Susan Box McNew was born April 27, 1862, the youngest child of ten
children born to Frederick J.
McNew and his wife, Charlotta Box. She was born in Oatmeal,
Burnet Co. TX. They were farmers,
and the mother Charlotta was a Choctaw Indian, (per my grandmother,
Charlotta's great grandaughter)
Fred and his family had lived in Pettus, Rives and Henry Co. Missouri,
half of the children were
born there before the move to Texas in 1854.
Susan married William Wilson Burnes, born in June 1845 in Texas to
John Burns and Charlotte
Wilson. Nothing is known about the parents, all that is known
is that he had a brother Uriah Wilson
Burnes called 'Rike', who like William was raised around San Saba
and Voca. Differing reports tell
of his being raised by "Aunt Nancy O'Neal in Cisco, Tx" but
I have been unable to prove or disprove
either story.
They married August 8, 1878 in Burnet Co. TX. Their first child
Nancy was born in Sept 1879, then
Jennie (1881-1889) buried in San Saba, Mary Alice born
Jan 13, 1882, Joe Wilson bon Feb
19,1885, Matilda 'Mattie' Jan 13, 1887, Amanda 'Mandy' Feb 8, 1889,
Melvin L. Dec 25, 1891 and
lastly, David Lionel born Oct 18, 1893.
Susan sent William on his way 'while Dave was still in diapers',
reports differ, but mainly focus on
some inappropriate behaviour on William's part. Susan remained
and farmed in Lampasas County
until her death, May 8, 1938, of gangrene of the gallbladder.
She is buried in Center Cemetery,
Lampasas Co. TX. It is unknown what happened to William, but
I think that I've located him in
El Paso on the 1900 census, it's said that he spoke fluent spanish
and married a mexican woman
and had another family, but I can't confirm this.
The children of William and Susan married and many stayed in Lampasas,
Burnet and Coryell Co.
TX. Nancy married Alfred T. Shedd, they had a large family,
she died in 1933 from pneumonia, and
is buried in Terrace Cemetery, Post Garza Co. Tx. Jennie died young
in 1898 and is buried in San
Saba Co. TX. Mary Alice married George Harvey Shed,
brother of Alfred T. and they had a large
family, she died of cancer Sept 9, 1940 and is buried in Toby
Cemetery, Oakhalla Burnet Co. TX.
Joe Wilson married Callie Medley and had four children, he died
in Feb 1969 and is buried in Long
Cove Cemetery, Lometa, Tx. Mattie married Jim H. Ayers, and
she continued to farm after his
death, she died Feb 7, 1976 and is buried in Hillsdale Cemetery,
Coryell Co. TX. Manda married
Oscar Ross, she died 24 Oct 1968 and is buried in Center Cemetery,
Lampasas Co. Melvin L.
married Bernice Sutter and Myrtle Wells having a total of 13 children,
he's buried at the Oakhill
cemetery, Lampasas, Tx. David married Mattie Truitt and died
in 1968, being buried at Center
Cemetery, Lampasas Co. Tx. David had nine children.
Nancy was my great grandmother, through her daughter Nancy Doyel
Shedd Blacklock, then my
mother Betty Lorene Blacklock. I have researched the family
history for over 30 years and have
numerous photos and stories.
Back l to r: Mattie, Joe Wilson, Nancy, Mary Alice
Front: David, Granny Susan Burnes, Melvin
Mandy took the photo
