Biographical Sketch of John S. Burns, Laclede County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, 
Pulaski, Phelps and Dent Counties, Missouri" The Goodspeed Publishing
Company, 1889.
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John S. Burns, Deputy United States Marshal for the Western District of
Missouri, was born in Dallas county, September 6, 1844, and is a son of
Foster and Elizabeth (Tiller) Burns, and grandson of John Burns.  The
latter was a native of North Carolina, and located in Tennessee when a
young man, where he was married to Margaret Wilson.  They located on a 
farm in Maury county, and in 1836 came to Missouri, locating in Polk
county, where he continued farming until he became one of the leading
agriculturists of that region, and was an extensive slave holder.  He
served in the War of 1812, and was wounded at the battle of New Orleans
and being unable to make his escape was captured by the British sold-
iers, but was released after a short time.  He was a leading politician
and served in the county court, and also represented Polk county in the
State Legislature several terms.  He was a consistent member of the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and died September 20, 1863, aged 
seventy-seven years.  His wife was born in Tennessee, and became the
mother of a large of family of children.  She was noted for her piety
and hospitality, and died in 1878, at the age of eighty years.  Her
brother, Gen. Anderson Wilson, was one of the prominent citizens of 
Tennessee.  Foster Burns, the father of the gentleman whose name heads
this sketch, was the eldest of the family, and was born in Maury coun-
ty, Tenn., in 1812, and was reared to manhood and educated in his 
native state.  After attaining a suitable age he engaged in teaching
school, which occupation he followed until 1840, and was the author of
an arithmetic of considerable merit, but never had it published, and 
his death occurred just as it was ready for the press.  He was married
in 1840, and settled on a farm in Polk county, Mo., and in 1844 located
in Dallas county, near Buffalo, where he became one of the leading 
citizens.  He was elected sheriff of the county in 1850, but died the 
same year.  He was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, and
his wife, who was born in Kentucky in 1814, was a member of the same.
She was a daughter of James Tiller, who was a farmer by occupation, and
located in Polk county in 1838.  Mr. and Mrs. Burns became the parents
of six children, two of whom are living: John S. and Joseph.  After the
death of Mr. Burns the mother continued to reside on the farm, and 
succeeded in giving her children a good education.  James, the eldest
son, received a high school education, and in 1861 entered the Confed-
erate army, and was on active duty until November, 1864 when he was 
killed at the battle of Franklin, Tenn.  He entered service at the age
of nineteen, and after the battle of Iuka was promoted to the rank of
captain for gallantry, and was serving on Gen. Cockrell's staff when
killed.  The youngest son, Joseph, served in the Union army, in the 
Fifty-first Missouri Infantry.  John S. Burns was reared to manhood in
Dallas county, and in 1863 enlisted in the Federal army, in the quart-
ermasters department, and served until the close of the war, being in
the Trans-Mississippi Department during the latter part of his service.
He returned to his home in Dallas county, and in September, 1866, was
married to Miss Nancy Maddux, who was born in Giles county, Tenn., in
1845, and is a daughter of Nathaniel Maddux, an old 1812 soldier.  Mr.
and Mrs. Burns are the parents of the following family: Archibald,
Wilburn, Eva, wife of Terrell Burton and Florence.  In 1878 Mr. Burns
was elected sheriff of Dallas county, serving three terms, being re-
elected in 1882 and 1884.  He made many notable arrests during his term
of office, and succeeded in running down and capturing the noted horse
thieves, the Crawford brothers, and since being elected to his present
office has captured a number of counterfeiters.  In March, 1887, he
located in Conway, where he has since resided.  He is a member of the
A. F. & A. M., and is a Royal Arch Mason, Lebanon Commandery, Past 
Master of the Blue Lodge, and is Master Workman in the A. O. U. W.

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