D. H. BURNETT

The following bio was taken from page 134 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

D. H. Burnett was born in Glascow Junction, Kentucky, January 1, 1874. He married Jane Brown in 1892 in Glascow Junction. They had one son, George, who served in World War I. After his wife’s death, D. H. moved to Texas.

In Texas he met Amanda Caroline McAnally, who was working in the railroad office in Corsicana, and they were married in Jacksonville. The couple had six children. John Oscar, who served in World War I, married Dee Smith, and they had two children. The son, Bruce Edwin, who served in World War II, married Mary Adkinson. They had one daughter, Ann. Nina Dee married Dale Southern.

Katie Theresea married Forest Leonard Miller and had two children. Florence Christine married James Glen Skelton, who served in World War II. Forest Leonard Miller, Jr., married Claire Mai Leslie, their two children are Forest Leonard III, who married Edith Wiley, and Kay Leslie Miller.

Mary Jane married Luther E. Felts and their one daughter, Billie Jean, married Jerry Coker.

Fred Lee died at ten months.

Lottie B. married C. F. Dewberry.

Jimmy Archie, veteran of World War II, married Lucille Buse. Their two children were James Archie, Jr., who married Jackie Hubert, and Riley Lewis, who married Charlene Barbenaux.

After moving to Henderson, D. H. started a shoe repair shop. Later he branched out and opened a leather and harness shop and also made boots. During World War I his shop remained open twenty-four hours a day. He was known as D. H. Burnett, "The Old Reliable." He was a member of the first volunteer fire department known as "The Bucket Brigade". Each businessman had a bucket. The alarm was sounded by ringing a bell, the only bell in town, located in the Methodist Church on North Marshall, just off the square. The bucket brigade would assemble at the church and proceed to the fire in Barney Williams’ horse-drawn delivery wagon. The water used was drawn from the well at the site of the fire. Later a pump was acquired.

What a thrill! The lights came on in Henderson in 1912. All of us children lined up in the parlor for Father to hold us so we could pull the cord to turn on the light. We had explicit instructions not to turn on the lights unless Mama or Daddy was present.

Father was the owner of the first eight-cylinder automobile, an Oldsmobile, in Henderson. I, his daughter, Katie Miller, was the first woman driver in Henderson. Papa helped organize the First Christian Church, donating $50.00 for the land.

D. H.’s wife, Amanda, passed away February 8, 1929. Later he married Nellie Taylor Prior, who had two children, Melba and Alfred Edsel, who was later a veteran of World War II.

After coming of the automobile, business declined and D. H. opened an antique furniture repair shop. He was known for his beautiful woodcarving, a craft he learned from his father in Kentucky. He was also the first jailer in Henderson, serving under sheriffs McMurray and George Hays. He also worked with Texas Ranger Gonzales during the "Oil Boom."

D. H. Burnett passed away September 30, 1950 and was buried beside Amanda in the City Cemetery.

Submitted by Katie Miller