Wapello County IA Archives Biographies.....Burton, Samuel H. 1841 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ia/iafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 July 9, 2013, 1:05 am Source: See Below Author: S. J. Clarke, Publisher SAMUEL H. BURTON. For an extended period Samuel H. Burton was identified with agricultural interests in Wapello county but is now living retired in Ottumwa. At the present writing, however, he is filling the office of county highway engineer, which position was created under the new road law in April, 1913. Fifty-two years have come and gone since lie arrived in this section of the state. Mr. Burton is a native of Waterloo, Seneca county, New York, born January 29, 1841, his parents being John and Elizabeth (Hooper) Burton. The father served as a captain in the War of 1812 and participated in the battle of Lundy's Lane. He was the son of an Episcopal minister, who came with his family to the new world from Manchester, England, in 1798. John Burton, who was then in his minority, came with his parents to the United States and afterward studied law, becoming a prominent and able member of the bar. His wife was a lineal descendant of General Clark, a prominent figure during the Revolutionary war. This branch of the Clark family has long been a prominent one and was first established in America by Samuel Clark, who located in Wethersfield, Connecticut, in 1630, possibly having-come from Devon, England. Ten years subsequent to his arrival in the new world he removed to Rippowams, now Stamford, Connecticut, and his death occurred in Bedford in 1690. The ancestral line to the present generation has been traced as follows: "His son, William Clark, was born in Stamford, Connecticut, in 1645, and died in Bedford in 1712; he was the father of Nathan Clark, who was born in 1676 and died in 1738. The latter was father of Jehiel Clark, born at Bedford, New York, in 1710, and died near Newbury, Ulster county, in 1743. Samuel Clark, a son of Jehiel Clark, was born February 17, 1741, and was commissioned lieutenant by General Washington at White Plains, captain at Poughkeepsie, June 16, 1778, and major May 6, 1779, lieutenant colonel at East Line, Saratoga county, New York, in 1786, colonel at East Line, May 10, 1792, brigadier general of the Ninth Brigade at Saratoga, July 3, 1804, and major general on March 8, 1814. Lydia Clark, second daughter of Samuel Clark, married Pontius Hooper and lived the latter years of her life ten miles west of Clinton, Michigan. This union resulted in the birth of Elizabeth Hooper, mother of our subject, September 25, 1799. The latter died in 1875 at Waterloo, New York." Samuel H. Burton was a student in the Waterloo Academy of Waterloo, New York, and at the age of eighteen took up the profession of teaching. Later he engaged in land surveying and when in his twenty-first year came to Wapello county, where he pursued the study of law, under Judge Burton and H. B. Hendershott. In June, 1862, he was admitted to the bar and for a brief period engaged in law practice, but soon afterward became part owner of the Mercury, a Democratic paper published weekly. In 1865 a daily edition was brought forth in addition to the weekly, published by Samuel H. Burton and S. B. Evans. During that period when the Republican party was guiding the destinies of the nation through a most momentous period of its history it required great courage for a man to espouse Democratic principles, but Mr. Burton was so fair in his judgments and so honorable in all that he did that he accomplished great good for his party. He continued to publish the Mercury until 1869, after which he followed the profession of teaching through the winter seasons and spent the summer months in survey work. Subsequently he engaged in the grocery business, but trusted his patrons to too great an extent and was forced to dispose of his business, as the method he pursued was unprofitable. In 1873 he opened an office as surveyor and civil engineer and subsequently was elected and served as city engineer and county surveyor for a number of years, continuing in those offices until 1893. In 1886 Mr. Burton turned his attention to agricultural pursuits and settled upon a farm, dividing his time between its cultivation and his official duties. The land was almost wholly undeveloped when it came into his possession, and its improvements were little more than a log cabin when he purchased the place in 1868. He occupied the log house during 1870 and 1871, after which he lived in his citv home on Elm street until 1886. He then erected a commodious residence upon his farm and occupied it for a number of years, during which time he successfully engaged in gardening and fruit-raising in addition to cultivating the various cereals best adapted to soil and climate. At the present writing Mr. Burton makes his home at No. 1103 North Elm street, which property he owns, while his son Frank resides upon a farm a mile east on Pennsylvania avenue. For a half century Mr. Burton has been connected with the office of county surveyor, acting as deputy or as county surveyor throughout that long period, having been first elected to the position on the 14th of October, 1862. He has also been city engineer for many years and at the present writing he is acting as county highway engineer, the office having been created in April, 1913, under the new road law. Mr. Burton was united in marriage in 1861 to Miss Julia Day, and they became the parents of four children: Mabel, who was born November 11, 1863, and is the wife of Joseph Carr, of Portland, Oregon; Grace, who was born July 22, 1865, and became the wife of Fred Milligan, but died in Wisconsin in 1906; Frances Mary, who was born December 18, 1869, and is the wife of George M. Bissell, living a mile east of Ottumwa; and Edward, who was born in 1871 and died in childhood. The wife and mother passed away in 1875; and in 1885 Mr. Burton married Rhoda E. Garbry, by whom he has two sons: Frank H., who was born March 30, 1886, and Claude Cleveland, born July 11, 1888. The former married Ruth A. Johnson. He attended a business college in Ottumwa and is now assisting his father in engineering work. The younger son, a bridge carpenter and engineer in Montana with the Milwaukee Railroad Company, wedded Mary Finn, and they have one child, Francis Emmett. Throughout, the entire period of his manhood Mr. Burton has been a resident of Wapello county and in the fifty-two years which have come and gone since his arrival he has become very widely and favorably known, substantial qualities of citizenship and of upright manhood having gained for him the warm regard and good-will of those with whom he has been associated. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY IOWA ILLUSTRATED VOLUME II CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1914 Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ia/wapello/photos/bios/burton798gbs.jpg This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/iafiles/ File size: 7.3 Kb