H. W. Burlingame, one of the pioneer business men of McGregor, was born in Cortland County, N.Y., April 29, 1820. His parents, Gorton and Mary (Fanning) Burlingame, were married in Schoharie County, N.Y., in 1815, and had a family of eight children, six living, viz.: Alanson, Mahala, Margaret, H.W., Mary Ann and Alonzo. Mr. and Mrs. Burlingame died in Cortland County, N.Y., after a long and useful life. The subject of this memoir was reared on his father's farm, and received a common school education. In the fall of 1841 he married Jane S., a daughter of William Roundswell. She was born in Tompkins County, N.Y., in February, 1821. He immediately purchased land in Cortland County, following farming until 1853, when he sold out and came to Chicago, where he was engaged in building railroads, contracting on the Chicago & Northwestern, Wabash, and Detroit & Milwaukee roads, employing from 400 to 500 men. He returned to Cortland County, N.Y., and embarked in buying and shipping stock until the spring of 1857, when he removed to Broadhead, Wis., and the same year came to McGregor, Ia. He was engaged in building the McGregor, St. Peters & Missouri River Railroad. The company failing, he embarked in the lumber interest, in company with his brother, which business he prosecuted until 1870. In 1871 he built ten miles of the C., D. & M. R. R., between North McGregor and Harper's Ferry. In politics he is a Republican, and has held several local offices of trust in the gift of the people. Mr. and Mrs. Burlingame were the parents of five children, three living--Mary J., Walter F. and Emeline R. Mr. Burlingame is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Bezer Lodge, No. 135, of McGregor. source: History of Clayton
County, Iowa, 1882, p. 971-72 |