Stephen Grover Burnett

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Stephen Grover Burnett (September, 1796 - May 21, 1861) was an early settler in Indiana. He was born in Hanover, New Jersey, the 7th (of 12) child of Justus Burnett (b 1760) and Lois Crane (1767-1831).

Stephen was a veteran of the War of 1812, an "artillerist." He enlisted June 23, 1814, in Captain Green's Company of Artillery, transferred to Captain James R. Hanhams Company Corps of Artillery in July 6, 1814; transferred to Captain Richard L. Howell's Company May 1, 1815. In his army discharge paper, dated May 12 1815, he was described as "about 21 years of age, five feet 8 inches high, ruddy complexion, blue eyes, dark hair."

Stephen's wife Hanna Creal was one of eleven children of Anthony Creal, Senior (b 13 Dec 1770 in Ballstown NY, m 10 Oct 1793, d 17 Mar 1817 in Ellery NY, killed by a falling tree) and Hannah Seymour (b 8 Apr 1770, Ballstown NY, d 9 Nov 1850, Centerville PA).

After Stephen and Hanna married, they moved to London, Ontario. On May 2, 1821, with their then three years old son Linus Anthony Burnett (who later became the postmaster of Terre Haute, Indiana), and others including Hanna's brother Anthony Creal, Junior, started for Indiana. They went down the Thames River (Ontario) across Lake St. Clair, up the Maumee River, over the mountains and down a tributary to the Wabash River to Terre Haute, Indiana - all on a pirogue - a type of raft made by themselves from a large pine tree, hollowed out, with a cabin at one end. This was their only conveyance to Terre Haute. Stephen and a small party had made a trip as far south as St. Louis about two years earlier, in 1819, where they were attacked by Indians on the return trip and lost all their possessions.

Stephen and his first wife Hanna had five children; the last, William, was a one-year-old babe-in-arms (literally) when Hanna was thrown from a horse and killed in 1829. Stephen then married Ann Scully and produced another Stephen Grover Burnett, Junior - they then divorced; Ann and Stephen Junior moved to Warrensburgh, Missouri. Stephen then married Kate (Catherine) Adams, a widow with three children. Stephen, Catherine and William are listed in the 1850 Census for Nevins Township, Vigo County, Indiana. The Adams family is the immediately adjacent census listing. Hanna's brother Anthony Creal, Junior, and his family are listed in the neighboring Otter Creek Township, where Anthony built a tannery and a mill.

Stephen had a sister named Hanna, a wife named Hanna, a mother-in-law named Hannah, and a daughter named Hanna.

Stephen died in Terre Haute in 1861 - his obituary is at http://www.paulburnett.com/genesgob.htm.)