Otis Herman Burnett, known as Herman Burnett, was born January 17, 1872 in Rock Creek Township (east of Crab Orchard). His parents were John Houston Burnett and Mary Ann Davis. His father, J.H. Burnett, served as Williamson County Sheriff, IRS Collector, Marion Alderman and Mayor and President of the Marion State and Savings Bank well into his eighties.
After attending county public schools, he graduated from the Northern Indiana State Normal University and later from Yale law school, in the class of 1899.
From June, 1892, to July, 1896, he served as cashier in the Marion State and Savings Bank.
His marriage to Miss Lizzie Hargon, of Canton, Mississippi, took place April 16, 1895, of whom he had one child, a boy, John
After graduating Yale, he was immediately admitted to the bar and began the practice of law in Marion the same year. In the fall of 1899 the law partnership of Burnett & Slater was formed with Judge W.F. Slater as senior counsel.
In 1900 he was elected to the Illinois State Senate 50th District by a majority of 600 votes in a Democratic district with a normal majority of 400. In 1904 he was again a candidate for the State Senate and was re-nominated by acclamation serving until his death.
In the 1900 census, Herman is a lawyer and is listed as 28, Lizzie as 29. Their son John is 3. There are no addresses on the 1900 census but they are listed only 2 people away from the Schneider family known to be at 812 N. Market so it’s likely they lived nearby. Herman is a lawyer by occupation.
In June, 1904, the Leader Printing & Publishing Company was incorporated with a capital stock of eight thousand dollars, incorporators being Arthur Roberts, T. M. Mitchell, John H. Duncan, O. H. Burnett, Oliver J. Page, Lloyd C. Campbell, J. F. Throgmorton, John M. Dodd, J. B. Bundy, F. T. Joyner, Leonard Culp, W. T. Felts.
John H. Duncan was elected President of the Company; O. H. Burnett, Vice President, and L. C. Campbell, Secretary and Treasurer. Arthur Roberts was chosen as editor and publisher.
Herman died in Marion on August 10, 1906 at age 34 years of age. Interment was at Rose Hill Cemetery.
He was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, like his father, and a member of the Monitor Lodge, No. 236, Knights of Pythias; Modern Woodmen and a Charter Member of the Marion Elks, No. 800.
In the 1907 Marion directory, widowed Lizzie is living at 903 W. Main Street. I lost Lizzie after this listing. At such a young age, it’s likely that she returned home to Mississippi and remarried. It’s interesting to note that this last house she lived in will be occupied by one of her sister-in-laws, Estelle S. Burnett Colp, Herman’s younger sister.
(Data from 1905 Souvenir History, WCHS; Marion City Directories; Marion City Cemetery Records; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 04/25/2013)