1921 Duluth & St Louis County MN, Van Brunt.pdf - Garon.us

802 DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Lutheran Church, to the upkeep of which he is a Hberal subscriber. He
is atiihated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and holds
membership in various clubs existing for civic and social development
along all legitimate lines.
William Morrison Burgess needs no introduction to the people of
Duluth and vicinity, where he has lived for nearly forty years, and
for many years has been engaged in business, his success being the
result of rightly applied principles, which never fail in their ultimate
effect when coupled with integrity, uprightness and a genial disposition.
This has been literally true in his case, judging from the high
standing he has maintained among his fellow citizens, whose undivided
esteem he has justly won and retained, for his life has been
of untiring industry and honorable dealings with his fellow men.
William IMorrison Burgess is a native of Canada and is the eldest
of the two children born to his parents. His father, George Burgess,
was born and reared in New York state, moved to Canada, where his
marriage occurred, and finally located in Michigan, where he lived for
forty years, following the vocation of blacksmithing. Eventually
he came to Duluth and here spent his last days. William M. Burgess
received his educational training in the public schools of Michigan,
graduating from the high school at Ionia. He then was put to learn
the blacksmith trade, but after the expiration of his apprenticeship
period, three years, he did no further work at that vocation. During
the following five years he engaged in teaching school during the
winter months and in summers was connected with the lumber business.
In 1883 Mr. Burgess came to Duluth and accepted the position
of superintendent of the Duluth Electric Light and Power Company,
a position which he held for eleven years. In 1894 he and a brother
engaged in the electrical business, under the firm name of the Burgess
Electric Company, in which enterprise they have met with a very
gratifying degree of success. They first started their business in a
small way at No. 109 West Michigan street, but increase in business
compelled them to seek larger quarters and they moved to No. 24
Third avenue, West, where they were located about five years. About
1908 they moved to their present location, No. 310 West First street.
They carry a full line of electric supplies of all kinds, are contract
manufacturers of electric fixtures, switch boards, panels and panel
boxes and also do a wholesale business in electric supplies. In addition
to his interest in the Burgess Electric Company Mr. Burgess
is interested in mining, especially on the Cuyuna Range, being secretary
and treasurer of the Chester Harold Mining Company, which
was organized about eleven years ago. He is also interested in Kansas
oil properties.
Politically Mr. Burgess gives his support to the Republican party, in
which he has been reasonably active. He served for three years as a
member of the Board of Fire Commissioners, and also served as a member
of the Federal Highway Council. He is a member of the Duluth
Commercial Club, a charter member of the Duluth Boat Club and a member
of the Elks Club. His religious faith is that of the Unitarian Church,
which he attends.
On May 6, 1889, Mr. Burgess was married to Elizabeth Rackle, of
Cleveland. Ohio, the daughter of George and Mary Rackle, who were
born in Germany and in their early youth came to this country, lived in
Columbus, Ohio, for four or five years, and then located in Cleveland,
Ohio. George Rackle, who is now deceased, was a sculptor of consid-