Herkimer County NyArchives Biographies.....Burns, Edward M. 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ny/nyfiles.htm
************************************************
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Nan Starjak naela@earthlink.net July 19, 2008, 3:31 pm

Author: Hardin & Willard

Burns,Edward M., Herkimer, general manager of the  Adirondack & St. Lawrence 
R.R., is a native of Albany and began his business career as a clerk in a 
country store, and for some years afterwards was so employed by a merchant in 
Albany, and at the breaking out of the war as a clerk in the inspector-
general's office at the State Capitol in Albany.  After sone one hundred 
regiments of volunteers were organized he enlisted as a private in the 97th 
N.Y. Volunteers, then serving as Provost Guard at Alexandria, Va., but very 
soon afterwards ordered to the field where he served during the campaign of 
McDowell, Banks and Pope about the defence of Washington and in the valley, 
doing some staff duty.  His health giving out, by reason of the severe labor 
and exposure, he was for a time a patient in the hospitals about Alexandria, 
but was finally sent north with but little hope for his life.  At the request 
of his colonel, brigade and division commander, the secretary of war mad a 
special order exempting him from the operation of the order requiring disabled 
officers to resign and accept pensions.  As his health slowly returned his 
services were required by the government as deputy provost marshal for the 
14th Dist., N.Y., comprising the counties of Albany and Schoharie, which 
position he held during all the changes of administration until some eighteen 
months after the close of the war, at which time owing to the complete and 
perfect condition of the records under his care, he was offered the 
opportunity to go to Washington to take charge of all such records there, but 
declined, preferring to enter active business, which he did as a piano forte 
manufacturer, succeeding to a business established by his father.  In 1867 he 
married Miss Mary A. Thomas and came to Middleville  N. Y., forming a 
partnership with his brother and continuing the business of tanning calf skins 
which had been carried on by his wife's grandfather, father and brother.  He 
is a Republican and a 32d degree Mason (Scottish Rite).  Mr. Burns was the 
projector of the railroad which he now manages.  The road was built in 1880-1 
and he was elected president and operated the road as a narrow guage until the 
property was sold in 1890.  The new owners made Mr. Burns vice-president and 
general manager, which position he held until the road again changed hands and 
came into the possession of Dr. W. S. Webb, who rebuilt the road, made it a 
standard guage and extended it to Malone, Mr. Burns retaining his position as 
general-manager which he still holds.

Additional Comments:
source:
History of Herkimer County, New York : illustrated with portraits of many of 
its citizens
edited by George A. Hardin ; assisted by Frank H. Willard
Syracuse, New York : D. Mason, 1893
550 p., 276 p. : ill., maps, ports.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ny/herkimer/bios/burns357gbs.txt
This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/nyfiles/

File size: 3.4 Kb