Mary Couts Burnett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Couts Burnett
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| Born | July 1856 |
| Died | December 16, 1924 (aged 68) Fort Worth, Texas, US
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| Resting place | Oakwood Cemetery, Fort Worth, Texas |
| Spouse(s) | Claude Barradel Samuel Burk Burnett (m. 1892) |
Mary Couts Burnett (born 1856, died 1924) was a very generous person. She gave a large part of her money to Texas Christian University (TCU). This important gift helped build the Mary Couts Burnett Library at the university.
Early Life of Mary Couts
Mary Couts was born in July 1856 in Lawrence County, Arkansas. Her father, James R. Couts, was a cattle rancher. He moved his family to Parker County, Texas. There, he started a bank in Weatherford. He also helped create a large ranch for longhorn cattle. Mary's first husband, Claude Barradel, passed away.
Mary's Marriage to Samuel Burk Burnett
On September 13, 1892, Mary married Samuel Burk Burnett. He was a famous cattle rancher. Before they married, Burnett had become very rich from his cattle business. He owned the famous Four Sixes Ranch. He also worked with Quanah Parker to rent land for grazing cattle in Oklahoma. This helped Parker become wealthy too. Burnett was even friends with Theodore Roosevelt, who later became president.
Mary and Samuel Burnett lived in Fort Worth, Texas. They had one child together, Samuel Burk Burnett Jr. Sadly, their son died in 1916, just before his 21st birthday.
Over time, Mary and Samuel's marriage became difficult. After Samuel Burnett passed away in 1922, Mary worked to have a previous legal decision about her health changed. She also successfully challenged her husband's will. The court decided that she should receive half of his large estate.
Mary Couts Burnett Library
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In December 1923, Mary Couts Burnett gave $12,000 to the Dixon Colored Orphanage. She then gave the rest of her $3 million estate to Texas Christian University. This money was used to build a brand new library at TCU. Before this, the university's library was inside the main administration building.
According to Mary's will, $150,000 was set aside right away to build the new library. W. G. Clarkson and Company were the architects who designed it. The president of TCU, E.M. Waits, asked for the new building to be named the Mary Couts Burnett Library. Today, the library also keeps important papers and items from former Congressman and Speaker of the House Jim Wright.
