William W Burns (1821 - 1905)

Born 10 May 1821 in Mercersburg, Franklin, Pennsylvania, United States

Husband of Harriet W Moffatt — married 2 Dec 1852 in Ogle, Illinois, United States

Died 18 Apr 1905 at age 83 in Polo, Ogle, Illinois, United States

Biography

This profile is part of the Burns Name Study.

William W Burns was born on May 10, 1821 in Mercersburg, Franklin, Pennsylvania, United States.

William (31) married Harriet M. Moffatt (19) (born about 1832) on December 2, 1852 in Buffalo Grove, Ogle, Illinois, USA.^[1]

In 1838 he went to Chambersburg, Pa., and was engaged in teaching school, and pursued the study of medicine up to the year 1841, when he removed to Cincinnati, O. In 1842 he entered the University at Louisville, Ky., from which institution he graduated in 1843.

Their children were:

• Newton Burns (1853–1854)
• Willie Burns (1856–1857)
• Mary Emily Burns (1858–1917)
• Elbert L Burns (1859–1939)

In 1848 he came to Buffalo Grove, Ogle Co., and engaged in the practice of medicine; upon the opening of the Illinois Central R. R. he transferred his residence to Polo, and has been and is at the present time actively engaged in the practice of his profession.

In the 1870 census William (age 49) was the head of household in Polo, Ogle, Illinois, United States.^[2]

William served as the 3rd(1872-1874), 5th(1875-1876) & 10th(1880-1881) mayor of the town of Polo, IL.

In the 1880 census George (age 55), R. R. Claims Agt, was the married head of household in Rochelle, Flagg Township, Ogle, Illinois, United States.^[3]

He had always been actively engaged and prominently identified with the educational interests of Polo, having served for about fifteen years as President of the Board of Education.

In the 1900 census William (age 79), Doctor, was the widowed head of household in Buffalo, Ogle, Illinois.^[4]

He passed away in 1905.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ Marriage: "Illinois, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1800-1940"
   Various Illinois County Courthouses; Various Illinois County Courthouses; Marriage Records; Collection Title: Marriage Records
   Ancestry Record 61370 #1404189 ($, accessed 4 November 2023)
   William W Burns marriage to Harriett Moffatt on 2 Dec 1852 in Ogle, Illinois, USA.
2. ↑ 1870 Census: "United States Census, 1870"
   citing Page: 9; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: M593; Line: 21; Digital film/folder number: 004263703; FHL microfilm: 000545764; Image number: 77; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01424-7
   FamilySearch Record: M6HL-FV2 (accessed 4 November 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HT-6953-9GD
   William W Burns (49) head of household in Polo, Ogle, Illinois, United States. Born in Pennsylvania.

   Name	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
   William W Burns	M	49 years		Pennsylvania
   Harriet Burns	F	44 years		New York
   Minnie Burns	F	12 years		Illinois
   Elbert Burns	M	10 years		Illinois
   George Heart	M	20 years		Pennsylvania

3. ↑ 1880 Census: "United States Census, 1880"
   citing Volume: 2; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T9; Affiliate Line Number: 00013; Digital film/folder number: 005157458; FHL microfilm: 1254239; Image number: 433; Sheet number: 93; Sheet letter: C
   FamilySearch Record: MXK9-9JQ (accessed 4 November 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9YB6-SNDQ
   George Hunt (55), married, R. R. Claims Agt, head of household in Rochelle, Flagg Township, Ogle, Illinois, United States. Born in Connecticut, United States.

   Name	Sex	Age	Status	Relation	Occupation	Birth Place
   George Hunt	M	55 years	Married	Head	R. R. Claims Agt	Connecticut, United States
   Mary T. Hunt	F	51 years	Married	Wife	Keeps House	New York, United States
   Annie Hunt	F	30 years	Single	Daughter	At Home	Connecticut, United States
   Annie Thompson	F	17 years	Single	Other	Servant	Norway

4. ↑ 1900 Census: "1900 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1900; Census Place: Buffalo, Ogle, Illinois; Roll: 332; Page: 10; Enumeration District: 0074
   Ancestry Sharing Link (free access)
   Ancestry Record 7602 #12503908 ($, accessed 4 November 2023)
   William W Burns (79), widowed, Doctor, head of household in Buffalo, Ogle, Illinois. Born in Pennsylvania, USA.

   Name	Sex	Age	Status	Relation	Occupation	Birth Place
   William W Burns	M	79	Widowed	Head	Doctor	Pennsylvania, USA
   Minnie Burns	F	48	Divorced	Daughter		Illinois, USA
   Elbert Burns	M	40	Single	Son	Bookkeeper	Illinois, USA
   Victor C Rowland	M	21	Single	Boarder	Driver	Maryland, USA
   May Krieble	F	17	Single	Servant	Servant	South Dakota, USA

5. ↑ Dr. William Burns Obituary, Page 1 of Tri-County Press, published in Polo, Illinois on Thursday, April 20th, 1905, page 1, column 2, https://polopublic.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?k=burns&i=f&by=1905&bdd=1900&d=04011905-04301905&m=between&ord=k1&fn=tri-county_press_usa_illinois_polo_19050420_english_1&df=1&dt=7

• The History of Ogle County, Illinois, Containing A History of the County---Its Cities, Towns, Etc., A Biographical Directory of Its Citizens, War Records of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion, General and Local Statistics, PORTRAITS OF EARLY SETTLERS AND PROMINENT MEN, History of the Northwest, History of Illinois, Map of Ogle County, Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters, Etc., ILLUSTRATED, Chicago, H. F. Kett & Co., Times Building, 1878, p. 680.