My Genealogy Hound

CHARLES B. BURTLESS, a dairyman at Mount Farm, in the town of Seneca Falls, is the proprietor of a splendid tract of land, well suited to this business, on the Mount Road. He was born in the town of Seneca Falls, Christmas Day, 1844, to William and Mary (Petty) Burtless. The father, who was born near Trenton, N. J.; in 1795, came to this county with his father, John Burtless, when a lad of seven years. They were among the first to locate in this community, and here the grandfather took up a section of land three miles southeast of the village of Seneca Falls, on which he passed the remaining years of his life. On a portion of this estate, his son, William Burtless, also lived and died. The family of which he was a member included ten children, and of these he was the second-born. When the family came to this county they were very poor in this world’s goods, but at the time of his death the grandfather was well-to-do. He had made an attempt to locate in the town of Fayette, but was compelled to abandon his claim on account of the threats of the rougher element of settlers.

Mary Petty was born in New Jersey in 1801. She was brought by her parents to this county when six months old, and upon attaining mature years she was married to William Burtless. Their family included eight sons and one daughter, all of whom lived to reach maturity and of whom Charles B. was the youngest. William, who served three years as a soldier in the Civil War, is now living in Midland City, Mich., where he is engaged in farming. Dodson makes his home in southeastern Kansas. Martin E. is a resident of Cayuga County, this state. Phebe married William Schwartz, and their home is in Bay City, Mich. Nehemiah died in White Willow County, Neb. John Wesley is engaged in business at Auburn, N. Y. Henry was wounded in the seven-days fight in front of Richmond during the late war, and, falling into the hands of the enemy, was never heard from again. He was a member of Berdan’s Sharpshooters of New Jersey. Mahlon was also a Union soldier, and soon after his discharge died from the effects of injuries received in the service. The father of this family died in 1870, and his wife in 1878. The former was a Whig in early life and later became a strong Abolitionist, doing all he could to advance the interests of the cause. In 1856 he joined the ranks of the Republicans, and through the remainder of his life voted for its candidates. He was a devoted member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, and in order that he might be free to express his views on the slavery question, he helped to build the first Wesleyan Methodist Church in Seneca Falls.

Charles B. Burtless is fairly well educated, acquiring his knowledge of books in the district schools near his home. He was married, March 18, 1868, to Miss Lelia E., daughter of John and Mary (Sisson) Alleman, and a native of the town of Waterloo, this county. Soon after his union our subject went to Omaha, Neb., near which place he purchased a tract of five hundred and twenty acres of land, on which he lived for seven years. He paid $7 per acre for this land, and when ready to dispose of it accepted the offer made him of eighteen mules and horses, with several sets of harness. He then began taking contracts for grading railroads in Nebraska, and the first year had a sufficient sum of money to buy two hundred and twenty acres of land in the Platte Valley. That year proved to be one in which the grasshoppers played a very prominent part, and Mr. Burtless was so thoroughly disgusted with his adventures, that he sold out for just what he could get and very wisely returned to Seneca County, arriving with only $20 in money.

To Mr. and Mrs. Burtless there have been born ten children, all of whom are living and at home with their parents. In politics he is a Republican, but is not interested to any great extent in public affairs.