Biddeford Daily Journal,  February 15, 1904

John H. Burnham
His Funeral Was Held This Afternoon.
Rev. Mr. Chase of Kennebunk the Officiating Clergyman.

The funeral of John H. Burnham, an ex-mayor of Biddeford,  for many years a member of the city government and one of the city's most prominent and influential men
during his long and active life, was held this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at his late residence, 3 Bradbury Street.  Rev. Mr. Chase of Kennebunk, who was pastor of the Pavilion church in this city when Mr. Burnham was one of the leading members, was the officiating clergyman.  There were many flowers, and his four sons, Harry H., principal of Biddeford high school, Atherton S., a teacher in Massachusetts, John F., city solicitor, and James L., editor of the Sunday Chronicle, Paterson, N.J., were the bearers.  The interment was at Greenwood cemetery.

Typhoid Was Fatal
Death of William S. Burnham of Saco

William S. Burnham, one of Saco's most highly respected and energetic business men, died at his home on the Ferry road in that city about 6 o'clock Monday evening, at the age of 47 years, 10 months and 23 days.  The direct cause of his death was heart failure caused by a very weakening sickness from typhoid fever, with which he had been confined to his home five weeks.  He had become much better from his attack of the fever and his recovery was confidently expected when the heart began to weaken and he began daily to grow weaker and despite the untiring devotion of the physician and nurse death rapidly approached, the end coming at about 6 o'clock.  He was conscious up until within a few hours of his death and realized that the end was coming.

The funeral will be held Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock from his late residence, 59 Ferry Road, Saco.

Mr. Burnham was born in January, 1858, in Hollis and was the son of Samuel and Ellen Burnham.  He received his education in that town and lived there until he attained the age of manhood when he left there and went to Newfield.  After a short residence there he went to the eastern part of the state, remaining there a short time.

He came to Saco about 25 years ago and has resided there ever since, where he has carried on the trade of painter and paper hanger, being in the employ of different contractors for a time and finally launching out in business for himself in partnership with a Saco man named Edgecomb.  This partnership was dissolved by the death of Mr. Edgecomb and Mr. Burnham continued the business.  He had a stand on Pepperrell square since the year 1894 where he was in business until February of this years when he moved to his present location, 101 Main street.

He was a member of Saco lodge, I.O.O.F., and has been connected with the city government of Saco.  He leaves a wife, Mrs. Annie E., whose maiden name was Burnham and who was also born in Hollis.  There are two sons, James E. and Algernon S., the former having been assisting his father in the business, which he will continue to carry on.  There is also one brother and one sister left to mourn the loss of a good brother, Eleazer S. Burnham, an employee of the Garland Manufacturing company, and Mrs. Amos Edgecomb, both of whom reside in Saco. 

The deceased was considered an expert at this trade and was also a very aggressive business man.  At the time of his death he had a number of contracts on hand, some of them of quite a large scale.  He has done a large amount of work in various parts of the county, especially around Sanford and Springvale and it is thought that it was while at work in the  latter village he contracted the germs of the dread disease which was the cause of his death.

As a family man he was all that could be desired, being a kind husband and a loving father and among the business men and residents of the city and other parts of the county he had many friends who will mourn the loss of a good citizen.

Biddeford Daily Journal,  October 16, 1906

After Long Illness
Death of Joseph E. Burnham of Saco today.

Joseph E. Burnham, one of Saco's oldest citizens and business men, died at this home on Spring Street, Saco, just before noon today.  His age was 74 years and nine months.  He is survived by a widow and one son, George G. Burnham, who lives in Saco.

The funeral will be held from his late home on Spring street, Thursday afternoon at 1 o'clock.

Mr. Burnham was born in Scarborough where he was brought up and received his education and early in life he came to Saco where he lived until he was about 40 years of age when he went to Boston and New York, where he was in business for a number of years.

He came back to Saco quite a number of years ago and entered the employ of James H. Miles, who was deputy sheriff and was also in the insurance bushiness, and was later made a member of the firm which did business under the firm name of James H. Miles & Co.

A few years ago on the death of Mr. Miles he continued in the business and also settled up the estate of Mr. Miles.  Since he succeeded to the business he was confined to the house a great deal by sickness, but had managed to have his affairs running along all right and had kept his business moving up to the time of his death.

His last sickness was of about six weeks duration, although he had to been confined to his house all of that time.  he was last down town about a months ago and since that time he had been steadily growing worse until the came.  for the past week or ten days, death had been expected at almost any time and Sunday morning it was not thought that he would live through the day.

Death came easily, and he passed away peacefully and thus closed a life that had been full of business almost up to the time that he was called home.  In disposition  he was one of the most mild mannered of men and he made friends easily, retaining the friendship in every  case after it had once been formed.  He was a man who was respected by young and old and held the esteem of all who knew him.. In his business dealings he was always square and upright and his memory will linger long with those who knew him best.  He was a member of the Saco lodge of Masons, No. 9, and a delegation from that lodge will attend the funeral.

Mr. Burnham is the second insurance agent of Saco to die within a short time, George A. Carter dying suddenly a short time since.  He is the third of Saco's well known men to die recently, Joseph H. Means being buried the same week as Mr. Carter.

Biddeford Daily Journal August 13, 1906

Fever was Fatal
William W. Burnham Died Saturday at Wilmington

Death of Former Biddeford Boy Causes General Regret

William W. Burnham, son of the late Francis M. and Abbie Burnham, who was born and brought up in this city and who was very widely and favorably known in Biddeford, died in Wilmington, N.C., Saturday night from typhoid fever.  He passed away only a few hours after his mother, who had been notified of his dangerous condition, had arrived at his bedside.

The news of his death will be heard with general regret here where he had a wide circle of friends.  He was born in Biddeford August 24, 1875, so that he was 31 years of age at the time of his death.  He was brought up here and after going through the schools in the lower school he graduated in the class of 1892.  he then worked in the store which his mother for a long time carried on at the corner of Main and Washington streets which she afterward sold to Charles Scammon, the present manager.  It was a periodical store then as it is now.

In 1903 the young man entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  During the next year he got a position with the Massachusetts state board of health and then went into the employ of the government in the department of survey and was sent to Nevada.  While there he was the head man engaged in the erection of several science buildings.  The government at that time was making a number of irrigation tests in that section of the country.  The irrigation questions was being looked into very carefully.

From April to June of the same year when was in the employ of the same department in Washington.,  In June, 1905, he left the employ of the United States government and accepted a position with Hugh, McRay & Co., with headquarters at Washington.  While still with this company he was sent to Wilmington, N.C., where he died.

Last February he married Miss Ella M. Cate of Malden, Mass.  he was young man with a very bright future ahead of him.  He was successful in what he undertook and his sudden death just as he was becoming more and more successful i his work, comes as a great shock to all who were interested in him.

William Burnham is survived by his mother, Mrs. Abbie Burnham, and two sisters, Mrs. Gertrude Martin of this city and Miss Ethel Burnham, who also lives in this city with her her mother.

The body will arrived tonight and the funeral will be held at the home of his mother. 297 Main street, tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock.

Biddeford Daily Journal,  May 9, 1907

BURNHAM.  In Scarboro, April 30, Joel Burnham, aged 71 years and 10 months.

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