Burney was the oldest of 15 children of William Dionysius "Nish" Sawyer and Elizabeth Daniels.

Burney was a soldier for the Confederacy in the Civil War. He enlisted in the Confederate Army in Monroe County AL on May 2, 1864, at age 18. He was a prisoner of war at Ship Island MS. He was paroled on May 6, 1865, in a prisoner exchange in Vicksburg MS. He walked all the way home (approximately 270 miles) from Vicksburg MS to Jones Mill AL (now Frisco City AL)

Burney was licensed to preach in 1876, and founded the Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church in Frisco City in 1884. He served as Elder in the church for 53 years until he died. Buying 160 acres of land at $1 an acre, he made his home place near Frisco City. He is buried in the Shiloh cemetery in front of the church, along with Sawyer relatives and other members. His tombstone is parallel to the front of the church.

On October 24, 1867 he married Sarah Ann Holt. They had nine children:

Annie
Zebra "Zebie"
Robert L.
Mary
Vitalis "Vida" L.
William Dionysius "Bill/Billy"
Idonia "Donie"
Cornelia "Sis"
Wiley Burney "Bud"

After Sarah's death in 1895, on May 16, 1886 he married Annie Beulah Floyd. They had nine children, eight of whom survived:
Lonie Melinda
Luverne
John C.
Rethra
James Burney "Jim"
Sallie
Mattie Aline
A stillborn child
Katie "Kate"

Burney was the oldest of 15 children of William Dionysius "Nish" Sawyer and Elizabeth Daniels.

Burney was a soldier for the Confederacy in the Civil War. He enlisted in the Confederate Army in Monroe County AL on May 2, 1864, at age 18. He was a prisoner of war at Ship Island MS. He was paroled on May 6, 1865, in a prisoner exchange in Vicksburg MS. He walked all the way home (approximately 270 miles) from Vicksburg MS to Jones Mill AL (now Frisco City AL)

Burney was licensed to preach in 1876, and founded the Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church in Frisco City in 1884. He served as Elder in the church for 53 years until he died. Buying 160 acres of land at $1 an acre, he made his home place near Frisco City. He is buried in the Shiloh cemetery in front of the church, along with Sawyer relatives and other members. His tombstone is parallel to the front of the church.

On October 24, 1867 he married Sarah Ann Holt. They had nine children:

Annie
Zebra "Zebie"
Robert L.
Mary
Vitalis "Vida" L.
William Dionysius "Bill/Billy"
Idonia "Donie"
Cornelia "Sis"
Wiley Burney "Bud"

After Sarah's death in 1895, on May 16, 1886 he married Annie Beulah Floyd. They had nine children, eight of whom survived:
Lonie Melinda
Luverne
John C.
Rethra
James Burney "Jim"
Sallie
Mattie Aline
A stillborn child
Katie "Kate"