Person Page

     Ella Antionette Burlingham was born on 16 June 1852 in Jamestown, Chautauqua Co., New York.^1,2 She married Samuel Lipton McMasters, son of James McMasters and Eliza Lipton, on 16 October 1872 in West Union, Fayette Co., Iowa.^5,6,7 She died on 16 May 1925 in Decorah, Winneshiek Co., Iowa, at age 72 from kidney disease.^1,2 She was buried on 21 May 1925 at West Union Cemetery in West Union, Fayette Co., Iowa.^1,2,8 In August 1945 her son Edwin moved both her and her husband Samuel's remains to Phelps Cemetery in Decorah, Winneshiek Co., Iowa, apparently without consulting other family members.⁹
     She moved with her parents to Auburn, Fayette Co., Iowa, about 1855^10,11, was educated at the Ainsworth Select School, then taught school for several years.²
     After their marriage, she and her husband Samuel lived in West Union, Fayette Co., Iowa,² until January 1916, when they moved with their son Edwin to Decorah, Winneshiek Co., Iowa.^12,6,13
     In the early morning of 23 January 1917, about a year after arriving in Decorah, their house was destroyed in a fire, thought to have started near the furnace in the basement. They were away at the time, in Iowa Falls with their son Harold. Their son Edwin was home, sleeping on the second floor, but escaped unharmed. By the time the fire was discovered at 2:45 AM, presumably by Edwin, it was well underway. Firemen were hampered by the near-zero temperature, and frozen fire hydrants.¹⁴
     She and Samuel are listed in West Union in the federal censuses from 1880 to 1910, and in the Iowa state censuses from 1885 to 1915. Samuel's widowed father was with them in 1880 and 1885. Also living with them in 1880 were a servant, Elizabeth Fogolson (age 15), and a laborer, Daniels James (12).^{15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23} They are listed in Decorah in the 1920 census, with their son Edwin, age 31, living with them.²⁴
     She continued to live in Decorah with her son Edwin after her husband's death, and they are listed there in the 1925 Iowa state census.²⁵ She spent the winter of 1924-25, however, living with her son Harold in St. Petersburg, Pinellas Co., Florida. She returned home to Decorah with Edwin around mid-March², and fell ill with kidney disease about two weeks later.²

     Clara Burlingham was born on 22 February 1857 in Iowa.^5,1 She died on 16 January 1880 in West Union, Fayette Co., Iowa, at age 22 from consumption (i.e., tuberculosis).^3,5,6 She was buried at West Union Cemetery in West Union, Fayette Co., Iowa.⁵

     Edwin Hale Burlingham was born on 22 October 1863 in Auburn, Fayette Co., Iowa.^6,7,8 He married Anna May Dowse, daughter of Phillip Dowse and Anna Myers, on 19 May 1887 in Fayette Co., Iowa.⁹ He died on 2 January 1926 (his obituary says Sunday, which was 3 January) in Oelwein, Fayette Co., Iowa, at age 62.^4,6 He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery (Blk. 13, Lot 103) in Oelwein, Fayette Co., Iowa.^4,10
     After their marriage, he and his wife May lived for a time in Ft. Madison, Lee Co., Iowa,^5,11 where he was a pharmacist with George H. Shaffer & Co.⁵ They moved to Oelwein, Fayette Co., Iowa, about February 1900¹², where he and his father-in-law Philip Dowse had purchased the Brown & Ross drug store, changing the name to E. H. Burlingham & Co.¹² They are listed in Oelwein in the 1900 census with their son Robert. Edwin's parents were also living with them.⁷
     In addition to his pharmacy, he also had an insurance business on the side. In April 1902 he sold his drug store, intending to acquire office space and concentrate on the insurance business.¹³ In the 1905 Iowa state census, however, his occupation is listed as druggist.¹⁴
     In October 1908 he and May moved to Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Missouri,¹⁵ where he took a job as manager of the People's Gas and Electric Co.¹⁵ They remained there until at least 1913. By 1915 they were back in Oelwein^16,17,18, and he was again working in the life insurance business.¹⁷ They are listed in Oelwein in the 1920 and 1925 censuses. Living with them in 1920 were May's brothers George (age 55, widowed) and Edwin Dowse (49, single), and a nephew Kenneth Dowse (24, listed between George and Edwin, so probably George's son). Kenneth and Edwin were still with them in 1925, but not George.^19,20
     He served as president of the Iowa Legion of Honor, and was also president of the Equitable Accident Association.¹³

     Samuel Lipton McMasters was born on 14 April 1848 in Snow Shoe, Centre Co., Pennsylvania.^1,2 He married Ella Antionette Burlingham, daughter of Robert E. Burlingham and Adelia Hale, on 16 October 1872 in West Union, Fayette Co., Iowa.^3,2,4 He died from a stroke on 1 March 1924 at age 75 at the Winneshiek Hotel in Decorah, Winneshiek Co., Iowa, where his farm loan business and his son Edwin's optometry business shared office space. When he didn't come home for dinner his wife called twice with no answer, then sent their maid who found him barely alive, but he died a few minutes later.^1,2 He was initially interred on 4 March 1924 at Phelps Cemetery in Decorah, Winneshiek Co., Iowa,^1,2 then later at West Union Cemetery in West Union, Fayette Co., Iowa, after a family mausoleum was built.^5,2 In August 1945 his son Edwin moved both his and his wife Ella's remains back to Phelps Cemetery, apparently without consulting other family members.⁶
     He moved to West Union, Fayette Co., Iowa, with his parents about 1856 ("at age 8").² After their marriage, he and his wife Ella lived in West Union⁷ until January 1916, when they moved with their son Edwin to Decorah, Winneshiek Co., Iowa.^8,2,9
     In the early morning of 23 January 1917, about a year after arriving in Decorah, their house was destroyed in a fire, thought to have started near the furnace in the basement. They were away at the time, in Iowa Falls with their son Harold. Their son Edwin was home, sleeping on the second floor, but escaped unharmed. By the time the fire was discovered at 2:45 AM, presumably by Edwin, it was well underway. Firemen were hampered by the near-zero temperature, and frozen fire hydrants.¹⁰
     He and Ella are listed in West Union in the federal censuses from 1880 to 1910, and in the Iowa state censuses from 1885 to 1915. Samuel's widowed father was with them in 1880 and 1885. Also living with them in 1880 were a servant, Elizabeth Fogolson (age 15), and a laborer, Daniels James (12).^{11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19} They are listed in Decorah in the 1920 census, with their son Edwin, age 31, living with them.²⁰
     He was a farmer early in his life, growing fruit trees.^21,15 Sometime between 1895 and 1900 he began selling nursery goods, and continued in that business until at least 1920. For many years he was an agent for the Allen Nursery Co. of Rochester, New York, and made annual trips to Houston, Houston Co., Minnesota, to buy nursery stock for the company.^{12,16,13,20,22,8} Late in his life he had a farm mortgage business.^1,2