The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-06-28
BURIAL OF LIEUT.. BURFORD

Mr.. and Mrs. r. A. Burford and
their daughters, Misses Mary and
Agnes, left this morning for Wash
ington, where they expect to ar
rive tomorrow afternoon. Mr.. and
Mrs. Burford's youngest son, Mr..
Sam Burford of Birmingham, will
join them there, and may be accom-
panied by his brother, Mr.. Robert AL
len Burford, formerly in the navy, and
vet i'm the reserve. The reason of the
visit of the Burford family to Wash
ington is to be present when the re-
mains of the second son, Lieut.. Wiley
Fl. Burford, are laid to their final rest
: in historic Arlington. at 2:30 Thurs
day afternoon.
Wiley Burford was one of the first
of our Marion county boys to die.
Several had passed away from disease
at the training camps, but the sorrow
in their cases was somewhat mitigat-
ed by the fact that they were near
home, and had relatives with them
when they died and were brought
home to be buried. The news of the
death of Wiley Burford, in France,
and in the presence of the enemy,
struck Ocala like bullet, and seemed
in few hours to change the charac-
ter of the town. The devotion to
America, the hate for the enemy, had
been with us all along, but this tragic
news brought it to the surface as
nothing else could have done.
Wiley HARRISON Burford was tn.
second son of Mr.. and Mrs. R. A
Burford, and was born in Ocala DC
tober 31st, 1898 He passed his child
hood and boyhood days here, gradual
ing from the Ocala high school in tn,
class of 1912. He then went t,
Princeton University, where he grad
uated with honors in the class o
1916, and was member of tn
Princeton Tower Club.
AS early as 1915 the misery AM
suffering caused by the great Euro
pean war brought about the forma
ton of a Princeton chapter of tn
American Red Cross. in which h
worked diligently.
Immediately upon graduation a
Princeton University he entered tn
military training camp for colleg
students at Plattsburg, N. Y, in tn
summer of 1916, completing the pre-
scribed course.
He chose the profession of law, ir
tending to practice with his father
and entered the law department of tn
University of Florida, at Gainesville
was a member of the University dc
batting team which won against bot
South Carolina and Tennessee, an
was the winner of one of the prize
offered in the law department. He wa
a member of the Kappa Alpha fra
ternity, and also held membership
the Serpent's Ribbon society, tn
John Marshall debating society, an
the Cooley club, and was honore
with the presidency of the junior La
class. He completed his junio
course in law few weeks before tn
close of the term in order to enter tn
first officers training camp at Fol
Mcpherson, Ga, having volunteers
for service when a state of war wa
declared with Germany without wal
ing for the draft.
On August 15, at Fort Mcpherson
he received his commission as secon
lieutenant of field artillery, and wa
Immediately sent to France. His fir.
assignment in foreign service was
the field artillery school of instru'
ton at Saunur, France. where h
finished the course of instruction De
%, 1917. and was honored with
grade "a" certificate, denoting eff
cheney for battery commander afte
six months service at the front. tt
instructor added this encomium @
the certificate:
Energetic and ambitious: a GOO
worker and very intelligent. He mac
great progress here"
On completing his course at San
muir he was assigned to active dut
with the First Division, Battery
7th Field Artillery. which was opera
ing above Toul While en- route I
the front to joint his battery he ws
detailed to check up accounts again
the government in connection wit
Dliieted troops and acted as tow
MAJOR of several towns and villag,
IN the discharge of these duties. F
arrived at the front in January 191
and actively engaged in his duties
second lieutenant of his battery. tt
regiment to which he was attach.
was one IN the regular army, and WI
the first to take position at the from