Burgess, Walter (1842--1921)

BURGESS, HAMM, SIMS, MONTGOMERY

Posted By: Linda Linn (email)
Date: 9/24/2010 at 18:48:32

Ottawa [Iowa] Weekly Democrat July 28,1921 page 1
WALTER BURGESS LIFE WORK DONE
CAME TO IOWA IN AN EARLY DAY LOCATING AT SIOUX CITY, IOWA
At Which Place he Worked on Sioux City’s First Newspaper
the Sioux City Eagle. He came to Onawa in 1866 and Since
that Time has Made This Place His Home.
In the passing of Walter Burgess Onawa loses one of its early pioneers and a man of sterling worth Mr. Burgess was a friend to all a lover of home and community, never too busy to give a pleasant word to the little child at play or work for he loved them all. Thus it was that a host of friends and relatives gathered around his casket on last Friday afternoon to pay their last respects to the man whom they had learned to love. Rev. Geo. Croker of Whiting, an old friend of the deceased delivered the funeral sermon at the home and the local Odd Fellow Lodge of which Mr. Burgess was a member had charge of the services at the cemetery.
Not many knew of the hardship that Mr. Burgess had endured during the early years of his life, he would seldom speak of the hard days back in the 60’s, but always desired to look on the days that were now and how pleasant every thing was. He was not a pessimist, but an optimist, always looking on the bright side.
Walter Burgess was born on March 1st,1842 at North Ridge, New York, when he was but nine years old, his mother died, leaving him alone, knowing well that he would have to make his own way in the world he journeyed to Michigan and later went into Indiana. In 1856 when he was but 14 years old he came to Sioux City, Iowa, with H. C. Ash a friend who opened the first hotel in Sioux City, which was known as the old Sioux City House, After working for Mr. Ash for some time he secured a job freighting out of Sioux City to Crow Creek Reservation and Fort Randall, Jas. E. Booge at that time having the contract to furnish supplies. A short time after this he secured work with S. H. Swiggett, of Cincinnati, Ohio who had just come west and located in the little hamlet. Mr. Swiggett being a newspaper man started a little paper called the Sioux City Eagle. This was Sioux City’s first paper and Mr. Burgess was the boy around the shop, washing rollers and picking a little type. Shortly after, however he was offered the work of driving the stage between Sioux City and Denison when the means of travel was a coach and four head of horses. The road the wide rolling prairie. He continued at this work until he enlisted in Captain Millard’s Company in Sioux City at the breaking out of the war of ‘61. He later joined the 7th Iowa Cavalry. Mr. Burgess served through the war being mustered out on June 25, 1866. It was then that he came to Onawa and has made his home here ever since. He was married on
November 2nd, 1863 to Mary J. Hamm, at Cherokee, Iowa. Mrs. Burgess leaving this life on February 19th 1919. Nine children were born to this happy union. Surviving are Mrs. W. W. Sims, of Pinckneyville, Hi; A. W. Burgess and Mrs. Flora Montgomery, of Onawa, Iowa; I. E. Burgess of Smithland and James F. Burgess of Glendale, California. All of the children being present at the funeral of their beloved father.