The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-12-27
BURT A. MARKHAM DEAD
YOUNG MAN MADE SUPREME
SACRIFICE IN FRANCE
Died For His Country;Was Fine
Fellow; Had Promising
| Career


news of the death of Burt A. Mark
!, ham son of j. A. Markham of thi:
place was received Saturday in the
following telegram:
i, Washington, D. C. December Is
Mrs. Nellie Markham. GAINESVILLE
Minnesota. Deeply regret to inform
you that a message from abroad
states Private Burt Austin Markham
Marine Corps, died on September IL
} from wounds received in action. NJ
particulars are available but see gen
eral information mailed you today
Accept my heartfelt sympathy in
: your loss of one who nobly gave his
life in the service of his country
Charles G.. Long, Brigadier general
Although the telegram brought sor-
row to the afflicted parents and stc
many hearts who were intimate with
the deceased, it ended a suspense that
had been endured for about three
months. The only letter received by
the parents after he sailed for over
seas was one written Immediately
after he landed on the 2Sth of August
AS time went by the suspense deep
ened. Steps were taken at several
different times to secure information
kilograms and letters were sent tc
the adjutant general at Washington
but the case, it seems, had not been
reported and no light was thrown up
on the matter Why it should have
taken three months to report upor
his death may appear later. But al
present it is shrouded in mystery.
i Burt A. Markham was born in Alma
City, April 5, 1889. He was graduated
from the GAINESVILLE high school in
1906. Later he attended the high
school in Mankato and subsequently
devoted several years to work when
he decided to attend the University oil
Minnesota. He lacked one semester
when he left the school to enter the
army. He enlisted in the Second
Minnesota Field Artillery. After wait
ing several months to get into the
service, the government decided the
regiment was not eligible under the
rules to be mustered in. He was re-
leased from the artillery at Zoo
o'clock and at 100 o'clock the same
day he enlisted in the United States
Marine Corps. He was sent TO Paris
Island, S. c., arriving there May 10
1918. Thence he went to Quantico
Va, where he finished intensive train
ing. He sailed from there with Com
pany B. 5th Battalion, Aurust IT, and
arrived in France August %.
This IN brief ,slsns up his career.
AS he died in only about two weeks
after his arrival it seems that he was
at once sent to the front with his
company where he Immediately got
into action and where he bravely
sacrificed his life upon foreign soil
that the principles for which his
country stood and the deals it cher
ished should not perish from the
earth.
His death is. indeed. hard blow
to his parents, but they may derive
some consolation from the fact that
his life was given for his country and
that his works and deeds and mem
DRY are enshrined in the hearts of his
people, That he went forth willingly
anxiously, bravely and met his fate
unfiinchingly is a record the glory of
which will ever be an inspiration in
the hearts and consciences of his peo-
pie. 1t is, indeed, the record of a
hero of whom we may all be proud
and whose deeds no mere words may
fittingiy pay tribute.
> Mr.. Markham fully realized the
tremendous seriousness of entering
the service and this was manifested
in his anxiety to get to the front. Re-
nj, - <~c Il -,
a letter written before he sailed, he
indicated his doubts as to the proba-
bility of his return. This empha-
sizes the fact that when the particu-
! lars Of his death are known not only
his parents but the entire community
will be proud Of the manner in which
he so gallantly met his fate.
The deceased was a young man
whose life in every particular was
| above reproach. He was brilliant
writer and had planned to follow
! journalism had he lived For time
he edited The st. Peter Tribune dur
ing the absence of Major Duane and
it was here that his writing attract
ed attention. He was also with Mr..
Gordon at Barron, Wisconsin, for a
time.
Mr.. Markham was a musician and
in that accomplishment had been in
former days a member of the Idaho
State Band, military organization. He
was also a member of the State Uni
versitv Band of Minnesota and q
/ member of the United States Marine
Band at Paris Island, S. c., from
which he resigned to get into action
The deceased is survived by his
parents, one sister, Miss Ella, who is
teaching at Walhalla, n. D., and one
A brother, James L. Markham, with the
4 Officers Field Artillery at Camp Tay-
lor, Kentucky.
j The sympathy of the entire com
munity goes out to the afflicted par
ents in their great loss. In this sym
pathy we join most sincerely
4 Later on a Memorial service will be
held in his honor.
On the dav that Mr.. Markham de-
parted from Mankato after having en-
was a. guest of the writer at a luncheon
t He remarked during the conversation
that he was going into the war be
! cause he felt it was duty he owet
his country and that he expected t.
make the supreme sacrifice. He ex.
pressed himself being ready for the
/ end
4 Mr. Markham certainly was very
fine young mar and he had an ex-
ceptionally promising career Thu
= writer felt more than a passing in.
4 terest in him as it was for The Free