drill-officer of his regiment, and soon after his return home was honored with a Colonelcy in the local militia.
In 1854 Colonel Burnell came to Texas, being attracted to the State by the favorable opinion formed of it during his service in the Mexican war. He settled at Crockett, in Houston county, where he engaged in mercantile and farming pursuits. In 1857 he was elected to the Legislature and represented Houston county in the lower branch of that body two terms. He was then elected to the Senate from the Senatorial district in which Houston county was at that time located, but resigned his seat to enter the Confederate army. He raised a regiment composed of sixteen companies, intending to join Joseph E. Johnston's army, but, failing to secure transportation, subsequently joined the Confederate forces operating under General Ben McCulloch in Arkansas. His regiment was known as the Thirteenth Texas Cavalry and took part in most of the campaigns and engagements in Arkansas and Louisiana, including Jenkins' Ferry, Milliken's Bend, and all of the engagements incident to Banks' Red river campaign, beginning with Pleasant Hill. Colonel Burnett was with his command and shared its fortunes from the date of its organization to the close of hostilities.
After the war he returned to Crockett and again took up business pursuits, and, with the era of prosperity following that date, reaped good fruits form his industry and business-like management. In the fall of 1866, he opened a commission house in Galveston, in partnership with W. B. Wall, under the firm name of Burnett &Wall, which was continued under that name and under the name of J. H. Burnett & Company until 1878.
In 1875 Colonel Burnett began to interest himself in railroad construction, taking the contract that year to build sixty-five miles of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad. After completing this contract, he took others, and built a considerable portion of each of the roads, --the Texas & St. Louis, the Houston, East & West Texas and the Sabine & East Texas. He was also one of the original projectors of the International Railroad, helped to secure its charter and to affect its consolidation with the Houston & Great Northern, and also to float the bonds in New York, from which each was built.
Purchasing property in Galveston as early as 1870, Colonel Burnett moved his residence to this city and at once began to take an active part in its business and social affairs. For twenty years past he has had to do, in some capacity, with almost every public enterprise in the city. As contractor he did $350,000 worth of street paving and filling; he built the Gulf City Street Railway, the Galveston & Western Railway; the two compresses (the Gulf City and the Shippers') and the present Tremont hotel, in all of which he took stock, owning at one time a majority of the stock in the two railways mentioned. His investments in the cities of Galveston and Houston, and in the Gulf coast country generally, easily run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, he being the largest single taxpayer in southern Texas.
At sixty-four Colonel Burnett is still hale, and is actively engaged in business affairs, interesting himself in everything around him. He has never held public office since the war, being too much absorbed with business pursuits to devote any time to office seeking. He is a Democrat in politics, well grounded in the principles of his party, widely read in its history and capable of making, when occasion demands, a clear, logical and convincing presentation of his views.
In 1851 Colonel Burnett married Miss Catherine Beavers, a native of Somerville, Georgia, and a daughter of General John F. Beavers, who served his country with distinction in the Indian wars of the earlier part of this century. The issue of this union was two children, --a son, Oscar H. Burnett, now a Brazos valley planter: and a daughter, Mrs. Ellen B. Ross, of Galveston. Colonel Burnett's wife died in 1886. (Source: History of Texas Biographical History of the Cities of Houston and Galveston (1895)
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