John Burnett (judge)

Burnett was born on July 4, 1831, in Louisiana, Missouri, to Jane and Benjamin Burnett.^[2][1] He was educated in Missouri before the family moved to California.^[2] Burnett engaged in gold mining from 1849 to 1851 before returning to Missouri. In 1853, Burnett set off for Nevada County, California, with a band of cattle and upon his arrival he returned to gold mining.^[1]

Burnett then moved north to Oregon Territory in 1858.^[2] The following year he married the former Martha Hinton and they settled in Benton County, Oregon, where they raised seven children.^[2] Burnett also studied law and began private law practice in 1860.^[2]

Then in 1870 he was elected as judge in Benton County. Next, in 1874 he won election to the Oregon Supreme Court.^[3] He left the state's high court at the end of the term in 1876.^[3] Burnett won election to the Oregon State Senate in 1878 as a Democrat from Benton County.^[4] Then in 1882 Oregon Governor Thayer appointed Burnett to the Oregon circuit court for the 2nd district.^[2] Burnett died on March 1, 1901, in Corvallis, Oregon.^[1]