Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

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and Sarah (Olmstead) Burnham, was
born August 13, 1753, and died on March
10, 1830. He married Nancy Bigelow.
She was married November 16, 1775, and
died on January 16, 1800, aged forty-five
years.
(VI) Charles Burnham, son of George
and Nancy (Bigelow) Burnham, was born
on June 18, 1786, and died May 29, 1852.
He married (first) Hannah White, who
was born February 20, 1786, and died
October 16, 1812, at the age of twenty-six.
He married (second) Persis White, daugh-
ter of Preserved White of Springfield,
Massachusetts, where she was born April
30, 1792. Charles Burnham was one of
the inspectors in the United States armory
at Springfield, and was thoroughly
respected and honored in the community.
(VH) Edward Goodwin Burnham, son
of Charles and Persis (White) Burnham,
was born in Springfield, Hampden County
Massachusetts, on June 2, 1827, died in
Bridgeport February 28, 1908. He spent
the early years of his life in Springfield,
and received his education in the local
public schools there. At a very early age
he became interested in mechanical occu-
pations, and devoted a large portion of his
time to study and experiment in that
field. At the age of sixteen years, he
went to Brattleboro, Vermont, and ap-
prenticed himself to the firm of Hines,
Newman & Hunt, to learn the machinist's
trade. After serving his apprenticeship
he left the aforementioned firm and en-
tered the United States Armory at Spring-
field as a machinist, later becoming a con-
tractor. Mr. Burnham resigned his position
in the armory several years later and
removed to Bridgeport, Connecticut. In
Bridgeport, he became connected with the
manufacturing firm of Dwight, Chapin &
Company, then engaged in the manufacture
of appendages for rifles for the United
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
131
States Government. The company later
extended the work to include the mak-
ing of firearms. This was during the
Civil War, and the business was greatly
strengthened and increased by extensive
orders for war munitions.
At the close of the war, Mr. Burnham
severed his connections with Dwight,
Chapin & Company, and became inter-
ested in the manufacture of steam, gas
and water fittings, in partnership with
Charles F. Belknap of Bridgeport. The
business grew with such rapidity that
shortly after the inception, the corporation
of Belknap and Burnham was formed
with Mr. Burnham as president. Mr. Burnham
was a man of considerable inventive
genius, and skilled in the handling of
problems in manufacturing. Under his
management the business of the firm
went forward in such strides that in 1874
the Eaton, Cole & Burnham Company
was formed with greatly increased capital,
and enlarged factory accommoda-
tions. Mr. Burnham was vice-president
of the new concern at the time of its or-
ganization, but later became president,
which post he held until he resigned from
active business life, in 1905. During the
time of his presidency Mr. Burnham
greatly advanced the efficiency of the
plant, and raised the working force to
fourteen hundred men. The firm was one
of the principal industries of the city of
Bridgeport, and one of the largest of its
kind in the State of Connecticut, employing
over twenty-four hundred men.
As the head of a corporation of such
size and prominence in the life of the
city of Bridgeport, Mr. Burnham was in-
fluential in the executive councils of other
large interests of the city, and also in
public life. He was vice-president of the
United Illuminating Company, president
of the Bridgeport Crucible Company,