Where it all began...

Philetus Burnett born 1808 in Granby Massachusetts. Worked for his father, Enoch, building houses in Belchertown Massachusetts. He left Massachusetts and came to California via the Isthmus of Panama, arriving in San Francisco October 11, 1849. He obtained property and in 1851 he returned to Massachusetts to obtain equipment and arrange to send his wife and seven children to California. His wife had a disastrous trip across Nicaragua and found the ship she was to take on the pacific had sunk. Philetus and his eldest son, Henry, had an apparently uneventful overland trip. She arrived in San Francisco September 1852. Three children had died of yellow fever on the trip. The family settled in Sacramento and in the directory of 1854 Philetus and Henry are listed as carpenters. In 1861 Henry volunteered in the California Calvary. He became a 1st lieutenant and was discharged in 1865. In 1869 both father and son had a shop behind their home at 8th and P. They specialized in building stairs. In 1870 they were building stairs in the new Capitol building. In 1871 Philetus was given control of the Capitol and the Governor's Mansion. At this time Henry found two partners and they built a complete new plant on the southeast corner of 12th and J called Telegraph Mill. In 1890 Henry and his two sons bought out the partners and changed the name to Burnett & Sons. In 1900 the mill moved to North 12th and B, later moved to 23rd and R behind the Buffalo Brewery. Besides their regular milling they now made iceboxes for the brewery. In 1922 Leroy Miller, George Burnett's son-in-law, began working at the mill. In 1931 with the death of George, Leroy took over the company. At this time the company moved to it's present location at 11th and C streets. In 1948 Burnett Miller went to work for the company. Leroy, his father, died in 1968 and Burnett assumed control of the company. The Capitol was modernized in 1903. At this time much of the millwork, mouldings and the stairs were taken out and replaced with stone and metal. The Franciscans were building the church on 27th and K street across from Sutter's Fort. The fathers bought much of this material and a section of stairs for the choir. The material was all walnut. In 1980 for the Bicentennial Project,  The State restored the Capitol Building and Burnett and Sons reconstructed the stairs from original designs constructed by the Burnett's in the 1860's. The company continues to produce the same products as in the past. It is owned by the 6th generation member of the founders.