Cordelia Ann Burford (1831-1839)

Cordelia Ann Shaw Burford was born on July 25, 1831. She married Francis Marion Burford in Hardemann County, Tennessee on October 22, 1849. They came to Colorado County, Texas in about 1850 and settled in Osage, Texas.

A petite woman, she had a family of eight children, all born in Osage except the first who was born in Tennessee. She died Nov. 26, 1889 in Weimar.

Francis Marion Burford (1823-1877)

Francis Marion Burford was born November 26, 1823, in Tennessee, the fourth of eleven children of Dr. Jonathan Burford and Euphemia Nancy Chaffin. Whether or not he had been named for Francis Marion of American Revolutionary War fame is a matter of speculation. Jonathan’s father had served in the war, and it is within the realm of possibility, that Jonathan felt naming his son for an American hero was in order.

After Euphemia’s death, Dr. Jonathan married the widow, Harriet B. Campbell. They had four children. Dr. Jonathan died in March 1849 and in his will generously provided for his widow Harriet and all his children.

According to his father’s will, Francis Marion received two slaves, Tom and Mary, valued at about $1200, a horse bridle and saddle bed and furniture, all of which he had already received except the bed and furniture. Francis married Cordelia Ann Shaw on October 22, 1849, in Hardeman County, Tennessee. Their first child, William Thomas Burford, was born July 24, 1850 in Tennessee.

Soon after William Thomas’ birth, Francis Marion and Cordelia joined with other families and moved to Colorado County, Texas. Francis’ sister, Caroline Sharp, and her husband Dr. Thomas W. Harris were already in Texas and probably were the inspiration for the move. Harriet and her children joined the group of settlers that included Shaws, Yorks, and Campbells. Many of the group settled on property along Little Harvey’s Creek in Colorado County in an area that came to be called Osage.

Land records for Colorado County show the first recorded land purchase by F. M. Burford was for 500 acres in the F. Pettus Survey purchased from Mary A. Harvey on August 18, 1852. A map of the subdivision of the H. Austin Haciendo, south of of the Pettus Survey, shows a house just north of the Austin haciendo, inside the Pettus Survey, clearly labeled Burford. This undoubtedly was the home place of F. M. and Cordelia Ann Burford.

Francis Marion and Cordelia had seven additional children born in Texas. He prospered as a cotton and corn planter prior to the Civil War. The 1860 Colorado County Census shows his real estate valued at $16,000 and personal assets valued at $24,000.

According to the book Texas and Texans (pgs. 1555-1556), when the Civil War started, Francis, being loyal to the Southern cause, tried to enlist. He was 37 years old and was rejected four times before finally being inducted as Major. In that capacity, his command got as far as the Mississippi River where they learned the war was over. Like many others, he was in debt at the end of the War but through diligence and hard work he was able to pay off his debts and provide well for his family, as well as generously help others in need.

A firm believer in education, Francis and Cordelia sent three of their sons to Texas Military Institute in Austin in the 1870s. Family letters document that William Thomas, Jesse E., and Robert Franklin all attended T.M.I.

As his tombstone indicates, Francis was a Mason. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and served as a steward in the Osage church. Letters from his son William show that the family felt strongly about their religion.

Francis Marion and Cordelia are both buried in the Osage Community Cemetery. Other Burford relatives are buried near by, including Francis Marion´s sister, Phoebe Burford Shaw, his son Robert Franklin Burford, his daughter Sallie Burford Bock and her husband Harmon. Four grandchildren are buried near, including three children of his son William Thomas and his wife Mattie Pinchback Burford and one child of his son John E. Burford and his wife Charlotta Eldora Clayton. William´s children are Arthur L. Burford, Willie Burford, and an unnamed infant son. John E.’s daughter Charlotta Eldora drowned in Harvey´s Creek while visiting her cousins in Osage. John E.’s wife also named Charlotta Eldora is buried next to their daughter.

Although Harriet Campbell Burford is not buried in the Osage Community Cemetery, a number of her descendants are.

Charlotte Eldora Burford (1880 -1893)

Charlotta Eldora Burford was known as Dora to her family. Eight months after her birth her mother died from lingering ill effects of childbirth and was buried in the Osage Cemetery. At that time, the family lived in Schulenburg where Dora's father, Dr. Jonathan Edward “Ned” Burford practiced medicine. Ned had been born and raised in Osage, and had attended school there, before moving on to Texas Military Institute in Austin and medical school at Tulane University in New Orleans.

After his wife's death, Dr. Ned Burford continued to practice in Schulenburg and in 1885, he married Grace Cameron in Colorado County. He relocated his practice to Patterson in Walker County. He and Grace had three additional children, two girls and a son, but only the two girls lived to maturity.

In January of 1893, little Dora visited her aunt Florence Marion Burford Weller, her father's sister, and her family in Austin, Texas. While there, she wrote to her cousin, Fay Burford, a daughter of Ned's brother, William Thomas Burford who was living in Osage.

Her very beautiful and precise handwriting and her loving letter to a young eight year old cousin exemplifies the family's close ties. But child like, Dora proudly tells what all she had gotten for Christmas and inquires what Fay had gotten. The two boys she mentions in her letter, Clarence and Burford, are her Weller cousins who she is visiting in Austin. The other children mentioned, Mamie and little Mattie, are Fay's sisters.

In July 1893, six months after writing this letter, Dora visited friends and relatives in Osage and tragically drowned in Harvey's creek. Her body was taken to the home of her uncle William Thomas Burford, Fay's father. Dora was buried in Osage Cemetery near her mother and Burford grandparents.

My grandmother, Fay Burford Youens, carefully saved little Dora's letter.

Robert Franklin Burford (1857 - 1890)

Robert Franklin Burford died of cancer in Austin, Texas. He had been ill and had gone there to seek medical attention. He wrote a poignant letter to his brother William Thomas Burford on May 26, 1890, saying he was going to have surgery and in the event that he did not survive, he wanted William to take care of his family. Robert Franklin, called Frank, died on May 30 and was buried in the Osage Community cemetery near his father and mother, Francis Marion and Cordelia Ann Burford.

Frank was married to Davie E. Hubbard on October 17, 1881, and at the time of his death, they had three small children, William Edward Burford born Dec. 5, 1883, Verna Belle Burford born 28th Dec. 1884, and Harry Otway Burford born Dec. 7th, 1887. Davie Hubbard Burford never remarried. She died on October 11, 1942 in Yoakum, Texas.

The letter that Frank wrote to his brother Will was written in pencil and is now very faint. Mary Elizabeth Hopkins, granddaughter of Will, transcribed it sometime before her death in 1990. It is now on file at the Nesbitt Memorial Library Archives.

Willie Burford (1891 - 1892)

Willie Burford was one of twin daughters born to William Thomas and Mattie Burford. The twins were born on Oct. 21, 1891, and were named Willie and Mattie Burford for their parents. Willie was larger than Mattie and always more robust. The family didn´t think Mattie would survive because she was so small. Mattie clung to life, however, and she and Willie were seven months old when Willie suddenly was taken ill. She died within a few days and the family was shocked. They had expected to lose Mattie, but not Willie. As it turns out, Mattie not only survived but lived to be ninety-nine years old. Willie died May 28, 1892.