William Nelson Burnham was born on 30 December 1841 to Abraham and Lydia (Nelson) Burnham. His parents wasted no time starting a family after their marriage on on 5 March 1840 and he was their first. They continued having children at a rate of one every 2-3 years over the next 22 years. They lived in Indiana until William was around 13 years old. By then the family included his siblings Priscilla, James, Albert, Alexander, and Martha. Lydia gave birth to his brothers Ira, Alvin, and John as well as his sister Mary who arrived between Ira and Alvin. William's father was a farmer up until his mid fifties when he started selling farm implements. His mother kept house and raised the children.

William entered the Union Army on 8 August 1861 in Company C, 4th Infantry Regiment in Iowa and mustered out on 24 July 1865 in Louisville, Kentucky. He rose to the rank of Corporal on 22 March 1865. When he joined, his sister Mary was the youngest in his family. He came home to find two little brothers added to the family. Soon after his discharge, William set out in search of a farm of his own.

He settled in Kansas where he met Emily Jane Robertson. The two were married in Labette County, Kansas on 22 November 1868. They welcomed their first son, Joseph Albert on 27 January 1872. After Joseph's birth, their little family joined the westward bound settlers and moves by wagon train to Oregon. William bought two parcels of land in the area that had become Union County a few years before their arrival. Their family grew to include a daughter, Ethel and another son, James while they lived in Oregon.

In the mid 1880s the family packed up and headed east. Their daughter, Grace was born while they were in Idaho where Emily's parents lived. By 1886 they were living in Iowa not far from William's parents. Their last three children, all boys were born there. Leroy, Ora, and William Jr. rounded out the family of seven kids. The move to Idaho might have been precipitated by the illness or death of Emily's mother. She disappears from public records about then and Emily's father was living with one of her siblings when he died in 1894.

The 1900 census shows the family living in Ringgold County, Iowa. It confirms the birth of seven children who are all still living in 1900. Emily passed away a year after it was counted and is buried in the Lillie Cemetery in nearby Decatur County. William was not buried next to her when he died in 1914. His resting place is in the Morrisburg Cemetery in Guthrie County. His parents and some of their children are buried there as well.

William Nelson Burnham was born on 30 December 1841 to Abraham and Lydia (Nelson) Burnham. His parents wasted no time starting a family after their marriage on on 5 March 1840 and he was their first. They continued having children at a rate of one every 2-3 years over the next 22 years. They lived in Indiana until William was around 13 years old. By then the family included his siblings Priscilla, James, Albert, Alexander, and Martha. Lydia gave birth to his brothers Ira, Alvin, and John as well as his sister Mary who arrived between Ira and Alvin. William's father was a farmer up until his mid fifties when he started selling farm implements. His mother kept house and raised the children.

William entered the Union Army on 8 August 1861 in Company C, 4th Infantry Regiment in Iowa and mustered out on 24 July 1865 in Louisville, Kentucky. He rose to the rank of Corporal on 22 March 1865. When he joined, his sister Mary was the youngest in his family. He came home to find two little brothers added to the family. Soon after his discharge, William set out in search of a farm of his own.

He settled in Kansas where he met Emily Jane Robertson. The two were married in Labette County, Kansas on 22 November 1868. They welcomed their first son, Joseph Albert on 27 January 1872. After Joseph's birth, their little family joined the westward bound settlers and moves by wagon train to Oregon. William bought two parcels of land in the area that had become Union County a few years before their arrival. Their family grew to include a daughter, Ethel and another son, James while they lived in Oregon.

In the mid 1880s the family packed up and headed east. Their daughter, Grace was born while they were in Idaho where Emily's parents lived. By 1886 they were living in Iowa not far from William's parents. Their last three children, all boys were born there. Leroy, Ora, and William Jr. rounded out the family of seven kids. The move to Idaho might have been precipitated by the illness or death of Emily's mother. She disappears from public records about then and Emily's father was living with one of her siblings when he died in 1894.

The 1900 census shows the family living in Ringgold County, Iowa. It confirms the birth of seven children who are all still living in 1900. Emily passed away a year after it was counted and is buried in the Lillie Cemetery in nearby Decatur County. William was not buried next to her when he died in 1914. His resting place is in the Morrisburg Cemetery in Guthrie County. His parents and some of their children are buried there as well.