R.H. BURMISTER
History of Arizona, 1896

The Bashford-Burmister Company stands foremost in general 
merchandising in Prescott Arizona.  This large and flourishing 
establishment was started in 1864 by L. Bashford, but on a very 
small scale and became a firm in 1867.  In 1870 it became L. 
Bashford and Company and thus continued until 1886 when L. 
Bashford withdrew and the firm title was changed to The 
Bashford-Burmister Company which was incorporated April 1, 1892 
with R.H. Burmister as president, F.M. Murphy, vice-president 
and W.C. Bashford secretary and treasurer.   These gentlemen 
are also the directors.

In 1876 a one story brick building was erected, 125 x 50 added 
on the present building, making a fine three story brick with a 
basement.  This is the largest store in the Territory.  It has 
arches and partitions on the first floor and the firm carries 
a large and select stock of goods.  This company buys 
principally from the Eastern market and fifteen courteous and 
obliging clerks are employed.  In connection with the store 
this firm has five warehouses and a lumber yard.  A large 
stock of lumber is carried and they furnish a great deal of 
building material for the northern part of the Territory. 

Robert H. Burmister, president of the company, is a native of 
Germany, born in Mecklenburg, August 17, 1847 and son of 
Frederick and Bernatine (Zellener) Burmister, both natives of 
Germany.  The father was a tailor by trade and carried on his 
business in Mecklenburg up to 1850.  He then crossed the ocean 
to America with his family and located in Buffalo, New York, 
where he carried on his business for one year. From there he 
went to Cleveland Ohio, remained there eleven years and thence 
to Liverpool, Ohio. In 1863 he removed to Waupun, Wisconsin 
and there engaged in farming until 1865 when he removed to 
Indianola, Iowa.  There he resides at the present time and is 
retired from the active duties of life, being now eighty-two 
years old.  The mother died in February 1883.  Their family 
consisted of eight children: William, who resides in Chicago 
and is in the employ of Marshall Field and Company; Henry of 
Indianola, Iowa, Ernest, died in the hospital at Cleveland, 
Ohio during the Civil War; Robert H; Albert J., in Arizona; 
Amanda C., manager of the lumber yard in Prescott; Minnie B. 
and Rosella C.

Our subject was reared and educated in the various points to 
which he parents moved and in 1864 left home to begin the battle 
of life himself. previous to this, however, when but fifteen 
years old, he began working out and in 1862 entered the store 
of Clark and Forbes at Oshkosh, Wisconsin where he clerked on 
a very small salary at first but soon became the highest 
salaried clerk in the place.

In 1873 he went to California and located at San Diego where 
he clerked for Steiner and Klauber for six months. In the 
month of May 1874, he came to Prescott and bought an interest 
with L. Bashford and has continued in the mercantile business 
up to the present.  He has made a complete success of this 
enterprise. When he first embarked in this enterprise the 
business amounted to about $35,000 per year, but in 1895 it 
reached the sum of $347,200, a vast difference.  The capital 
stock is $150,000 with $131,000 paid up.

Mr. Burmister is largely interested in mining with W.C. Bashford 
and they own the famous "Jersey Lily" gold mine, the "Tiger", 
"Old Reliable,", "Silver Bell" and numerous others. He also 
owns considerable real estate in Prescott, also stock in the 
Prescott National Bank which he and his partner helped to 
organize and has quite a herd of cattle.  Mr. Burmister is 
president of the Board of Trade, school trustee and a member 
of the city council.

In 1873 he married Miss Maggie F. Bashford and they have three 
children: Robert D., Howard C. and Helen F.

USGenWeb Project NOTICE: 
In keeping with our policy of providing free information 
on the internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as
long as this message remains on all copied material. These 
electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format for
profit, nor for commercial presentation by any other organization. 

Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must 
obtain express written permission from the author, or 
the submitter and from the 
listed USGenWeb Project archivist. 

submitted by burns@asu.edu