My Genealogy Hound

Hon. Peter Ross Burns, a resident of Moreau Township, Morgan County, has been a resident of the same since 1842, and is one of the leading farmers. He was born in the “Buckeye State,” July 28, 1818, and was the youngest of ten children born to John and Elizabeth (South) Burns, only three of whose children are now living; William R, residing in Ohio; Anderson, a resident of Indiana, and Peter Boss, our subject. The father died in 1834 at a ripe old age. Our subject was then serving an apprenticeship at cabinet-making, and after completing his term, at the end of four years, worked at joining until he came to Missouri in 1843, and resided in Florence until 1850. He worked some at his trade, but the most of his attention was given to farming. He was married in 1841 to Miss Elizabeth Elliott, who died about eight months after they came to Missouri. They had one child, James, who is now residing in Kansas. In 1845 Mr. Burns married Catherine Evans, and in 1850 came to Versailles, and bought forty acres of improved land. Here his second wife died in 1858, leaving him with a family of seven children to care for: William A., (now deceased), George B. (in Colorado), Daniel, Peter B. (deceased), Benjamin (in Morgan County), Elizabeth (deceased), and Mary (wife of J. W. McCann). Margaret Evans became Mr. Burns’ third wife in 1862, and by her he has a family of five children: Alfred (in Morgan County), Sarah Ann, Robert, Myrta (deceased) and John B. The mother of these children died in 1873. Mr. Burns owns 400 acres of land, nearly all of which is under cultivation or in pasture. He is a Republican in politics, and has held the offices of clerk of the county court, county sheriff and collector, and served one term in the State Legislature, and filled all these offices with ability. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, Versailles Lodge No. 117.