Frederick Russell Burnham
1861 – 1947

Frederick Russell Burnham

father of scouting; military scout; soldier of fortune; oil man; writer; rancher (1861–1947)

explorersoldierMajormilitary officerwriter
Born
1861-05-11, Blue Earth County
Died
1947-09-15
Birthplace state
Minnesota

Biography

Frederick Russell Burnham was born on May 11, 1861, in Blue Earth County, Minnesota. He worked as an explorer, soldier, and writer, eventually attaining the rank of Major. Burnham served the British South Africa Company and the British Army in colonial Africa, and taught woodcraft to Robert Baden-Powell in Rhodesia. His work helped inspire the founding of the international Scouting Movement.

Occupation

Frederick Russell Burnham is recorded as a explorer, a soldier, a Major, a military officer and a writer, born in Minnesota (1861–1947).

Connections to Minnesota

Frederick Russell Burnham was born in Blue Earth County, Minnesota in 1861. Explore other notable figures from Minnesota, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Frederick Russell Burnham came from Blue Earth County. A full Aubrey report on Blue Earth County pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Frederick Russell Burnham

Who was Frederick Russell Burnham?
Frederick Russell Burnham was father of scouting; military scout; soldier of fortune; oil man; writer; rancher (1861–1947), born in Minnesota (1861 – 1947).
When and where was Frederick Russell Burnham born?
Frederick Russell Burnham was born on 1861-05-11 in Blue Earth County.
When did Frederick Russell Burnham die?
Frederick died on 1947-09-15.
What was Frederick Russell Burnham known for?
Frederick Russell Burnham is recorded as a explorer, a soldier, a Major, a military officer and a writer.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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