1848?-1850?
[WHB – I think 1848 is probably the right birthyear. Assuming MALINDA JANE was 12 in 1860, as reported in the 1860 census (and 22 in 1870 and 32 in 1880), she would have been 17 or older when married, rather than 14 or 15 if the 1850 0r 1851 birthyears, calculated by assuming her age was 38 on her death record.]
MALINDA JANE WITT, daughter of JAMES WITT and LUCY ANN NEWMAN, born.
1860
MALINDA JANE WITT in 1860 Census as age 12, Western District, Campbell, Virginia, Castle Craig Post Office.
Family Number 282. Others listed JAMES WITT (m, 40,), LUCY A{NN] WITT (f, 35) Ann Witt (f, 10), Madison Overstreet (m, 25), M D Fuller (m 51, millwright). All born Virginia
WHB-Note family 281 is Benjamin Witt (m, 34, carpenter), Francisc V Witt (f, 30), Ann E Witt (f, 13) and Mary F (f, 4) All born Virginia. Family 283 is Edwin (I or J) Witt, (m, 22, carpenter), Mary A Witt (17, f) and Baby (m, 1/12 mo).
[WHB – Note from Campbell Chrnicles and Family Sketches, Embraching the History of Caampbell County, Virginia 1782-1926, by R. H. EARLY; J. P. Bell Company, Lynchburg, VA, 1927.
Small Towns and Villages Chapter IV
“Castle Craig The settlement at Castle Craig is situated about eight miles from Evington,seven miles from Alta Vista, a mile or more from Lynch/s old tavern and two miles from Kingston, on Ward’s Road: it is said to have been given its name by an English woman after a place in England. It possesses a store, a church, post office, several homes and the now (ever present) gasoline station.”
1865
MALINDA JANE WITT married to JOSEPH BURNETT, JR, of Bedford County, VA, son of JOSEPH BURNETT SR and ELIZABETH JOHNSON.
[WHB – I have not yet seen a public or church record of this marriage, although it may be that “record-keeping business as usual” might have been disrupted by the Civil War. It has been pointed out to me that so far no document clearly associates the “Jane Malinda” and “Malinda J” Burnett of the 1870 and 1880 census with the “Malinda Jane Witt” of the 1860 census in John Witt’s household.
On the other hand, she had many children and from them many living descendents who identify JOSEPH BURNETT’s wife as MALINDA JANE WITT. I myself have known some of the family elders whose family histories so identify her.
I, myself, am reasonably certain that JOHN WITT is the father in law of JOSEPH BURNETT, and await convincing documentation of that supposed fact.]
1867
February 16, 1867
JOSEPH BURNETT JR married MALINDA JANE WITT, in Campbell County, VA [Source: Justin Crawford.]
September 21, 1867
Ida M. Burnett, daughter of JOSEPH BURNETT JR and MALINDA JANE WITT, born [WHB – married George K. Hogan] Source: Personal letter from Mrs George W. [Phyllis] Martin, a direct descendent.
1870
October 21, 1870
Census enumeration, for Western District, Campbell County, Lynchburg Post Office.
1519/1616 JOSEPH BURNETT (29, m, stone mason, real estate value 200) J[ANE] M[ALINDA] (22, f, keeping home), Ida M (3, f, at home), C[LARA] BELL (10/12, f, at home), Delice? Brooks, (14, f, w, domestic servant)
1520/1614 James Witt (52, m, carpenter) Elizabeth Witt (35, f, keeping home), Lucy Ann Witt (4, f, at home), Ann M Talbot (31, f, 2, no occupation), Abner Talbot (4, m, at home); 1520/1615 is Herny L Witt (48, m, carpenter), Nancy R Witt (45, f, keeping home), Alonzo W Witt (18, m, works on farm), Rowena D Witt (14, f, no occupation) , H? O? (12, m, at school), Wm H(?) 10, m, w, at school)
December 6, 1870
Otey Munford Burnett, son of JOSEPH BURNETT JR and MALINDA JANE WITT born , died 1948. Source: Personal letter from Mrs George W. [Phyllis] Martin, a direct descendent.
1872
June 18, 1872
Henry Clay Burnett, son of JOSEPH BURNETT JR and MALINDA JANE WITT, born . born.
1874
March 7, 1874
Lillian B. Burnett, daughter of JOSEPH BURNETT JR and MALINDA JANE WITT, born
1875
December 1, 1875
Myrtle D. Burnett, daughter of JOSEPH BURNETT JR and MALINDA JANE WITT, born
1878
April 18, 1878
William Penn Burnett, son of JOSEPH BURNETT JR and MALINDA JANE WITT, born
1880
1880 census
Staunton Magisterial District, Bedford County, VA
240/240 JOSEPH BURNETT, JR (38, m, farm laborer), MALINDA J[ANE WITT] BURNETT (32, f, wife, keeping house), Ida M (12, daughter, at home), CLARA B[ELLE] BURNETT (10, f, at home). Otey M Burnett (9, son, at ?), Henry C. Burnett (7, m, son), Lilly B [6, f, daughter), Myrtle D Burnett (4, f, daughter), William Penn Burnett, (2, m, son), Olley P (1/12, f, daughter).
[WHB – Ollie P, born 1880, died 1880, age 3 months]
1881
Otha T. Burnett, daughter of JOSEPH BURNETT JR and MALINDA JANE WITT, born.
1883
August 9, 1883
Linwood B. Burnett, son of JOSEPH BURNETT JR and MALINDA JANE WITT, born.
1884
Otha T. Burnett died of burns at age 3.
1885
[WHB] Lewis V. Burnett, son of JOSEPH BURNETT JR and MALINDA JANE WITT, born.
1887
[WHB] Harold Carlton Burnett son of JOSEPH BURNETT JR and MALINDA JANE WITT, born.
1888
September 23, 1888
Hattie Ward Burnett, daughter of JOSEPH BURNETT JR and MALINDA JANE WITT, born.
1889
MALINDA JANE WITT died at age 41.