Bio of Burnham, Capt. John W. (b.1829) Wabasha Co., MN
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1884.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab1.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Burnham, Capt. John W., was born in the year 1829, in the State of New 
Hampshire, and grew up with the usual experiences of a farmer's son in 
moderate circumstances of that time. His grandfather, of same name, was an 
officer during the entire revolutionary war and a member of the Society of 
the Cincinnati. Capt. Burnham is by birthright entitled to membership of 
this society, but has never claimed the right. After some years of adult 
life spent as a farmer, teacher and lumberman, he came to Minnesota in 
April, 1856, and located by buying for two hundred dollars a settler's 
claim to the N.W. 1/4 of Sec. 3, T. 108 N., R. 11 W., land now owned by E. 
L. Burton and S. H. Gaylord. At the election following in October, 1856, 
he was elected justice of the peace, and as such held the first court, 
married the first couple, and approved the bonds of the first postmaster 
upon Greenwood prairie. For a short time he was engaged in the mercantile 
business at Greenville, the first town laid out on the prairie; but the 
uncertain title of land upon the Sioux half-breed reservation, destroyed 
the town and sent the occupants to their claims. After much trouble, 
expense and anxiety, Capt. Burnham secured a title to eighty acres of 
land, which he had improved by paying four dollars and fifty cents per 
acre for it. In 1862 he made proof by preemption upon one hundred and 
sixty acres adjoining, which cost ninety dollars, money paid for a 
soldier's land warrant. In 1858 he was elected a member of the state 
legislature. This body did not convene, and in 1859 he was re- elected. 
The following session continued for four months. The finances of the state 
and the people was at a low ebb. The pay of a member would not procure him 
board at a first-class hotel in St. Paul. In 1861 Capt. Burnham was joined 
with I. O. Seeley, of Mazeppa, and Lawrence Tracey, of West Albany, into a 
board of appraisers of the school lands in the county. In August, 1862, he 
enlisted in the army, after the call of three hundred thousand men by 
President Lincoln, and was made a sergeant in Co. C, 10th Inf., commanded 
by Capt. C. W. Hackett. He with the company were mounted and in service on 
the Minnesota frontier till February, 1863, when they went into winter 
quarters at LeSueur till May following. From May to October, 1863, the 
subject of this sketch was with his company in Sibley's expedition in 
Dakota, which marched thirteen hundred miles, fought four battles with 
Indians, and suffered much from hunger, thirst and fatigue. This 
expedition went north to Devil's lake, and west to the site of Bismarck, 
present capital of Dakota. In October, 1863, the regiment was sent to St. 
Louis, Missouri, on duty in the city. In May, 1864, it was sent into 
Kentucky and thence to Tennessee and Mississippi. Here, for the first 
time, Mr. Burnham was unable to do soldier's duty from ill health. July 
25, 1864, he was commissioned lieutenant in Co. D, 121st U. S. Colored 
Inf. and was sent on recruiting service into Kentucky and there kept till 
June, 1865, when this regiment was consolidated with others into 13th 
regt. U. S. Heavy Art. (colored), Lieut, Burnham being assigned to Co. I. 
His health being very poor he obtained leave of absence and visited home. 
While away he was assigned temporarily for duty in 125th U. S. Colored 
Inf., then on duty at the military prison at Louisville, Kentucky. He was 
immediately recommended for commission in that regiment, and on the day 
his appointment came the 13th U. S. Heavy Art. (colored) was being 
mustered out of service at Louisville-Lieut. Burnham was put in command of 
a company (H), and in six weeks was promoted. Not long after, Co. H was 
sent to Jackson, Michigan, for a time, but about New Year's, 1866, the 
whole regiment was rendezvoused at Cairo, Illinois, where it remained till 
spring, when it was ordered to Fort Union, New Mexico, by steamboat to 
Leavenworth, Kansas, and from thence marched. From Fort Union, Cos. H and 
G marched five hundred miles more to Fort Bliss, Texas, where they 
remained a year, marching back in September and October, 1867, over nearly 
the same route, to Ellsworth, Kansas, the nearest railroad station. From 
here they traveled by rail to Jefferson Barracks, where they intended to 
await the rest of the regiment; but the cholera broke among them, and 
several died. The rest were mustered out at once, and the remainder of the 
regiment December 31, 1867, the last volunteer regiment enlisted for the 
war. Capt. Burnham returned to Plainview, where he still owned his farm, 
bought more land and settled in the town of Highland, where he lived eight 
years. He was three years chairman of the town board of supervisors, and 
once the unsuccessful republican candidate for state senator. In 1877 he 
sold his farm in Highland and moved to Plainview, where he lived till 
October, 1878, when he moved to Wheatland, Cass county, Dakota, where he 
has since resided. Capt. Burnham was married in 1866, to Ada J. Lawrence, 
daughter of Benjamin Lawrence, an older settler of Greenwood prairie than 
himself, and has four children,-one born at Fort Bliss, Texas, two in 
Highland and one in Plainview. After his marriage his wife accompanied 
him, and had a share in military life upon the frontier. Capt. Burnham 
draws no pension, although probably entitled to one, for the exposure and 
hardships of five years and three months' military service are enough to 
break down the strongest man.
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1920.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab3.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Sorry this biography has not been transcribed yet.

If the biography you want is not yet done, please e-mail me at 
BarbaraTimm@aol.com