The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-01-19
Memoir
WILLIAM II. BURNETT.

in the Baptist church on wednesday
afternoon of last week. The service
was conducted by his pastor, Rev. L.
S. Colburn, assisted by Revs. Cooper
and Bagby. former pastors. Inter
ment was made in the local cemetery.
The following sketch was prepared by
Judge Cyrus Newly and Col. ID. q.
Morrow, of Hlllsboro, and was read at
the service by The former
William II. Burnett was the son OF
Claiborne and Mary VanWinkle Bur-
nett. The parents were pioneers OF
this community, having settled in
Highland county near New Vienna at
an early day and continued to reside
there until their deaths some years
since.
William II. Burnett, the subject OF
this sketch, was born on the old home
place March %, 1889, and lived there
more than three score and ten years
and until the time Of his death at tho
close of New Years day, 1911, at the
age of nearly seventy-two years.
1t is worthy of note on this occasion
that thirty-two years ago to. day there
was laid to its final rest the body of
Mr.. Burnetts mother, by whose side
his body will soon be placed. Twenty
years afterward the father Joined the
mother in the sleep Of death. And
during the score of years intervening
between the mothers death and that
of the father, the companionship OF
the father and son grew singularly
close. And the love and devotion OF
William II. Burnett to his aged father,
his kindness to him and watchfulness
for his every comfort and happiness
were beautiful in the extreme and so
striking as to become a matter OF COM
ment amongst those who knew them.
And no sketch of the life and charac
ter OF William II. Burnett would be
complete or do his memory full justice
should it fail to contain reference to
these acts Of fiial love.
William II. Burnett was;a man who
loved his fellowmen and who in turn
was loved by his fellowmen. No one
was a truer friend than he, and at the
same time no one was more just and
generous toward all men, whether
they came within the circle OF his
friendship or not.
He was a man of simple tastes and
habits, who went through life without
ostentation or display and was noted
for high standard Of personal charac
ter, for sincerity and honesty of pur-
pose and for rugged knowledge OF
the living subjects of the day that won
for him the high regard, confidence
and respect of those who-knew him
and made him an honored and useful
member of the community where his
life was spent He was quiet in speech
and manner and was man'of more
than ordinarily deep Jthought and
Judgment which fact rendered his
advice on any subject which had en-
gagged his attention worthy Of careful
consideration and Unmarked value.
Mr.. Burnett was reared in the teach
ings and faith OF the Baptist church
of which his father and mother were
members, and in early manhood he
united with the church of his parents
and remained true and consistent
member thereof to the!end,of his life.
While his temperament and conser-
Vative thoughtfulness ledshim away
mil nf ~ "a
hating as he did any sort Of sham, yet
he was a man who, by precept and
example, stood for theshighest and
best in the standards of manhood and
for the moral uplift and betterment
Of the people
William III. Burnett waslof modest
and retiring disposition, though capa-
ble and qualified beyond manyaof his
station and surroundings. But his
friends, recognizing his1unquestioned
character and capabilities, often be-
sought him to become candidate for
the sutfrages Of the people for official
position, but until date mentioned
further on, he turned all such soliclta-
tions aside, prefering to lend his aid
TO the unselfish support of his neigh
bors and friends for the places of honor
and trust which, had he desired them,
might have been his
In the year 1903 Mr.. Burnett, at the
urgent request Of his many friends
throughout the county, accepted the
nomination of his political party for
representative of his native county In
the legislature of the State, and at the
succeeding election was chosen TO the
position by a majority unusually large,
an unerring expression OF confidence
in William II. Burnett by those quail
fed to speak.
Two years later Mr.. Burnett was
elected to a second term in the house
of representatives, and during his two