"Thomas Jefferson Burnett bought into the Roger's firm of Providers. It was named Robbins & Burnett and was located in Bayshore, L.I. near Bayshore Ave. on Main Street (later Montauk Hwy.) They owned 5 teams. TJ was winning customers and apparently knew the finality of the partnership (he also refused to marry their sister - who did not have all her wits.) They separated and TJ set up his own business and he called on the 'summer people, Irwins.' He had 5 teams to plow the grounds. and here met Elizabeth N. Irwin. Ironically, Anna Maria Irwin said, 'TJB may be a farmer but he is too smart to die poor!' Eliz. Irwin said he was the sweetest thing to come down the pike, curly blond hair and china blue eyes he had to his death." (from a letter written by an Irwin in the early 1900s.) TJ. married Elizabeth Noble Irwin. He became an active real estate broker in Flushing NY. Owned property in Bayshore - the Burnett Marina on Great South Bay, and the house at 12 Burnett Avenue just up from the marina. George spent his summers at this house. TJ also owned 'Burnett Court', an apt building on Sanford Ave. & Main St, Flushing, NY, plus the Flushing Swimming Pool.
Thomas Jefferson formed the Thomas Jefferson Burnett Inc. in 1931. The office was at 90-04 161st Street, Jamaica, Queens. The Directors being: Thomas 1. Burnett, Pres; Jessie E Ellis, secretary and George I Burnett, Sr., Vice President. In 1939, the office moved to 41-31 Main Street, Flushing, NY. In 1940 Anne C. (Burnett) Parker was made Treasurer. He always helped support his family in Brookhaven until he passed away in 1940. The homestead was then sold for back taxes to Oliver Wellington. It is now ( 1999) owned by Karen Rowley and her husband and lovingly restored to its original beauty.
With the combination of his beloved wife's death and the effects of the 1929 stock market crash, he lost all of his holdings. He lived with his son and daughter-in-law in Lakeville, CT in his waning years. He was active in the affairs of St. Johns & St. Georges Episcopal Churches in Flushing. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a life member of the Cornucopia Lodge in Flushing NY, and a charter member of the Bay Shore Yacht Club.
1862 - 1940 (78 years)
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