Written by Clay Riley

Early History

Born Jan. 1, 1834, in Logan County, Ohio to Christopher Burns (1801–1845) and Rachel Pierce (1807–1876).

Simon Pierce Burns received a good common school education in Collin County, Texas. where he grew to manhood, married Miss Sarah Ann Gibson and resided from fourteen years of age until shortly before the Civil War, when he returned to Missouri at the beginning of hostilities and joined what were known as the Missouri Home Guards. 

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Military History         

In 1861, he entered the Confederate Army as a private soldier. He was elected Lieutenant of Company A., Eleventh Missouri Infantry, upon the reorganization of his command after the battle of Oak Hill, and upon another election, was promoted to the Captaincy of the company; was elected Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment a few days after the battle of Lexington, Mo.; was made Colonel of the regiment in 1862 and was in command of the brigade at Jenkins ‘Perry and from that time on until the close of the war. A few days after the battle of Mansfield, La. Gen. Sterling Price and all the commissioned officers signed and forwarded a petition asking that he be appointed Brigadier General and placed permanently in command of Parson’s Brigade. Col. Burns received notice some time in 1863 that he had been appointed, but never received his commission from the war department. 

During the Civil War, Col. Burns commanded the Missouri 11th Infantry Regiment, organized during the winter of 1863-1864. The unit served in Parson’s and S.P. Burns’ Brigade, Trans-Mississippi Department, and fought in Arkansas and Louisiana. At one point, a battle worn soldier was heard to complain, “we had little to eat, and mud to drink.” Causalities to his regiment were; 5 killed and 44 wounded at Pleasant Hill and 2 killed and 15 wounded at Jenkins’ Ferry. Early in 1865 it disbanded. The field officers were Colonel Simon P. Burns, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas H. Murray, and Major James Phillips.

After the War

During the latter part of the war his wife returned to Collin County, Texas from Missouri, and he joined her there when the soldiers of the Lost Cause stacked their arms for the last time and, battle-scarred and worn, turned their footsteps toward their desolated homes.

He was elected sheriff of Collin county in 1866 but was soon thereafter removed from office as an impediment to reconstruction, along with Gov. Throckmorton and other state and county officers elected by the people.

On to Brown County

He moved to Brown county in 1873, surveyed land for two or three years, read law, secured admission to the bar, and actively engaged in practice until a short time prior to his election to the House of the Twenty-fourth Legislature in 1894 He was said to have been very impressive in his speeches to juries.

The 1880 Census for Brown County recorded the following;

Name                   Age

Simon Burns   45

Sarah Burns*   41

George Burns   17

Jonny Burns   16

William Burns   15

Pierce Burns   13

Benjamin Burns   7

Walter Burns     4

Jennie Burns     1

*It was noted in this 1880 census, that Sarah was blind. At some point prior to this date, Sarah lost her eye sight. As evidenced by her full and successful life, this did not hinder her in providing a home and raising a large family.

Simon Burns subsequently moved back to his farm but continued to practice law up to the time of his death. There was never a term of the district court during his life, when Col. Burns was not employed in some important case. Col. Burns was one of the State prosecutors, who successfully convicted John Wesley Hardin for killing Brown County Sheriff Deputy Charles M. Webb. It is said, he was very impressive in his speeches to juries. 

Col. Burns was the State Representative from the One hundred-and-eighth district, composed of Brown and Coleman counties. In the 24th Legislature from Jan. 1895 to Jan. 1897, and the 25th Legislature from Jan. 1897 to Apr. 1898.

His notice of death was published in the Houston Daily Post, Saturday April 16, 1898.

The Houston Daily Post – Hon. S. P. Burns Dead

“Governor Culbertson today received news of the death of Honorable S. P. Burns, who is well known throughout the western part of the State. His demise was sudden, being caused by heart failure and occurred at Alexander, Texas, on April 8th. Colonel Burns served two turns as a member of the Texas house of representatives from the Brownwood district and was a capable and faithful in the discharge of his duties. He was a Confederate veteran, serving throughout the war as commander of a Missouri regiment.”

Col. Burns is buried in Heflin Cemetery, Owens, Brown County, Texas, along side his wife of 40 years, Sarah Ann “Mammie” Gibson Burns (23 Dec 1837 – 11 Nov 1903). They were married in Collin County, Texas, 

As written by Brown County Judge by Judge C.H. Jenkin in 1924 ~

 “He was a leader of men. When the Civil War began he joined the Confederate Army, and by his native ability and indomitable courage won his way to command of a regiment. At the Battle of Elkhorn his regiment was seized with one of those unaccountable panics of which brave men are sometimes subject, and they beat a hasty retreat before the enemy’s fire. Col. Burns came riding while bullets whistled around him. One of his soldiers, looking back and seeing this cried out; “Look at our Colonel boys, let’s not leave him.” And they rallied to him. He gave the order to charge and they rushed forward to victory. This incident is recorded in history. Col. Burns was, in fact entitled to the rank of brigadier general. When Richmond was surrendered his commission as brigadier general had been made out and signed but had not been forwarded to him. He was a candidate for the Senate from this Senatorial District and doubtless would have been elected but for his death. He died suddenly while sitting in a chair at a hotel in Alexander, Erath County. “

Many Descendants

Many descendants of this early Brown County live here today, with names like;

Burns, Denman, Ellis, Jack, Lee, Miller, Small, Teague, Tongate, Williams, Winn, Young and many others.

Sources:

Brownwood Bulletin October 14, 1922. Judge C.H. Jenkins wrote a few articles for the Brownwood Bulletin about the history of Brown County.

1850, 1860, 1880 Federal Census

Texas State Government – Biographical Sketches – E. H. Loughery – 1897

Photos: Brownwood Public Library – Local History & Genealogy Branch – Research files.

This and many other stories are available at the Brownwood Public Library – Genealogy & Local History Branch at 213 S. Broadway. Volunteers from the Pecan Valley Genealogical Society are there to assist you in your family or local history research.

Clay Riley is a local historian and retired Aerospace Engineer that has been involved in the Historical and Genealogical Community of Brown County for over 20 years.

Should you have a comment, or a question that he may be able to answer in future columns, he can be reached at; [email protected].

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