Burkett, John Wesley

Collection — Container: Papers

Identifier: KUMA-02-1018

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Dr. Burkett’s papers are contained in two document cases, comprising about one cubic foot of material. The majority of this is sermons, some handwritten, some typed. Another folder holds typed copies of the columns Burkett wrote for the Aspen Times. There are also two folders containing newspaper clippings, a booklet of Burkett’s poetry, and records of his ministerial service, as well as a memoir written by his daughter and photographs printed on copy paper.

Dates

Created: 1874-1956

Biographical or Historical Information

John Wesley Burkett was born near Appleton City, Missouri in 1874. His family moved several times during his childhood, first to Ohio, then to St. Clair County, Missouri, and finally to a farm in Harper County, Kansas in 1883. His father passed away in 1885, leaving a widow and seven children. A revival that took place in 1895 made an impression on Burkett. He joined the church, was baptized the next day, and was licensed to preach by the Quarterly Conference of the Arkansas Valley United Brethren Church a month later. He was ordained in 1899. Burkett married Bertha Blinn in 1897. They both began studies at Lane University in 1899. Burkett completed his bachelor’s degree at Campbell College in 1904, followed by a Master of Arts from York College in 1910. Burkett also had aspired to become a doctor before entering the ministry, however, and so he began studies at the Kansas City College of Osteopathy and earned a doctorate there in 1914. Burkett began to practice osteopathy in Wichita in 1915 while working as pastor of the Waco Avenue United Brethren Church. He held this appointment for eight years. Other appointments he held during his career in Kanas include churches in Virgil, Pittsburg, Maize, Mullinville, Arkansas City, and Fort Scott. He also served as chaplain of the Kansas House of Representatives in 1942-43 and as president of Philomath College in Oregon from 1926-28. The Burketts had four daughters before Bertha passed away in 1923. In 1926, he married Clella Jones, another student from Campbell College. In 1949, the Burketts retired to Aspen, Colorado and resided there until 1956. Burkett authored his “Sermon of the Week” for the Aspen Times during this time period. In January of 1956, Burkett slipped on ice and was hospitalized with a broken hip. He passed away four days after the fall on January 18, 1956.

Note written by

Extent

2.00 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The papers of John Wesley Burkett, a United Brethren pastor and doctor of osteopathy, are held in this collection.

Arrangement Note

Burkett's sermons have been divided into folders. The sermons he delivered on the radio and as the Kansas House of Representatives chaplain have their own folders. The devotional writings used in his Aspen Times column have also been placed in their own folder. Some sermons are also categorized by folder according to the date and location of the sermon; if this was unknown, the folders were labeled “miscellaneous.”