Lewis Burris
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Lewis Burris
A friend of mine bought a book at a garage sale and this Newspaper article fell out of it re: Lewis Burris of Athens Tennessee, McMinn County. From comparing census records and the looking up burial records my best guess is that it belongs to Lewis Burris born 8/4/1917 and died February 16, 1966. There was no date on the article. This person is not related to me but I thought I would post it in the hopes that it is someone's relative that they are looking for. It is titled:
Lewis Burris Dies in M'Minn: Gunshot Wound Kills New Zion Farmer:
Athens, Tenn. - McMinn County officials today were continuing an investigation into the death about mid-morning Wednesday of Lewis Vencin Burris, 40, whose body was found near the mail box at his home on Rt. 2, Athens.
McMinn County Coroner Bob Harriell attributed death to a bullet wound in the head. He said a .22 caliber revolver was found near the body.
A seven-man coroner's jury, empaneled by the coroner, was unable to agree on a verdict in the death and left the case open for further investigation.
McMinn Sheriff Calvin Cannon, who aided in the investigation, had officers make paraffin tests and fingerprint tests examination of the gun.
The body of Mr. Burris was reported found by Audrey Watters of Athens, a rural mail carrier. The boxer dog of Mr. Burris was reported to have been "guarding" the body.
A lifelong McMinn County resident, Mr. Burris was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Benton Burris. A bachelor, he had lived alone since his father's death about two years ago.
Surviving are a brother, Charles Burris, Knoxville, Tenn.; three sisters, Mrs. Hugh (Annie) Miller, Etoway; Mrs. Jessie Kinser, Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Mrs. Bruce (Stella) Blair, Rt. 2 Athens.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete. The body is at Dender Funeral Home in Etowah.
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I couldnt find much information on this person but did find a 1930 census from McMinn Co., Tenn, which lists:
Burris, W. Bent - 48 - born in Tennessee (farmer)
Burris, Lilly - 47- born in Tennessee
Burris, Jessie - 20 - born in Tennessee
Burris, Stella - 18 - born in Tennessee
Burris, Annie - 15 - born in Tennessee
Burris, Charlie - 14 - born in Tennessee
Burris, Louis V. - 12 - born in Tennessee
Not sure if this is him, but the names seemed to match with the article. Determining the d.o.b. from the census I found the cemetery records to New Zion Baptist Church from McMinn Co. Burial Records which list a Lewis V. Burris with dates of b. 8/4/1917 to 2/16/1966.
Lewis Burris Dies in M'Minn: Gunshot Wound Kills New Zion Farmer:
Athens, Tenn. - McMinn County officials today were continuing an investigation into the death about mid-morning Wednesday of Lewis Vencin Burris, 40, whose body was found near the mail box at his home on Rt. 2, Athens.
McMinn County Coroner Bob Harriell attributed death to a bullet wound in the head. He said a .22 caliber revolver was found near the body.
A seven-man coroner's jury, empaneled by the coroner, was unable to agree on a verdict in the death and left the case open for further investigation.
McMinn Sheriff Calvin Cannon, who aided in the investigation, had officers make paraffin tests and fingerprint tests examination of the gun.
The body of Mr. Burris was reported found by Audrey Watters of Athens, a rural mail carrier. The boxer dog of Mr. Burris was reported to have been "guarding" the body.
A lifelong McMinn County resident, Mr. Burris was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Benton Burris. A bachelor, he had lived alone since his father's death about two years ago.
Surviving are a brother, Charles Burris, Knoxville, Tenn.; three sisters, Mrs. Hugh (Annie) Miller, Etoway; Mrs. Jessie Kinser, Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Mrs. Bruce (Stella) Blair, Rt. 2 Athens.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete. The body is at Dender Funeral Home in Etowah.
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I couldnt find much information on this person but did find a 1930 census from McMinn Co., Tenn, which lists:
Burris, W. Bent - 48 - born in Tennessee (farmer)
Burris, Lilly - 47- born in Tennessee
Burris, Jessie - 20 - born in Tennessee
Burris, Stella - 18 - born in Tennessee
Burris, Annie - 15 - born in Tennessee
Burris, Charlie - 14 - born in Tennessee
Burris, Louis V. - 12 - born in Tennessee
Not sure if this is him, but the names seemed to match with the article. Determining the d.o.b. from the census I found the cemetery records to New Zion Baptist Church from McMinn Co. Burial Records which list a Lewis V. Burris with dates of b. 8/4/1917 to 2/16/1966.