Clarence M. Burton

Early years In 1849, Dr. Charles Seymour and Annie Monroe Burton, along with their young son Charles Francis, moved from New York to the town of Battle Creek, Michigan. There, Dr. Burton founded the Battle Creek Journal and ran the newspaper until he was bitten by the gold bug in 1853. The family packed up and moved to the tiny California mining town of Whiskey Diggings in Sierra County, 85 miles from Marysville.

Clarence M. Burton was born in Whiskey Diggings on November 18, 1853, while his father was away attending another patient.

The Burtons moved back to Michigan, this time settling on a small farm on the outskirts of Hastings. He began studying science, but in 1872 entered the Law Department at the university and received his degree in 1874.

Early career and married life On November 19, 1874, the day after his twenty-first birthday, Burton was licensed to practice law in Wayne County, Michigan. However, Burton worked hard, and in 1881 the family moved to a more well-to-do section of the city on Brady Street.

During this time, Burton joined the title abstract firm co-owned by John Ward, a partner in Ward and Palmer. Ward and his nephew, Eugene Skinner , had started the business in 1866, and by the time Burton joined the business, the abstract records had been collected. Burton devoted himself to the business, and Ward and Skinner gave him much of the responsibility for running it. Skinner, however, had never really warmed to this business, and in 1881 he sold his share of the title company to Burton.

In 1886, Burton moved again to Brainard Street, where his next son Frank was born. and a few years later, a second daughter, Harriet.

Burton Abstract Co. In 1891, Burton organized the Burton Abstract Company from Ward and Skinner. In 1924, Burton Abstract moved one more time to a newly constructed building of their own.

Personal tragedy On February 6, 1896, Burton's wife Harriet died, leaving Burton as the sole parent to eight children. He lost himself in his work, but eventually met Lina O. (Shoemaker) Grant. The two were married on Christmas Day, 1897. In the spring of 1900, Burton married his third wife, his cousin Anna (Monroe) Knox. She had four children from a previous marriage, and, in 1901, bore another daughter, Elizabeth. by collecting historical works pertaining to his interests, tracing down as many works as possible on that subject. He eventually began concentrating on American historical documents, and finally on Michigan and Detroit. In particular, he was interested in Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. Burton spent years searching for and bidding on old books and manuscripts. Burton revered his collection, but he welcomed scholars, or even casual researchers, to use his library, even going so far as to advertise its availability in the City Directory.

Burton continued to collect books and manuscripts throughout his life, slowing down in the mid-aughts when original material became scarce. Barnabas Campau and his descendants in 1916,

Public service Throughout his life, Burton held positions of public trust, occasionally flirting with elected office. In 1896, he was appointed the Detroit School Inspector, a job he held for 17 years, In 1903, he was announced as the Republican candidate for the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan, but lost the general election.

In 1907, he spent copious time involved with the 1907 State Constitutional Convention, and in 1913 sat on the Detroit Charter Commission. At the same time, Burton gave his book collection to the Detroit Public Library, along with the deed to his Brainard Street residence. In September 1915, the Burton Historical Collection, located on Brainard Street, was opened to the public. The collection donated by Burton included 30,000 volumes, 40,000 pamphlets and 500,000 unpublished papers; more material was added to the collection in subsequent years.

Later years and death In 1925 Burton's wife Anna died. Burton retired in 1930, leaving his business duties to his son Louis. After two years of retirement Burton began to ail. He became seriously ill for several months, and on Sunday, October 23, 1932, Clarence Monroe Burton suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died.

Books written by Clarence M. Burton The following bibliography is not exhaustive.