Biographies for Tuolumne County

John W. BURKITT
John W. Burkitt, jeweler, fruit-grower and gardner, Arlington Heights, Illinois, was born at Arlington Heights, August 8, 1854, the son of Richard and Mary A. (Pigott) Burkitt, who were natives of England and settled in Wheeling Township, Cook County, in 1846. The elder Burkitt died in 1864. The son was educated in his native village, and early acquired a fondness for horticulture, in which his father had been interested in England. Of late years, he has proved himself a successful grower of cherries of a superior quality, which are shipped to dealers in distant cities and find a ready sale at high prices. His experiments in this branch of horticulture have been watched with deep interest, and have already won him the title of the "Cherry King of Illinois." On January 7, 1882, Mr. Burkitt was married to Lydia Alma Pratt, of Palatine, Illinois, who died March 1, 1898, at the age of thirty-four years. He has four children living: Ralph Edward, Granado Ross, Hazel Alma and John W., Jr. The son, Granado, within the last year, has taken charge of the fruit-garden part of his father's business. In addition to his other branches of business, Mr. Burkitt is a Director of the local bank at Arlington Heights, Illinois, and also a stockholder, Director and Vice-President of the Sierra Gold Mining Company of Tuolumne County, California. [Source: Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Cook County Edition - transcribed by Jerry Zimmerman]

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