Conecuh County AlArchives Photo person.....John D. Burnett 1893
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 17, 2004, 9:07 am

Source: from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 707
Photo can be seen at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/conecuh/photos/gph381johndbur.jpg
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   HON. JOHN D. BURNETT, the subject of this biography is a native Alabamian and
inherits in a marked degree the finer characteristics of his Scotch-Irish
ancestry. His father, John H. Burnett, was born in Georgia in 1818, and came to
Alabama with his parents the following year. He was by occupation a planter,
owning a large tract of real estate and a number of slaves. He was prominent in
the affairs of his adopted state and in politics a democrat He died in 1861. The
wife of John H. Burnett was Margaret Donald, a daughter of Alexander and
Catherine (Simpson) Donald, natives of South Carolina, from which state they
removed to Alabama in 1820, and settled near Belleville, Conecuh county. His
grandfather, Samuel Burnett, was the first judge of the county court of Conecuh
and was elected to this office two terms. The marriage between the parents was
solemnized in 1847, the issue of the same being, Catherine, wife of Judge N. R.
Leigh of Brewton; Harriet, wife of G. Sampey of Belleville; John Donald of
Evergreen; Samuel (died at the age of twenty-four); Hezekiah of Belleville; and
Rachel, wife of John G. Walker of Choctaw county. John D. Burnett, was born on
the 8th of February, 1852, in Conecuh county, which he has always made his home.
The early death of his father and the result of the war between the states, made
it necessary for Mr. Burnett, when a mere boy, to assume the support of his
mother's family, the education of the younger children devolving almost entirely
on him. Leaving school at the age of fourteen he faced the stern realities of
life, cheerfully accepting the conditions surrounding him and courageously
discharging his duty to those near and dear to him. He aimed at a collegiate
course, hoping to fit himself for the law, and at the age of eighteen he had, by
rigid economy and hard work on a farm, acquired means for the purpose. An
unfortunate investment at this time in the timber and mercantile business swept
away this capital in a few months, leaving him deeply in debt; however, he did
not despair, but continued in the timber business, performing the hardest and
most laborious manual labor, driving oxen, cutting, rafting and running timber
to market, and pursuing his studies at night by pine knot fires, until his
twenty-third year. Then, having discharged every obligation, he applied himself
entirely to his professional studies, and within a few months passed a
successful examination before Judge John. K. Henry at Andalusia, where he was
admitted to the bar in September, 1875. He at once began the active practice of
his profession at Evergreen, at which place on the day of opening his office he
was employed as counsel in a case and made his first speech in court. At the end
of a year he became associated in the practice with Hon. N. Stallworth, and the
firm thus constituted still exists. Mr. Burnett acted as county solicitor from
1877 to 1880, and in the fall of 1882 was elected to represent Conecuh county in
the state legislature, in which body he served two terms, and in the
deliberations of which he took an active, conservative and prominent part. In
1885, he resigned this office to accept the appointment of United States
district attorney for the southern district of Alabama; having received the
endorsement of both senators and all the representatives in congress from his
state for this position. This appointment gained for Mr. Burnett national
notoriety from the fact that it was made President Cleveland's test case in a
long and heated contest with the United States senate. Briefly stated the facts
are as follows: In July, after his inauguration, President Cleveland removed
from the office George M. Duskin, a republican, before the expiration of his
term, and upon the assembling of the senate the republican members of that body
demanded the president's reasons for said removal. These Mr. Cleveland refused
to make known, and, as a consequence, Mr. Burnett's confirmation was vigorously
opposed by the republican senators, resulting in a partisan contest between the
president and the senate, which lasted for six or seven months, eventually
terminating in Mr. Burnett's confirmation. It is a well known fact that Mr.
Burnett's ability and fitness were never questioned by the opposition, the
contest being solely for the purpose of establishing the fact whether or not the
president under the constitution had the right to remove and appoint officers at
will. Mr. Burnett discharged the duties of this office ably and conscientiously.
Since the expiration of his official term, Mr. Burnett has applied himself
closely to the practice of his profession, and while successful in all
departments, is especially so as a civil lawyer. Mr. Burnett is a close student,
a man of unyielding tenacity in what he deems sound principle, and his integrity
as a practitioner has never been called in question. Blessed with vigorous
health and stalwart frame, fully alive to the multiform phases of the great
social, political and economic activities of the age, Mr. Burnett gives to the
questions of the day a calm, judicial examination, which only a trained
intellect and high professional standing can bestow. Faithful devotion to the
practice of his chosen calling has given him a prominent place among the
attonrneys of his native state, and his prominence as a citizen has entitled him
to share in a large measure the condence and respect of the public. Mr. Burnett
was married in Evergreen, Ala., June 29th, 1876, to Mary V., daughter of Gen. E.
W. Martin, to which union the following children, Mary V., John D., and Daisy
Martin, have been born. In politics Mr. Burnett has been a potent factor in the
democratic party in his county and state and fraternally belongs to the Masonic
order, K. of P., and K. of H. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 706-710
Published by
Brant & Fuller (1893)
Madison, WI

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