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HON. JOHN W. BURTON, Clerk of the Appellate Court of Mt. Vernon, and one of the prominent and representative citizens of Jefferson County, was born on a farm in Johnson County. ILL., on the 3d of August, 1854. His grandfather, Fielden Burton, was a native of North Carolina, whence in early life he removed to Virginia, and later became a resident of Tennessee. In 1834 he came to Illinois, and was numbered among the early settlers. He became a prosperous farmer, and died in Johnson County in 1859. His father was of English birth, and came to America as a soldier during the Revolution. A noted Baptist preacher, he was widely known in church circles. Charles Burton, father of our subject, was born in Virginia in 1824, and accompanied his parents on their various removals until locating in Illinois. He was a man of liberal education, and in early life taught school. He served in the Mexican War, and in 1869 settled in Carbondalc, ILL., where he was extensively engaged in the produce business. He accumulated a handsome fortune, but later in life he lost much of it through investments in cotton and tobacco. At the time of his death, which occurred at Mt. Vernon in the winter of 1893-94, he was serving as a member of the Board of Grain Inspectors in Chicago. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Caroline Russell, was of Irish, English, French and German lineage. She is now living in Mt. Vernon. The subject of this sketch was the third in the family of seven children, three sons and four daughters. One daughter died in infancy, and one son at the age of nineteen years. Charles H. is now an attorney of Edwards, ILL., engaged in practice as a partner of ex-Senator Iladley; Arista occupies the chair of history in the Southern Illinois Normal School of Carbondale; Julia also attended that school; and Martha is the wife of S. W. Frizzell, a stockman of Athens, Tex. John W. Burton acquired his early education in the Southern Illinois College at Carbondale, and completed his literary studies in the Indiana State University of Bloomington, Ind., graduating in the Class of '76. Wishing to enter the legal profession, he read law with Judge William J. Allen and Judge Andrew D. Duff, and in June, 1879, was admitted to the Bar of Illinois. Scon afterward he began practice in Marion, ILL., becoming a member of the firm of Clemens & Burton. This connection was continued until 1884, or until the election of our subject as Clerk of the Appellate Court. In 1890, he was re-elected, and since his first election to the office he has lived in Mt. Vernon. He is a very able attorney, and is recognized as one of the best court officials in the state. While he is a stanch Democrat in political sentiment, some of his strongest supporters and truest friends are found in the Republican party. On the 21st of December, 1881, in Marion, Mr. Burton was married to Miss Augusta, daughter of Dr. Robert M. Hundley, a prominent physician of that place and a distinguished soldier in the late war, who served as Colonel of an Illinois regiment. Her mother was a daughter of Judge Willis Allen, who was a leading Democratic politician of southern Illinois. He was a Member of Congress, and was Circuit Judge of his district. To Mr. Burton and his wife have been born two children: Helen A., aged ten years; and John Allen, aged five. Mr. Burton is a Royal Arch Mason and a member of the Knights of Pythias, and is a leader in both organizations.
Source: "Portrait and Biographical Record Clinton, Washington, Marion and Jefferson Counties, Illinois" |
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