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EDWIN C. BURLEIGH is a native of Aroostook County, Maine, having been born in
Linneus, November 27, 1843. His father. Parker P. Burleigh, was a son of Moses Burleigh, a native of Sandwich,
N. H., who came to Maine previous to 1812 and settled in Palermo, where he resided until 1830. Moses was a prominent
man of his time; was a militia officer during the war of 1812, and waà promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel
for meritorious service. He was in the Massachusetts Legislature before the separation; was a member of the convention
which framed the constitution of the new State of Maine, and held other offices. in 1830 he removed to Linneus,
Aroostook County, being almost a pioneer into that county, where he died in 1860. Here Parker P., the eldest surviving
child of Moses, has lived and raised his family. He occupies the old homestead and is still hale and hearty.
Edwin C. was educated in the town school and at Houlton Academy. After his academical course was completed, he
taught for a time and then took up land surveying. At this time the State owned vast tracts of lands in Aroostook
County which had never been surveyed. Young Burleigh earnestly engaged in this work. and soon gained a knowledge
of the public lands of the State not possessed, perhaps, by any other person. in 1870 he was made a clerk in the
land office in Augusta, and in 1876 was made Land Agent, which office he held three years. He was also Assistant
Clerk of the House of Representatives from 1876 to 1880, resigning the office the latter year to accept a position
in the office of the State Treasurer. Here he remained five years, gaining a thorough knowledge of the duties of
the office, and, in 1883, the Legislature recognized his ability and valuable services by electing him to the office
of Treasurer of State, and re-electing him in 1887.
In 1888 Mr. Burleigh was elected Governor of Maine by a plurality of 18,000, and re-elected in 1890 by an increased
plurality. His four years' service as Chief Executive of the State was remarkable for high administrative ability,
for economy and efficiency, and for the prompt and faithful performance of every duty.
Mr. Burleigh is a man of line physique, of great energy and force of character, an indomitable worker with an immense
capacity for work. Whatever he linds necessary to be done, he does now, and with a will and with such force, coupled
with good judgment, as to remove all obstacles and make success easy and certain. He is aggressive, progressive,
and vigorous, prompt in the discharge of every duty, and believes in doing whatever you undertake to do thoroughly
and well. His private life is without a stain, and his public acts have shone with splendor under the search-light
of his political opponents.
In 1872 Mr. Burleigh removed from Linneus to Bangor, and later to Augusta, where he still resides. Since retiring
from the office of Governor, he has devoted himself to the management of the Kennebec Journal, which for many years
has been the State paper, of which he is the principal owner.
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