Whiteside County IL Archives Biographies.....Burr, James M 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 January 31, 2008, 1:37 am

Author: Portrait/Bio Album, Whiteside County IL 1885

James M. Burr is a resident of Como, Hopkins Township, and was formerly a sea 
Captain. He was born in Boston, Mass., Dec. 2, 1808, and lived at home until 
he was 11 years of age, when, after the fashion of a large number of 
youngsters who are born near the sea, he yielded to a temptation to try the 
experiences of the salt water himself, and ran away on a mackerel boat. The 
trip lasted two months, and he was sufficiently well pleased with the 
experiment to continue in the same business three years. He next tried the 
novelties and excitement of cod-fishing on the Newfoundland Banks for a season 
or two, after which he went to the Falkland Isles and spent five years in seal-
fishing. On his return to Boston, he obtained a position as first mate on an 
ocean steamer belonging to the Liverpool Packet Line, and operated in that 
capacity about four years. He spent a brief time at his home in Boston, after 
which he shipped as a common sailor for a voyage around the world, and was 
absent three years. He continued his seafaring about 20 years, operating as a 
sailor before the mast, as mate and finally as Captain. He passed a year or 
two in the Lake service and afterwards engaged in steam-boating on the 
Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. While thus engaged he made a visit to a 
brother in Tazewell Co., Ill., and while there he decided to abandon his 
seafaring life and accompany his relatives to Northern Illinois. He came to 
Whiteside County about 1838 and purchased 50 acres of land in Hopkins 
Township, which is now included in the platting of Como, and on which he has 
since resided. He has since made a trip to California for the purpose of 
mining for gold, in which he spent three years, with reasonable success. He 
has disposed of the major portion of his property in the township of Hopkins. 
Captain Burr is a stanch Republican. He is the son of Martin and Eunice 
(Turner) Burr, who were natives of Massachusetts and lived there until their 
death. That of the father took place Nov. 19, 1846; that of the mother 
occurred in August, 1853. They had nine children,—George T., Harriet, Adaline, 
James M., Eunice, Sarah A., William T., Theo. M. and Stephen M. Captain Burr 
was married Aug. 22, 1840, at Portsmouth, N. H., to Caroline, daughter of 
Jeremiah and Lucy (Furber) Neal. Her parents were born in that city and lived 
there until their deaths, which occurred respectively in 1827 and 1869. Their 
children, five in number, were named Clarinda, Sarah A., Caroline H., John W. 
and Charles K. Mrs. Burr was born Dec. 5, 1820, in Portsmouth. To her and her 
husband seven children have been born,—James M., Adaline E., Eunice T., 
Hattie, Netty, Charles M., J. S. Ellery and William T. The oldest son and the 
second daughter are deceased. Adaline E., oldest daughter, is the wife of 
Judge David Davis, formerly United States Senator from Illinois, and resides 
at Bloomington. Hattie is the wife of Charles Heitshu and resides at 
Marshalltown, Iowa. Eunice T. married Charles N. Munson, formerly of Sterling, 
now a resident of Kansas City, Mo. The portrait of Capt. Burr, on the opposite 
page, will naturally be expected on this connection.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Whiteside County, Illinois, Containing Full-
page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens of the County. Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1885.

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