Biography - Milton D. Burner
MILTON D. BURNER; Farmer; Cedar Township, where he was born January 30, 1844; educated in the common schools. His father, Daniel Green Burner was born in Kentucky, July 7, 1814, and came to Knox County in 1830 with his father, Isaac Burner, who died near Knoxville July 7, 1860. Daniel G. Burner was a firm friend of Abraham Lincoln, being a clerk in his store at New Salem, Illinois. After coming to Knox County he worked for a limited time at the carpenter's trade, and assisted in building the first court house at Knoxville. Later he began farming, and still resides on his farm near Knoxville. June 24, 1838, he was married to Melissa, daughter of John B. and Casander (Dills) Gumm; five children were born to them: John G, a farmer living near Eldorado, Kansas; Casander, who was the wife of Clate Swigert, and died February 6, 1892; Susan, wife of Oliver Custer, a resident of Cedar township; and Jane, wife of Robert Mount of Des Moines, Iowa. Mrs. Burner died June 9, 1853. March 28, 1854, Mr. Burner married Elizabeth Martz, who died February 27, 1877 [probably 1867]. By this union there were three children, Mary, Ellen and Ida, all deceased. In August 1868, Mr. Burner was married to Susanna C., daughter of John and Rebecca (Lightner) Burns. Eleven children were born to them: Edwin G., who married Addie Graham of Cuba, Illinois, June 17, 1897, and is a hardware merchant of Chillicothe, Illinois; Willis J., a graduate of Hedding College, now a preacher at Irvington, Indiana, married Lulu Burr of LaHarpe, Illinois, and has two children; Margaret and Jarvis; James A., City Marshal of Chillicothe; Henry L., an employee of the Abingdon Steam Laundry; Melissa R., a teacher in the public schools at Abingdon; Georgia, who resides at Knoxville with her aged grandfather; Etta M.; Bertha J.; Jessie A.; Mina E.; and Francis A., who lives with her parents. Mr. Burner and family worship at the Christian Church, Abingdon. In politics, he is a democrat. He takes especial interest in public affairs, and has held the office of School Trustee for twenty years.
Contributed by Pat Thomas, extracted from the 1899 Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and Knox County, Munsell Publishing Company, page 917.
