Milford chronicle., 1927-06-24
DR.. HIRAM R. BURTON
FORMER CONGRESSMAN
DIES AT LEWES
Continued from first page)

lily adviser as well as physician.
He was member of the Masonic
order and other societies and al
ways took an active interest in
Republican politics. His wide ac-
quaintance, his immense number
of friends, and his personality,
made his a power in politics, and
ne was elected to the 59th and re-
elected to the Goth Congress.
In Congress DR.. Burton was es-
pecially active in securing an ap-
preparation for the inland waterway
from Lewes to Assowoman Bay,
frequently known as the Assowoman
canal and also paved the way for
the government to take over the
Chesapeake and Delaware Canal
and change it into a tide water
canal. He had a wide knowledge
of the sections benefited by these
canals and he had the pleasure of
seeing both constructed and in op-
Grafton. He was especially interes-
ted in the construction of the Asso-
woman canal because that water
way made it possible for small craft
such as are used in transporting
truck, to use an inland route from
Virginia to Lewes, a distance of
several hundred miles and thus "a
voiding the danger of ocean navi-
cation to small craft.
DR.. Burton was candidate for the
United States Senate on Progress
sive ticket at the time Senator
Henry A. dupont was the Republi-
can canidate for reelection and
Josiah o. Wolcott was the Demo-
cratic candidate. This split the Re-
publican vote and Mr.. Wolcott was
elected. DR.. Burton had just re-
tired as a member of the State Pub
lie Lands Commission on which he
served several years. He was a
member of the Delaware Society OF
the Cincinnati.
DR.. Burton was married on June
10. 1877, to Mary ", daughter OF
John NJ. and Leah Rawlins, OF
Georgetown, who died on May IA
1897. He is survived by one daugh-
ter. Leah, the wife of DR.. Rowland
G. Paynter, we'll known physician
and banker of Georgetown.
The Burton family has lived in
Delaware for two centuries. Robert
Burton, first of the name in this
country, lived in Indian River hun
dred in Sussex county. Prior to the
Revolutionary War the Oldest son
of Robert Burton entered the Brit
ish navy as a cabin boy and rose tc
be captain of British ship. When
the war was over he returned tC
Delaware and induced his parents
to go with him to make their home
in Nova Scotia. They were lost IL
a storm at sea while on their way
to their new home.
Joshua Burton, the second son OF
Robert, remained in Delaware ano
his son, Joshua Sheppard Burton
was the father of DR.. Hiram K
Burton. In religion DR.. Burton was
an Episcopalian and took an inter
est in the church at Lewes. All
account of his services in Congress
his election as delegate to RepuDll'
can national convention, his pos1t'
ion in the medical societies OF the
state and his connection with tnt
Masonic order he was one OF tnt
hest known men in the State. H'
was absolutely at home in any par
Of Delaware and took deep inter
est in the affairs Of this State az
well as in his home town an'
county. uo,,,
DR.. Burton was located in WASH
ington during the administration o
president Abraham Lincoln an'
talked most entertainly at times o
the stirring scenes of that period
On the night of Lincoln's assassl
nation he was invited by frlen'
to attend the performance in FORD
Theatre where Lincoln was kllle'
but had a previous engagement AM
was unable to attend. He wa
familiar with the scenes which 1ol
lowed the tragedy however.