The San Francisco call., 1895-05-18

the patient some medicine. AS he turned
his face toward the young lady she noticed
that change had taken place. She quickly
called the family and DR.. Belinge, who was
conversing with Rev. Thomas Burnett of
San Jose in an adjoining room. A glance
told the physician that the Ex-Governor s
life was rapidly drawing to close. The
family stood around the deathbed and the
silence was only broken by sobs. Within
five minutes from the time Miss Burnett
called the family he was dead.
He died in the Catholic faith, and only
last Monday, realizing that the sands of
his life were nearly run, received the last
rites of the church, which were admins
tered by the clergy of st. Bridget's parish.
, -. Tne arrangements for the funeral will
be announced later. The body will be in
tered in a grave beside that of his wife in
the Catholic cemetery in Santa Clara. She
passed away fifteen years ago, and since
then Mr.. Burnett often expressed desire
to have his remains consigned to the same
clay that holds hers.
Peter Hardman Burnett was born in
Nashville, Tenn, November 15, 1907, and
was the son of a farmer. Peter H., who
was the oldest son, was trained in the life
that his father had followed, but it was not
to his taste. When Is years of age, then a
resident of Clay County, Mo-, he returned
to Tennessee, and going to Bolivar,
Hardman County, accepted position
as clerk in a hotel. He remained
there until the winter of 1927, when
he went to Clear Creek, ten miles
from Bolivar and there kept store for Rev.
William Blount Peck, who was the owner
: of general store He continued in the
. mercantile business, but in the meantime
devoted his spare time to reading law, for
which he had decided taste. On the Goth
: of August, 1925, he married Miss Harriet
4 Rogers, and in 1889 began the practice OF
law in Liberty, Mo-, at the same time edit
ing weekly paper called the Far West.
In the same year he was appointed Dis
trict Attorney of new judicial district in
Missouri, and remained there until 1o43,
when, with his wife, he started overland in
q wagon for Oregon, which he reached
aftera long and hard journey. There he
settled, engaging in the practice of law.
He became one of the leading citizens,
took a prominent part In the al
fairs of the country and in the or
ganlzatlon of the territorial government.
he was a member of the legislative
committee of Oregon, consisting OF nine
members; On the 18th of August; 1S46, he
the Territory. Shortly after he had as
seemed the duties of Judge the news OF the
discovery of gold in California attracted
his attention aud heleft the Territory of
Oregon for California, joining "a wagon
party bound for the gold fields. From the
law Judge Burnett turned to rocker and
pan in; the search for gold, but as mining
was not to his taste he left the mines on
the 18th of December, 184S, and two
days later reached New Helvetia, as Sacra-
mento was then called, and was employed
as attorney for General John A.. Sutter.
The Generals affairs were badly mixed
and it required time and Judgment to
straiShten them out to- the satisfaction of
all parties concerned: Mr.. Burnett left Sac
ramento for San Francisco in IS49. He took
a very active part:in the affairs of the coun-
Try and was prime mover in urging the
rights and necessities OF the people Of the
Territory as sufficient. to warrant the
formation Of a-State government without
waiting for Congressional authority. He
was strong opponent of military rule in
the Territory, but he cheerfnlly Joined in
accepting Military Governor Riley S action
in calling for a constitutional convention.
On November 13, 1849, Judge Burnett was
elected Governor, the vote standing:. P.
H.. Burnett 67s3, w. S. Sherwood 1920.
John A. Sutter 220l, William NJ. Stewart