Capt. Burns had served as pilot for the Tennessee and Calhoun Packet companies when he first started to work on the river and later had been with Eagle Packet Co. He had piloted the "Golden Eagle" on excursion trips to southern waters and had guided boats that contained cargoes of cotton from the South, and that had picked up grain of farmers at river towns along the route.
Capt. Burns' love for the river had continued after he had retired two years ago and he never missed an opportunity of making a visit to the river whenever he could. He had been a licensed pilot since 1906, and was a former member of the Pilots' Association of St. Louis.
He was born Sept. 21, 1875. Since 1905 he had resided in Alton area and for the past two years had been at his Alton-Jerseyville road home.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Ella Wilkinson Burns, to whom he was married Dec. 4, 1901, and two sons, William of Grafton, and Donald of Jerseyville Route 1; a daughter, Miss Edna Burns, who resided at home. He also leaves two brothers, Howard, Batchtown and Bert, Belleview, Calhoun County, and three sisters, Mrs. Della Clark, St. Louis; Mrs. Ross Ruyle and Mrs. Bertha Phillips, Hamburg, and four grandchildren.
Funeral rites will be conducted Thursday at 2 p.m., in Gent funeral home. Burial will be in Valhalla Memorial Park. Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Alton Evening Telegraph - Front Page - January 6, 1948
Capt. Burns had served as pilot for the Tennessee and Calhoun Packet companies when he first started to work on the river and later had been with Eagle Packet Co. He had piloted the "Golden Eagle" on excursion trips to southern waters and had guided boats that contained cargoes of cotton from the South, and that had picked up grain of farmers at river towns along the route.
Capt. Burns' love for the river had continued after he had retired two years ago and he never missed an opportunity of making a visit to the river whenever he could. He had been a licensed pilot since 1906, and was a former member of the Pilots' Association of St. Louis.
He was born Sept. 21, 1875. Since 1905 he had resided in Alton area and for the past two years had been at his Alton-Jerseyville road home.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Ella Wilkinson Burns, to whom he was married Dec. 4, 1901, and two sons, William of Grafton, and Donald of Jerseyville Route 1; a daughter, Miss Edna Burns, who resided at home. He also leaves two brothers, Howard, Batchtown and Bert, Belleview, Calhoun County, and three sisters, Mrs. Della Clark, St. Louis; Mrs. Ross Ruyle and Mrs. Bertha Phillips, Hamburg, and four grandchildren.
Funeral rites will be conducted Thursday at 2 p.m., in Gent funeral home. Burial will be in Valhalla Memorial Park. Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Alton Evening Telegraph - Front Page - January 6, 1948
Family Members
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Boby Allen Burns
1877–1878
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Della Elizabeth Burns Clark
1879–1959
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Charles Howard Burns
1881–1962
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Teddie Albro Burns
1882–1915
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Stephen H. Burns
1884–1884
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Bert M. Burns
1886–1954
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Bertha Abigail Burns Phillips
1886–1972
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Carrie Leona Burns Ruyle
1889–1974
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Nellie L. Burns
1892–1897
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Freda Loree Burns Surgeon
1896–1941
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