Florence Burgham

Immigrant from Canada.

NOT A DIRECT ANCESTOR Florence Burgham is not in my direct ancestry. She was the wife of James Sinas Beals, who is 2 step removed in the following ways: Grandson of Jacob Beals; Son of William Beals Nephew of James Francis Beals

Joseph H. Burgham and wife Lucy Biddle were both born in London, England, and later moved to London, Ontario, Canada before the birth of daughter Florence Burgham. Their other children, Joseph Henery Burgham, Mildred Burgham, and Eva Burgham were all born in Parker, PA, just 7 miles down river from Emlenton. Why the family were there isn't known but it could have been connected with the oil industry.
Parker apparently lost its appeal for Joseph, Lucille, Joseph Henery, Mildred and Eva, who all lived and died in Salamanca, NY. Fred Turman (husband of Eva Burgham) and their son Harry Truman lived in Ridgway, PA, but were later in business and lived & died in Salamanca also.
Foxburg is between Emlenton and Parker. It isn't known how James Sinas Beals and Florence Burghan met, but two of their children (William J. Beals and Aida Beals) were born in Foxburg, then children Walter and Dorothy Beals were born in Emlenton. James Sinas Beals worked as a production field manager for oil lease owners and operators.
(These notes per Duane Beals, personal correspondence 25 July 2009)
Salamanca NY lieson route I-86, on the northern border of Allegheny State Park. The Allegheny River, flowing from north to south, connects Salamanca NY, then Warren PA, Oil City & Franklin PA, then the smaller towns of Emlenton, Foxburg, & Parker, PA. While Salamanca grew up around the railroads, the rest of these were oil towns.

	Date	Location	Notes	Sources
Birth	18 March 1869	London, Ontario, Canada
Immigration	1870
Marriage	18 Mar 1890		To James Sinas Beals
Death		expect Emlenton PA
Burial		Emlenton Cemetery

Ancestry chart segment - Indirect Line

    Generation 3           Generation 4       
 
                                           
                                             
                       +-- Joseph H. Burghan 
                       |    (????-????)    
                       |                   
   Florence Burgham --+                       
    (1869-????)        |     
                       |         
                       +-- Lucy Biddle
                           (????-????)

Sources:

Children

Children with James Sinas Beals:

Name	Gender	Date of Birth	Birthplace	Spouse	Notes	Sources
William J. Beals	M	11 May 1891(d.10 Nov 1974)	Foxburg, Clarion County, PA	Emma G.
Aida Vivianne Beals	F	17 June 1893 (d.16 June 1990)	Foxburg, Clarion County, PA	Ira Harrison Sweesy
Walter Benjamin Beals	M	1901 (d.2 Jan 1971)	Emlenton, Venango Co. PA	Edith Geraldine Shannon
Dorothy Burgham Beals	F	27 Aug 1911 (d.12 June 1980)	Emlenton, Venango Co. PA	Lawrence Emerson Dittman

Places of Residence

Location	Dates	Notes	Sources
Foxburg, Clarion County, PA
Emlenton, Venango Co County, PA	by 1920

Photos

Joseph H. Burgham, father of Florence Burgham (Beals)

Lucy Biddle, mother of Florence Burgham (Beals)

Gravestone of J. Sinas & Florence Beals, Zion Union Cemetery, Richland Twp., Venango Co. PA

Joseph H. Burgham and wife Lucy Biddle were both born in London, England, and later moved to London, Ontario, Canada before the birth of daughter Florence Burgham (future wife of James Sinas Beals). The photographs were taken in Pennsylvania, in 1889 per contributor Duane Shannon Beals. The photo of Joseph Burgham was taken in Punxsutawney, PA; the photo of Lucy Biddle (Burgham) was taken in Johnsonburg, PA.

Group photo of Florence Burgham (Beals') & James Sinas Beals' family members
Left to right: Fred Truman (holding dog), Eva Burgham Truman, Walter Beals, Millie Burgham, Aida Beals Sweesy Layne, Dorothy Beals Dittman, Edith Shannon Beals, Evelyn Sweesy Mullen.
Eva Burgham Truman (wife of Fred Truman) and Millie Burgham are sisters of Florence Burgham Beals. Aida Beals Sweesy Layne, Walter Beals (husband of Edith Shannon Beals), and Dorothy Burgham Beals Dittman are children of James Sinas Beals and Florence Burgham. Evelyn Sweesy Mullen is daughter of Aida Meals Sweesy Mullen.

Children:

Childhood portrait of Walter Benjamin Beals, son of James Sinas Beals & Florence Burgham

Gravestone of Walter Beals, Emlenton Cemetery, Richland Twp., Venango Co. PA

Gravestone of Dorothy Burgham Beals (dau of James Sinas Beals) & Lawrence Emerson Dittman, Salem Reformed UCC Cemetery, Salem Twp., Clarion Co. PA

Sources

Ref. Num.	Description	Image of original
1	1870 United States Federal Census, Perry Twp, Armstrong Co, PA, page 7. Census dated 12 July 1870. Lines 34-38: Joseph Burgham, 31, baker, $1000 personal property, b. England; Elizabeth, age 35, housekeeper, b. England; Florence, age 1, b. Canada; Geo. Corson, age 16, laborer, b. PA; Coonus Sladle, 23, baker, past not known, b. Germany. All parents foreign born.
2	1880 United States Federal Census, District 16, Parker Twp., Armstrong Co., PA, page 26. Census dated 16 June 1880. Lines 24-30: Joel Bergam, age 40, baker, b. England, parents b. England; Lucy, wife, age 43, housekeeper, b. England, parents b. England; Florence, dau., age 11, b. Canada, parents b. England, attended school; Allia, age 9, b. PA, parents b. England, attended school; Millia, dau., age 7, b. PA, parents b. England, attended school, can not read or write; Eva, dau, age 1, b. PA, parents b. England.
3	1900 United States Federal Census, District 25, Richland Twp, Clarion Co, PA, pg 5A Census dated 9 Jun 1900. James S Beals, age 39, married 10 years, farmer (oil and gas Co), owns farm, born PA (as were parents); Florence, age 31, married 10 yrs, immigrated 1870, citizen 30 years, b. Canada (English), parents b. England; William S., age 9; Ada, age 6. Children b. PA, father PA, mother Canada, both in school. All can read, write and speak English.
4	1910 United States Federal Census, District 28, Richland Twp, Clarion Co, PA. Census dated 15 Apr 1910. Pg 1A lines 48-50 and 1B lines 1-2: James S Beals, age 48, married 20 years, farmer (Oil Co), owns farm, born PA, parents b. PA; Florence, age 40, married 20 yrs, 3 children, all living, b. Canada (English), parents b. England; William S., age 18, barber; Ada, age 16, in school; Walter B., 8, in school. Children b. PA, father PA, mother Canada. All can read, write and speak English.
5	1920 United States Federal Census District 110, Emlenton, Venango Co, PA, page 17, Census dated 16-19 January, 1920. Lines 80-83: James S. Beals, head, age 50, b. PA, parents b. PA, superintendent, oil company, owns home with mortgage; Florence, wife, age 48, naturalized citizen, date unknown, b. Canada, parents b. England; Walter, son, age 18, b. PA, agent, Express Co; Dorothy, dau., age 8, b. PA. All can read, write and speak English except Dorothy. Family lived at 214 Hill Street. (Note: the age for James S. Beals is incorrectly recorded in 1920. Compare to 1910 & 1930 census.)
6	1930 United States Federal Census, District 10, Emlenton, Venango Co, PA, page 7. Census dated 8 Apr 1930. Lines 4-6: J. Sinus Beals, age 69, married at age 28, owns home, value $3500, owns radio, oil lease field manager, not a veteran, b. PA as were parents; Florence, wife, age 59, married at age 21, naturalized in 1874, b. Canada, parents b. England; Dorothy B., dau., age 18, b. PA. All can read, write and speak English.
7	Gravestone Transcriptions, Salem Reformed UCC Cemetery, Clarion Co. PA, transcribed June 2007 by Elizabeth Wilson Williams. "DITTMAN Lawrence E. 1909-1978, Dorothy B. 1911-1980" "Baby Girl Dittman 1854" "David Lee Dittman 1959" "In God's Care, Dorothy Belle Dittman, June 24, 1947 - Aug 1, 1993" "Robert E. Dittman, May 22, 1934-July 21, 1998" "DITTMAN Emanuel P. 1869-1957, Cora B. 1869-1939" (Emanuel Peter Dittman & Cora Sheffer, parents of Lawrence Emerson Dittman).
8	Correspondence of Duane Beals, grandson of James Sinas Beals; extensive Beals research on FTM file. . The dates for Patricia J. Beals (daughter of Walter & Edith) are: Oct. 4, 1930 - Feb. 27, 1933
9	Gravestone Transcriptions, Zion Union Cemetery, Richland Twp., Venango Co. PA. BEALS Walter B. 1901-1971; Edith S. 1907-2004; Patricia J. 1930-1933.
10	Burgham family notes found among the papers of Walter Benjamin Beals and wife Edith Geraldine Shannon; contributed to us June 2009 by Duane Shannon Beals. Florence Burgham born 18th day of March 1869 in London City Canada. Joseph Flanery Burgham born 27th day of November 1879 in Parker City Penn, U. S. Mildred Burgham born 22nd day of September 1872 in Parker City Penn U.S. Elva Burgham Born 18th day of December 1878 in Parker City Penn U. S.
11	Funeral Notice for Joseph H. Burgham, date and publisher unknown. From collected papers of Walter Benjamin Beals and Edith Geraldine Shannon, contributed to us June 2009 by Duane Shannon Beals. Death occured in Buffalo Tuesday. Funeral from home of sister Miss Millie Burgham, South Main Street, and St. Mary's Episcopal Church; interment in Wildwood cemetery. Lists Salamanca Commandery No. 63 K. T., pall bearers, out of town relatives & friends (see image at right). Note: "Salamanca Commandery No. 63 K.T." refers to the organization Knights Templar (Freemasonry).
12	Death Notice for Lucy Biddle Burgham, date and publisher unknown. Widow of Joseph Burgham, age 83, home at 14 South Main St. Native of Smethwick, England, resided "here" past 5 yrs. Survived by 3 daughters: Mrs. Florence Beals, Emlenton PA, Mrs. Fred Truman of Clinton St., & Miss Mildred Burgham at home. One son, J. H. Burgham of Deferiet NY, and one brother Richard Biddle of England.

Source Notes

• Joseph H. Burgham, father of Florence Burgham, is buried at the Salamanca NY cemetery; we assume his wife Lucy Biddle is buried there as well. Salamanca is on route I-86, about 65 miles due south of Buffalo. Joseph Burgham had possibly gone from Salamanca to Buffalo for medical care and died there.

Research Wishlist

• Needs census records