A "Stephen Burnett" is mentioned in Section 80 of the Latter Day Saints (LDS) Church
Doctrine and Covenants:
"Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Stephen Burnett: Go ye, go ye into the world
and preach the gospel to every creature that cometh under the sound of your voice."
Joseph Smith, Hiram, Ohio, March 1832
Loretta Evans of Idaho Falls wrote an 8 page paper, with 6 pages of sources and documentation to
gain accredidation as a genealogist about this Stephen Burnett. He was the only child of Serenus
Burnett, an early LDS member. Serenus' father was Edmund Burnett, son of Matthias Burnett, son
of Aaron Burnett, Junior:
From Thomas BURNETT of Southampton to the Stephen BURNETT mentioned in D&C 80:
1 Thomas BURNETT 1612 - 1684
... +Mary COOPER
..... 2 Daniel BURNETT 1664 - 1729
........ +Elizabeth
......... 3 Matthias BURNETT b Abt. 1716
............ +xxx
.............. 4 Matthias BURNETT II 1739 - 1805
................. +Dorcas CONGER Abt. 1731 -
................... 5 Edmund BURNETT 1756 - 1838
...................... +Sarah SMITH 1759 - 1834
........................ 6 Serenus BURNETT 1787 - 1858
........................... +Jane BURNSIDE 1794 - 1864
............................. 7 Stephen BURNETT 1813 - 1885
(A list of Serenus' and Stephens descendants is appended below.)
In 1836 many leaders of the LDS Church formed the Kirtland (Ohio) Safety Society Anti-Banking Company. It was supposed to provide banking services for LDS members in Kirtland and the surrounding area. The funds were stolen, and then during the nation-wide Panic of 1837, the bank failed. Many who had invested in the Society felt that since Joseph Smith was a prophet, the bank could not fail. When it did fail, they lost faith in Joseph Smith. Stephen Burnett was involved in this, but we don't know to what extent. He left the Mormon church and rejoined the Disciples of Christ in Vincennes, Knox Co., Indiana and served as minister at different times. He was an Elder of the Disciples of Christ church for over 20 years and during the most of his religious life was urged to occupy the pulpit. He once wrote: " ...but when I came to hear Martin Harris state in public that he never saw the plates with his natural eyes only in vision and imagination, neither Oliver nor David, and also that the eight witnesses never saw them and hesitated to sign that instrument for that reason, but were persuaded to do it, the last pedestal gave away...I therefore...renounced the Book of Mormon." (quoted in Persuitte's Joseph Smith and the Origins of the Book of Mormon, p. 47)
1 Serenus Burnett 1787 - 1858
.. +Jane Burnside 1794 - 1864
.. 2 [1] Stephen Burnett 1813 - 1885
...... +Lamira Gardner 1812 - 1856
...... 3 Stephen Stewart Burnett 1834 - 1906
.......... +Kate Nauce 1840 - 1906
...... 3 Charles Collins Burnett 1836 - 1838
...... 3 Lydia Jane Burnett 1840 - 1906
.......... +Thomas Eastham 1836 - Aft. 1900
.......... 4 Jessie L. Eastham 1862 -
.............. +Samuel T. Langdon 1860 -
............... 5 Lydia Anne Langdon 1895 - Bef. 1940
................... +Clive HOCKMEYER Abt. 1893 -
.......... 4 Burnet Eastham 1864 - 1865
.......... 4 Stephen S. Eastham 1868 -
.............. +Mary
............... 5 Jane Eastham Abt. 1890 -
.......... 4 Kate B. Eastham 1872 -
.......... 4 Alice T. Eastham 1879 -
.............. +William C. Hengen
............... 5 Jane Eastham Hengen Abt. 1900 -
............... 5 Katherine Eastham Hengen Abt. 1902 -
............... 5 Rosma Burnet Hengen Abt. 1904 -
................... +Victor SCHUTE Abt. 1902 -
...... 3 Rosma Eliza Burnett 1841 -
.......... +Cad M. Griffith Abt. 1840 -
...... 3 Charles Collins Burnett 1843 -
.......... +Adelaide STURTEVANT Abt. 1845 -
.......... 4 Carl Burnett Abt. 1867 -
.............. +Anne SULLIVAN Abt. 1867 -
............... 5 Charles Burnett Abt. 1890 -
............... 5 Thomas Burnett Abt. 1892 -
.......... 4 Jane Burnett Abt. 1869 -
.............. +Jack LUNGER Abt. 1865 -
.......... 4 Stephen Burnett Abt. 1871 -
.......... 4 Lillian Burnett Abt. 1873 -
.............. +Burton Burr BREESE Abt. 1870 -
............... 5 Burton BREESE Abt. 1896 -
.......... 4 Winifred Burnett Abt. 1875 -
...... 3 Emily Cornelia Burnett 1845 - 1923
.......... +Samuel B. Judah 1845 -
.......... 4 Charles Burnett Judah 1873 -
.............. +Edith REYNOLDS Abt. 1875 -
............... 5 Emily Jane Judah 1900 - 1984
................... +George BAYARD
............... 5 Charles Judah Abt. 1902 -
............... 5 Reynolds Judah Abt. 1904 -
.......... 4 Samuel Brandon Judah 1875 -
...... 3 Mary Louisa Burnett 1847 - 1899
.......... +Daniel Milton Smith 1840 - 1902
.......... 4 Burnet Smith 1870 - 1872
.......... 4 Bessie Emily Smith 1873 -
.............. +Harry Allen GARDNER Abt. 1870 -
............... 5 Mary Louise GARDNER 1898 - 1973
................... +Robert M. FIELD Abt. 1895 -
................... 6 Robert Michael FIELD 1928 -
................... 6 Christopher Burnet FIELD 1932 -
................... 6 Deirire Damaria FIELD 1938 -
.......... 4 Jane Burnet Smith 1875 -
.. *2nd Wife of [1] Stephen Burnett:
...... +Laura Bentley 1825 - 1873
...... 3 Benjamin Burnett 1857 - 1859
...... 3 Percy Bentley Burnett 1861 - 1935
.......... +Mary Standish 1864 - 1948
...... 3 Harry Bentley Burnett 1861 - Abt. 1940
.......... +Minnie
...... 3 Grace Bell Burnett 1864 -
.......... +H. T. WILLIS Abt. 1860 -
.......... 4 Burnet WILLIS 1898 - 1971
............... 5 Elizabeth Ann WILLIS 1936 -
.. *3rd Wife of [1] Stephen Burnett:
...... +Mary B. Bentley 1816 -
Portions of the previous information provided by my esteemed cousin Patti Bacon
(wdm3634@montana.com), who first made me aware of Loretta Evans' information on Stephen
Burnett. Patti is descended from Edmund Burnett through Serenus' sister Sarah Burnett who
married William Luse. Other portions from Cousin Jim Fina