Harry Thomas Burn was born in Mouse Creek, Tennessee (later changed to Niota) in 1895. The oldest of four children, he graduated from Niota High School in 1911. He then began working for the Southern Railway. In 1918, Burn was elected as a Republican to represent McMinn County in the Tennessee House of Representatives.
During the special session of 1920, Burn became known nationwide after casting the deciding vote to ratify the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting suffrage rights to millions of American women. The amendment needed 36 of the then 48 states, and it all came down to Tennessee. On August 18, 1920, the house had voted twice to "table" the amendment, hoping to delay action on the issue until after the 1920 elections. Burn voted "aye" to table it both times. But earlier that morning, Burn received a letter from his mother, Febb Ensminger Burn. She advised him to "Hurrah and vote for suffrage." On a vote on the "merits" of the resolution to ratify the amendment, Burn took her advice and voted "aye," breaking the tie, making Tennessee the "Perfect 36th" state.
Burn went on to win a narrow reelection fight in November 1920 and served in the 1921 state legislature. He then left the legislature to practice law in Rockwood and Sweetwater. In 1930, he unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for governor of Tennessee. In 1948, he was elected to the Tennessee Senate, serving in the 1949 and 1951 legislative sessions. On four occasions between 1953 and 1971, he served as Roane County's delegate to state constitutional conventions. He also served on the state planning commission from 1952 to 1970.
Burn served as president of the First National Bank in Rockwood from 1951 to 1965 and practiced law for over fifty years. He was a member of the Freemasons, Woodmen of the World, Junior Order of United American Mechanics, Civitan, Ruritan, and Rotary Clubs. He was a longtime member of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, serving as President-General from 1964-1965.
Burn was briefly married to Mildren Rebecca Tarwater from 1933 to 1935. He was married to Ellen Folsom Cottrell from 1937 until his death. The couple had one son, Harry Thomas Burn Jr.
Burn died at his antebellum Niota home on Saturday evening February 19, 1977 at the age of eighty-one.
During the special session of 1920, Burn became known nationwide after casting the deciding vote to ratify the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting suffrage rights to millions of American women. The amendment needed 36 of the then 48 states, and it all came down to Tennessee. On August 18, 1920, the house had voted twice to "table" the amendment, hoping to delay action on the issue until after the 1920 elections. Burn voted "aye" to table it both times. But earlier that morning, Burn received a letter from his mother, Febb Ensminger Burn. She advised him to "Hurrah and vote for suffrage." On a vote on the "merits" of the resolution to ratify the amendment, Burn took her advice and voted "aye," breaking the tie, making Tennessee the "Perfect 36th" state.
Burn went on to win a narrow reelection fight in November 1920 and served in the 1921 state legislature. He then left the legislature to practice law in Rockwood and Sweetwater. In 1930, he unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for governor of Tennessee. In 1948, he was elected to the Tennessee Senate, serving in the 1949 and 1951 legislative sessions. On four occasions between 1953 and 1971, he served as Roane County's delegate to state constitutional conventions. He also served on the state planning commission from 1952 to 1970.
Burn served as president of the First National Bank in Rockwood from 1951 to 1965 and practiced law for over fifty years. He was a member of the Freemasons, Woodmen of the World, Junior Order of United American Mechanics, Civitan, Ruritan, and Rotary Clubs. He was a longtime member of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, serving as President-General from 1964-1965.
Burn was briefly married to Mildren Rebecca Tarwater from 1933 to 1935. He was married to Ellen Folsom Cottrell from 1937 until his death. The couple had one son, Harry Thomas Burn Jr.
Burn died at his antebellum Niota home on Saturday evening February 19, 1977 at the age of eighty-one.
Harry Thomas Burn was born in Mouse Creek, Tennessee (later changed to Niota) in 1895. The oldest of four children, he graduated from Niota High School in 1911. He then began working for the Southern Railway. In 1918, Burn was elected as a Republican to represent McMinn County in the Tennessee House of Representatives.
During the special session of 1920, Burn became known nationwide after casting the deciding vote to ratify the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting suffrage rights to millions of American women. The amendment needed 36 of the then 48 states, and it all came down to Tennessee. On August 18, 1920, the house had voted twice to "table" the amendment, hoping to delay action on the issue until after the 1920 elections. Burn voted "aye" to table it both times. But earlier that morning, Burn received a letter from his mother, Febb Ensminger Burn. She advised him to "Hurrah and vote for suffrage." On a vote on the "merits" of the resolution to ratify the amendment, Burn took her advice and voted "aye," breaking the tie, making Tennessee the "Perfect 36th" state.
Burn went on to win a narrow reelection fight in November 1920 and served in the 1921 state legislature. He then left the legislature to practice law in Rockwood and Sweetwater. In 1930, he unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for governor of Tennessee. In 1948, he was elected to the Tennessee Senate, serving in the 1949 and 1951 legislative sessions. On four occasions between 1953 and 1971, he served as Roane County's delegate to state constitutional conventions. He also served on the state planning commission from 1952 to 1970.
Burn served as president of the First National Bank in Rockwood from 1951 to 1965 and practiced law for over fifty years. He was a member of the Freemasons, Woodmen of the World, Junior Order of United American Mechanics, Civitan, Ruritan, and Rotary Clubs. He was a longtime member of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, serving as President-General from 1964-1965.
Burn was briefly married to Mildren Rebecca Tarwater from 1933 to 1935. He was married to Ellen Folsom Cottrell from 1937 until his death. The couple had one son, Harry Thomas Burn Jr.
Burn died at his antebellum Niota home on Saturday evening February 19, 1977 at the age of eighty-one.
During the special session of 1920, Burn became known nationwide after casting the deciding vote to ratify the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting suffrage rights to millions of American women. The amendment needed 36 of the then 48 states, and it all came down to Tennessee. On August 18, 1920, the house had voted twice to "table" the amendment, hoping to delay action on the issue until after the 1920 elections. Burn voted "aye" to table it both times. But earlier that morning, Burn received a letter from his mother, Febb Ensminger Burn. She advised him to "Hurrah and vote for suffrage." On a vote on the "merits" of the resolution to ratify the amendment, Burn took her advice and voted "aye," breaking the tie, making Tennessee the "Perfect 36th" state.
Burn went on to win a narrow reelection fight in November 1920 and served in the 1921 state legislature. He then left the legislature to practice law in Rockwood and Sweetwater. In 1930, he unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for governor of Tennessee. In 1948, he was elected to the Tennessee Senate, serving in the 1949 and 1951 legislative sessions. On four occasions between 1953 and 1971, he served as Roane County's delegate to state constitutional conventions. He also served on the state planning commission from 1952 to 1970.
Burn served as president of the First National Bank in Rockwood from 1951 to 1965 and practiced law for over fifty years. He was a member of the Freemasons, Woodmen of the World, Junior Order of United American Mechanics, Civitan, Ruritan, and Rotary Clubs. He was a longtime member of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, serving as President-General from 1964-1965.
Burn was briefly married to Mildren Rebecca Tarwater from 1933 to 1935. He was married to Ellen Folsom Cottrell from 1937 until his death. The couple had one son, Harry Thomas Burn Jr.
Burn died at his antebellum Niota home on Saturday evening February 19, 1977 at the age of eighty-one.
