William M. Burns and Susan Holliday

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Husband William M. Burns ^{1 2}

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           Born: 23 Apr 1815 - Plaingrove Twp, Lawrence Co, PA 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

       Marriage: 1838 1

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   Other Spouse: Mary Ann Troy (1822-Aft 1888) 1 2 - 1844 1

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Wife Susan Holliday ¹

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           Born:  - Mercer Co, PA
     Christened: 
           Died: Abt 1841
         Buried: 

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Children

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1 M [Unk] Burns

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 12 Jul 1864 1
         Buried: 

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General Notes: Husband - William M. Burns

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When eighteen years of age, he left home with one dollar in his pocket, and was apprenticed to John Stevenson, of Springfield township, Mercer County, PA, and learned the tanning business; and, after two-and-a-half years, he was a first-class tanner. At the close of his apprenticeship, he worked for William Stevenson a short time, at eight dollars per month. He then removed to Centreville, Butler County, PA, and worked through the winter of 1835, receiving ten dollars a month for his services. In the spring of 1836, he went to Messopotamia, Trumbull County, OH, where he procured a situation, at thirteen dollars per month, but, by his industrious habits, and close attention to business, he was promoted to foreman of the establishment in which he was engaged, and had his wages raised to twenty-two dollars. Here he remained for about two years, and, during the winter of 1837, he taught school. In 1838, he re­moved to French Creek township, Mercer County, at first, purchasing twenty-five acres, with the savings from wages received dur­ing the years he worked at his trade. After the death of his first wife, he remained a widower for nearly three years, in the interval working hard and adding, by fresh purchases, to his farm. In 1864, he sustained very severe personal injury by the running away of his horse. This accident resulted in the fracture of his shoulder, the breaking of his collar-bone, and other hurts, which made him a cripple, to some extent, thereafter. Notwithstanding this drawback, his progressive disposition triumphed, and by his own exertions, he added to his first farm purchase, at various times, until he had a highly-cultivated and fertile farm of 135 acres. He was a Republican, having first been a Whig, and was a firm supporter of the anti-slavery cause. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was for twenty-two years a steward. In 1860, the people of the county elected him to the office of county auditor, which office he filled for three years.

He had two sons with his first wife. His second union was blessed with ten children: four daughters and six sons.

1 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 135.

2 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 1161.