Joel Sanford Burks

Joel Sanford Burks was born c.1827 in Illinois. This is information he gives us on the 1850 US Census, by which time he had been established in Arkansas for at least six years. We know this because his son William R. Burks, age 6 in 1850, was born in Arkansas. According to Mary’s pension request, Joel died January 9, 1878. The 1850 census document is the best document we have for Joel Sanford Burks, however it does not confirm the middle name. Some sources show him as Sanford Joel Burks.

According to several web trees, Joel married Mary Eliza Williams on September 10, 1846 in Hot Springs County, Arkansas. The marriage could have been two or three years earlier, as their first child is born in c. 1844. Mary was born in Illinois, according to the 1850 census, where she gave her age as 20. This gives us a tentative date of birth of 1830. Mary is believed to be the daughter of Jesse William and Polly Barnett, but this is not proven. Jesse and Polly were married in Kentucky and moved to Illinois. In some documents Mary is listed with no middle name or initial, in some she uses Mary A., and she is also known as Mary Eliza.

We know Joel Sanford Burks fought in the Civil War in the Confederate Army because we have his wife’s request for a pension based on that service. He served from April 1863 to June 1865 in Crawford’s H Company, Arkansas Cavalry.

Joel appears on the 1850 US Census for Prairie, Hot Springs County, Arkansas, where he states he is a farmer, age 23, born in Illinois. His wife’s name is given as “Mary,” with no middle name or initial. Also in the household are three children, all born in Arkansas – William R., age 6; James W., age 1; and Thomas E., one month old.

By the 1880 census, the widow Mary and her younger children is living with one of her older sons, “D.T.,” in Big Creek, Sebastian County, Arkansas. Everyone in the household except Mary is born in Arkansas. She is born in Illinois. D.T. is age 28, son William H. is age 7; brother John L. is age 12; brother Joel S. is age 6; sister Martha is age 14; and mother Mary A. is age 50. The ages are not a perfect match for those given on the 1870 census, but are close. “D.T.” is most likely son Daniel, who was age 18 on the 1870 census.

Children of Joel Sanford Burks and wife Mary Williams: William R. Burks, born c.1844 in Arkansas James Washington Burks, born c.1849 in Arkansas Thomas E Burks, born in 1850 in Arkansas Daniel T. Burks, born in 1852 in Arkansas Jesse Burks, born 1854 in Arkansas Nancy Burks, born 1860 in Arkansas Malinda Burks, born 1862 in Arkansas Martha Burks, born 1864 in Arkansas - born after her father enlisted in CSA John Burks, born 1868 in Arkansas Joel S. Burks, born 1871 in Arkanss

• Updated from MyHeritage Family Trees via wife Mary Eliza A Burks (born Williams) by SmartCopy: Apr 6 2015, 19:00:52 UTC
• Residence: 1850 - Prairie, Hot Spring, Arkansas, USA
  • Updated from 1850 United States Federal Census by SmartCopy: Apr 6 2015, 19:03:17 UTC
• Residence: 1850 - Prairie, Hot Spring, Arkansas, USA