Jefferson County Historical Society

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Thomas Burgess, a retired farmer of Sulphur Springs, was born three and
a half miles west of there, on Grand Glaize Creek, in 1824, and is the
third of nine children born to Judge Sanders and Elizabeth (Stewart)
Burgess.  The father was born in Georgia, in 1792, and when but a small
boy removed with his parents, Thomas and Nancy Burgess, to near Nashville,
Tenn.  Here Thomas Burgess died.  He was a soldier in the early Indian 
Wars, and his ancestors were among some of the most prominent English 
families who came to America in Colonial times.  The father of Thomas, 
Jr. came to Missouri about 1811, and spent about two years mining lead 
in Washington County.  He then returned to Tennessee with his ore, which
he disposed of to Gen. Jackson and his troops, whom he met near Nashville,
Tenn., on their way to fight the British at New Orleans. In 1813, Sanders 
Burgess, in company with his mother, three brothers and two sisters, again
came to Missouri, and settled in Jefferson County, where the mother died 
in 1845, and was interred in the old family burying place, which was 
formerly a part of the old homestead on Grand Glaize Creek.  Sanders then 
returned to the lead mines in Washington County, where he spent several years.
He then came to Jefferson, and for several years was assisting Col. Bryant in
his distillery, on Sandy Creek. While there, and in 1818, he was married, and
soon after settled about three and a half miles above the mouth of the creek, 
where Sulphur Springs now stands, and was largely engaged in the wood trade.
He owned an old Spanish grant of land of about 1,500 acres and 2,000 acres in
the vicinity of Sulphur Springs.  Mr. Burgess was well known throughout 
Jefferson County as a man of integrity and honor, and was for some years one of
the county judges of Jefferson County. He reared a large family of children, 
who inherited many of his noblest characteristics, for which he was so much 
esteemed. He died June 3, 1855. The mother of our subject was born in Jefferson
County about 1799, and died in 1848. Both were for many years faithful and 
consistent members of the Baptist Church.  Mrs. Burgess was a daughter of Capt. 
John Stewart, who was of Scotch-Irish descent, and who served through the 
Revolutionary War under Gen. Washington, and was one of the very early pioneers
and well known citizens of Jefferson County. Mr. and Mrs. Burgess furnished one
son for the Union army.  He was in Col. Thomas C. Fletcher's regiment, but soon
after the fall of Vicksburg, in which he participated, was taken sick, returned 
home, and January 22, 1864 was buried with the honors of war. Thomas was reared 
at home, with very limited educational advantages, and his first move after 
leaving the parental roof was to engage in the wood trade on Island No. 8.  In 
1854 he married Miss Caroline E. Kennerly, a native of Tennessee, and the
daughter of Thomas J. Kennerly, who was formerly of Tennessee, but at that time
was living in St. Louis. Seven children were born to Mr. Burgess' union, three of
whom are living: Mary E., widow of Peter Kirk; Lillie, wife of Dr. W. W. Hull; 
and Strother, which is a family name in honor of Gen. Strother, who figured 
prominently in the early days of Tennessee, and who was a relative of Mrs. 
Burgess' people.  The same year of his marriage Mr. Burgess built the house at
Sulphur Springs, and in this he has ever since lived.  He has made farming his 
chief occupation through life, and is an honest, industrious citizen.  Although
not a member of any church he is a liberal supporter of this and all other worthy
enterprises.  He is politically a Union Democrat, and voted to sustain the Union
during the war.  The family is well known and esteemed throughout the county.  
Mrs. Burgess was a member of the Baptist Church, and died February 28, 1888, after
a long illness.