WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI

About the year 1888, the states of Kansas and Oklahoma began to open their lands for homesteading to those who would come and live on them. Two families of the Burtner Clan, pioneers in spirit, took advantage of this offer and with their families and possessions went west to settle in Kansas. They were the George Henry Burtner family and his sister's family, the William Hursts. The first place they stopped to live was what is now Pleasanton, Kansas. The houses were all of sod and the churches were dugouts under the ground. These two families were of United Brethern faith, and they soon formed a church. Their homes were about 20 miles apart, but they met each other at church every Sunday.

Kansas was an extremely dry state, and they were often without water. Each Sunday they prayed for rain. Their faith was so strong that they would go to church with umbrellas, taking their dinners and spending the day there. They traveled by wagon, and took covers for the wagon so they would not get wet. One Sunday as they came out of their church, it was raining, and great was the rejoicing. They stood in the rain for prayer and thanksgiving. What a faith to remember, 0 ye of little faith.

Through hardship and sorrow and sickness these people were blessed; no deaths occurred among them during this time. As they traveled, they met wagons and were joined by wagons, all bearing slogans and banners: "Kansas or Bust", or, if they were coming back, "Busted, by G--". Cyclones, wind, and snow were a real handicap. The men were fighters, the women were heroines. This was the life of those who lived and died, religious, courageous, and happy. May our God bless all those who are descendants of such a heritage.

 

(Written by Mrs.. J. A. Burtner, whose husband was an eight-year old boy at the time his family, father and mother, Mr. and Mrs.. George Henry Burtner, undertook this sojourn.)

GENEALOGY

George Otterbein Burtner B. 6/30/1802, Richland County, Penna.

D. 8/18/1855. M. 3/8/1825 to

Mary Ann Shular B. 10/26/1804 D. 10/25/1884

A. 1st child, Jacob Burtner B. 1/3/1826 D. 9/21/1862. M. 918/1846 to Leah Evinger                                     D. 12/7/1849, aged 21.

1.            Child, Benjamin Franklin Burtner B. 5/15/1848 D. 1/16/1930

M. 12/10/1871 to Mary Robertson D. 9/4/1878.

Served in Union Army, 1865.

A.            Walter Burtner B. 10/?/1873 D. 8/27/1878

B.            Wilbur-Earl Burtner B. 12/22/1877 D. 1951 M. 1902 to Minnie Shawn D. 1910; M. 1911 to Edwina Scheer D. 1951

1.            Benjamin F. Burtner 2nd M. 9/7/1881 in Paris, Illinois, to Lucy Foroaker B. 7/18/1850 D. 2/14/1946

A.            Frank Burtner B. 4/12/1883 D. 5/12/1952 M. 1913 to Addie Martin

a.            Frank. Jr. B. 7/3/1914  

B.            Nora Burtner B. 9/18/1885 M. 6/10/1909 to Herbert Grayson Forgason D. 10/11/1960

a.            Johnny Jean Forgason B. 1/13/1913 M. 3/28/1937 to George D. Clark

(1)            George D. Clark, Jr. B. 8/28/1938

(2)            Lucy-Gay Clark B. 6/18/1943

(3)            Margaret Jean Clark B. 4/Z8/1945

b.            Lucy Burtner Forgason B. 10/16/1914 M. 4/14/1935 to Hegar Charles Kriegel

(1)            Nona Ann Kriegel B. 11/20/1939

(2)            John Charles Kriegel B. 11/29/1942

(3)            George Forgason Kriegel B. 8/28/1945

c.            Herbert Grayson Forgason, Jr. B. 10/4/1921 M. to Helen Steiner 7/12/1942

(1)            Herbert Grayson Forgason B. 7/4/1943

(2)            Judy Forgason B. 7/5/1955

C.   Horace Burtner B. 8/17/1887 D. 12/7/1955 M. to Elsuorth Parrish

a.            Parrish Burtner M. to Nancy Womack

(1)            Mark Sanders Burtner B. 5/14/1950

(2)            John Allen Burtner B. 7/4/1953

(3)            Rebecca Lynn Burtner B. 7/4/1955

(4)            Mary Jane Burtner B. 4/22/1957

b.            Llewellyn Burtner M. to Eugene Snell

(1)            Katheryne Renee Snell B. 7/2/1945

(2)            Nancy Lou Snell B. 12/30/1947

(3)            Wm. Eugene Snell Jr. B. 11/20/1950

(4)            Mary Lee Susan Snell B. 11/24/1951

D.              Two infant children, born and died, 1890-1892

E.              Paul Burtner B. 11/9/1894 M. 9/27/1914 to Mamie Burch B. 6/12/1889

a.            James Edwin Burtner B. 12/16/1915 M. 7/11/1943 to Billie Mae Cheney

(1)            James Paul Burtner B. 5/23/1946

(2)            Mark Edwin Burtner B. 7/5/1949

b.            Louis Allen Burtner B. Z/?O/1917 M. 12/21/1940 to Freda Marie James

c.            Robert Earl Burtner B. 6/15/1919 M. 7/l/44 to Janie Robards

(1)            Jon Patrick Burtner B. 9/19/1954

d.            Paul Burtner B. 1/17/1921 M. to Eula Gibson

(1)            Susan Lee Burtner B. 12/3/1954

(2)            Bobbie Dale Burtner B. 10/30/1956

e.            Sarah Lou Burtner B. 10/17/1924 M. 3/15/1946 to John Pryse

(1)            Sue Ann Pryse B. 1/3/1947

(Z)            Sarah Jane Pryse B. 2/11/1958

 

 

1.            Jacob Burtner, 2nd M. to Melinda Hackett

1.            Elizabeth Burtner Watkins (B. and D. unknown)

A.            Nora W. Cauldwell (B. and D. unknown)

2.            Thomas Jefferson Burtner B. 6/15/1854 M. 12/8/1878 to Amanda Kingery B. Z/14/1859

A.            Fannie Idella Burtner B. 4/20/1860 D. 9/6/1945 M. 3/2/1903 to John S. Metz

B.            Conrad Kenneth Burtner B. 2/19/1882 D. 6/14/195? M. to Thelma Ann Howe 1/22/1919

a.            Mary June Burtner B. 4/27/1920

b.            Marjorie Ann Burtner B. 4/15/1923 M. 10/8/1949 to George Allen Kearns

(1)            Jerrie Ann Kearns B. 5/17/1950

C.            Samuel Logan Burtner B. 8/15/1884 M. 3/16/19Z5 to Meria Walker

a.            Richard Logan Burtner B. 5/31/19Z6

(1)            Two children

b. Bonnie Joan Burtner B. 9/28/1936 M.

(1)            Two children

D.            Henry Thomas Burtner B. 4/1111886 M.

a.            One daughter

E.            Horace Perkins Burtner B. 8/13/1888 M. 1/24/191Z to Nora Ellan Bushey

F.            Joseph Albert Burtner B. 4/5/ 1981 no record.

G.            Infant twins, born and died, Sept. 189Z..

H.            Forrest Edward Burtner, born 10/1893, no record.

I.            Clarence Clinton Burtner B. 2/Z4/1897 M. I/Z/1920to Lucy Delilah Miller 6/22/1896.

a. Charles Thomas Burtner B. 10/23/1923. M. 1/2/1945

to Mary Louise Placier.

(1)            Annette Louise Burtner B. 11/10/1946

(2)            Charles Thomas Burtner Jr. B. 12/ZO,/1953

Naida Louise Burtner B. 8/11/Z5 . M. Dec. /27/1948 to John Guy Gregory.

(1) John Guy Gregory            B. 11/18/1952

Mary Frances Burtner B. Nov/Z7/1930 M. 11/28/1948 to L oyd Gayle Daugherty.

(1)            Dwight Richard Daugherty B. 5/17/1949

(Z)            Liana Gaye Daugherty 12,112/1957

J.            Annie Elizabeth Burtner , B. 9/14/1899 M. 12/22/1920 to John     Federick Klamm.

·            Mae Belle Klamm B. 5/28/ 1922

·            Joyce Elizabeth Klamm (Propot) B. 5/4/1924 4 children

·            John Fedrick Klamm B. 9/8/19Z5 6 children

·            Russell Raymond Klamm B. and died 9/15/1930

·            Idella Jean Klamm B. 9/21/1933 1 child

·            Thomas Elbert Klamm 9/21/1935

K.            Fuller Burtner B. 2/24/1904 M. 2/16/1936 to Juanita Claire Kingswell.