Michael Burns
Michael Burns, pioneer settler of
Hollywood Township, is a native of Ireland, born in Carlow,
county Carlow, September 29, 1826. He came to this country
in 1852, a young man of twenty-six, accompanied by his wife,
Bridget Farrell. They made their first residence in
Coldsprings, New York, where Mr. Burns found employment in a
foundry. After six mouths in New York State he removed to
Cleveland and a year later moved farther west to St. Louis,
engaged during this time in foundry or railroad work. In
1856 he came to Minnesota Territory, desirous of securing
some of the land which was attracting settlers. For a year
he lived in St. Anthony, where he kept a boarding house and
worked in a quarry.
But the following year he realized his
intention and took up land in what is now Hollywood Township
and was one of the first settlers in this vicinity. Mr.
Burns prepared his 160 acres for cultivation with an axe and
hoe and gave as much time as was possible to farming, but
during the first few years he was compelled to employ
himself in other work. Later he added 480 acres to the
original quarter section and this land remains the property
of his family at the present time.
Through the successful
labor of the first years he was soon able to transform the
first shanty home of his family and the undeveloped land
into a comfortable frame house and prosperous farm. The
frame house has been replaced by the handsome brick home
which Mr. Burns erected six years ago. Mr. Burns was one of
the twelve voters who organized Hollywood township at old
Helvetia and he has ever since been prominently associated
with the affairs of the county, serving its interests in
various offices. He was elected the first supervisor and
later was made chairman of the board of supervisors. For
seven years he was township assessor and chairman of the
board of assessors.
He is a Democrat, but has never taken in
active interest in politics outside the township. Of the
families who were the pioneers in this vicinity, Mr. Burns
survives with George Campbell, who with his father was also
a settler of 1857, and the wife of Patrick Corcoran, who
lives in her eighty- eighth year on the Corcoran homestead
in Hollywood township. These first neighbors of Mr. Burns,
identified with him in the early development of the county,
were John, Thomas and Michael Madden, Mathew Kelly, Edward
Boyle, James Sexton, Patrick Craven, Edward Burns, brother
of Michael; Felix Campbell; his sons, Patrick, William,
John, Michael, Peter and George and daughter, Mrs. Mary
Toole, and Patrick Curry, whose farm is now owned by Mr.
Burns. In his reminiscences, Mr. Burns recalls the time when
game was so plentiful that the deer mingled freely with the
cattle and stock on his farm and were unmolested by him,
although he enjoyed the sport of squirrel hunting. His wife
died in 1908, six years after they had celebrated the golden
anniversary of their wedding.
They had six children,
Margaret, who died in childhood; Edward, a farmer and
insurance agent in Hollywood; Thomas, who was employed in
the Pillsbury mills for twenty- nine years and died in 1907,
aged fifty-two; James, engaged in farming in Hollywood
township; Patrick P., salesman for L. L. May & Co. of St.
Paul, and Mary, the wife of Patrick Gavin of Watertown.
Mr.
Burns was one of the first members of the Catholic Church in
Watertown. P. P. Burns has attained marked success as
salesman for the well-known nursery firm, L. L. May & Co. He
entered this field after spending several years in the
teaching profession. He also enjoys the reputation of having
held the local heavy weight championship as wrestler for ton
years. He is now a retired farmer, his operations in the
past proving him a success in this as well as in other
lines. He is now considering the study of law, local
conditions requiring that that subject be added to his
general fund of information.
Edward P. Burns
Edward P. Burns, well known
insurance man and farmer in Hollywood township, was born in
St. Louis, Missouri, February 25, 1855, and is the son of
Michael and Bridget (Farrell) Burns, who were both natives
of Ireland, and Michael Burns was one of the first settlers
in Hollywood township and is one of its oldest living
residents. Edward Burns was brought to Carver county by his
parents in 1856 and was reared on his father's farm, where
he lived until he was twenty-four years of age. At that time
he secured the agency for the Continental Insurance company
and sold fire insurance in Carver and McLeod counties. His
ability in this field was speedily recognized and he has
continued in this work with marked success.
For twelve years
he lived in Norwood, giving all his attention to the
insurance business. In 1893 he bought a farm near Winsted in
McLeod county and began to divide his business interests.
Fourteen years later, in 1907, he removed to his present
home on the farm in Hollywood. This place was first owned by
William Welch, who took it as a preemption claim, and it has
a clean title that has never been threatened by a mortgage
or claim of any sort. But one owner has intervened between
the first possessor and Mr. Burns, William J., the son of
William Welch, who moved to Wright county, where his death
occurred in 1913.
Mr. Burns has added a number of
improvements to this farm, which includes one hundred and
sixty acres of fine farmland, has remodeled the house and
erected a large modern barn. He also owns another place of
one hundred and ten acres, eighty of which were given him by
his father when he became of age, and it is his intention to
make this his home. In 1886 he was married to Mary
McCormick, who was born in Camden township. She is the
daughter of Patrick and Catherine (Glendon) McCormick, and
her brother, Patrick J. McCormick, is the present postmaster
at Hopkins, Minnesota.
Mr. Burns and his wife have eight
children and all make their home with their parents. Two
daughters, Bridget and Margaret, are teachers in the schools
of Carver county. Mary is a student in the high school at
Watertown and Julia attends the Holy Angel Academy at
Minneapolis. One son, Patrick, is a student in St. Thomas
college and the other children, Catherine, Michael and
Edward, are pupils in the local schools.. Mr. Burns has
always taken a great interest in public affairs and has been
prominent in political activities and a member of a number
of conventions. He and family are members of the Catholic
church at Watertown. The first Catholic service in Hollywood
was held in the home of William Welch, on the site of the
present Burns home.
Source:
Debbie's Genealogy Library
- © 2001 Ireland Genealogy Projects,
IGP TM By
Pre-emptive Copyright - All rights reserved
Back to the top