"Miami Weekly News", Tuesday, March 18, 1920, pg 1, column 1-2
Joe Frank Burruss

His old Miami friends heard with sorrow, Thursday of last week, that a former loved citizen of our county, Joe Frank Burruss, of near Carrollton, had answered the summons to come up higher, at the age of 75 years. Mr. Burruss died at his home near Carrollton at 11:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 10, after a long illness from cancer.

Rev. George L. Bush, pastor of the Carrollton Christian Church, of which Mr. Burruss was a faithful member, conducted a service at the home at eight o'clock Friday morning, and the funeral party took the morning Wabash train to Miami, arriving at our cemetery about eleven o'clock. Here Rev. Bush conducted another short service and the body was laid to rest in the Burruss lot.

Joe Frank Burruss was born near Carrollton, IL, in September of 1844 and came with his parents to Saline County when a small boy. Here he grew to manhood and here he made his home and built the splendid life which is his children's best heritage living near Miami until about thirteen years ago, when he removed with his family to a farm four miles north of Carrollton. He was married to Miss Flora Jane Parsons, of this township, many years ago, and their union was blessed with a family of ten living children. Five sons, John Parsons Burruss of Carroll County, Joe Frank Burrus Jr. of Marshall, Sewall Burruss of Grand Pass, George Burruss of Richmond, CA and Merrill Ballinger Burruss at home; and five daughters, Mrs. J.W. (Mary) Weir of Richmond, CA, Mrs. C.S. (Emma) Pugsley of Kansas City, MO, Mrs. R.C. (Camilla) Farr of Carrollton, Mrs. Francis (Flora) Trotter of Kansas and Miss Lucy Burruss at home.

The home life of this family has always been a beautiful thing and is the finest possible tribute to the sterling character of the father and mother as homemakers.

Mr. Burruss had been for years a member of the Christian Church, and was a man of fine principles and positive convictions, who left his impression for good on the neighborhood in which he lived, and who will be remembered by those whose lives he touch.

Besides the widow and children, he is survived by two sisters, Mrs. J.D. (Lucy A.) Fristoe of near Carrollton and Mrs. Mary Harvey of St. Paul, MN; and two brothers, David N. Burruss of St. Louis and John Burruss of Carroll County.

A large circle of relatives and a host of friends mourn the loss of this good man.

NOTE: Joseph Frank Burruss was in Gen. Hamilton P. Bee's Regiment (Cavalry) in Texas during the Civil War. He served about 3 1/2 years. His widow, Flora Jane Parsons Burruss, applied for a Confederate Widows Pension on 27 Apr 19 in Cameron County, TX. The pension was approved on May 24, 1934 and the pension was allowed from June 1, 1934.