Among the public officials of Elmore county is Carter W. Burns, of Mountain Home, who is now acceptably serving as sheriff. His entire life has been spent west of the Mississippi, his birth having occurred in Jackson county, Iowa, on the 5th of April 1856. The family is of Scotch descent and was early founded in the state of Missouri, the paternal grandfather of our subject having taken up his residence there when the region was an almost unbroken wilderness Jerome Samuel Burns, the father of our subject, was born in Missouri and wedded Miss Mary Kuntz, a native of Pennsylvania, and of German descent. They are now residents of San Jose, California, the father having attained the age of sixty-seven, the mother fifty-seven years. They are both valued members of the Methodist church, and are people of the highest respectability and worth. In their family were twelve children, ten of whom reached years of maturity, while nine are still living.
Carter W. Burns, whose name introduces this review, acquired his education in the public schools near his Iowa home, and spent his boyhood days upon his father’s farm, assisting in the work of plowing, planting and harvesting. His time was thus occupied until he attained his majority, when he left home and went to the Black Hills, where he engaged in prospecting and mining. During the Leadville excitement he went to Colorado, where he again engaged in mining and also followed freighting for some time. He carried supplies for the miners into the state of Durango, Mexico, and while in that land took a contract for building a portion of the Rio Grande Railroad. On the completion of that work he returned to Colorado, and in 1882 came to Idaho, locating on Wood river, where he engaged in prospecting, mining, freighting and in furnishing railroad ties for the railroad between Shoshone and Ketchum.
In 1884 Mr. Burns arrived in Mountain Home and opened a meat market, which he conducted with excellent success for ten years. He also had the contract for carrying the mail from Mountain Home to Rocky Bar, and is now quite extensively interested in mining claims, having made judicious investments in mining property. In 1896 he was elected on the silver Republican ticket to the office of county sheriff, which position he has filled with marked capability. He is prompt and reliable, discharging his duties without fear or favor, and the high commendation of the public is accorded him.
In 1886 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Burns and Miss Emma Jane Bluett, a native of Walla Walla, Washington. Their union has been blessed with two children, Mary L. and Charles J., who are still with their parents. Mrs. Burns is an acceptable member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and both our subject and his wife are held in the high regard of an extensive circle of friends and acquaintances.