Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Burgess, George 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com November 10, 2007, 9:38 am

Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County

GEORGE BURGESS, master mechanic of the Joliet plant of the Illinois Steel 
Company, became a machinist at J. P. Withrow's, in Newcastle, Pa. He next 
worked under Robinson & Ray, in Pittsburg, Pa., for two years and then in the 
Union Works of the old Illinois Steel Company in Chicago. After one year he 
was made foreman of the machine shop, and continued as such for two years. His 
next position was that of night master mechanic. After a year he became 
assistant master mechanic of the works. When the mill shut down he went to 
South Chicago as chief engineer of the rail mill of the Illinois Steel 
Company. On the reopening of the Union mill he returned as assistant master 
mechanic and in 1895 was promoted to be master mechanic. In 1896 the mill 
closed down again and he was sent to Joliet to take charge of the plant in 
this city, where he has remained ever since. Tracing the ancestry of the 
Burgess family, we find that John Burgess, Sr., was born in Spain, his father 
having gone to that country from Scotland. When sixteen years of age he 
settled in New Jersey. For many years he was engaged in the canning of oysters 
along the Chesapeake. He now resides in Philadelphia. His wife, Elizabeth, is 
still living, and is ninety-two years of age. Their son, John, Jr., was born 
in Camden, N. J., and learned the saddler's trade in Pittsburg, Pa. At the 
opening of the Civil war he enlisted twice, but each time the company was 
disbanded before being called into service. On his third enlistment he was 
detailed in the garrison at Pittsburg, where he engaged in the manufacture of 
harness. When the war ended he started in the harness business in Newcastle, 
Pa. From there, in 1893, he removed to Youngstown, Ohio, where he now makes 
his home. In politics he favors he Republican party, in religion is an elder 
in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and fraternally is connected with the 
Masons and Odd Fellows. He is a man of strong temperance principles and 
upright life. The wife of John Burgess, Jr., was Annie Taylor, who was born in 
Wellsville, W. Va., a daughter of Thomas and Annie Taylor, natives of England. 
Her father, oncoming to America, engaged in mining at Pottsville, Pa. Before 
railroads had been built he crossed the Alleghanies to West Virginia, where he 
followed coal mining until his death. His wife also died in West Virginia. The 
family of John Burgess, Jr., consisted of two sons and two daughters, three of 
whom reside in Youngstown, Ohio, and George, the oldest, in Joliet, Ill. He 
was born in Newcastle, Pa., August 14, 1864, and studied in the public schools 
of the native town. When sixteen years of age he began to study dentistry with 
Dr. Green of Newcastle, with whom he remained for four years. Meantime, 
however, he had become interested in mechanical work, and his taste in that 
direction was so pronounced that he abandoned dentistry. He entered the 
machine shop of Withrow & Gordon, with whom he served an apprenticeship of 
three years. Afterward he was employed in the building of the water works at 
Pittsburg, Pa., for two years. In 1884 he started west, intending to go to 
California, but, instead, stopped in Chicago, and he has since made his home 
in this state. He was married in Chicago to Miss Marie Cklacy, a native of New 
York City. They have three sons, George, Jr., Lorain and Eugene. In politics 
Mr. Burgess is a Republican. He was made a Mason in Lodge No. 310, A. F. & A. 
M., in Chicago, and later became connected with Lafayette Chapter, R. A. M., 
and Apollo Commandery, K. T., of Chicago. During his residence in Newcastle he 
was a member of the lodge and encampment of Odd Fellows, and he is now 
connected with the Modern Woodmen of America.

Additional Comments:
Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing 
Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical 
Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900

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