JOHN S. AND SALLY BURTON

The following bio was taken from page 137 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

Of the Burtons, one of Oscar F.’s brothers, John S. Burton, and his wife, Sally Jane, came to Texas did two of his sisters, Lela M. Burton and Annie Burton. Their mother, Sarah Frances Burton, also came, bringing her two orphaned grandchildren that she was rearing.

John S. Burton and his wife, Sally Jane Dorsett Burton, eventually left Oak Hill, where they had first settled, and moved to the Elderville community to live. They had a large family of children: John Henry; Lewis Calvin; Janie, who married Ed Allen; Arthur; Effie, who married Bonnie Pyler; Dora, who married Lewis Ballenger; Jack; and Rueben Franklin (Frank).

Frank Burton (1869-1959) married Mary Burt, born in 1900, a sister to Norma Burt, who married Charlie Burton, a son of Oscar F. Burton. The Burts were a well-known pioneer family of the Millville Community. John S. Burton (1847-1923) and Sally Burton (1854-1917) are buried at the New Prospect Cemetery. Frank Burton is buried at the Elderville Cemetery.

Oscar’s sister, Lela M. Burton, usually called "Aunt Shug", married E. A. (Eafe) Gray and lived in Oak Hill. They also had a large family. Their children were: Echols; Zachriah (Zack) (1887-1981), who is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery; Joe; Marvin; John; Eunice, and Lillian.

E. A. Gray (1857-1919) and Lela M. Gray (1862-1943) are buried in New Prospect Cemetery.

The other sister, Annie Burton, married Frank Pool of the Hickory Grove Community.

Oscar F.’s mother, Sarah Frances Burton, stayed in Oak Hill, too, and reared the orphaned grandchildren. There was a boy, Will Burton, who remained in Oak Hill when he grew up, married, and had a family. There was also a girl, Sarah Frances Burton (1828-1913) who is buried in New Prospect Cemetery.

There are still relatives of both the Peeks and Burtons living in Cedartown, Georgia; and I hope to go there some day to try to find out more about the early lives of my grandparents and their families. Oscar F. and Laura Ann’s marriage was certainly the beginning of a very fruitful life and family, in the true image of their ancestors.

Submitted by: Charline Burton Pool