Edward Burgess

“The voices that speak the loudest are books.”

— Edward Burgess

Another week, warmer weather returns and fall seems to have been put aside for a few days at least. As one who reads, a lot, I’m almost anxious in my desire to see a bit more weather to “keep me in.” Reading, for me, is definitely an indoor activity; best suited to those long periods of time when going outside is only for necessary reasons.

Do I need to mention I was at the library, again, this week?

On December 16, 1896, a Board of Trustees for the Kendall Young Library was first established. This was the date that F. D. Young, Samuel Baxter, J. W. Young, E. D. Burgess and W. J. Covil filed for acceptance and the board was formed.

Fifteen months later the board met to elect officers; Edward Burgess was selected to become the first librarian and plans were drawn up to provide funds, space and materials for the library to be opened in part of the Kendall Young homestead.

The 1,100 books were available for Webster City residents to borrow in July of 1898.

Born in Lafayette, New Jersey, in 1851, Burgess arrived in Webster City at the age of six with his parents, Jesse and Huldah Burgess. Jesse Burgess was a doctor who practiced medicine here from their arrival. During the years of the Civil War, Jesse served as the surgeon of the 2nd Iowa Cavalry, returning to Webster City in the fall of 1865. His war service was very hard on him physically and he finally surrendered to illness in 1872.

Edward Burgess was attending the University of Iowa, studying civil engineering, during his father’s final years; on his return, the younger Burgess was selected as principal of Webster City schools for the 1873 term.

This began a rather close association with other notable Webster City residents, such as D. D. Miracle, W. J. Covil, Charles Aldrich and Kendall Young.

In 1878 Burgess passed the bar exam to practice law in Iowa; he had worked and studied under the guidance of W. J. Covil for more than two years.

Ed Burgess practiced law for 20 years before his appointment as librarian.

In 1884 Burgess was married to Miss Elizabeth Sladden, of Webster City. It was not long before Edward and his wife were living in a new home built on the corner of Willson and Division. Ed and Elizabeth shared the house with his mother, Huldah, who passed in September of 1912. Two years earlier, Elizabeth’s mother had died while living with the couple as well.

By the late 1920s Burgess’ own health was failing. The winter of 1929 saw Ed suffer from several heart attacks, the last leaving him bedridden for a week before his death.

His obituary sums up his appointment as librarian quite well:

“That he stood high in the estimation of Kendall Young was evidenced by the fact that the will of Mr. Young designated that he should be the librarian. He had a strong literary mind and was especially well fitted for this place. He took few vacations and had been in continuous management of the library practically every day for the 32 years that he served as Librarian.”

Hopefully the weather cools now and I can curl up with a good read …