Page 6 - 2019 Spring Newsletter

Just Who Was

Mary Couts Burnett?

Fort Worth’s citizens gave TCU a boost when they were Over the years, the marriage became contentious, in part
most needed. Mary Couts Burnett’s generous endowment because of Burk Burnett’s relationship with his granddaughter
in 1923 allowed the University to build her namesake from a previous marriage Ann Burnett Tandy. The situation
library. Her gift also allowed the school to survive during deteriorated to the point in 1920 that Mary began to mention
the great depression. to others that Burk Burnett was planning to murder her. Burk
Burnett had Mary declared legally insane and committed to
So who is Mary Couts Burnett and why did she give to TCU? an asylum in a private home in Weatherford, Texas where she
The story reads a bit like a dime-store novel. was kept virtually a prisoner until she broke out of the asylum
on the very day of her husband’s death on June 26, 1922.
Mary was born into privilege in 1856, one of five daughters,
to Colonel James R. Couts, a cattleman and prominent banker With good counsel of her personal physician, Dr. Charles
in Parker County. James Couts was apparently an admirer Harris, Mary got her insanity ruling reversed and then
of Addison Clark as he was known to have helped Clark’s successfully challenged her husband’s will for her “widow’s
fledgling school during its Thorp Springs period. half,” of the Burnett estate, which her husband had left to
his granddaughter. Mary won the battle and received half of
In 1892, Mary married divorced cattle baron Samuel his estate. Shortly after having won the battle for the Burnett
Burk Burnett. He had made his fortune in cattle ranching, estate, Mary made a bequest to Texas Christian University for
establishing the Four Sixes Ranch and also partnered with $3 million in trust. Her gift represents the most remarkable
Quanah Parker to lease grazing land on Comanche and single benefaction the University has yet received.
Kiowa reservations in Oklahoma. Burk Burnett and Mary
made their home in Fort Worth, Texas.

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