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George Edward Burgess

The Biography of George Edward Burgess

By Marilee Burgess Cook

In 1862, George Martin Burgess, along with his brothers and grandfather William Burgess Sr., was called by Brigham Young to settle in St. George. A year later, they were called to move to Pine Valley, Utah Territory, to start a lumber mill. This mill provided “lumber for the construction of the St. George Temple and also furnished lumber to be used in building homes for the early settlers of Pine Valley and surrounding areas.”1

Upon arrival in Pine Valley, George immediately started purchasing property. In 1864 he married Rhoda Ann Dykes. “ He built a large home for Rhoda on a ranch in Grass Valley, five miles west of the town of Pine Valley.”2 George and Rhoda remained in the area for over three decades. “Their first son, George Edward, was born May 7, 1865 in Pine Valley and was the ‘apple of his mother’s eye.’ Rhoda dearly loved children, not only her firstborn, but each of the 10 children who later came into the family.”3

Being the oldest child, much of George’s childhood was spent welcoming new siblings into his home. The first of these siblings was Lillie, who was born when George was eighteen months old. The following summer, George and Rhoda traveled to Salt Lake City and were sealed to each other in the Endowment House on June 20, 1867. Sealings to parents did not commence in Utah until 1877 in the St. George temple.4 Thus, George and Lillie were not sealed to them at this time. Sadly, Lillie passed away on January 29, 1869 and was laid to rest in the Pine Valley Cemetery.5

George’s parents saw to it that George was baptized and confirmed only 4 days after his eighth birthday, on May 11, 1865.

By the time George turned 12, he had five living siblings; Mary Alice, Howard, Ella May, Willard, and Horace Martin. Horace Martin only lived a year, passing away on April 14, 1879. Seven months later, another sister, Lucy Jane Burgess was born.

In 1879, George’s parents “acquired a large home in the town (Pine Valley) close to the Chapel-schoolhouse. Thereafter the family lived on the ranch in summers and in town during the winter months.”6 During those summer months George “learned farm work as well as helping out with logging at the sawmill in the nearby mountains.”7

Two more siblings, Ruth Fowler and Ernest Hungate were born during George’s teenage years. Ernest was almost two years old, when twenty-year-old George entered the St. George temple for the first time. He took out his endowments and married his sweetheart, Emily Ann Jeffery on December 3, 1885. Emily, the daughter of Thomas Alfred Jeffery and Elizabeth Cowper, had previously taken out her endowments as a young teenager on April 18, 1879.

George’s youngest sibling, Clarence, was born two months after his wedding. When George was 21, he traveled with his parents to St. George. He and Lillie (deceased) were finally sealed to their parents in the St. George temple on January 20, 1887.

Twenty-two-year-old George became a father on December 18, 1887. He named his daughter Lillie Jeffery – Lillie, most likely after his deceased sister, and Jeffery, after his wife Emily’s maiden name. Shortly after Lillie’s birth, George received a mission call to the Southern States.

“Six weeks after her birth, George E. left for a two-year mission to the Southern states, arriving in Chattanooga, Tennessee 20 February 1888. He was assigned to labor in South Carolina… He gained a knowledge of the gospel which he implemented into his everyday living. He had a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and was an avid student of the Scriptures.”8

George was received warmly by many of the South Carolina inhabitants. However, he was mobbed twice, once in Lawrence County and once in Chesterfield County. He and his companion received threatening letters stating that if the elders appeared there again their bodies would be “riddled with bullets.”9 Despite the threats, he was watched over by the Lord and no harm came to him.

“He received an honorable mission release and after two years, arrived back in Salt Lake City on 22 March 1890. He went by train to Juab where his wife and daughter met him, then on to Milford Station. Here he was met by his brother Howard with a team of horse and wagon. They loaded up and proceeded through the snowcapped mountains back to Pine Valley. After returning from his mission, he continued to earn a living by farming, raising livestock and doing some freighting in the fall months. He was a very religious, industrious man and set a good example for his family to follow.”10

Over the next eight years, George and Emily had 4 more children: Edward W (1891), Herbert Alfred (1893), Aggie(1894) and Dora (1898.) “George E. held many church positions during this time including Sunday School superintendent. He was a Ward Teacher most of his life after returning from his mission.”11

George Edward Burgess moved up to a new colony in White Pine County, Nevada, called Lund. Perhaps he was drawn to this land because the church owned it and was selling it at a very low price. George’s daughter, Dora, explained that the move was “because of the drought in Utah and because they wanted more room for grazing and farming. The move took about three weeks time with their two wagons and furniture and meeting needs of their cattle. They arrived on 5 November 1899.”12. George’s married sister, Mary Alice Gardner, had arrived 5 months earlier, in June 1899. His parents and several other siblings followed in 1900.

George was set apart as a counselor to Bishop Thomas Judd of the White Pine Ward on 8 July 1900. His brother-in-law, Orrin Snow, served as the ward clerk. In 1901, the ward was divided into three wards, and George later served as first counselor in the MIA in the newly-formed Lund Ward.

Moving from Pine Valley to Nevada was a sacrifice. Pine Valley was green with large shade trees and orchards. Lund was dry and virtually treeless. The move was a big transition for the family. Daughter Lillie, who was 11 at the time of the move, wrote of the experience.

“We lived in Pine Valley until the fall of 1899 when my father bought a small farm in Lund, Nevada and moved his family there. We were about 20 days traveling from Pine Valley to Lund, arriving there

Nov. 5, 1899. I cannot describe the shock I received when we arrived at our destination. Pine Valley was a beautiful little town in the mountains with large shade trees on every street and in most yards, apple orchards and other fruit trees were growing. I just didn't understand that people lived in those big open valleys where the wind blew dirt and sand most of the time. There were no trees except a dozen at the south end of town where a spring came up out of a hole in the ground. I had the idea that water always came out of the side of a mountain, cool and fresh instead of so warm that in the winter one could see where the ditch was by the steam arising from the water.

The homes were built from any material available. There were only about two dozen at the time we arrived. Some were built of old lumber that was purchased at Hamilton and others were made of logs and there was one sod home.

The first winter we rented three rooms of a four room frame home from Moses Harrison. The other room was the school. The first year there, we had six weeks of school, the next year we had three months and after that we had six months each year.

In the spring of 1900, my father, who wanted a brick home hired Horsley to make some brick, but there was too much lime in the soil to make a good grade of brick. However, he had a small building 18 ft. by 20 ft. made of these brick and we lived in this for one year. We had curtains to draw at night to make two small bedrooms where my parents, my two sisters Aggie and Dora, and myself had our beds. My two brothers Edward and Herbert slept in a wagon box set on the ground by the side of the house. It had a heavy wagon cover over the bows and the inside was lined with heavy wool blankets. The mattress, made of fresh straw, covered with a heavy quilt and blankets made a warm bed. In the winter they would heat bricks in the oven and take to bed with them. (A good substitute for an electric blanket). “13

George’s family lived in the large brick room for over a year. Lillie wrote, “This home was sold and Father bought a two room rock home from B. H. Ashby. It had a dirt roof. My father immediately built two log rooms on the back of this. We lived in this home until I was married. I think our experiences and living conditions were very much like the Pioneers had when they first came to Utah.”14

Granddaughter Ula wrote about George’s life in Lund. “Many of the hardships of pioneer life were experienced again. In Lund, the nearest store, such as it was, was 40 miles away. Money was very scarce in those days and the doctor was something they knew nothing about. But the Lord blessed these good people. At one time they went seven years without a death in their community of over 300 people”15

George kept busy with farming, hauling logs and delivering the mail. Daughter Aggie wrote, “George E. assisted in getting logs to build the school house and church. Rock and logs were the only building materials available. It was a long way to a railroad, and for many years freight was hauled from Modena, Utah with team and wagon which took more than a week for the roundtrip.

George E. got the contract of taking the mail twice a week from Lund to the ranches 33 miles south to Sunnyside. Some winters the snow was drifted so deep he had to make the trip on horseback carrying the mail sack on his horse. To keep warm he would get off the horse often and trot along beside it. He never missed a trip.

One election year a White Pine County candidate sent some liquor to George E. to treat the Lund men to try and win their votes. When the election was over George E. returned the liquor unopened telling him he didn't drink and didn't believe in giving it to others.”16

“Aggie also recalled her father taking the family up Sawmill Canyon for several years in the fall and camping for a day or two. They always enjoyed their outings as a family. They would gather sacks of pine nuts in burrs and lots of pine gum. She doesn't remember ever having “store gum” in those days. There would always be several families camping out together. They had such fun and were so sticky from the pine gum! Afterwards they would spend several days and evenings roasting the burrs after bringing home the pine nuts.

If George E.'s water turn came on a Sunday at his farm, he always arranged it so he didn't have to miss either church meeting. In the summer after their 2 p.m. Sacrament meeting, the family would come home and change clothes, their mother, Emily Ann, would prepare an evening meal and then she and the children would get in the wagon with the food and go to the field to their father. He would change the water while Emily Ann spread a quilt on the ground, on a grassy bank under some willows. How wonderful those plain suppers tasted out there in the fields.17

George and Emily had three sons born to them while living in Lund. Orion J (1903), Rulon L (1904), and Malin H (1907). Sadly, Rulon passed away shortly after his first birthday.

The year 1907 was a happy one for the Burgess family. George’s last and eighth child, Malin, was born on 25 August 1907. Lillie, George’s oldest child, married Heber Arthur Smith (Arthur). Arthur had been hired to run the farm for George. They were sealed in the St. George temple on 27 November 1907. Lillie and Arthur returned to Lund and made their home there.

The next year was full of challenges and changes. Baby Malin passed away on 29 January 1908. George’s sister, Ella, became seriously ill and passed away just 4 months later. Ella left her husband, Orrin, and 7 children. Her youngest, Anne, was just 5 weeks old. George and Ella’s parents and relatives lived close by, and one can only imagine the help that was extended to both grieving families that year.

“George E.'s strong testimony of the Gospel kept him active in the church, honest in his dealings with others, and he always observed the Sabbath Day. After attending a General Conference, he decided they needed a better area to raise their children. In September 1908, once again George E. and Emily Ann loaded all their belongings into two wagons and with their five children (Lillie having married remained in Lund) moved to Alpine, Utah.”18

George and Emily made their home in Alpine. “George E felt this was a wonderful place to raise his children. They purchased the Robert Jones' home and farm located at 677 South Alpine Hwy and lived there are a number of years. They moved to the old Joe Beck home down by Dry Creek, to Bishop Fullmer's home that what is now West Center and Main. George E purchased his father's home, one that George Martin had built in 1915 when he left Lund to move to Alpine, located at 17 North Main, across from the Alpine City Hall today. Here they remained until their deaths. While living in Alpine, George E. was active not only in church but in the Alpine City community. He served two terms on the City Council, from 1914-1915 and from 1928-1929. He also served two years as Alpine's Justice of the Peace.”19

Other Burgess relatives moved down to Alpine, including George’s parents in 1915. Two years later, a series of tragedies struck George’s son, Herbert Alfred, and his family. Their daughter, Laura Emily, who was born prematurely, died of cholera infantum in September of 1917 at 15 months of age. A son, Myron Herbert Burgess, was born three months later in December of 1917. Less than a year later, due to a flu epidemic, both Herbert and his wife Della Whitby passed away. They died a day apart; Herbert on 28 November 1918 and Della on 29 November 1918. Herbert’s son, eleven-month old Myron, was the sole survivor of his family.

Myron later wrote of his predicament. “Aunt Clara Stevens (mother’s sister) offered to take me and raise me, but it was decided by my grandparents, George Edward and Emily Jeffery Burgess, to raise me themselves. As this was the result, I moved to Alpine, Utah Co., Utah.”20

One of Myron’s earliest memories was visiting his grandmother, Emily, in the American Fork Hospital. She had been diagnosed with stomach cancer and passed away on May 21, 1924. Thus, George became a widower at the age of 59. His youngest son, Orion, was 21 and unmarried at the time. Grandson Myron was only 6 years old. Myron was passed along from one relative to another, but remembered that most of the time he lived with his “Grandfather Burgess.”21

Granddaughter, Ula Burgess Hemingway fondly described George. “Grandpa George E., as I always called him, was an average sized man with light complexion and large full blue eyes that twinkled. He loved to tell stories and the bigger the tale, the better. He learned the blacksmith trade from his father. I can remember as a small child going next door north to his blacksmith shop, located in Alpine, Utah, where West Center Street is now, and pumping the billows to make our goals for him to fix or horse shoes and repair machine equipment. George E. was a good farmer and cattle horse raiser and very outstanding at horse breaking.”22

After his wife's death in 1924, George E. went on another mission to Watsonville, California. His testimony and knowledge of the gospel grew even more.

Granddaughter Ula recalled, “He was well versed in the Scriptures. How I loved to go over to his home and help him hold up maps on his big south window as he would trace where the Nephites and Lamanites traveled and discussed the Gospel. Afterwards we would have hot homemade biscuits and dark karo syrup or molasses. Sometimes I had corn on the cob he had toasted in his coal stove oven. It was so good and chewy.”23

George chose not to remarry, but remained a widower for the next 15 years. As his health declined, his son Orion moved his family into George’s home so that they could care for him. After George’s death, Orion and his family remained in the home until 1947.24

“George Edward Burgess was valiant in the faith all his days and passed this great heritage on to his descendents. He departed from this life in his home in Alpine on 29 June 1939.”25 George died at age 74 of broncho pneumonia with chronic fibrosis as an attributing factor.26 He was buried on July 2, 1939 “next to his eternal partner in the Alpine City Cemetery.”27

Although he was the oldest child in his family, he was survived by only 3 of his 10 siblings; Mary Alice (Gardner), Willard Burgess, and Ruth Fowler (Gardner). He was survived by 5 of his 8 children; Lillie Jeffery (Smith) Edward W Burgess, Aggie (Gubler), Dora (Shepherd) and Orion J Burgess, and by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Endnotes

1George Edward Burgess (Typed Biography, 9 March 2014), Family Tree Orion J Burgess, Written copy privately held by Ula Burgess Hemingway, (Granddaughter).

https://familysearch.org/photos/stories/5754602?returnLabel=Orion%20J%20Burgess%20(KWC4-GJG)&returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffamilysearch.org%2Ftree%2F%23view%3Dancestor%26person%3DKWC4-GJG%26section%3Dmemories

2Roach, Delbert E. and Barbara B, The Heritage of Faith in Courage: William and Violate Burgess and Their Family George Martin Burgess ( Family Heritage Publishers, Copyright 2006), [Page].462, 463, 465, 471

4Family Search Temple Records http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/LDS_Temple_Records

5 Utah State Historical Society, "Find A Grave," database, Lillie Burgess Find A Grave (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=102532 : Viewed 9 March 2014), Name, Birth and Death Date, Cemetery.

6Roach, Delbert E. and Barbara B, George Martin Burgess

7George Edward Burgess (Typed Biography)

8Ibid

9"Returned Elders," Notice, Deseret News, 5 April 1890, George E Burgess Returned from Mission; Digital Image of Paper Newspaper, BYU Harold B. Lee Library Digital Collections (http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/desnews4/id/12440/rec/3 : Viewed 9 March 2014), Deseret News Collection 4; BYU.

10George Edward Burgess (Typed Biography)

11Ibid

12 Rondo N. Jeffery Janet F. Jeffery, Pearl Jeffery, Thomas Alfred and Elizabeth Cowper Jeffery Family History, Herbert Alfred Burgess, (Bountiful, Utah: Carr Printing Company, 1995), [Pages 262-263.]

13Committee, White River Valley Historical, Lillie Burgess Smith and Belva Smith Bateman. White River Valley then and now, 1898-1980: Chapter 116 -- Lillie Jeffery Burgess Smith. Provo, Utah: Melayne Printing, maybe 1980. Digital Copy. White River Historical Committee. White River Nevada. http://whiterivervalley.org/index.php/white-river-valley-then-and-now-1898-1980/chapters-100-to-119/121-chapter-116-lillie-jeffery-burgess-smith : Viewed 20 February 2014.

14Ibid

15George Edward Burgess (Typed Biography)

16White River Valley Historical Committee, Aggie B Gubler and Emily G Beck, White River Valley, Nevada – then AND Now 1898-1980: Chapter 97 -- George Edward and Emily Ann Burgess (Provo, Utah: Melayne Printing, maybe 1980), ; digital page, White River Valley Historical Committee, White River Valley, Nevada (http://whiterivervalley.org/index.php/white-river-valley-then-and-now-1898-1980/chapters-80-to-99/102-chapter-97-george-edward-and-emily-ann-burgess : Viewed 20 February 2014.

17George Edward Burgess (Typed Biography)

18 Rondo N. Jeffery, Janet Franson Jeffery, Pearl Jeffery, Thomas Alfred and Elizabeth Cowper Jeffery Family History, call number 929.273 j36 (Roy, Utah: Thomas Alfred Jeffery Book Committee, 1995), EMILY ANN (JEFFERY) BURGESS FAMILY INTRODUCTION, pp. 177-180

19George Edward Burgess (Typed Biography)

20Autobiography of Myron Herbert Burgess, November 1976

21Ibid

22George Edward Burgess (Typed Biography)

23Ibid

25George Edward Burgess (Typed Biography)

26George Edward Burgess, death certificate 268 (29 June 1939), Utah State Board of Health

27George Edward Burgess (Typed Biography)

Other Contributing Sources

1. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Family Tree," database, George Edward Burgess Family Tree (https://familysearch.org/tree/#view=ancestor&person=KWC6-14W§ion=ordinances : Viewed 20 February 2014), Temple Ordinances; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

2. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Family Tree," database, George Martin Burgess Family Tree (https://familysearch.org/tree/#view=ancestor&person=KWNV-FTR§ion=ordinances : Viewed 9 March 2014), Temple Ordinances; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

3. Drew, Lee. "Find A Grave." Database. Emily Ann Jeffery Burgess. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=19307865 : 2014.

4. Emily Ann Burgess, death certificate 231 (21 May 1924), State Board of Health, Utah.

5. Roach, Delbert E. and Barbara B., The Heritage of Faith in Courage: William and Violate Burgess and Their Family George Edward and Emily Ann Burgess (Family Heritage Publishers, Copyright 2006), By Aggie B. Gubler; Source Lois Shepherd Beck, pp 475-476.

6. Rondo N. Jeffery, Janet Franson Jeffery, Pearl Jeffery, Thomas Alfred and Elizabeth Cowper Jeffery Family History, Ula Burgess Hemingway, call number 929.273 j36 (Roy, Utah: Thomas Alfred Jeffery Book Committee, 1995), George Edward Burgess, pp. 184-187.

7. White River Valley Historical Committee, Margaret Reid Oxborrow, White River Valley then and now, 1898-1980: Chapter 2 More Settlers -- The First Decade (Provo, Utah: Melayne Printing, maybe 1980), ; digital copy, White River Historical Committee, White River Nevada (http://whiterivervalley.org/index.php/white-river-valley-then-and-now-1898-1980/chapters-1-19/10-chapter-2-more-settlers-the-first-decade) Viewed 24 September 2014

8. White River Valley Historical Committee, Margaret Reid Oxborrow, White River Valley then and now, 1898-1980: Chapter 8 Growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Provo, Utah: Melayne Printing, maybe 1980), ; digital copy, White River Historical Committee, White River Nevada (http://whiterivervalley.org/index.php/white-river-valley-then-and-now-1898-1980/chapters-1-19/16-chapter-8-growth-of-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints) Viewed 9 March 2014.

9. White River Valley Historical Committee, Dixie Judd Burgess (Granddaughter)and Margaret Reid Oxborrow, White River Valley then and now, 1898-1980: Chapter 48 Thomas and Mary Ashworth Judd (Provo, Utah: Melayne Printing, maybe 1980), ; digital copy, White River Historical Committee, White River Nevada (http://whiterivervalley.org/index.php/white-river-valley-then-and-now-1898-1980/chapters-40-to-59/50-chapter-48-thomas-and-mary-ashworth-judd) Viewed 9 March 2014.

#George Edward Burgess #Emily Ann Jeffery #George Martin Burgess #Rhoda Ann Dykes #Biography #History

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