Thomas Jefferson Burgess
From Portrait and Biographical Record, Buchanan and Clinton Counties,
Missouri, containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, together with Biographies and Portraits of all the
Presidents of the United States.
page 413-414
THOMAS JEFFERSON BURGESS, President of the Burgess & Fraser Iron and Hardware Company at Nos. 210 to 214 South Fourth Street, St. Joseph, is a prominent and influential citizen, and for many years has been actively engaged in promoting the best interests and welfare of this beautiful and wonderfully growing Western city.
Mr. Burgess was born in May's Lick, Mason Co, Ky., June 15, 1828. His father, John D., a native of Maryland, went to Kentucky when a boy, and when grown wedded Miss Lydia M. Wise, of Mason County. Our subject remained in his native State until reaching his majority, when he came to St. Joseph, arriving here in March, 1850. He fitted out a team in company with his brother-in-law, Walker G. Reed, of this city, for the purpose of going to California. They also fitted out several other teams, taking men with them to work in the mines. On their arrival in Nevada City, they engaged in mining near that point. While there Mr. Burgess commenced studying law, and later taking a course at Grass Valley, was soon after admitted to the Bar in Nevada City by Judge William T. Barber, of the District Court. Later he became Associate County Judge, and as such disposed of many criminal and civil cases. In 1851 he made the race for Sheriff of Nevada County, his opponent being William M. Stewart (now United States Senator), and he had intimate relations with many other prominent men. Practicing in California until 1858, he then returned to St. Joseph, where his father had previously settled on a place about one mile east of the city. He died here in the fall of 1874, aged seventy-seven years. His wife had passed away ten years previously.
After his return to Missouri, Mr. Burgess did not practice his profession for some time, but settled on a farm and devoted himself to breeding and raising fine stock. Each year he visited the Kentucky State Fair, and purchased his fine stock in that State. At the end of ten years, he came to this city, and about two years since was organized the present company, of which he is a member and which succeeded the St. Joseph Iron Company. The capital stock of the present firm is $60,000, and our subject attends principally to that business.
Though he has given up farming, Mr. Burgess still owns a fine farm of nearly three hundred acres, with a number of fine Shorthorn cattle and excellent horses. The fine Commercial Block, on the corner of sixth and Edmunds Streets, was erected at a cost of $60,000, and is now occupied by the Central Savings Bank, of which he is President. In the enterprise of erecting this building, Mr. Burgess was prominently identified. In company with a few other leading men, our subject purchased the stock of the Merchants' Bank, increasing the capital stock, and later sold out at $130 a share. He is a Director in the syndicate that bought the Brookdale Addition, just outside the city limits on the east. Mr. Burgess had owned the most of the land previously; it was platted by the organization, and as the city is growing in all directions it is increasing greatly in value.
Mr. Burgess and Martha P. Owens were united in marriage December 22, 1859. Mrs. Burgess is a native of Maryland, and is a daughter of Benjamin Owens, at the time of their marriage on Andrew County, but since deceased. Mrs. Burgess was reared in her native State and came with her parents to Missouri in her girlhood. By her marriage she has become the mother of the following living children: Abbie E., wife of James H. Berry, Vice-President of the Burgess & Fraser Iron and Hardware Company; Mattie W., Ida Lee and Thomas J., Jr. for many years Mr. Burgess has been a member of the Democratic party, though his father was an old-time Whig. He and his worthy wife are members of the Christian Church, and he is a Knight Templar. At Brooklyn, Nevada County Cal., he was made a Mason in 1852. Every year Mr. Burgess returns to his old home in Kentucky to attend the fairs at Lexington and Paris, as he is quite an admirer of fine horses. He also takes great delight in fishing, and every summer takes his family to northern Minnesota. He has a fine steam-yacht, the "Naptha Launch."
Transcribed by Nancy T. Green
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