Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-29
VIM. HENRY BURR DEAD
Once an Official Reporter of
Senate Debates.
PIONEER IN PHOTOGRAPHY
Funeral to Occur at Family Resi-
dence Tomorrow Afternoon.
REMAINS TO BE CREMATED
Deceased Devoted Later Years to
Literary Pursuits-Was Known
as Literary Detective.

William Henry Burr. pioneer in
photography and one of the oldest resi-
dents of the Capital city, died yesterday
at the family residence. 1O17 * street
northwest, in his eighty-ninth year. hav-
ing been i'll about two weeks. At one
time the deceased was an official reporter
of the debates in the United States Sen
ate and among his other achievements
was the reporting of lectures. including
those of Prof Louis Agassiz and other
distinguished men. Since 1889 he has
devoted himself to literary research, and
upon one occasion, it was stated. Col.
Robert G. Ingersoll referred to him as
the great literary detective
Funeral services will be held at the fam
lily residence tomorrow afternoon at $3.50
O'Clock. Rev. Alexander Kent, pastor of
the Peoples Church, will conduct the
services. The pallbearers will be Messrs.
Clifford A. Borden, Ernest Collins, War
rem, William and Charles Osborn nephews,
and Roland Barber. grandson. Later
the remains will be cremated and shipped
to Mr.. Burrs birthplace and boyhood
home at Gloversville. N. Y, where the
interment will take place.
Native of New York.
The deceased was born in New York,
in the section in which the city of Glow
ersville now stands. At that time the
place was on the verge of what was
known as the Adirondack wilderness"
The name of Gloversville was first sug-
gested, it is stated, by the manufacture
there of deerskin gloves and mittens, first
begun by Mr. Burrs father in 1905. Mr.
Burr'S mother was a Miss Mills. On
both his paternal and maternal sides of
= Co., iIx, M ,jr,f 70,
of the oldest of the New York families.
The Mills family traced back directly to
the Mayflower, while the Burr family
went back to the British Isles in 1880.
Mr.. Burr was of different ancestry on
this side of the Atlantic from Aaron
Burr, although it is stated collateral
relationship existed in the English branch
of the family A rigid Cavinist. Mr..
Burr's father brought his seven children
up according to the tenets of that faith.
1t was the desire of Mr.. Burr's mother
that he should become a minister of the
gospel While at college. however. he de-
cided to become painter, and, being an
expert upon the flute and violin. Mr.. Burr
at the close of his college course went to
New York for artistic instruction. For
seven years he followed with success the
vocation of portrait painter. In 1915
he took up the study of shorthand and
soon became so proficient that he was
engaged to report lectures.
About year afterWard Mr.. Burr made
his first essay at verbatim reporting for
the press. Then came the New York
democratic state convention of 1S47 which
he reported in full for the Albany Atlas.
His next work was in New York city.
DR.. Houston had begun to report a course
of twelve lectures by Prof Agassiz for
the New York Tribune. AS he had to go
to Washington in December 1S47. to re-
port the proceedings of the Senate Off
cialy. it developed upon Mr.. Burr to take
the last three lectures. This was his be-
ginning in that work.
Employed as Reporter.
In 1860. when stenogra piers were al