Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-12-29
Efficient County Clerk Gone to
His Last Reward.
In TIE OFFICE As YEARS.
Passed Away Last Saturday Night.
Had Won the PIaudit of Well
Done Thou Good and Faithful
Servant--Other Deaths.

N | ouO Ocdtu VI lGo ldllulul CleIh, w LII.
: Burnett, who died last Saturday mig
at his late residence in West End, aft
an illness of many months. During tt
past summer the Board of Supervisor
by a unanimous vote, granted M
Burnett q three months vacation wit
the hope that it would permit him
regain his health. The vacation ws
: taken and spent at home. where, as tt
deceased expressed it, he would |
more comfortable and could enjoy b.
rest with satisfaction. This was d
rectly after the action of the Board {
supervisors and since that day be ha
remained closely at home. For awhil
be thought he was improving and hi
friends entertained the hope that h
would again some day be at his desk
but finally a change for the wors
took place. He was forced to his be-
some three weeks ago and while it wa
feared that death was approaching
none dreamed it was so near at hand
| Mr.. Burnett was born in the count,
of Nelson on the End day of December
1887 At the age of II he moved tt
Augusta and when quite young mai
entered the clerk s office as deput,
under Jefferson Kinney. He also serv
ed in like capacity under Gen. Johr
d. Imboden. In 1866 be was elected
to the clerkship and had held the Office
ever since. No man in the county was
strong enough to defeat him and many
times be was elected without going
out of his office or even soliciting a
vote. Counting the time he had
served as deputy and the "a years be
had been clerk, his term in this impor-
tant Office lacked but a few years of
being half century. He was faithful
to every trust and no man, rich or
poor, high or low, white or black,
ever approached the deceased without
receiving every courtesy. Frequently
he would inconvenience himself to give
advice or render some service to his
fellow man.
Deceased married in 1862 Miss Cath
crime J. Woodward, the youngest
daughter of Samuel M. Woodward
and sister of Captain J. N. and
Major Peter Fl. Woodward. They
lived happily together until 1897 when
death INTERVIEWED. Nine children SUI
vive. They are: Mrs. John H.. Cros-
by, of Richmond, Mrs. W. B. Miller,
Misses Mary, Florence, Bessie, Pattie :
Katie, and Messrs. Harry and Aubrey
Burnett, of this city. Deceased was a
member of Trinity Episcopal church,
having served for number of years
as a vestryman, and it was from this
that the funeral took place on
Tuesday morning.
Monday was court day, but through
respect to the faithful clerk court only
met to adjourn and the court building
was closed to all callers. Many sincere
expressions of sorrow were heard and
the people generally admit that his
place can never be filled. In the death
Of VIM. A. Burnett this community
loses valuable citizen and the county
ana State faithful official. Of him it
can be truly said that the world was
made better by his having lived in it.
Peace to his ashes.
THE FUNERAL.
The funeral of Mr.. Burnett took
place Tuesday morning from Trinity
Episcopal church and notwithstand-
ng the inclemency of the weather
here was large congregation in at
tendance. Tie services were conduct
I'd by the rector, Rev. W. ,. Hulliten.
by the Rev. R. G. Jet, in a
most solemn and impressive manner.
The pallbearers were:
Active-Treasurer J. N. Mcfarland,
John M. Kinney, Judge Lyman Chalk
ey, Deputy Clerk T, A. Pace, Com
nonwealth's Attorney r. S. Ker, E.
NJ. Gushing, P. T. Swartzel and w.
Fl. Norman.
HoEorary-Lieutenant Governor Ed
ward Echols, DIR. d. M. Atkinson, w.
Arthur Wilson, Sheriff N. G. Watts,
!. E. Pilson, A. G. Braxton, VIM. Pa
rick, Thos. d. Ransom, F. W. Hager
md Geo. w. Peace. The two last
lamed gentlemen represented the lodge
Of Knights OF Honor to which the de-
ceased belonged for numb of years
Ind was one Of its valued officers.
At the conclusion of the services at
'he church the body was again placed
n the hearse and escorted to Thorn
'ose cemetery and there laid to rest,
The funeral was one of the largest
aver held in Staunton and the large
,oncourse of people present fully at
.ested the esteem in which the deceas-
ID was held.
The Staunton bar and the Board of
supervisors held meetings on the day
If the funeral and adopted suitable
in which the life and char
acter of the once faithful clerk was
REFER I'd to and eulogized.
CAPTAIN STACK.
Captain John J. Stack died on Thurs
lay of last week at his home near this
,ity on the Middlebrook road, after an
illness of several months. aged 70 years.
The funeral took place Saturday morn
ng from st Francis Catholic church,
Rev. Father McVerry officiating, and
was attended by large number of
relatives and friends. The pallbearers
we're: VIM. Wholey, B. F. Hughes,
Frank J. Bergin, j. W. Splitter, Den
lis Brown. n. Hounihan, John FalIon
and Daniel Crimmens. The interment
was in Thornrose cemetery.
Captain Stack is survived by six chill |
lren, his wife having preceded him to |
he grave about two years ago. He
was good citizen and his death is