Stewart Lester Burnett

Stewart Lester Burnett

Male 1884 - 1987  (103 years)

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  • Name Stewart Lester Burnett  [1, 2
    Born 26 Sep 1884  Shepherdstown, Jefferson, WV Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 10 Oct 1987  Grants Pass, Josephine, OR Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Notes 
    • http://www.hickmanresearch.com/genealogy/burnett/100thbir.html#199

      "Stewart Lester Burnett's
      100th Birthday Celebration

      As presented by his grandaughter, Katherine Ann Burnett Peterson:

      Stewart Lester Burnett, the man whom we honor today, will mark his 100th birthday on September 26, 1984. During his 100 years he has seen monumental changes in culture and history and has seen the Burnett family expand and stretch from coast to coast.

      Stewart was born in 1884 in Kearneysville, West Virginia, the eleventh of 13 children born to William Henry Burnett and Orra Jenny Whittington Burnett. His grandfather, Robert E. Burnett, was an Irish immigrant and his grandmother, Mary Early Burnett was from England. The Burnett family lived on a farm and worked 175 acres growing corn and wheat as well as clover to make hay for the cattle and sheep.

      Although the work was hard, life was good for Stewart and his brothers and sisters. On Sundays no one was allowed to work, as it was the Lord?s day. They all went to the Methodist Church service in the morning and in the afternoon the girls played various musical instruments and sang songs. Stewart recalls, too, that his mother loved life and liked to enjoy herself. One pleasure that William and Orra took delight in was traveling to nearby Washington, D.C. to attend several presidential inaugurations. One of which was Theodore Roosevelt?s. Stewart met "Teddy" twice later in life.

      Stewart remembers the death of President William McKinley. The year was 1901 and he was spending a day at the Morgansgrove fair when he overheard some people discussing McKinley?s death. He later asked his father if what he had heard was indeed true. His father confirmed that it was so. Standing out in Stewart?s memory was McKinley?s funeral train passing by the family farm. Stewart?s brothers, Andy and Jim, his sister, Belle, and his mother and father witnessed what Stewart said was the prettiest train he?d ever seen?nothin? but buttons and flags. It was on its way to Washington D.C. and later to travel to Ohio where McKinley?s body was to be buried.

      One hot summer?s day on the family farm Stewart?s father, William Henry, went to town and while he was away Stewart saw the corn crop burning because of the heat. He quickly went to action, diverting the creek, thus irrigating the corn. When William Henry returned from town he was angered at the sight of what Stewart had done and severely reprimanded him for "ruining the crop", even though he had really rescued it. At that time irrigating was not known of nor practiced, so Stewart was one of its early inventors.

      As Stewart became older he felt the desire to find work with good pay and left home to go to Pitcairn, Pennsylvania to work in a Railroad shop. He made good money, at $99.00/month. While still working at Pitcairn he decided to take a "vacation". His boss asked him why he wanted to go and Stewart told him he wanted to go to Kansas City to work for the Missouri Pacific and later to work in a wheat field harvesting. His boss told him to go ahead and he wished he could go with him! He also told him he would have a job waiting for him when he got back. Stewart remembers that as one of his favorite vacations, along with one trip to Alaska later in life.

      Stewart returned to West Virginia, where he met the beautiful Rosa Belle Byers at a lawn festival ice cream social. Rosa, seven years younger than Stewart, had gone to school with Andy, Stewart?s younger brother, but they all attended the same church. Stewart courted Rosa and they married on January 10, 1909. Rosa was 18 years of age and Stewart was 25. They stayed in West Virginia until their first child, Bill, was born. One month later they moved to Pitcairn, PA. Eventually they moved back to West Virginia and shared a house with Stewart?s brother Clarence and his wife Sadie, paying $8.00 rent/month between them. It was there that Stewart and Rosa bore their daughter Catherine (Kitty), only hours after Sadie had given birth to a daughter named Cora, in the same house. When Billy was 2 years old and Kitty was 5 months they decided to travel to Idaho.

      It is interesting to note that Stewart?s health was not good at that time. Suffering from a respiratory malady that the doctors diagnosed as tuberculosis, he was not expected to live. The doctors underestimated his verve for life, as we all know. They left Martinsburg, West Virginia on February 25, 1911 on the train. Traveling through inclement weather they reached Blackfoot, Idaho, where his brother, George worked on an 80 area potato ranch. Stewart found the clean air and water of Idaho healing. Within a year?s time he was in good health and helping his brother load 100 lb. bags of potatoes onto boxcars. Stewart also did the planting while George and Rosa cut potato seed. While in Blackfoot, Pauline was born on August 24, 1913. (In the picture to the left are Stewart, Rosa, Kitty, Bill with an unknown neighbor in Blackfoot in 1912).

      In 1914, the year in which World War I began, Rosa, Stewart and the three children moved out of Blackfoot to the small town of Orland, in northern California. They wanted to try their hand at raising turkeys. While there, George was born on October 28, 1915 and Mary was born on May 11, 1918. Although they like Orland and had been there 5 years they found the summers too hot and packed to leave for the milder climate of southern Oregon. They moved to Midland where they rented the Willits Ranch, where Amos was born on August 17, 1922. A few years later the family purchased the Miller Island Ranch near Midland on which they farmed until 1943. It was here that Jean, John and Warren were born. Jean, on January 28, 1926, John on April 19, 1930 and Warren on April 10, 1934. Warren died as a baby in January of 1935 and was buried in the Linkville Cemetary.

      Stewart and Rosa, having worked hard for many years, decided to retire from farming and left the ranch to move to beautiful Grants Pass, Oregon to take up a relaxed life of fishing on the Rogue River. But as is often the case, retirement was too easy. Stewart took odd jobs. Soon Rosa and Stewart found the perfect solution and bought a country store on old Murphy?s Road and called it Burnett?s Grocery. The store proved to be not only good for Stewart and Rosa, but also a valuable training ground for the numerous grandchildren who were educated in the art of dealing with the public and learning to make change. It was at this location, too, where many wonderful family gatherings were held. Thanksgivings and Easters were most special.

      After thirty years, Rosa and Stewart sold the store and moved to a small house on "D" street. They lived there until November 1974 when we all lost a very bright and kind mother, grandmother and friend. Rosa suffered from a stroke and passed away. She was buried next to Warren in the Linkville Cemetary in Klamath Falls. Stewart has lived with his daughter, Pauline, ever since.

      It should be noted that Stewart and Rosa always found friends wherever they lived. These many friends have remained friends for many years and seem to be more like family. On this happy centennial celebration we are pleased that so many friends and family came to share the memories and honor Stewart. Thank you for coming and hope to see you for Grandpa?s 101st party

      Epilog?

      Throughout Stewart?s life he often told those who knew him that he wanted to live to be 100 years of age. He not only did just that, but made it to 103. He lived under the good care of his daughter Pauline and her husband, Harry Spicer, until his death on October 10, 1987. Stewart had a wonderful attitude toward life and those he knew. Much like Wiley Post, he never met a man he didn?t like. He will continue to live in our hearts and memories forever."
    Person ID I27670  Complete
    Last Modified 16 Jul 2010 

    Father William Henry Burnett,   b. 15 May 1849, Frederick, Virginia, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 Oct 1928, Winebrenner's Crossroads, Vanclevesville, Jeffrson, WV Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 79 years) 
    Mother Arra Jennie Whittington,   b. 04 Feb 1851, Frederick, Virginia, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 16 Apr 1919, Middleway, Jefferson, WV Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 68 years) 
    Married 30 Nov 1868  Prob. Jefferson, WV Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F18038864  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Rosa Bell Byers,   b. 29 Apr 1890,   d. 08 Nov 1974, Grants Pass, Josephine, OR Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 84 years) 
    Married 10 Jan 1909  Shepherdstown, WV Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
    +1. William Jacob Burnett,   b. 12 Oct 1909, Martinsburg WV Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 05 Apr 1999  (Age 89 years)
    +2. Catherine Elizabeth Burnett,   b. 19 Jul 1911, Martinsburg, WV Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 Jan 2004, Grants Pass, Josephine, OR Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 92 years)
    +3. Living
    +4. George Lester Burnett,   b. 27 Oct 1915, Orland, CA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 16 Jun 2006  (Age 90 years)
    +5. Living
    +6. Living
    +7. Living
    +8. John Henry Burnett,   b. 19 Apr 1930, Klamath Falls, Klamath, OR Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 08 Mar 1999, Grants Pass, Josephine, OR Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 68 years)
     9. Warren Stewart Burnett,   b. 10 Apr 1933, Klamath Falls, Klamath, OR Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Jan 1935, Klamath Falls, Klamath, OR Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 1 years)
    Last Modified 20 Jul 2010 
    Family ID F18038945  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 26 Sep 1884 - Shepherdstown, Jefferson, WV Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 10 Jan 1909 - Shepherdstown, WV Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 10 Oct 1987 - Grants Pass, Josephine, OR Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    Stewart Lester Burnett (1884-1987)
    Stewart Lester Burnett (1884-1987)

    Birthday photo, age 100

    http://www.hickmanresearch.com/genealogy/burnett/
    Stewart Lester Burnett (1884-1997)
    Stewart Lester Burnett (1884-1997)

    http://family.mattsdomain.com/

    Photo taken Abt. 1895
    Stewart Lester Burnett (1884-1987) & Rosa Bell Byers (1890-1974)
    Stewart Lester Burnett (1884-1987) & Rosa Bell Byers (1890-1974)

    http://family.mattsdomain.com/

    Photo taken 10 Jan 1909

    Documents
    Stewart Lester Burnett (1884-1987)  One hundredth birthday, 1984
    Stewart Lester Burnett (1884-1987) One hundredth birthday, 1984

    http://www.hickmanresearch.com/genealogy/burnett/

  • Sources 
    1. [S00274] Oregon Death Index, 1903-1998, Ancestry.com, (Name: Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2000;).
      Online publication - Ancestry.com. Oregon Death Index, 1903-98 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2000.Original data - State of Oregon. Oregon Death Index, 1903-1998. Salem, OR, USA: Oregon State Archives and Records Center.

    2. [S00281] U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, Ancestry.com, (Name: Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005;).
      Online publication - Ancestry.com. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005.Original data - United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, M1509, 4,582 rolls. Roll 1530813, DraftBoard 0.

    3. [S00275] Social Security Death Index, Ancestry.com, (Name: Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2008;).
      Online publication - Ancestry.com. Social Security Death Index [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2006.Original data - Social Security Adminisration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration.