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WILLIAM FRANKLIN BURRISS, one of Smithfield's best known citizens, where he conducts an undertaking business and is interested in other concerns, owns a valuable farm of seventy acres, which is situated in Smithfield Township, Jefferosn County, Ohio, where he was born. He is a son of Thomas and Rachel (Hunter) Burriss. Thomas Burriss was born at Holliday's Cove, in West Virginia, opposite Steubenville, Ohio, a son of Zadoc Burriss, who had been taken there in boyhood. Zadoc Burriss grew to manhood there and married and when his son Thomas was a boy, came with his family to Wells Township, Jefferson County. His children were: John, Charles, Thomas, Zadoc, William, Mitchell, Hanson, Ruth A., and Rachel, the last named being the wife of G. F. Irvin, and the only survivor of the family. Thomas Burriss helped his father to clear up the farm in Wells Township and when he reached manhood bought 160 acres in Smithfield Township, on which he raised many sheep. His death occurred in 1901, when he was aged seventy-nine years. He married Rachel Hunter, who was born in Pennsylvania, in 1832, and still survives. To Thomas and Rachel Hunter four children were born: William Franklin, Nathan H., Lucian and Tacy P. William F. Burriss was reared on the home farm and attended the schools of Smithfield Township. He was twenty-three years old when he came to Smithfield village and embarked in the undertaking business and later took a course in embalming at Pittsburgh and is legally qualified as an embalmer. Mr. Burriss has well appointed funeral directing rooms and appurtenances and has all necessary equipments, including a team of black horses and a funeral car that is valued at $1,400. Through his efficiency, tact, moderate charges, kindness, promptness and courtesy, Mr. Burriss has become widely known and his services are called for from all parts of the county. During the first year in business he conducted thirty funerals, but now his average is about 125 annually and he has made interments in some of the oldest cemeteries in Ohio. He is a director of the Miners' and Mechanics' Exchange Bank at Smithfield. On February 29, 1876, Mr. Burriss was married to Miss Nannie V. Neel, a daughter of James and Catherine Neel, of Warren Township. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics Mr. Burriss is a Republican and he has served acceptably as a member of the Smithfield council and has also been treasurer of the cemetery. He formerly owned the land on which the Children's Bethel is built. For a number of years he has been a member of the Masonic fraternity.  Return to Family Tales
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