Joseph Hugh Burt was born on 19 November 1865, a few months after the Civil War ended. Many trees on Ancestry indicate that he was born in Barry County, Michigan and the 1870 census shows a Joel Burt born to H. J. and June Burt in Barry County. Most of the Burt’s in Barry County were born in New York. In the 1880 census, Hugh Burt was living with the Aaron Boone family as a servant in Bucklin, Linn County, Missouri, far from Michigan. The age and place of Joel’s birth are consistent with what we know about our great-grandfather’s birth. Some of the Boone children were born in Michigan and Aaron was born in New York. These facts most likely show a relationship between the Burt and Boone family and more in-depth research needs to be done.
On 3 December 1891, Joseph married Virginia Williams. He was twenty-six and she was twenty-two. Their first child Elmer Hugh was born nine months later on 5 September 1892. Five additional children, Nathaniel Edward, Estella May (my grandmother), Everett Elzie, Curtis Arthur, and Mayme were born during the next seven years. Between 1901 and 1915, Otis, Irene, Amy Rose, Ernest, Clara, and Ransom were born. Mayme and Otis died in infancy.
Ad Appearing in the 1915 Osage County Business Directory for Joseph’s Well Digging Company
During the late 1890s Joseph was a watchmaker and in 1905 he was appointed postmaster for a short period of time for Feursville in Osage County. Perhaps because of his large family that he had to support he changed occupations and started digging wells, most likely a more lucrative job. He would continue in this profession until he retired.
A cousin, who lived with our grandmother for a while, told me that Joseph worked at the construction of the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. This is an interesting fact that needs to be pursued.
Jennie died on 4 September 1915 of gastrectasia, a generally rare but fatal disease. Joseph was left to raise all twelve children by himself. No doubt, the burden of the everyday care of the children fell on Stella, his oldest daughter.
Joseph was postmaster of the Post Office in Feuersville, Missouri for a short period of time between 4 November 1905 to 22 January 1906. The Feuresville post office was in service from 21 August 1887 to 29 April 1916 when it was merged with the Byron post office. Even back then institutions didn’t last.
Joseph’s Name Can Be Found on Line Nine
In the 1920s and 1930s, and living in Jefferson Township, Osage, County, Joseph continued to dig wells with the help of several of his boys. In 1940 he was retired from his business and living with his two sons, Elmer and Edward, who continued in the business. They were living in Herman, Gasconade County.
Joseph, who was living with our grandmother, passed away on 23 March 1945 at the age of seventy-nine. He died of bronchopneumonia after six days in St. Louis County Hospital in Clayton. His funeral was held at Bopp Funeral Home at Hanley and Forsyth in Clayton. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Kirkwood. Sadly, both Joseph and Jennie are buried in unmarked graves.
Joseph’s Death Certificate
Joseph Hugh Burt (1865-1945) m. Virginia Williams (1869-1915)
Elmer Hugh Burt (1892-1965)
Nathaniel Edward Burt (1892-1974)
Estella May Burt (1894-1987)
Everett Elzie Burt (1897-1972)
Curtis Arthur Burt (1898-1977)
Mayme Burt (1899-1901
Otis Burt (1901-1903)
Irene Burt (1902-1999)
Amy Rose Burt (1904-1997)
Ernest Burt (Abt. 1908-Aft. 1977)
Ransom Burt (1915-1955)
Gathering Leaves for My Family Tree 