Wapello County IA Archives Biographies.....Burgess, James R. 1857 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 June 30, 2013, 1:06 pm

Source: See Below
Author: S. J. Clarke, Publisher

JAMES R. BURGESS.

James R. Burgess, deceased, was an active and influential citizen of Ottumwa and
had the distinction of being the youngest man ever elected to the office of city
councilman in the county. He was called upon to represent his district in the
state legislature and did much in molding public opinion and in directing the
destiny of the district in which he lived. He was born in Bullitt county,
Kentucky, on the 5th of April, 1857, and when he was three years of age his
father, John Burgess, removed with the family to Keokuk county, Iowa, where he
followed farming. Two years later he went to Sigourney, Iowa, where he remained
for ten years, and on the expiration of that period came to Ottumwa, where he
resided to the time of his death. The mother, who bore the maiden name of Mary
Carlisle, was also a native of Kentucky and is now residing with a daughter in
Oregon.

James R. Burgess was one of a family of five children, two sons and three
daughters, three of whom are yet living, while a daughter and James R. have
passed away. The latter was educated in the common schools until his father's
removal to Ottumwa and here he pursued a course in a business college. He then
embarked in the retail pump business and in 1882 extended the scope of his
activities by adding a stock of agricultural implements, buggies, etc. From a
small beginning he constantly enlarged his business, owing to his capable
management, enterprise and energy. Year by year his trade grew, and his business
reached gratifying proportions.

Mr. Burgess not only won the confidence of the people in a business way but also
came to be regarded as a man competent to discharge public duties and protect
municipal interests. He was elected a member of the city council in 1883, being
the youngest man ever chosen to that position in the county and the first
democrat elected from his ward in sixteen years—a fact which indicated his
personal popularity and the confidence reposed in him. He was also the second
youngest member of the twenty-first general assembly of Iowa, to which position
he was elected by the democratic and greenback parties in 1885. So ably did he
represent his constituency that in 1887 he was reelected and thus served for
four years. He was a strong anti-monopolist and supported all bills that were of
a character to check monopolistic control of public utilities or industries. His
fellow townsmen further indicated their faith in him by electing him in 1890 to
the position of chief executive of Ottumwa, and he served as mayor for two
years. In President Cleveland's second administration he was appointed
postmaster of the city and filled the office for four years. On the expiration
of that period he resumed active connection with the agricultural implement and
buggy business, in which he continued until his death on the 24th of July, 1902.

It was on the 27th of December, 1887, that Mr. Burgess was united in marriage to
Miss Elizabeth Wagner, who was born in Agency, Wapello county, a daughter of
John and Elizabeth (Lauder) Wagner, the former a merchant. Mrs. Burgess was one
of six children, four daughters and two sons, of whom one son died in infancy.
She completed a course in the Ottumwa high school with the class of 1880 and
afterward spent one year in the University of Chicago. She was a teacher in the
Ottumwa schools until her marriage. She became the mother of a son and daughter
who yet survive, and another daughter, Elizabeth Katharine, who died in July,
1903, when three and a half years of age. The son, John A., is pursuing the
animal husbandry course in the Iowa State University at Ames and Mabel, also a
student at Ames, is taking the home economics course. Both are graduates of the
Ottumwa high school, the son being a member of the class of 1907, while the
daughter is an alumna of 1912. She successfully engaged in teaching for a year
prior to entering college.

Following her husband's death Mrs. Burgess turned to the profession of teaching
in Ottumwa in the primary grades and after the Fairview school was erected she
was principal there for three years. She was then elected county superintendent
on the democratic ticket in the fall of 1908 and such has been the splendid
record for efficiency she has made that she has been twice reelected and is now
serving for the third term. She is a member of the Episcopal church and her work
and influence have ever been on the side of intellectual and moral advancement.
She deserves much credit for the capable and courageous manner in which she took
up the arduous duties of life following her husband's demise. Theirs was a happy
home life and the loss of Mr. Burgess was deeply felt throughout the community
as well as in his own home, for he had many admirers and warm friends in this
county and all who knew him respected him.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY IOWA
ILLUSTRATED
VOLUME II
CHICAGO
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1914

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