Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 709 - 710

DR. H. O. BURLEIGH, deceased, was one of the leading business men of Wichita, and one of her wealthiest citizens. He was widely known and honored, and in his death Sedgwick County, whose interests he had so much advanced by his enterprise, has lost a valuable citizen. His integrity of character, unbounded benevolence, and never-failing courtesy, made him beloved by all who had the honor of his acquaintance.

             Dr. Burleigh was born in Exeter, N. H., Sept. 29, 1826; he was the son of Nathaniel and Mary J. (Odiorne) Burleigh, natives respectively of New Hampshire and Boston, Mass., and of English descent. His father purchased land in what is now Bangor, Me., and became wealthy. The subject of this sketch remained under the sheltering roof of his parents' home until he was fifteen years old. At that early age he started out to learn the practical lessons of life by a personal contact with the world, being a very ambitious and high-spirited youth. For awhile he was engaged in trading and trafficing; subsequently he went to Ohio and commenced the study of medicine at the Eclectic Medical College, in Cincinnati. After receiving his diploma he practiced his profession in Ohio, meeting with much success. He finally went to Geneseo, Ill., and for some twenty years was an active practitioner in that city, spending his summers in travel; he was also largely engaged in the manufacture of medicine, and sent out teams through the country for the sale of the same. He ranked well as a physician, and as a business man had few superiors in the city.

             In 1871 Dr. Burleigh left Geneseo and came to Waterville, Kan., attracted to it by its healthful climate and its reputation as a rapidly growing and enterprising city. He established himself in his profession here and continued to practice about two years, and then removed to Chicago. In 1878 he went to Nebraska to improve some land of which he was the owner. After a residence of two years in that State he returned with his family to Kansas, and made his home in the northern part of the city of Wichita, and since that time, up to the date of his death, was actively engaged in buying and selling real estate and in promoting the growth of the city by the erection of buildings in various parts of it. He built a large tenement house on the corner of Fourth avenue and Tenth street, at a cost of $18,000; it is five stories in height, 40x45 feet, made of brick, with thirty-six rooms conveniently arranged for four families. He built another brick block for a hospital, which is five stories in height, 40x50 feet, and contains forty rooms; he also had a flat in process of erection on Main street, and owned a good deal of valuable land in the city. He contributed largely to various enterprises for advancing the business interests of Wichita, giving $1,000 toward purchasing the site of, and erection of the packing-house. Dr. Burleigh also did much to advance the religious and moral welfare of this community, and he and his wife were prominent and influential members of the Baptist Church; it is due to their generosity, in great part, that the society to which they belonged is now worshiping in one of the neatest and most tasty church edifices in the city. He gave several thousand dollars toward its erection, and his wife furnished the carpets, seats, and other paraphernalia; it is known as the Emporia Avenue Baptist Church, and is on the corner of Emporia avenue and Tenth street, and is built of brick. Their daughter Lillie became a member of the Baptist Church when but six years of age, being then the youngest member of that denomination in the United States.

             Dr. Burleigh's death occurred very suddenly on Dec. 31, 1887. We gather from the New Republican and Daily Eagle, of Wichita, that the cause of his death was apoplexy, brought on by excitement and worry over the serious illness of his beloved wife. He was tenderly caring for her, when he was overcome by emotion, having just expressed the fear that she was dying, fell to the floor in an unconscious condition and died in a few minutes. On the following Sunday impressive funeral services were held over his remains at the North Emporia Avenue Baptist Church. Our subject had been thrice married. Mrs. Minnie Cowley, of Cloud County, Kan., is a child of his first marriage. Mrs. Helen H. Carlton, of Sedgwick County, of the second. In 1877 he was married to Miss Molly L. Lent, of Nebraska, who followed her husband to the better world three weeks after his departure. To them were born five children, namely: Lillie P., Lou C., Ernest E., and twins of recent birth.

             Dr. Burleigh was a stanch advocate of the policy pursued by the Republican party. The whole city mourns with the bereaved family for the loss of this noble-hearted and generous man. We cannot think that such an honorable life can come to naught, but we reverently believe that he has now entered "upon broader fields of action and duty, where nobler struggles shall task the strength and more precious crowns award the victor, where the hopes and dreams of earth shall be turned to sight, and the broken circles of life be rounded to the perfect orb."

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