Dr. Married Three Sisters

A doctor's bag in our Collection

Dr. David Burget was born about 1822 in Cincinnati Ohio to Daniel and Elizabeth Anderson Burget according to his marriage license to Rachael Clippinger Goodman. Find a Grave lists his birth as February 20, 1820, on the tombstone inscription.

On October 28,1839 David married Mary A. Andrew, who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. The couple are shown living in Cincinnati in 1840, with one daughter under five.   His wife Mary was married at the age of 15 according to local historian P W Sutherland but the marriage license in Hamilton County Ohio says she was 18. It also says David was over 21.  “Soon after coming to Lawrence County, she began concocting herbal remedies in connection with his medical practice. She answered medical calls herself when the doctor was prevented from doing so and continued till her early demise at the age of 24 years. She was buried at the White House cemetery west of Bridgeport”. (Either Historian Sutherland had his facts incorrect about the date of her death or Dr Burget married another woman named Mary as the couple are shown in the 1850 census in Lawrence County: David 39, Mary Ann 38, Elizabeth A 12, Sarah Jane 9, Anna E 7, Mary M 4, Daniel D 3, and Catharine L 3/12. The children with the exception of Anna E were all born in Kentucky which is contradicted ten years later when the census was taken again. Dr Burget owned $800 worth of real estate. on February 1, 1850. David Burget had purchased 36.48 acres from the Palestine Land office (Sec 2, T3R13.)

By the 1860 census in Christy Twp.  Mary is 42 and the doctor is 47. Their children included Mary 16, Daniel 14, Catherine 12, Nancy 10, Caroline 8, John 6, and Caroline 4. The oldest two were born in Ohio, the younger ones in Illinois. On September 1, 1862, Dr Burget was taxed $10 for a physician license and $1 for a one-horse carriage valued at $100.

Mary must have died because he then married Emily Clippinger on September 17, 1863, in this county. She was born February 18, 1842, the daughter of David and Rachel Van Scyoc Clippinger and died just three years later on May 20, 1866. David and Emily may have been the parents of Dora and Andrew J.

He married for the third time to Emily’s younger sister, Susanna Clippinger on April 19, 1866, in Lawrence County. David and Susanna may have been Emma and Marion C.’s parents.

The 1870 census shows Dr Burget living with Susan/Susanna in Sumner with his children Caroline 16, John 10, Dora 8, Andrew 5 and Emma 3. Dr Burget owned $12,000 worth of real estate and $10,000 worth of personal property.

Susan died and he married for the fourth time, a third daughter of David and Rachel Van Scyoc/Scyhoc Clippenger on January 17, 1878, at the bride’s home. Her name was Rachael and she was the youngest daughter, and, of course, sister to his second and third wives.  This was her second marriage.  She was 28 and David was 57.

P W Sutherland, a Lawrence County historian, noted in 1918 that Dr Burget was one of the first doctors in Christy township.  It was said that Dr Burget’s first wife was, in reality, the doctor compounding his medicines from roots and herbs for his practice.  A review of the official list of doctors registered by the state of Illinois in 1878 for Sumner, Lawrence County, Illinois, listed  Dr David Burget, age 58, born in Ohio, who had practiced 30 years with 30 years of experience but no formal training.

The 1880 census of Sumner Lawrence County Illinois shows David Burget 59, and his wife Rachael E 29 living in Sumner with his son Andrew J 15, daughter Emma F 13 and son Marion C 9.

Dr David Burget died August 1, 1894, in Madison Richland County Illinois without a Will. At his death he owned one house and lot in the village of Parkersburg Illinois and some household goods with a value not to exceed $100. His wife Rachel asked that James Cougill be appointed administrator.  The heirs listed were his widow (Rachel), Lizzie Lewis, Kate Lewis, Caroline Judy, Emma Cunningham, A J Burget, Dora Combs (?) M C Burget, Jane Petty, and Nancy Combs.

Burial was in Sumner Cemetery.

(So let me get this straight, Rachel’s stepchildren were also her nieces and nephews, and she was their stepmom as well as being their aunt ?)