The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-04
Old TIMER GONE.
Ward Burlingame Passes Away
Last Night.
Pioneer Kansas Newspaper Man
Victim of Heart Failure.
SECRETARY TO LANE.
Also Serve d in Similar Capacity
for Plumb and Caldwell.
Chief Clerk in Dead Letter Of
flee for Many Years.

Ward Burlingame, a prominent
character in the history of Kansas
for nearly half a century, died at his
home, $40 Topeka avenue, shortly af-
ter o'clock Thursday. evening of
heart failure. For several days Mr..
Burlingame had complained of his
heart and a few hours before his
death received medical attention.
Shortly after retiring Mr.. Bur
lingame called his wife and told her
that he had difficulty in breathing and
Mrs. Pliny Soper. who lives across
the street was summoned. She in turn
called DR.. Mcclure who arrived just
as Mr.. Burlingame was breathing his
last. During the past six months Mr..
Burlingame has suffered severely
from stomach trouble complicated
with heart trouble, though his death
was not expected.
For forty-one years Mr.. Bur
hngame who was g years of age al
the time of his death held his resi-
he settled and built his home in 1855,
though he spent a large part of his
time in Washington.
From the earliest days of statehood
Ward Burlingame's name has been
linked with those of the pioneers who
made Kansas a great state. During
the early days he took a prominent
part in politics and was editor of the
Commonwealth, one of the leading
papers of its day.
LEGATION and accepted a position in
Washington, D. c., as chief clerk in
the dead letter office which he held
until July, 1907, when he resigned on
account of failing health Although
his duties in Washington claimed
practically all of his time MI Bur-
lingame maintained his home at $40
Topeka avenue and returned to it af-
ter his term as chief clerk was ter
minated by his resignation.
Ward Burlingame was born in
Gloversvine, Fulton county. New York
February 6th, 1896 and received his
early education in the city school at
that place. Later he attended the
Kingsboro academy in his native
state. For time after he had finish
ed his studies he worked on a farm
leaving this work to embark in the
manufacture of gloves and mittens
Following his venture as a manu-
facturer he taught school for three
winters before starting for the west
He arrived in Kansas March 1st 1858
by steamboat, landing at Leavenworth
the railroads at that time ending at
Jefferson City, Mo. Here he received
his initiation into newspaper work and
in succession worked on the Leaven-
worth Ledger, Times and Bulletin as a
reporter and subsequently took up the
work of a general writer.
He edited the Leavenworth Con-
sentative during the campaign of 1862
while the editor d. W. Wilder was as
sisting his brother, A c. Wilder who
was a candidate for congress. Soon
after his arrival in Kansas he became
prominently identified with the for
tunes of the state and was the first
clerk of the criminal court of Leav-
enworth county.
In January. 1853. Mr.. Burlingame
was appointed private secretary to
Governor Carney and served during
the term. In the winter and spring
he was private secretary to Senator
James H. Lane in Washington but re-
turned to Kansas where he again be-
came editor of the Leavenworth Con-
sentative.
He acted as secretary to Governor
Crawford during his second term of
that official and served in the same
capacity under his successor, Cover
nor harvey, until the election of
Alexander Caldwell as United States