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lied with Baylor unive™«.During the war between VUte* there were Burieaomtheonboth nfdes. n.n incident of which is related how tho descendants of Sir Edward Burleson, who chos© to niako his homo in Connecticut, and those of his brother Aaron, who sottied In North Carolina, fought against each other. Alter the Battle of Petersburg, Va., April 2, 1883, a Federal cavalry regiment captured a squad of hungry Confederates. A Confederate soldier called to a comrade irnd begged a crust of bread, saying he had not tasted food for 24 hours. The comrade replied ho had no bread and was in precisely the same fix. A gallant Federal offi-oer pulled off his well-filled hav-, ersack and said, Hero, boys, divide this between you for human I-t;, sake, The Confederate an id: ‘•please tell me your name that I may never forget your timely generosity. The Fedora! Colonel replied: “My name is John Burleson, of Vermont.”“John Burleson of Vermont.'’ ejaculated tho surprised Confederate, '“Why, my name is John Burleson. Have you Burlesons in Vermont?1'“Oh, yes. scores and hundreds of them. Havo you Burlesons in tho South?”“Thou.Hatids and thousands,” the hungry Confederate replied.Thin incident led to a. very extensive correspondence between, the Northern and Southern branches of the family after tho close of the war, which brought out tho relationship between Sir Edward and Aaron Burleson. Descendants of these two branches of the family are now to ho found in p.li parts of the United States, in New Tork, Vermont, Connecticut, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, California, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Mississippi, Minnesota.- Lou Is in na, Arkansas, Texas and other States, Albert Sidney Burleson, who was Postmaster-General during tho Woodrow Wilson administration, belonged to the Southern branch, and so does Dr. John H. Burleson of San Antonio.Tribute to Aaron BurlesonAs a tribute to tho memory of Aaron Burleson II. Yancey Davis Tay: quotes Dr. Rufus C, Burleson, who was his teacher at Baylor University at Independence! Texas. “Aaron Burleson was one of the mo3t brilliant sons of Texas. When he asked my consent to leave school and join his two brothers, Cummings and John, in the Confederate Army, I told him if he went h would be without my approval (because of his youth). Dike many young boys fit the a’ge of 17 y*nr», he left school and joined the Confederates, fought fearlessly for what ho thought was right.”“l’vo been told,” said Taylor, he could dive further than any oC Iiia associate*, and when captured by tho Union forces ho was crossing the Mississippi River by ferry} boat. Watching hla chance, he dived off .he ferry and landed quit® a distance down the river, coming u • under some bullrusftes. Tho soldiers shot a volley of bullets all around tho boat, and supposing they ft ad killed him, marched off with many other boys. After tho Union, soldier* were out of sight the slaves near the ferryboat landing took Aaron. in and helped him make hia escape to get. back to Texas. But he returned- to the Confederate Army and fought in the Battle of.Shiloh. After returning home he joined Terry's Te.:a» Rangers. After his marriage to Laura Hardeman ' ha became sheriff of Bastrop./County and made many anemic* (lawbreakers) aa all sheriffs do. Hekilled two men (lawbreakers*) in self-defense. After this sad occurrence his enemies hired ;l criminal to waylay him anil shoot him from ambush. Dr. John Burleson Taylor, my father, was with him until tho end and quoted him aa saying: 'I'm not afraid to die. I’vefought a good fight, lived and died . for Texas,’ Hi*'typo was Irish. •He had the most pleasant apark-: ling blue eyes and fascinating manners. Ho was a musician by nature,, almost unsurpassed. His violin went with him into tho Avar, and when not ott duty ho entertained his comrades with the sweetest strains of mu,•sic..Tho laio Sam Maverick of San Antonio remembered him on the battlefield as he rod© a pitching horse. Others who knew him well were John Hallmark, Thomas Dawson, Mr. Hopklna and Billie Robinson of Sabinal, Some of tho old Trail Drivers remembered him ,13 a cattleman in an early day. during which ho made and lost a fortune. On one occasion ho killed an Indian chief at tho Big Gap to save his herd of cattle as the Indians wct'o about to make a raid,” Burlesons lit TexasAaron. Burleson II camo to Texas in 1830 to join his father, Joseph Burleson, groat-grand father ofMrs. Elisabeth Burleson Taylor, who moved to Texas in 182 S, He sottied in Bastrop County, about 12 miles below Bastrop. His nephew, Gen. Ed Burleson, was one of tho party and settled just above Joseph Burleson on Alum Creek. The Burleson log house, covered with bards, still stands unless, recently destroyed, said Mrs. Elizabeth Bu.rieso.-i Taylor.Joseph Burleson was - n_ first j eoxisin of' General Russell, who fought in tho War of 1R12. He bought General Russell's gun, which was used in all the Mexican battles Jn. which ho and- his nephew, Gen. Ed Burleson, fought. This gun finally, passed into tho hands of Joseph' -Burleson III, who presented it to tno Daughters of tho Republic of Texas. Joseph Burleson tho elder owned a fine stallion that foalid Gen. Ed Burleson’s horse, «polcen of in history, and is recorded In tho Burleson family Bible, owned by Mrs. Elizabeth Burleson Taylor.This Bible contains ■ the birth records of the Burleson family dating back to February 1, 177 0, when Joseph Burleson was born', although this was long since Sir Edward and Aaron Burleson arrived from England, the former coming 60 years before the Revolutionary War and the latter 52 year* before that memorable event, in which both had an active part. Tho record, shows that Joseph Burleson was married Nancy Gage February 2‘J, 1790, and born to them were James, Feb. 6, 173 3: John, Oct. in, 1705: Polly, Jon. 2, 170S; Jonathan, June 2S, 1801; Rachael. April 14, 1303; Aaron, Sept. 24, 1805; .Joseph, March 4.3 808, and Sally, Aug. 25, 1S10. Joseph Burleson Sr, after:tho decease of his wife married Eliza-Tte.C.3try 1st I the ■ the age 1oftheWegutrocchamshoisoisDaiTex Mis bor tha of ■5E,FbefcCnclt;thisl-ectT.trial'rcaiJstatlOf-1tigathotor'sofRowbar.!Ti for ■MePeak Wroi noo: L. 1 the tioo 'ingCom: Tu 3wtlt; Scho Uni ter*.’ Pftiii leans ulaia Jons livers,” Job the ' «aiie Our Ityi Wc “Imr Fedc: Probl to M Soften tcrnlboth Ailor, Feb- 15, 1315, and the sCho,issues of that union were Abigail, born Dec. 2, 1817; Nancy Glover, Jan. 28, .1821; Susannah,-Nov, 11, 1824; Marion Washington, Pec, 15, 1827, and- Peggy* Malinda Smith Burleson, Oct. 15, 1830. It 4s from this branch that the Southern Burlesons descended with Aaron Burleson as the progenitor.When Aaron Burleson aa sheriff of Bastrop County was killed from ambush by lawbreakers at the ago of 32- he loft his widow with four small .children—Aaron,- Daisy(Mrs. Williamson of Seguln), Ellz-SfchuThi Citiw emm Bogu Local meat Little de h In 1 Schoc Probl Jam*! C»D4 Amer Fr:lt; rrnt*' quern Schocabeth (Mrs. Y. P. .Taylor o£ icm«.
Newspaper Details
San Antonio Express
San Antonio, Texas, US
Sun, Oct 09, 1938
Page 14
Full Page
Clipped by
Annette R.
USA 21 Aug 2023
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