John Burden

John Allen Burden (1862 – June 10, 1942) was an American Seventh-day Adventist minister, administrator, and medical missionary instrumental in founding sanitariums, restaurants, and health food factories. He was the founder and first administrator of what is now Loma Linda University.

Early life Burden was born in Wisconsin in 1862. At the age of nine, Burden attended Seventh-day Adventist meetings for the first time and was introduced to the writings of Ellen G. White, which left a lifelong impression upon him. Five years later, he was baptized. At the age of eighteen in 1880, he moved with his family to Oregon.

Career Burden became a Seventh-day Adventist minister in Oregon. In 1888, Burden helped establish the Rural Health Retreat (later St. Helena Sanitarium) in Napa, California, becoming its manager in 1891. arrived in Washington, she urged him by telegram to, "secure the property by all means. . . . This is the very property we ought to have. Do not delay; for it is just what is needed".

Borrowing the down payment, Burden succeeded in purchasing the property for $40,000 and was put in charge of the new sanitarium. The final price, with discounts for early payment, came to $38,900. Founded as the College of Medical Evangelists, now Loma Linda University. Burden managed the facilities at Loma Linda until 1915. He was the manager of Paradise Valley Sanitarium from 1916 to 1936.

After his wife died, Burden retired. In 1939, he returned to Loma Linda to serve as chaplain, counseling young medical missionaries and the staff of the College of Medical Evangelists.

Personal life Burden met Eleanor A. Baxter (1865–1933) as a student at Healdsburg College (now Pacific Union College). They were married in 1888. She served as the matron of the Paradise Valley Sanitarium.

Burden died on June 10, 1942 in Loma Linda, after being hit by a car.

Legacy The College of Medical Evangelists remains as Loma Linda University. A building on campus, Burden Hall, was named for John Burden.

Burden's personal collection of some 650 pages of Ellen White's letters (half of them addressed to him) was published as Loma Linda Messages (Loma Linda, CA: College of Medical Evangelists, 1934).