Burns, David E

Burns, David E.

a Baptist minister, was born near Evansville, Ind., in 1822, and spent the younger part of his life in a region about as wild as any portion of the West. His father died when he was young, and the care of the family devolved largely on him. Of course, his early education was greatly neglected. When he was twenty years of age' he was converted, and thenceforward his life was completely changed. He began at once to preach, and his early efforts were wonderfully effective. Soon he was set apart to the work of the ministry, and became pastor of the Church in Henderson, Ky., then of the Church in Russelville, from which place he went to Paducah, where he remained three years, the most popular preacher in all that region. In 1850 he became pastor of the Beal Street Church in Memphis, Tenn., the same popularity following him, as also in his next pastorate in Jackson, Miss. For several years he had charge of th6 Church in Canton, and was also the owner of a valuable plantation near that place. The war swept away all his property. In 1866 he was called to the Coliseum Place Church in New Orleans, from which place he went back to his former church in Memphis, where he died in November, 1870. See Borum, Sketches of Tennessee Ministers, p. 31-40. (J. C. S.)