The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-23
NOBLE LIFE EBBING
PIONEER CLERGYMAN OF MINNIE
sofa AND WISCONSIN
DYING.
NOTED IN THE NORTHWEST.
THE NAME OF REV. SOLOMON
BURLE SON WILL LONG BE
REVERED.
COMPANION OF BISHOP wHIPPLE.
For Years Associated With That
PrcIate- in. His Missionary
Work.

V.
Solomon Stevens Burleson, priest,
patriot and pioneer, is dying.
For weeks he has been i'll at Oneida
with a severe attack of diabetes. Yes
terday his sons were summoned to his
bedside, and the venerable patient,
whose heroism has filled pages of his
tory, took their hands, and, with SOL
emn realization of his impending fate,
told them that he knew the end was
near. Then he requested that when
his tired heart stopped beating, after
an eventful life of sixty-four years,
they perform the religious ceremonies
incidental to his burial
The passing of this Episcopalian
clergyman recalls a career of versatil-
ity and the resources of a master mind.
He abandoned the study of medicine to
become a physician of the soul. AS a
politician he was a success in the COS.
Then he took up the sword in defense
of the nations imperiled flag.
HONORED WITH MANY OFFICES.
In the Forty-third Wisconsin infan-
try he served with distinction, and won
the military prefix of captain. AS
politician he filled the offices of post
master, district attorney, deputy court
clerk, county commissioner, and nearly
every local office in sequence, caused
by magnetic personality that made
permanent friends. He was also an
editor for several years, and nodded
public opinion in the green hills of old
Vermont. In earlier days his old
friends remember how he presided with
dignity and dexterity over a dentists
chair in a small New England town.
His past experiences and robust
constitution proved valuable to him
when he became a member Of the cler-
gy and braved the billiards. of the
Northwest when he rode on horseback
for miles to supervise missionary works
at what were then the outpOsts of civ
ilization. Generosity has always been
a sovereign characteristic within a
heart that believed in practical Chris
tianity. He once received $25 for one
years work on the remote prair1es of
Minnesota, and gave $25 Of it to suffer-
ers from the grasshopper scourge In
Blue Earth.
HIS LABORS IN PIONEER DAYS.
Many time this grand old man Of
the High Episcopal church has gone
hungry in order that the children of
his pioneer parishioners might eat 1t
was not infrequent in those days for
this travelling missionary to stop his
horse at some lonely cabin by the way
side, set the broken limb Of a sufferer,
teach him the doctrine Of the church,
and in many instances, administer sac
rament to some dying settler who had
not seen a steeple for years. Rev. Mr..
BurleSOn was always welcomed by the
inhabitants of sparsely settled locali-
ties in Minnesota and Wisconsin, where
he eXpOunded the faith Of one country,
one flag and one God. He administered
to the sick, pulled teeth from the jaws
of the suffering, and built churches of
primitive architecture with his own
strong hands and a hammer driven
with the energy of an enthusiastic ad
vance agent of the gospel
This pioneer of the church is ma
tive of New York. He was born in
WiIlet JAN 81, 1888. In 1889 he re-
moved with his parents to East Berk-
shire, VT At the age of fifteen he re-
ceived his certificate for admission to
the state university, but preferred
Bakersville academy. Later he sup
ported himself at this institution for
three years by teaching. He then en-
tered the law office of Isaac Bowditch,
at Swanton, VT, and was appointed
postmaster at that place two years
later.
EIGHT CHILDREN LIVING.
Political success inspired matrimony.
He married Miss Abigail Pomeroy, Of
Franklin. His wife proved a devoted
type of American Womanhood. In
trial or triumph she has always Teen
at her husbands side. Eight surviving
children blessed the union. They are:
Mary E. and Abigail Burleson, Of
Oneida; Mrs. DR.. Wintermute, of Pc
waukee; Rev. A. L. Burleson, of San
Antonio, Tex: Rev. H. L. Burleson.
rector of st. Marks, at Waupaca; Rev.
]. K. Burleson, of Oneida; E. w. Bur
Lesson, of New York, and Guy P. Burle-
son, of Geneva. One son, Henry B.,
died in 1874.
1t was in 1857 that Rev. Mr.. Burle-
son first came West and located at
North Pepin, Wis. After trying law
and journalism and politics he was
baptized and confirmed on Aug. Z,
1862, by Bishop H. B. Whipp,e. After
a brief but distinguished service in the
army he went to Red Wing, Mimi, as
a candidate for holy orders, and taught
parish school under Rev. B. A. Wells.
who afterward became bishop of Mil
waukee.
In 1868 he was ordained deacon in
the Episcopal church, and in 1854 en-
tered the priesthood. His first charge
was Mortified. Later he had super-
vision of missions at Cannon Falls.
Faribault, Greenvale and small Min
nesota towns. In 1871 he removed to
Blue Earth City and built a rectory.
church, schoolhOuse and court house
at that place. He was also some
what Of an architect as we'll as builder.
MANY DEEDS OF BENEVOLENCE.
He travelled over a Jurisdiction in
GLIDING Freedom, Martin, Cottonwood.
Pipestone and Rock counties, where
ne endured many hardships on the
bleak and blizzard-swept prairies. His
deeds OF benevolence and bravery are
Inperishable today in the memories Of
the people In that region. It was in
1873 that he saved hundreds of lives
from starvation during the grasshop-
per plague. He organized rescue OK
pedlt1ons and secured food for the hum
cry and clothing for children almost