HISTORY OF KENTUCKY AND KENTUCKIANS, E. Polk Johnson, three volumes,
Lewis Publishing Co., New York & Chicago, 1912. Common version, Vol. III,
pp. 1162-3.    [Full page photo of Mr. Burnett included with bio.]
[Jefferson Co.]

THEODORE L. BURNETT--Mr. Burnett is one of the venerable and distinguished
members of the bar of his native state and was a member of the Confederate
congress as well as a soldier in the ranks of the Confederacy in the Civil
war, prior to which he had given able service as a soldier in the Mexican
war.  He has been engaged in the active practice of his profession for
nearly three-quarters of a century, and since 1866 has followed this
vocation in the city of Louisville, where it was also his to hold the
position of corporation counsel of the city for eighteen consecutive years.
He has ever stood exemplar of the most loyal citizenship and as a lawyer
and man of affairs has ever commanded the uniform confidence and esteem of
his fellow men.
     Theodore L. Burnett was born in Spencer county, Kentucky, on the 14th
of November, 1829, and is the only child of John C. and Marie (McGee)
Burnett, both of whom were likewise born and reared in Kentucky, where
they continued to reside until their death, both having passed away before
the subject of this review was ten years of age.  The Burnett family
lineage is traced back to stanch Scotch origin and authentic date are
available from the year 1322.  The progenitor of the family accompanied
Kin Robert Bruce to Northeastern Scotland in 1322.  The King gave a charter
to a large landed estate, and as an evidence of tenure he gave him a horn.
It is made of ivory and is to this day preserved in a glass case in Crathes
Castle, which castle was erected on the estate so granted in 1595 and has
been continuously occupied by the head of the family, who at this time is
Sir Thomas Burnett, Baronet.
     In the castle there are portraits of the family and among them the
portrait of Bishop Gilbert Burnet, who was a cousin of the then head of
the family.  Bishop Burnet was descended from the Crimond branch of the
family and accompanied William, Prince of Orange, to England in the
capacity of chaplain and was distinguished character in the Revolution of
1688 that brought William and Mary to the throne of England, and was
appointed Bishop of Salisbury.
     William Burnet eldest son of Gilbert Burnet, emigrated to America in
1720 and became governor of the colonies of New York and New Jersey.
Later he was Colonial governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and
died in Boston in 1728. Dr. Thomas Burnett, the youngest son of the Bishop,
and his literary executor, spelled the name with two t's, as is shown in
his manuscript endorsement in Vol. I, Burnett's History, printed in 1724
and now in possession of the family.  George Burnett, son of Dr. Thomas
Burnett, emigrated to Virginia in 1721 and he was the father of John
Burnett, the latter of whom was the grandfather of him whose name
introduced this article.
     As already stated, the parents of Theodore L. Burnett died when he
was a boy, but under the careful and solicitous direction of his guardians
he received excellent educational advantages.  He completed the academic
course in Transylvania University at Lexington, Kentucky, and in the law
department of this institution he was graduated as a member of the class
of 1846.  In the same year he was licensed to practice by the court of
appeals, but he enlisted as a member of the First Kentucky Cavalry, which
was mustered in the United States army for service in the war with Mexico.
Mr. Burnett returned to Kentucky in 1847 and was soon afterward elected
county attorney for Spencer county.  He became one of the leading lawyers
of that section of the state and controlled a large practice in Spencer
and adjoining counties until the time of the Civil war, when he enlisted
for service in the Confederate army as a member of the force commanded
by General Albert Sidney Johnston.  He remained in the service until,
under the authority of the provisional government of Kentucky, he was
elected a member of the provisional congress of the Confederate States.
He took his seat as a member of that body early in the autumn of 1861, and
when this provisional body was succeeded by the regular congress of the
Confederate States of America he was elected a member of the house of
representatives.  At the expiration of his first term he was re-elected and
he continued a member of the southern congress until the close of the war.
He then resumed the practice of his profession in Spencer county, where he
remained until 1866, when he removed to the city of Louisville, where he
has since been one of the most honored and best known members of the
local bar.  In 1870 he was elected corporation counsel of the city and by
successive re-elections he continued incumbent of this position for
eighteen consecutive years, having six times been chosen for the office
by popular vote, and the high regard in which he was held during this
time was shown by the fact that at no election was there an opposing
candidate.  Since he retired from the office of corporation counsel he
has practiced in the courts of general jurisdiction, in the court of
appeals of Kentucky and in the supreme court of the United States.  Mr.
Burnett is a stanch advocate of the principles represented by the
Democratic party in it original condition, and in 1876 he was chairman
of the Democrat state central committee of Kentucky.  In later years he
has not appeared as prominently in connection with the affairs of the
political arena.  He has been essentially progressive and public-spirited
as a citizen and no worthy cause to advance the general welfare of the
community has failed to receive his support.  He has served for many
years as a trustee and president of the University of Louisville and has
otherwise shown special interest in educational matters.  Mr. Burnett,
some years ago, received the degree of LL. D.  He was a director of the
Louisville Water Company for many years.  Both he and his wife are
members of the Protestant Episcopal church.
     In the year 1852 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Burnett to Miss
Elizabeth S. Gilbert (deceased January 7, 1907), who was born in Lincoln
county, Kentucky, and reared in Spencer county, this state, and of the
five children of this union only two are now living--John C., who is a
representative member of the Louisville bar and who is associated with
his venerable father in practice; and Mary, who is the wife of Dr. W.
Edward Grant, a successful physician and surgeon of Louisville. Concerning
Mr. Burnett the following appreciative estimate has been given by one
familiar with his career.
     "Mr. Burnett has a high appreciation of the dignity of the legal
profession, and by his personal bearing has added luster to the legal
records of the state.  In discharge of his duties as representative of
the city he was courteous, kind and attentive, with a masterful command
of the resources of the well equipped lawyer and advocate, wise in counsel
and vigorous in the active conduct of his cases."

Burnett Burnet McGee Bruce Gilbert Grant
=
Spencer-KY Lexington-Fayette-KY Lincoln-KY NH MA VA NY England Scotland

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/jefferson/burnett.tl.txt