Morning journal and courier., 1889-04-20
An Active and Useful Life.


 The community will be surprised and pained at the news of the death of one Of its most valued members, Alpheus D. Burgess, Esq, who passed away at 3 o'clock this morning after an illness from pneumonia, lasting only since Friday night. He was about as usual and walked down town Thurs day evening with his son, Justin E. Burgess of New Haven, who came that day to pay him brief visit, but on Friday he was stricken with the fatal malady; the imme- diate cause of death, however, being heart failure, induced by the presence of clot of hood.
 Mr. Burgess was one of the earliest and
 most honored citizens of Manchester. His
 life is a fine example of the possibilities
 when joined to patient and industrious &C.,
 tivity. It was, in the true sense, success-
 ful life; and yet it was commenced, as are
 the lives of the many thousands of the
 worlds workers, with no capital except his
 own character, will and energy. This, how
 ever, was sufficient, tor, beginning at the
 bottom with apparently slender prospects,
 he has amassed large competence and won
 for himself an honored place in the regard of
 the people of the city, with whose interests
 he so closely identified himself and in whose
 prosperity he had such faith and pride.
 MT. Burgess was born in South Dennis,
 Mass, seventy-three years ago, but his parents removed to Providence when he was ten years of age. When about nineteen years of age he determined to go West with the object of carving out for himself place in the magnificent territories, which were then attracting settlers. He went to Chicago and drove an OK team in that place, where there were only 19 or 16 white men residing. He did not settle there, but pushed on further ra fo1 ernment land and remained two years. He went through all the hardships of frontier life, being obliged to carry his life in his hand against the possibilities of famine or of attack from the Indians. He was obliged to walk distance of twenty miles to did aot satisfy e'' him and R he returned sa1nn1ed East, settling in Lowell, which was then, as now, one of the foremost manufacturing cities of New England. He engaged in the manufacture of power loom pickers. In eight years time he concluded to make an other change, and this ito Manchester) proved to be permanent one. He came in 1843 and established himself in the picking and belting business on Mechanics Row. The same year, December 31, in Lowell, he was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca Mum ford of Hollowell, Me, who died January g, 1885. MT. Burgess continued in the business which he first established till 1862, continuing for many years to furnish all the pickers used in the mills in this city. In 1862 he went out of business, except in so far as he was interested in real estate matters. He was north end of the city, his first and early savings being thus carefully invested. The land which he thus purchased rapidly ap- preciated on his hands, and some of the best building lots at the North End, now the To- cation of beautiful homes, were once in his possession. He built several business blocks among them Burgess block at the corner of Elm and Pearl streets, and Bean block at the corner of Pine and Merrimack streets, also Q number of residences In various places at the North End.
 MT. Burgess is survived by two sons, Hen ry B. and Justin E., who are successfully engaged in the hat, cap and fur business in New Haven, Conn.,, and a daughter, Miss ! Helen B., who resides at the family home, corner of Pearl and Union; also two sisters, Miss Philenda Burgess and Mrs. Lavina both of Providence.
 MT. Burgess was an attendant at the First | Baptist church and took much interest in the | society. He was Q member of no secret or | yanization. He maintained lively interest ! in all the practical reforms of the day, and ] he was an earnest temperance man, the meth I od which he advocated being personal work | and influence by moral suasion. He is known ! to have paid man 8 dollar a week above I LcSuA0A wages bO WAO CO0AA SoJ oA Il night that he had not drank during l that period. One man said he was in the | habit of spending at least dollar week in | drink. When he drank none he re- ceived a dollar extra; when he cons | fessed to having drank fifty cents worth | he was given fifty cents. This is mentioned l as an illustration of the practical way which | he had of dealing with and encouraging | others. He befriended great many who | were worthy. His acts of charity were many, ! Intending to the cases which caMe under his I ,wn observation rather than doing such | work through gifts to any society. He was nan of sterling integrity, and as a citizen will be sincerely missed. He has always been n earnest Republican, but never sought po- itical preferment. When in business he was co busy, and of late years his health has ,een poor.