Mystery Monday

Mark Burnett the Heir of Pleasant Burnett

I have been working on my Colonial Dames XVII Century application. Generations one through six has gone smoothly and each consecutive generation connects with the next. But, when I reached the seventh generation, and tried to prove the connection from son to father therein lies a problem. The records just aren’t there to prove it.

However, I have records that show a Mark Burnett son of Ann Tear widow of Pleasant Burnett. Pleasant Burnett died intestate. And he apparently died suddenly about 1794. There is a record of payment made to Anna’s heirs by Executor Pleasant Burnett, Ann and Pleasant’s son. On “27 Nov 1833 Letha Etheridge paid $191.00 in full for share of Mark Burnett.” There isn’t a record that I have found that specifically connects Mark Burnett to his father Pleasant Burnet, but there is the record that proves of payment naming Mark Burnett heirs to Anna Tear by the executor of her will.  

Mark Burnett was born circa 1790 in Edgefield, South Carolina to Anna Gentry and Pleasant Burnett. At some point in time Mark migrated to the Mississippi Territory. In 1810 Mark Burnett is named in the Mississippi Territory 1810 record where the “Name on petition to congress, referred 2 Dec 1812, by citizens of the territory who are principally employed in the pursuits of agriculture. They seek an extension of their last payment or they must foreclose.” The first record Mark Burnett is on is Early Mississippi Marriages to 1825. The War of 1812 Service record, was the next record where Mark Burnett was found, in 1816 Mark

There is Mark Burnett who served during the War of 1812 in Colonel Claiborne’s Company, Mississippi Militia. According to his record he enlisted September 19, 1812 and was discharged March 21, 1813. Mark Burnett married Anna Raborn 21 May 1810 in Amite County. Mark is on the Mississippi, State and Territorial Census 1816 in Amite County. Marcus Burnett is on the Amite, Mississippi 1820 Census.

Mark Burnett was issued forty acres of land in Lincoln County, Mississippi 10 Nov 1840. He is listed on the 1840 Pike County, Mississippi Census. In 1841 living in Pike County, Mark Burnet is on the State Census. Now, in 1850 Mark Burnett is sixty years old and living in Police District 3, Pike County, Mississippi with three females, Elsaby Burnett, age 27, Matilda Burnett age 35, and Celia Burnett age thirty-two. His place of birth is stated as South Carolina.

Living in Pike County, Mississippi in 1860 is Mark Burnett age seventy-two with Elza B. age fifty, Matilda Burnett age forty-six, Celia Burnett age forty-four, Telitha Burnett age thirty-six and Luvia Hamilton age twelve. Living nearby is Latitia Burnett daughter-in-law and her children. By 1870 Township 5, Lincoln County, Mark Burnett is living with E. Burnett age fifty, Matilda age forty-nine, Celia age forty-eight and Latisha age forty-seven. There is a John A. Raborn living nearby, and is probably related to Anna widow of Mark. Mark is not on the 1880 census; however, Elsaby, Matilda, Celia, and Telithia Burnett are listed on the Beat 3, Lincoln county, Mississippi census. The birthplace the father of each females was South Carolina. They were all sisters. The last record that Mark Burnett is found on is the 1870 census.

Mark Burnett’s place of birth on the censuses from 1850 through 1870 is consistently stated as South Carolina. Then, the daughters stated their father was born in South Carolina. 

From my research and the records that I have analyzed I believe Mark Burnett to be the son of Pleasant Burnett, Sr. born circa 1750. ■

Map from Google Images