Emma Burbank
| Date of Interment or Death | 12/29/1935 |
|---|---|
| Location | Old Fairview |
| Section | D |
| Block-Lot-Grave | 9-2-2 |
Obituary
Funeral Services Held Thursday for Mrs. Burbank
Pioneer Resident Dies Tuesday at Home of Brothers’ Following Long Illness
First Richard County Superintendent of Schools
Had Been Invalid Since Her Hip Was Broken In A Fall Early Last Winter
Funeral services for Mrs. Emma Burbank, widow of the late John O. Burbank were held this Thursday afternoon from her home the Blanding brothers’ farm west of town. Death occurred early Tuesday morning following a long Hills.
Rev. R. D. Hall of Glenwood, Minnesota, former pastor of the Congregational church in this city and a friend of the Blanding family was in charge of the services. Music was by Mrs. Josie Oliver Paul, With Mrs. Fred Brown acting as accompanist.
Emma Amlira Blanding, eldest daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Joseph W. Blanding, was born February 5, 1850, in Lancaster, Wis. She grew to young womanhood in Wisconsin, receiving her education at Plattenville Institute, a private school which preceded the present Plattenville Normal School.
In 1871 her father made a trip to Dakotah Territory on a land surveying contract and the following year the family came west locating on the site which is now the Blanding Brothers’ farm which was purchased at that time by Mrs. Marion Blanding from the N.P. Railway Co.
Mrs. Burbank took an active part in the life of the pioneer community. She was the first teacher of what is now Center School No. 2 then a tiny wooden building which children from the surrounding claims attended during the summer months, prairie blizzards making it impossible to have a winter session. She was also active in assisting her mother to organize a Sunday School.
When the county was organized, she was appointed County Superintendent of Schools and at the first election, she was elected to that office.
In later years she often told her friends of the pleasures which young people enjoyed in the pioneer days. Of floating around Island Park, skating on the Bois de Sioux river and attending parties at Fort Abercrombie making the trip to the Fort by oxcart.
On October 30, 1878, she became the wife of John Q. Burbank, county surveyor for many years, who died in 1925. The wedding was a double one, her sister, Jessica Blanding being married to Charles M. Fisher at the same time. She made her home in Wahpeton during most of her life except for brief periods of residence in Chicago, Arkansas and Boise, Idaho.
Four years ago Mrs. Burbank suffered a paralytic stroke and for the past thirteen months had been an invalid as the result of a broken hip suffered in a fall early last winter.
Surviving are one sister, Mrs. C. M. Fisher of Devils Lake, N.D, two brothers, Walter D. and Joseph S. Blanding with whom she made her home and a grandniece, Evelyn Burbank, whom she adopted in infancy.
Pallbearers were township neighbors and friends. They were: Clifford and George Ruddy, Clarence Moore, William Baumer, Albert Marten and William Lundgren.
Headstone photograph(s)
Location
Old Fairview is located on the southern half of the cemetery grounds.