Edwin Allyn Burr

Edwin Allyn Burr was born in the city of Hartford, Connecticut, October 12, 1822, and is a descendant of parents whose history dates back to Revolutionary times.  His father, Chauncy Burr, died when Edwin was a boy, but his mother, Sarepta A., daughter of Ethan Allen, lived to an advanced age.  Mr. Burr was the eldest of six children, -educated at the public schools of his native city, and like other New England boys was taught a trade, - that of saddler and harness maker.  He served five years as an apprentice, two years more as a journeyman in the shop of Smith & Bowen, the now celebrated firm of Hartford.  At the age of twenty-two he married Elizabeth O. Alcott.  She was born in Middletown, Connecticut, the granddaughter of Jonathan Alcott, of Hartford, Connecticut, who died when he was over 100 years old.  At the age of twenty-three, he with his young wife emigrated to the wilds of Wisconsin, and settled at Beloit, where for six or seven years he carried on his trade.  In 1851 Colonel Darius Fargo, then a resident of California, went to Beloit on a visit, and on his return to the Golden State induced young Burr to join him, which he did, leaving his wife behind; indeed, a large party was made up by the Colonel, who came direct to Sacramento.  To save expense, for living was expensive in those days, young Burr began at once to work, receiving only his board at first, then for monthly wages, in the confectionery store of George Nagle.  In the fall of 1851 he bought out a bake-shop on Sixth street, between I and J, and after about six months he returned East for his wife, determined to make California his future home; he intended to return at once but found it impossible to obtain passage, so great was the rush, and so limited the accommodations.  He waited three months, and then paid $640 for two tickets.  Upon his return to Sacramento, he engaged in the restaurant business on J street, still, however, retaining an interest in the bakery.  The great fire of 1852, which swept the city from Eighth street to the Levee, "cleaned him out;" but with characteristic new England pluck he started again before the ashes were cold.  Six or eight months later he started a confectionery business on J street, between Third and Fourth, and here he was burned out for the second time, in the fire of 1854, his bakery also being burned the same time.  It was about this time that he went to Folsom, in this county, where he built the postoffice building and a bakery.  There was no railroad to that point at that time, and he was compelled to get off at Alder Creek, on the Valley Road, and walk the rest of the way.  In less than one year he returned again to Sacramento, and opened a second-hand furniture store, corner of Third and K; and less than a year after he, requiring larger accommodations for his increased business, rented the corner lot, Fifth and K, for $150 per month, and built a one-story brick store house.  His excessive losses however had crippled his means, and he gave it up finally and engaged for a year as clerk with Millikin Brothers, on J street, and afterward they sent him to Grizzly Flat, El Dorado County, to take charge of the store at that place, where he remained for another year.  About this time the Goss & Lambert Company began putting up a ten-stamp quartz mill, and Mr. Burr was engaged to take charge of the work as superintendent.  When this was completed he again returned to Sacramento, and engaged in the livery business on Ninth street, and later in the feed business on J street, where he was once more burned out he, however, started further down the street; but in the meantime he interested himself in teaming, soon after the second fire, and ran three teams to Nevada City, Aurora and Silver Mountain, mining towns, and received 12-1/2 cents per pound for freight.  He was in the feed business until 1884, when he retired.  In 1876 he made a trip East with his wife, visiting the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia, and revisiting the old New England home.  He was absent over three months, and returned fully convinced that, although there doubtless are other fine and desirable places in the world, still California has no equal under the sun. For two and twenty years Mr. Burr and family have resided at their home on O street, in this city; there their two sons, Charles C. and Richard P., were born; there they lived during the trying times of the floods of 1862-'63, when for three months the only approach to the residence was by boat.  Dreadful times, indeed! but they survived, and the affluence of to-day testifies to the pluck and perseverance with which his many trials and disappointments have been met.

 

Transcribed 9-2-04  Marilyn R. Pankey