BIO:  Nathan F. Burnham, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Abby Bowman

Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, historical editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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Part II, Biographical Sketches, York Borough, Pg 11

NATHAN F. BURNHAM, York, was born in the city of New York March 13, 1822, and is 
of English-Irish and French descent.  His father was a millwright, and with him 
Nathan F. worked at the trade in Orange County, N. Y., until he was sixteen 
years old.  He then commenced learning the watch-maker's business, which he was 
obliged to relinquish after three years on account of his health.  He then went 
to Laurel, Md., in 1844, and engaged with Patuxent & Co. as mercantile clerk and 
bookkeeper.  In 1856 he commenced the manufacture of French turbine water-
wheels.  In 1859 he sold out his Laurel interests and came to York, commenced 
manufacturing his own patents, and here has since resided.  May 22, 1883, he 
founded the Drovers' & Mechanics' National Bank of York and was elected its 
first president, which position he still holds.  In 1881, with others, he built 
the York Opera House at a cost of $40,000; it was opened in 1882.  Mr. Burnham 
was married July 3, 1850, to Ann Eliza Gray, of Maryland; she died a few years 
later, leaving one child, Horace H., born September 16, 1851, and died January 
28, 1857.  Mr. Burnham's second marriage took place June 8, 1854, with Mrs. 
Delilah Israel, nee Jones; she bore him the following children:  Ann Elmirah, 
born January 21, 1856, died March 6, 1861; Frank A., born August 18, 1858; 
William H., born September 21, 1860.  Mrs. Delilah Burnham died May 1, 1881, 
aged forty-eight years, six months, and twenty-eight days.  Mr. Burnham has been 
constantly engaged in manufacturing and selling turbine wheels since 1856, and 
is the inventor and patentee of several, which are used in nearly every country 
in the world; among them may be mentioned the following:  Improved Jonval 
Turbine, patented February 22, 1859; New Turbine Water Wheel, patented March 9, 
1871; Standard Turbine Wheel, patented March 31, 1874; Improved Standard 
Turbine, patented March 27, 1883.  Burnham Bros., Mr. Burnham'' sons, took 
charge of the Standard Turbine Wheel business October 1, 1881, and since then 
Mr. Burnham has devoted his time to the improvement of the standard turbine 
wheel, which, after many experiments, he has made to run on either a vertical or 
horizontal shaft, and to discharge a larger amount of water and get a better 
percentage of power from the water used.  This Improved Turbine, discharging 
one-half more water, with full gate drawn, yields as great a percentage for the 
water used as the Standard; and when one-half the water is used, which each is 
capable of discharging at full gate, the gain is sixteen per cent over the 
Standard.  During the past year he has had four experimental wheels tested at 
Holyoke, much to his satisfaction, both in manner of testing and percentage 
obtained.  This Improved Standard Turbine is guaranteed equal to any other make 
of turbine in the economical use of water at either full or part drawn gate.  
Mr. Burnham is a Knight of Templar, and is Past Mastor of the I. O. O. F. and 
Past Sachem of Red Men.