Description
This folder contains 31 items: 16 check receipts dating from 1865 (one dates from 1871) for rent paid by Wellington C. Burnett;
Burnett's license to practice law, dated 1862; and 14 handwritten letters by, to, or concerning various members of the Burnett
family. These letters date from 12/1872 to 05/1888. Seven of these letters are written by Wellington Burnett to a woman named
Jennie, concerning the health of his children, mutual friends, and business and financial matters.
Background
Wellington C. Burnett was born in Hampton, Connecticut on 09/21/1829. He served in the Mexican-American War and later as a
brigadier-general of the California National Guard. After he retired from the military, he studied at Harvard Law School for
two years and was eventually admitted to the bar of New York City and the bar of Chicago. He arrived in California in 1852
and worked initially as a lawyer, then was elected to the state senate as a member of the Know-Nothing Party in 1855. He served
two years as a state senator, then moved to San Francisco, where he comenced with his law practice. He was elected city and
county attorney in 1869 and served four terms. He was joined in his practice by his son, Lester G. Burnett. He died on 02/09/1907.
He was survived by his wife, Jane, and his children: Isaac, Lester, Olive, Gertrude, and Marius.