Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-04-10
AR00STOOk LOSES
GRAND OLD MAN
(From Bangor News.

Albert A. Burleigh was one OF n
family prominent in Aroostook county
for a century. He was a descendant OF
Giles Burleigh who came from Englanl
in lf4S and settled in Ipswich. Mass
His grandfather was Col Moses Bun
leigh. soldier in the war of 1872 ana
prominent in the early history Of Maine,
representing the district in the Mas
sachusetts general court three times
ana for three terms in the Maine legis~
lature. Col .Rurieigh was one of the
earliest of the Aroostook pioneers,
moving there from Palermo, Waldo
county. when Northern Maine was an
almost untrodden wilderness. settling
in Linneus.
HIS was the first frame building in
the town and much of the town vas
surveyed by Parker f. Burleigh, the
father of two sons. Albert a. RurleieA
and Edwin c. Burleigh. both destined
to keep up the honored name, the lat
ter making a place for himself in the
list Of Names governors and congress
men.
Parker P Burleigh. like his ancestors
was imbued with military spirit and
was a Lieutenant Colonel in the old
Maine militia He served several terms
in both the Maine House and Senate.
was State Land Agent, a civil engineer
and authority on early Aroostook lands
and surveys
Albert Augustus Burleigh was born
! in Linneus, oct. -. ISL. two years the
senior Of his brother. the late congress
man.
He attended the public schools and
studied civil engineering with his fathe.'
and acquiring a first hand knowledge
Of Aroostook when still a young man.
by carrying a rod and chain over hun
dreds of miles of the country.
A Good Soldier
With the outbreak Of the Civl war
he enlisted in the first District of Col
umbia cavalry and was later trans
ferred 10 the famous First Maine Cayal-
ry, Go. II and was in many hot engage
ments.
He was wounded at Staunton Rt:er
Bridge in Virginia. mimic bail passing
through his left thigh, and AT the same
time ms left shoulder was shattered hy.
shell. He was taken prisoner and
confined in the rebel prisons of Peters
burg and Richmond during the summer,
of 1864.
he carries the effects all through his
life.
He was elected county commissioner
/ of ArnnStanl. ,,,
! successive elections TO that office. H..
was appointed in 1881 collector Of ems
toms for the district of Aroostook Inv
President Garfield and served four
years. Then he was again elected conn
" commissioner and served three Years
during Cleveland's nrst administrative,
He was again in 1889 appointed 70 re
office of collector of customs ~. pr.ei
dent Harrison. and served four wears
Father Of the 3. G. A.
Perhaps the great achievement Of
his life was the promotion and building
Of the Bangor & Aroostook railroad
Largely to his efforts and the great cc,-
Hdence OF the people of Northern Maine
was ne able 10 finance the road. the
county raising $4,000 and was the frs,
president. giving his personal attention
10 the minute details of the construr-
ton beginning in 1890 and serving until
II was completed to Ashland the back
bone OF the present B. & A. system.
As a Law Maker
he represented Aroostook in tho
Maine Senate in 1sdl-lsO3. lsl3-lsl5 and at
the last session and was TO have been
candidate for denomination at the
June primaries.
lie was connected with many insritu.
mons and enterprises and was ALWAYS
Interested in efforts for the advance
ment of Aroostook.
personally Mr.. Burleigh was ~ =
most kindly. affable. approachable AMI
sympathetic sposition-broad o,a
charitable and man OF the peon,e
MS life history speaks for itself ana
ne mad BY no means retired. hsvi,,c
many plans for the future and the cor,
ing legislature
ihere survives four sons, Parker
everett Preston y. and Harry p as
one daughter. Mrs. P. c. Newbaei,
Funeral services will DC held Wadnas
gay afternoon at o'clock a, the al
oehce on Pleasant street,
kev. y. NJ. Stone, pastor of tho r.
hr,