John E. Burton

John Edgar Burton (October 19, 1847 – August 13, 1930) was an American businessman and financier. Burton operated mines in the Gogebic Range of Michigan and Wisconsin, as well as in Alaska's Seward Peninsula, California, Colorado, and Mexico. He also invested in real estate and industry.

Early life Burton was born on October 19, 1847, in New Hartford, New York, to John Burton Sr. of Comingsby, England and Ruth Janette (Allen) Burton of New Hartford. He then attended the Cazenovia Seminary, where he won first prize in oratory.

Career After his schooling, Burton worked as a teacher in Cazenovia and as principal of the public schools in Richmond, Illinois (1868–1870) and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin (1870–1872). Burton wrote Wisconsin's first $100,000 insurance policy. He also became general agent and manager for the neighboring states of Michigan and Minnesota. Burton brought in over $6,500,000 in four years.

In 1885, Burton resigned from Equitable Life to speculate in iron and copper mining in Michigan and Wisconsin. He also invested in livestock and other Chicago businesses. He expanded his real estate and business holdings in Lake Geneva, which encompassed dozens of buildings (one sixth of the town's property) and companies, including the First National Bank. He also assembled a private library of 26,000 volumes, including 3,000 volumes on Abraham Lincoln, which in 1915 formed the largest Lincolniana collection in the world. In November 1915, Burton sold his collections through Anderson Galleries in New York.

Burton was a Royal Arch Mason and vice president of the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Personal life Burton married Lucretia Delphine Johnson of Killawag, New York at Lapeer, New York, on December 7, 1869. They had four children. The Burton family lived in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

Burton died in Madison, Wisconsin, on August 13, 1930.