Statewide County AZ Archives Obituaries.....Burger, John H. 1901
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Elizabeth Burns burns@asu.edu and D. Joshua Taylor http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00006.html#0001358 July 4, 2005, 6:27 pm

Arizona Republican-May 28, 1901
John H. Burger, one of the oldest residents of Phoenix, 
was killed yesterday afternoon at the Burger Mine on Humbug 
Creek, fifty five miles north of the city.  The news of the 
tragedy was received by his son, John Burger, yesterday 
evening but there were no accompanying details.  It was 
only stated that the killing occurred in the mill.  Mohn 
and Easterling sent after the body last night and it will 
be brought here sometime tonight.

Mr. Burger was 72 years of age and was a native of 
Maryland.  He came to Phoenix twenty nine years ago, 
after having spent a long time in the north and 
northwest.  He identified himself with the mining 
industry and has been connected with it ever since.  
He besides acquired a great deal of property in Phoenix.

He leaves a wife and four children: Levi Burger, John H. 
Burger, Jr., Mrs. C.A. Stewart of Jerome and Miss Vera Burger.

No man in Phoenix was more highly esteemed than John 
Burger.  He always enjoyed the confidence of his 
neighbors.  About five years ago he was solicited to 
become a candidate for mayor on the democratic ticket 
at a special election.  He had never taken part in 
politics and he entered upon the contest with great 
reluctance.  He was defeated by a narrow majority.

May 29, 1901

Harry Parker, Ed Morrell, and S.L. Easterling who left here 
Monday afternoon about 3 o'clock returned yesterday about 
11 o'clock with the body of John H. Burger who was killed 
at the Burger Mine on Humbug Creek last Monday.  It is 
fifty miles to Humbug but they met a party from the mine 
about fifteen miles this side of there on the way to 
Phoenix, which reduced their twenty hour trip to a distance 
of eighty miles.

There are few particulars of the accident to publish. 
Mr. Burger was engaged in fixing a belt on a pump when 
he seemed to  slip and fall toward a large flywheel, a 
spoke of which hit him on the back of the head. A Mr. 
Welch, who was working with him, saw him fall and 
immediately reaching out pulled him from  the wheel.  
There was no other wound save the blow on the back of 
the head.

Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Stewart, son in law and daughter of 
Mr. Burger are expected to arrive on this morning's train 
from Jerome and the funeral will take place this afternoon 
at 4 o'clock from the family residence at No. 31 West 
Monroe Street.  Col. C.W. Johnstone will officiate at 
the funeral services.

Mr. Burger learned the trade of a millwright in Iowa 
City Iowa and from there went to California in 1853 
and worked his trade in Sacramento and Marysville for 
one summer and then went to mining on Feather River, 
starting on his own account in 1858.  The British 
Columbia mining excitement broke out that year and 
he followed the rush, staying in that country five 
years and being very successful.  He returned to Inyo 
County California and in 1864 came to Prescott and 
began making shingles and pickets from the pine timber.  
From there he went to the Vulture Mine and built its 
first stamp mill which was run by water power.  Later 
he went to the Bully Bueno Mine, from there to Placer 
City, near Walnut Grove and opened up several mines, 
none of which paid.  After this he engaged in ranching 
for three years at Walnut Grove, put in his grain with 
a gun strapped to his plow and his pistol in his belt, 
but the Indians would come into his field while he was 
at one end and steal the seed which he had left at the 
other end.  He next opened up a tract of land at Antelope 
Valley and had twenty acres ready for planting when his 
provisions got low.  He started with another man for 
Wickenburg for a fresh supply and on the way they were 
attacked by Indians.  His companion was killed at the 
first shop and although Mr. Burger fought with the 
energy of despair, the Indians seized his gun and shot 
him through the thigh and fired four balls into his 
side, one of which he carried to his death.  He managed 
to reach the shelter of some rocks where he was 
comparatively safe and killed two Indians and crippled 
another, which caused them to fall back, giving him a 
chance to hide, finally being rescued by a party of 
four white men and carried to a cabin four miles away.  
After an eight month convalescence he went to work 
again at the Vulture till it shut down when he went 
to Wickenburg for a short time, moving to Phoenix in 
February 1873.

He engaged here in wagon making and blacksmithing until 
in recent years and owned considerable property in this 
city besides his mining interests on Humbug Creek.  He 
was married first in Iowa in 1850 and the result of that 
union was one child, Levi Burger, now a resident of this 
valley.  In 1874 he was married to Miss Elizabeth Morrell 
in this city.  By the second marriage there were five 
children, three of whom are living.

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