John Willis BURNS

  General Notes:

Obituary: When in southwestern Pennsylvania in the 1960s, Shirley Allum Hudlicky photographed this partial obituary for Sylvia Estella Burns, daughter of John Willis Burns and Mary (Ealy) Burns. Sylvia died at the tender age of 14 years. (Also see "Sylvia Estella Burns")
From the collection of Shirley Allum Hudlicky


1862 BIRTH of John Willis Burns

1863 DEATH of father, William L. Burns

1870 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Greene County, Richhill Township, P. O. Wind Ridge (August 5) ("John," age 9, is with mother Lucinda and stepfather David Hitchcock; in the 1870 census John is found as "John Hitchcock")

1880 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Greene County, Richhill Township (June 8 & 9) ("John M. B.," age 18, is with his mother Lucinda and stepfather David Hitchcock; in the 1880 census John is found as "John M. B. Hitchcock") (his middle initial "W" was transcribed as an "M," and "B" probably stood for Burns)

1888 MARRIAGE (approximate) of John Willis Burns and Mary Ellen Ealy

1900 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Greene County, Morris Township (June 4) ("John," age 37, "Carpenter") (wife "Mary," age 38) (According to the 1900 census, John and Mary had been married 12 years; Mary was the mother of 2 children, both children living in the year 1900)

1910 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Greene County, Waynesburg Boro (May 2) ("John W.," age 46, "Agent, Life & Fire Insurance") (wife "Mary E.," age 47) (Mary is documented as the mother of 2 children, 1 child living in the year 1910; John and Mary had been married 21 years)

1920 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Greene County, Richhill Township (January 30) ("John W.," age 57, "Farmer, General") (wife "Mary E.," age 58)

1930 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Greene County, Richhill Township (April 16) ("John W.," age 67, "Farm, General farm") (wife [no name on census], age 68)

1936 DEATH of wife, Mary Ellen (Ealy) Burns, at 74 years 0 months 17 days

1939 DEATH, John Willis Burns, at 76 years 11 months 28 days




Leota Clutter, letter to Margaret Smith Brennan, December 19, 1990:

"I have an obit for John W. Burns, age 77 years, died October 14. 'No year, but I believe in the thirties. He didn't live more than a mile or so from my parents' farm. He was a son of William Burns and Lucinda Fields. He married Mary Ealy, one of my dad's school mates at Newland School in East Finley Township near Enon. He had two daughters--Goldie and Sylvia. Sylvia died young. Goldie married a Dinsmore (she is dead now). Two sons, Donald and Lawrence. Lawrence still lives in this area. His first wife was a daughter of Weeden Barnhart, and his third wife was married to a John Wilbur Barnhart who is also dead. Mr. Burns had two half-sisters, Mrs. J. Addison Sprowls and Mrs. Thomas Wallace. He also had two half brothers--Russel Hitchcock and William Hitchcock."




OBITUARY (Mary) from DEMOCRAT MESSENGER, Waynesburg, Greene County, Pennsylvania, January 16, 1936:


MRS. JOHN W. BURNS SUMMONED BY DEATH

WAYNESBURG, Jan. 15.--Mrs. Mary Ealy Burns, wife of John W. Burns, died in her home in Richhill Township, Tuesday, January 14, 1936, at 2:30 p.m. following an illness of two months.

She was a daughter of Martin E. and Nancy McConnell Ealy, and was born near the Enon Baptist Church, of which she was a member since her girlhood. She was one of a family of 14 children, of whom three survive, Mrs. John W. Hunt, of Washington; Mrs. John Booth, of West Alexander; and James A. Ealy, of Graysville. One brother, Ellsworth, died a year ago.

She also leaves her husband and a daughter, Mrs. Goldie B. Dinsmore, two grandsons, Donald and Lawrence Dinsmore, and one great granddaughter, Betty Jean Dinsmore. Another daughter, Sylvia, died in 1906.

Short funeral services will be held at the home Thursday, January 16, at 1 o'clock, with further services in the Graysville Church at 2 o'clock, in charge of the Rev. Schindler. Burial will be in the Green Mount Cemetery at Waynesburg.




OBITUARY (John) from DEMOCRAT MESSENGER, Waynesburg, Greene County, Pennsylvania, October 16, 1939:

John W. Burns

John W. Burns, aged 77 years, died at his home near Ackley's Bridge on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 14, 1939, at 4 o'clock following a seven-year illness due to ailments incident to his advanced years.

The deceased was born in Richhill Township, October 16, 1862, a son of William and Lucinda Field (sic) Burns, deceased, and was a well known farmer. His wife, Mrs. Mary Ellen Ealy Burns, died in 1936. Mr. Burns was a grandson of Alexander Burns, pioneer settler in Washington County, and is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Goldie Burns Dinsmore, of Richhill Township. One other daughter, Sylvia Burns, died in 1906.

Two sisters, Mrs. J. Addison Sprowls, of East Finley, and Mrs. Thomas Wallace, of Claysville, also survive, along with two half-brothers, Russell Hitchcock and William Hitchcock and two grandsons, Donald and Lawrence Dinsmore. He was a member of the Enon Baptist Church.




OBITUARY (John) from an undocumented 1939 newspaper:


JOHN WILLIS BURNS IS CALLED BY DEATH

WAYNESBURG, Oct. 15-John Willis Burns, 77, well known resident of Richhill Township, died Saturday, October 14, at his home near Ackley's Bridge. He had been a semi-invalid for seven years, due to paralysis.

Mr. Burns was a direct descendant of Alexander Burns, pioneer settler of Washington County.

He was born October 16, 1862, in Richhill Township. He was a son of William and Lucinda Field (sic) Burns and spent his entire life in Greene County. Most of his life was devoted to farming, but for a few years he lived in Waynesburg, where he was engaged in the insurance business.

He was a member of the Enon Baptist Church and while his health permitted was much interested in all the affairs of the church.

He married Ellen Ealy, who died in 1936. Two daughters were born, of whom Sylvia died in 1906. The other is Goldie Burns Dinsmore, at home. Also surviving are two grandsons, Donald Dinsmore, of Waynesboro; Lawrence Dinsmore, on a United States Shipping Board vessel now in the Indian Ocean; two half-sisters, Mrs. J. Addison Sprowls, of East Finley, and Mrs. Thomas Wallace, of Claysville; and two half-brothers, Russell Hitchcock, of Midway, and William Hitchcock, of Chicago.

Funeral services will be held at 1 o'clock Tuesday, October 17, in the Enon Baptist Church, in charge of the Rev. Charles D. Eltringham. Burial will be in the Green Mount Cemetery.

John married Mary Ellen EALY, daughter of Martin EALY and Nancy McCONNELL, about 1888 in (Probably) Greene County, Pennsylvania. (Mary Ellen EALY was born on December 28, 1861 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, died on January 14, 1936 in Greene County, Pennsylvania and was buried on January 15, 1936 in Green Mount Cemetery, Franklin Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania.)