Blair County PA Archives Biographies.....Burchfield, Hon. Theodore July 21, 1842 - ????
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Judy Banja http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00004.html#0000757 January 14, 2025, 10:20 am

Source: Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Blair Co, PA: Philadelphia, 1892.
Author: Samuel T. Wiley

HON. THEODORE BURCHFIELD,
ex-member of the house of representatives of Pennsylvania, and the present
mayor of Altoona, is one who, early in life, was thrown upon his own
resources, and who, by ability, energy, and will has achieved success and won
his way to prominence and honorable standing.  He is a son of Robert and
Martha (Zelner) Burchfield, and was born in Juniata county, Pennsylvania,
July 21, 1842.  His paternal great-grandfather, Aquila Burchfield, was one of
seven brothers of English descent who came from Maryland to central
Pennsylvania, and four of them served in the Continental armies during the
revolutionary war.  Robert Burchfield, Sr. (grandfather), was born and reared
in what is now Juniata county, of which he was a life-long resident.  He was a
prosperous farmer for his day in the Juniata valley, and married and reared a
family of children, of whom one was Robert Burchfield (father), who followed
milling until his death, in 1850, at the early age of thirty-eight years. 
Robert Burchfield was a democrat in politics, and an attendant of the
Presbyterian church, and married Martha Zelner, who was a native of Juniata
county, in which she died in 1876, aged sixty-three years.  Mr. And Mrs.
Burchfield were the parents of six children, four sons and two daughters. 
Mrs. Burchfield was a daughter of Emmanuel Zelner (maternal grandfather), who
was of German descent.  He was born in Lancaster county during the latter part
of the eighteenth century, and after having arrived at the age of manhood
sought to make for himself a home in Juniata county, which was then but
thinly settled.  He purchased a tract of land, and by hard toil and patient
industry succeeded in having an excellent and well improved farm before his
death summons came to him, when he was in the ninety-first year of his age.
      Theodore Burchfield was reared principally at Mifflin, in Juniata
county; received his education in the common schools, and learned the trade
of printer in the office of the Harrisburg Telegraph.  In 1862 he enlisted as
a private in  Co. F, 126th Pennsylvania infantry, and served as such until
November 17, 1864, when he was mustered out of the service.  He participated
in all the skirmishes and battles of his regiment while he was in the
service, and was wounded at the battle of Chancellorsville by a buckshot
passing through the calf of his left leg.  After returning home from the army
the second time he was not permanently employed at any kind of work until the
spring of 1865, when he entered the job office of the Daily Tribune, of
Altoona, of which he became foreman in 1870.  Ten years later he was elected
by the republicans as a member of the legislature, and at the end of his
term, in 1882, was reelected.  During his second term in the legislature, he
introduced, and had passed, a bill appropriating fifteen thousand dollars
toward the erection of a hospital at Altoona, an institution badly needed and
now highly appreciated by the sick and maimed.  From the close of his second
term, in 1884, he gave his time closely to the supervision of the Tribune
office, until the spring of 1890-, when he left the printing establishment to
assume the duties of mayor, to which office he had been elected at the
preceding election. 
      On December 24, 1867, Mr. Burchfield married Anna M. Gable, daughter of
William Gable, of Altoona.  To their union have been born ten children, four
sons and six daughters: Horace M., who died in infancy; Herbert E., Nellie
L., Jessie M., Charles J., who died in infancy; Edith L., Mary A., Emma L.,
Raymond T., and Ruth J.
      Theodore Burchfield is a republican in politics, and a member of the
First Methodist Episcopal church of Altoona.  He is a member of Logan Lodge,
No. 490, Free and Accepted  Masons; White Cross Lodge, No. 354, Knights of
Pythias; Juniata Lodge, No. 246, Ancient Order of United workmen; Altoona
Lodge, No. 132, Improved Order of Heptasophs; Washington Camp, No. 54,
Patriotic Order Sons of America; and Lieut. S.C. Potts Post, No. 62, Grand
Army of the Republic, of which latter organization he has been commander for
the last four successive terms.  On June 3, 1871, he enlisted as a private in
the National Guard of Pennsylvania, and passed through all the grades of
office up to that of colonel, and is now serving on his third term as colonel
of the 5th regiment.  Colonel Burchfield has always been active in the
municipal affairs of Altoona, and has been an untiring worker in the
interests of the Republican party of Blair county.

Additional Comments:
Originally submitted 2001. Transcribed by Judy Banja jbanja@comcast.net

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