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He was noted as an important mediator among the Potawotomi tribe. He died in 1870 and is buried south and west of Burnett's Mound at Topeka. His gravesite is kept tidy by interested Topekans.
Burnett's second wife, Mary Knofflock Burnet, and children moved to a Potawatomi reservation in Oklahoma after the chief's death.
Gravesite
site visited
Oct. 2002.
Select
thumbnail to see photo.
Burnett was a large man, reportedly weighing nearly 450 lbs. in his later years. He often wore a coat, trousers, and top hat and carried an elaborate silver-topped cane.
Reputely, the only person Burnett feared was his tiny wife, Marie.
MORE INFO:
Finding
Burnett's grave
Early
area history
Historical
Figure Leaves Mark
Larger than life
| See also: Wis-Ki-Ge-Amatyuk Family Also visit the family site: |
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Below: Grave site panorama. Grave is beside Shunga Creek bank, looking east, at the left in the photo. Car in the right of the photo is also along the Shunga Creek bank, looking west toward the road.
Select the photo to see the larger version. Click to enlarge more, if necessary.
Gravesite: May 2007
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Abram B. Burnett Obituary —provided for use on this web site by Gary Sulser Wis-Ki-Ge-Amatyuk, direct descendant of Chief Burnett.
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—transcribed, below Death of Abram Burnett Abram Burnett, a hereditary chief of the Pottawatomie tribe of Indians, died yesterday, June 14, at about noon. His funeral will be from his late residence near Topeka, at 2 o’clock this afternoon. Mr. Burnett is well known to the citizens of Topeka. For years, as often as once a week he has been seen in his lumber wagon on our streets, and he never failed until last Saturday, to be present at every circus that has exhibited here. He was the largest male in Kansas, weighing 496 pounds at the time of his death. The amount of flesh he carried made it exceedingly uncomfortable for him to get around. He has carried on farming on a large scale for a long time, and adopted the customs of civilized life, and has been respected by our citizens generally. Mentally, Mr. Burnett was, for an Indian, a remarkable man. He was educated at “Bearwallow,” a school established in Kentucky, by the government for the benefit of the Indians under the supervision of Col. Richard M. Johnson. He followed the migrations of his tribe and his superior education made him a useful man amoung his people. He was a constant reader of newspapers, and was a subscriber to the STATE RECORD from the date of its establishment. Mr. Burnett was twice married; his first wife was an Indian woman, who left no children; his second wife, by whom he had a numerous family, is a German. Wm. Griffenstein, the well-known trader, is one of his sons-in-law, and Mr. Clark, of this city, another. In religion, we believe Mr. Burnett adhered to no particular faith, though he might be classed generally as a Protestant. He was an early friend of the Baptist Mission, established near this city. In his business relations he was strictly upright and honorable. During the war he was a steadfast friend to the Union. His singular personal appearance, his strongly marked Indian features, and immense form will be preserved many years by the numerous photographs which have been circulated through the country. He was born in 1812, and was consequently 58 years of age at the time of his death.
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Historical Burnett Photos
provided by the Wis-Ki-Ge-Amatyuk Family.
—Originals are property of the Kansas State Historical Society—
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