Burns Family of Cass County, Texas
Robert Hawthorne Burns moved his family from Lamar, Kansas, to a farm near Atlanta, Texas. Robert's parents were Robert Burns and Alice McCabe (née Greenan). Alice's nephew was our own great grandfather, "Irish" John Smith. John's mom was born Catharine Greenan. Robert and Alice Burns moved to Ottawa County Kansas, from Pine Bluff, Cross Plains Township, Dane County. Wisconsin. Why Robert Burns Jr. moved south is unknown, perhaps they moved for better opportunity in the Lone Star State. In Kansas, Robert and his brother raised Hereford cows on the family farm. Most of Robert's siblings and father are buried in Hall Methodist Cemetery outside Delphos, Ottawa County, Kansas. Robert's mother, Alice, is buried in a small Catholic cemetery in adjacent Cloud County, Kansas. Robert's brother, William, may be buried in Smyrna Cemetery, Cass County, Texas.
Robert Hawthorne Burns obituary
March 3, 1938, The Citizens Journal, Atlantic Texas, page 8.
"Robert Hawthorne Burns was born April 26, 1860 in Pine Bluff Wis., and departed this life Feb. 21, 1938 at Atlanta, Texas. Aged 78 years, 11 months and 7 days.
He was the son of Robert and Alice Burns. About 1871 he came with his parents to Otta County, Kansas, where they settled on a farm near Lamar, Kansas. He lived in that vicinity until 1910, when he moved to Atlanta to the Smyrna community.
December 31, 1880 he married Miss Lela Burkhart at Malta, Kans.
Two children were born to this union, Mrs. Daisy Bright, Cavena, Calif.; Mrs. Belle Yowell, Minneapolis, Kans. his wife died at Lamar, Kans., Jan. 11, 1886. Jan. 18, 1887 he married Miss Mary Jane McLean of Millonvale, Kans. To this union were born none children, Mrs. Dela Hargette, Clarksville, Texas; Mrs. Cassie Stewart, Minneapolis, Kans., R.T. Burns, Los Angeles, Calif.; Mrs. Hazel Kennedy, Mrs. Irene McWilliams and William Burns, Atlanta Texas; Mrs. Grace Sprayberry, Ravena, Ark. One infant son and Amy Agnes Burns preceded him in death.
He is survived by his wife, two sons, 7 daughters and 21 grandchildren and
two great grandchildren.
For many years he was a stockman and farmer in Kansas. With his brother William they had one of the outstanding herds of the Anety strain of Hereford cattle.
He was the beloved man in his community especially of the young men. We could well say of him "Let me live in a house by the side of the road and be a friend to man."
He enjoyed the friends who sat up with him keeping them laughing with jokes and stories. He loved poetry and had many books. He was always glad to lend his books.
Funeral services were held Feb. 22, 1938 at the Smyrna Baptist church in
charge of Rev. Edgar Hamilton. Music by the combined choirs of the Christian and Baptist church.
Pallbearers were Ray Mills, Jack Arnold, Jr., Ernest Moulder, Pete Glass,
Raymond Glass and Arthur Chamblee. His body was laid to rest in the
Smyrna cemetery.
His grave covered with beautiful flowers and a lovely wreath from 32 boys of Smyrna showed how much he was loved by all who knew him.
Active in community affairs, sympathetic and helpful to his neighbors and
family in time of sickness or trouble. In the last two weeks of his life he
reaped some of the kindness he had sown for the house was filled with
young and old anxious to do something to give him relief."
There was an "Anxiety 4th Family" Hereford breed popularly raised in the upper Midwest. Both Robert Burns and his wife, Mary Jane McLean, are buried in Smyrna Cemetery outside Atlanta, Texas.
Mary J. Burns Obituary
Mary was Robert Burns' wife. Her obituary ties her back to Delphos, Kansas, which is where the Burns family lived prior to their Texas arrival.
The Citizens Journal (Atlanta, Tex.), Vol. 68, No. 43, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 23, 1947
"Mrs. Mary Jane Burns, age 81, died Saturday, Oct. 18th, at a local hospital.
She is survived by 7 daughters and two sons; Mrs. A. M. Bright, Mrs. Sol Yewell, Hollywood, Calif; Mrs. B. C. Hargett, Avery; Mrs. Rob Stewart, Delphos Kansas; Mrs. Warren Kennedy, Mrs. Hardy McWilliams, and Bill Burns, Atlanta; Mrs. B. B. Sprayberry, New Orleans; R. T. Burns, Honolulu; one sister, Mrs. Annie Shea, of Delphos, Kansas, and 23 grand children.
Services were held Sunday, Oct. 19th at 4:00 p.m., at Smyrna Baptist Church with Rev. Edgar Hamilton of Jefferson officiating. Burial was in the Smyrna cemetery under the direction of Hanner Funeral Service."
Belle and Daisy Burns
Belle and Daisy are referenced in Robert's obituary. We saw these names previously listed in the 1900 US census for Logan and Blain Townships; Ottawa County, Kansas. Belle (aged 17 years) and Daisy (aged 19 years) lived with their uncle, William H. Burns. We assumed they were Robert's children by a previous marriage; however, the above obituary verified our assumptions.
Belle died in Los Angeles, California, on November 16, 1974, and is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park next to her husband, Solomon Yager Yowell. Her sister, Daisy, died on December 13, 1968, and she is also buried at Forest Lawn.
Delia May Burns
Delia Burns was born November 11, 1887, in Kansas and died on November 2, 1975, at Bowie County, Texas. She married Carlyon Bertie Hargett on November 27, 1912, in Cass County, Texas. Carl died in 1959, Carl and Delia are both buried in Smyrna Cemetery, Cass County, Texas.
Carl was born in Alabama and he moved to Texas with his family. The 1930 US census showed the following children residing in Delia and Carl's home: Joseph (age 14), Amy (age 16), Martha Ann (age 7), and Mary (age 5). Delia's brother, William, lived with Delia and her family.
Young Amy Ann appears to be the first Burns child to die in Texas. According to Robert Burns' obituary, this family left Kansas in 1910 and moved to Texas. The following eulogy, flowery for its time, was probably written by a close friend of the family. It names the deceased as "Anny", but I suspect this was a newspaper misprint.
Amy Agnes Burns OBITUARY
The Atlanta News. (Atlanta, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 27, 1910, page 5
"On Sunday night at 8 o'clock, October 16, 1910, the great and supreme Ruler of the universe, in his infinite wisdom, called from the home of Mr. and Mrs. R.H. Burns their little daughter, Anny, age nine years and eleven months.
She had been seriously ill for three weeks with the dreaded disease, Diphtheria, and her sufferings were intense, but she bore all bravely and was conscious to the end. The disease made conversation almost impossible, but on one occasion, a short time before she died, she looked up into her mothers face and said, Mamma I'm dying."
All that loving hands could do was performed; the father, the mother,the physicians, and all are worthy commendation for the faithful manner in which they labored to contribute to the needs of the little sufferer. Notwithstanding all this, just as earth was hovering her dark wings over the great wide world, she climbed the golden pathway into peace.
When the old are called away to that rest reserved for God's people, we feel 'tis according to God's plans, but, when a young life this is taken, hopes are crushed and castles fall, and is the flight of a young soul. It seems to us as the ending of an unfinished life.
Little Amy will be missed. A vacancy has been made in the social circle that can never be filled; her smiles, her well known foot-fall, and her love accents, can gladden them no more.
We all have our heartaches and sorrows; we are often in the shadows, but there is sunshine beyond over on the Heavenly hilltop where she is waiting to welcome you home.
The funeral services were conducted at the family home by Rev. H.T. White. Interment took place immediately after services, in Smyrna cemetery. A large concourse of people attended the funeral, and the many floral offerings was evidence of the esteem in which this young life had been held.
To the sorrowing ones, weep not, but thank God that she is at rest, in the Heavenly Mansions where Christ went to prepare a place for all who love Him, and may He give us all grace to meet her on the sunny banks of sweet deliverance.
I extend to you my sincere sympathy in your great sorrow."
VERNA HARGETT
Cassie A. Burns Stewart
Cassie was born in Kansas on June 22, 1890, and died at Cass County, Texas, on February 20, 1966. Cassie's husband, Robert Harwood Stewart, died in 1968. The Burns family maintained strong connections with friends and family back in Kansas.
The 1920 US Census for Logan Township, Ottawa County, Kansas shows the following people living in the same household: Cassie Stewart, Robert Stewart, William H. Burns, Belle Yowell and Samuel Yowell. Belle and Cassie were half sisters. By 1938 the sisters and their husbands had relocated southward to Minneapolis, Kansas. Neither sister had any children. According to an on-line grave registry, Cassie died in Cass County, Texas; however, I have found no corresponding death certificate.
Hazel Alice Burns Kennedy
Hazel was born in Kansas on April 28, 1897, and married four times. She married her first husband, William L. Finlayson, in 1913, and they had one son, Norman R. Finlayson. William died on Christmas Day 1916. Hazel married John H. Lance in Cass County on July 31, 1919. It's unknown if John died or if Hazel divorced him, but Hazel then married Warner Asberry Kennedy in 1922. Warner died on July 21, 1954, in the local hospital at Atlanta, Texas. Hazel and Warner had no children of their own.
Hazel then married Charles Homer Stewart in 1956. She was only 59 years old when she died of a heart attack in Big Spring, Texas. After her death her body was shipped back to Cass County where she was buried next to her third husband, Warner, in Smyrna Cemetery.
William Burns
William was born in Kansas on August 6, 1903, and died near Atlanta, Texas, on May 7, 1972. In September 1942 William entered basic training at Camp Wolters, Texas. Later he was transferred to Camp Hood, Texas, and assigned to the Station Hospital. He is buried in Smyrna Cemetery, Cass County, Texas.
Robert Thomas Burns
He was born March 3, 1893. Robert, son of Robert Hawthorne Burns and Mary Jane McLean, moved west seeking fame and fortune. He spent most of his time in Los Angeles although Robert served a small stint in Honolulu, Hawaii. On June 10, 1950, Robert married Stella Agnes Cox (née Couch) in Los Angeles.
According to the marriage license, this was Robert's first marriage and Stella's second marriage. Robert died November 17, 1958, and is buried at Forest Hill Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, California. The license shows Robert's parents as Robert Hawthorne Burns and Mary Jane McLean. The 1940 US census suggests a different scenario. In Los Angeles lived a Robert Thomas Burns, born at Kansas in 1893, and married to "Clara V. Hathaway". They had two sons, Robert George and Bruce William.
Smyrna Baptist Church
This church, organized in 1882, is located 5 miles east of Atlanta, Texas on Highway 77. It has always been a small church. Even when this photograph was taken (1972) there were only 123 congregants. This is the church where the Burns family worshipped in Texas.
The Citizens Journal (Atlanta, Tex.), Ed. 1 Thursday, August 31, 1972, page 18
The Burns family have their own plot in Smyrna Cemetery as shown in the following list:
Burns, Amy Agnes #173 A Row 4 053
Burns, Mary J. # 174 A Row 4 054
Burns, Robert. # 174 A Row 4 054
Burns, William. # 173 A Row 4
Burns, William. # 173 A Row 4 054
Hargett, Carl B. # 172 A Row 2 120
Hargett, Delia M. # 172 A Row 2
Kennedy, Warner A. # 173 A Row 4
Kennedy, Hazel L. # 173 A Row 4
Stewart, Robert H. # 174 A Row 4
Stewart, Cassie A. # 174 A Row 4
Grace Inez Burns Sprayberry
Grace married Belvin Sprayberry and they lived and raised their children in Ravena, Arkansas. She was born in Kansas on November 16, 1906, and died on July 1, 1979. Grace and her husband are buried together at Greenlawn Cemetery in Hammond, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana.
Mary Irene Burns McWilliams
Mary Irene Burns was born on March 10, 1899, in Minneapolis, Ottawa County, Kansas. She married Hardy A. McWilliams and raised her children in Cass County, Texas. Later, Irene would move to California. She died in Orange County, California, on December 20, 1992, and is buried next to her husband in Smyrna Cemetery, Cass County, Texas. Hardy died in 1981.
William H. Burns
Robert Hawthorne Burns raised cattle with his brother, William. Their siblings and parents are all buried in Kansas near Delphos. Although we knew Robert moved to Texas, we did not know William had followed his brother down south too. William is buried in his brother's family plot.
