Introduction

Biography

Robert was the son of Hop­son Mon­roe Bur­le­son and Nan­cy Eli­za­beth Du­pree, and hus­band of Irene Moore (mar­ried 1903).

He be­gan stu­dy­ing mu­sic in 1889, and be­gan teach­ing in 1896. His com­po­si­tions were pub­lished in 1898, in Lamp and Light and Song-Land Mes­sen­ger No. 2. In 1898, he re­ceived a di­plo­ma from the Sou­thern Nor­mal In­sti­tute of Mu­sic ses­sion led by An­tho­ny J. Sho­wal­ter and Ed­win Moore in Man­sfield, Tex­as.

Burleson was a gift­ed or­gan­ist, and lat­er be­came a Bap­tist min­is­ter, serv­ing church­es in Na­var­ro, Par­ker and El­lis Coun­ties, Tex­as. At the time of his death, he was pas­tor of the Moun­tain Peak and Ava­lon Church­es.

He and Irene had at least 12 child­ren. As of 1904, he lived in It­aly, Tex­as.