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FOSTER N. BURNS
Vol. 3, p. 1141
Book has photo

The appointment of Foster N. Burns to the office of chief of police of
the City of Tulsa, Oklahoma, which came to him unsolicited May 6,
1914, was the result both of his record for fearlessness as an officer
and his executive talents. He comes of good official stock, for both
his father and grandfather were officers in former years, and under
his guidance and direction the police department of Tulsa is fast
becoming one which is making this one of the most law abiding cities
of its size in the state.

Chief Burns was born in Dallas County, Missouri, July 4, 1867, and is
a son of John S. and Nancy M. (MADDUX) Burns. His grandfather, Foster
B. Burns, a native of Connecticut, was one of the pioneer farmers of
Dallas County, Missouri, to which locality he emigrated during the
early '40s, and was the first sheriff of that county, a position in
which he served for some years. John S. Burns was born in Dallas
County in 1846, was educated in the public schools, and as a young man
turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. His first public office
was that of constable, following which he was elected sheriff of
Dallas county and served capably several terms. During President
Cleveland's first administration he was deputy United States marshal
of the Western District of Missouri, and in the same president's
second administration he was made United States marshal for
Northwestern Oklahoma, having located in this state in 1893.

At the expiration of his term of office, he disposed of his lands in
Oklahoma and returned to Dallas county, Missouri, where he continued
farming until his retirement in 1902, and his death occurred in 1904,
when he was fifty-eight years of age.

Politically a democrat, in 1903 he served as a delegate to the
democratic national convention, held at Kansas City, Missouri. Mrs.
Burns, who was born in McMinn County, Tennessee, still survives her
husband and lives in Woodward County, Oklahoma, at the age of
seventy-two years. There were eight children in the family, of whom
Foster N. was the first born, and five are still living.

Foster N. Burns received his education in the public schools of Dallas
County, Missouri, and when but sixteen years of age entered upon his
career, engaging as a teamster in hauling supplies from Harper, Kansas
to Medicine Lodge, and continuing to be thus employed for two years.
He then returned to Dallas County, Missouri, but shortly thereafter
identified himself with a newspaper at Buffalo, Missouri, resigning
his position after three years to accept that of deputy sheriff under
his father.

During President Cleveland's first administration he was appointed
deputy United States marshal for the Western District of Missouri,
under Col. Elijah GATES, and at the expiration of his four-year term
accepted the position of special agent for the Kansas City, Fort Scott
& Memphis Railway Company, at Springfield, Missouri. Two and one-half
years later he was made constable at Springfield, and served in that
capacity off and on until 1894, about twelve years, in the meantime
also occupying the office of humane officer for four years. He next
became a special officer for the Terminal Railway Company of St.
Louis, Missouri, for one year, and later entered the employ of the St.
Louis & San Francisco Railway, at St. Louis, in the same capacity.

In August, 1913, he was transferred to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and May 6,
1914, as before stated was appointed chief of police of this city,
without any solicitation on his part. Chief Burns is a strict
disciplinarian, but has won the confidence of the members of the
department by his willingness to do anything that he asks his men to
do. He is the kind of an officer who has always been depended upon to
take hold of any especially knotty business with determination, energy
and bravery, and during his long career has accomplished some very
effective detective work. Fraternally, Chief Burns is widely known. He
has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for
twenty-five years, has belonged to Springfield Lodge No. 85, Knights
of Pythias, for twenty-six years, at Springfield, Missouri, and holds
membership also in the Fraternal Order of Moose and Tulsa Lodge No.
946, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. His political views make
him a democrat.

On March 8, 1888, Chief Burns was married to Miss Mamie E. FISHER, who
was born at Springfield, Missouri, and to this union there have been
born three sons and one daughter, namely: Harry H., who is a resident
of St. Louis, Missouri; Pauline, who is the wife of William A.
LINCOLN, of Springfield, Missouri; Kenneth C., a resident of St.
Louis; and Charles F., who lives with his parents at Tulsa.

Typed for OKGenWeb by Lee Ann Collins, January 4, 2000