October 9, 1911 - October 21, 1979
Married: Lillian Alberta Mosley
Children: Robert S. "Sam" Burton, Jr., Mary Jane (Morgan) Burton, Scott Burton, and Martha Ann Burton
Grandchildren: Leanna Burton Aguiar, James R. "Bob" Burton, Je Suiś A. & Josiah N. Scott, Aaron W. & Bryan A. Scott, and Seth T. Huber;
6 Great-Grandchildren
Robert S. "Bob" Burton was born in the LaGuardo community of Wilson County. He received his elementary education in LaGuardo; graduated from Mt Juliet High School in 1931; and was awarded his L.L.B. Degree from Cumberland School of Law at Cumberland University in 1933.
He volunteered to serve in the United States Marine Corps in 1943. He earned a Bronze Star, Silver Star, 2 Purple Hearts and a Gold Star in lieu of a 2nd Bronze Star for his military service in WWII, on the front lines of combat on Roi Namur, Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima. He married in September 1950; Lillian was a school teacher; a 4-H Club leader, a gardener, his intellectual equal and love of his life.
He bred horses from the great stallion, Nasr, at Travelers Rest Arabian Stud Farm in Nashville and five gaited trotters; also Walker fox hounds. For many years he was a member and was elected as President of the Wilson County Fox Hunter’s Association. He loved his horses, his dogs and the hunt.
In the late 1930’s the Burton’s were one of the first to grow strawberries locally. He helped his Dad and Uncles raise one of the first "burley tobacco crops for sale" in Wilson County, a crop he continued to raise until 1977. In the late 1960’s his tobacco acreage was the largest single owner base in Wilson Co. He always planted a large garden and shared the harvest. He invested in a sprinkler irrigation system, with over 1 mile of pipe, to maximize benefit of the lake/creek to our crops, and he loaned it to others without charge.
He volunteered his time to community organization: the LaGuardo Ruritan Club serving as President in 1960; as Director of Wilson Co. Farm Bureau; President of Green Hills Utility District; and as an active member of LaGuardo Church of Christ serving as Treasurer and Sunday School Teacher most of his adult life.
In 1936, he was first elected as a County Magistrate serving the 4th Civil District, Wilson Co. Court, then to the Tennessee 75th General Assembly as State Representative in 1946; then returned to elected office in Wilson Co.; he served on the 1st Wilson County Planning Commission; on the Road Commission; and was one of the1st Directors of the Wilson Co. Library Board. In 1975,
Burton was chosen the official "Uncle Sam" for the 1976 Bicentennial Celebration here in Wilson County. In March 1974 he made the motion to purchase 104 acres; while some said "that’s too much"; he had a vision for the future, and his leadership carried the day – it is that acquisition of property that led to the James E. Ward Agricultural and Community Center.
He served 39 years in elected positions. He loved people and politics; this was expressed in public service to his community, county, state and country.
