ANNA (COLCORD) BURGESS , The final summons that comes to us all has called to rest another esteemed and devoted christian woman, Mrs. Anna Colcord Burgess. She was born in Bath, Fulton County, N. Y., April 5, 1835. She was one of a family of thirteen children, of which only three now survive, Mrs. James DeGroff of Sterling; Mrs. Angeline Terpny [sic] of Morrison, and Ivory Colcord of Battle Creek, Mich. She came with her parents to Illinois in October, 1837. They shipped on a flatboat from Olean Point, N. Y., going down the Alleghany river to Pittsburgh, thence down the Ohio to the Mississippi, and up this noble stream to Fulton, then Baker’s Ferry, Ill. From here they journeyed by wagon and teams furnished by Mr. Baker, who also acted as driver and guide. They crossed prairies and sloughs till they came to Genesee Grove. The whole trip consumed six weeks. Mr. Colcord bought of Wm. Wick a claim, 200 acres of timber and 300 acres of prairie, for $150 in gold. Here he first built a 12x12 cabin, but the following summer erected a larger and more comfortable house for his family. Mrs. Burgess has lived in Whiteside County ever since. She married Caleb Burgess on April 30, 1855, and became the mother of four children, of whom the oldest daughter and the youngest son have passed on before, and the ones surviving the oldest daughter and the and the ones surviving are, Mrs. Frank Stabler of Sterling, and Mr. Warren Burgess of Tacoma, Washington, who has been here since July 4th, to assist in caring for the mother. She also leaves six grandchildren, Della, Emma, Earnest and William Stabler, and Edna and Howell Burgess. After her marriage she went with her husband to the farm in Genesee township that he had purchased in 1853 from the government. It is interesting to know that this couple was the only surviving one, so far as is known, that held the original patent issued by the government, there being no mortgage nor transfer on record against this farm. This farm was her home until 1874 when the family moved to Sterling and lived here continuously since that time. When yet a young girl she became a member of the M. E. church.

On June 27, 1875, she with her daughter, Florence (Mrs. Stabler), during the meeting held by Knowles Shaw, of Indiana, united with the Christian church in Sterling. Her husband united with the church about a month later. Her demise leaves Mrs. Stabler, the oldest surviving resident member of this church. She was always an active and interested member and faithful supporter of the work of the church. She often spoke with pleasure of her attendance and interest in the work. The present pastor has at every visit, until the last few weeks of serious illness, always been asked about the status of the work at present, indicating her interest retained until the last. Her many relatives and friends will miss this devoted and helpful mother and christian neighbor. Her summons to a better land came at 3:35, July 26, making her age, 78 years, 3 months and 21 days. Beside those present, a grandson, Earnest Stabler, is the only out of town relative expected to attend the funeral. The sympathy and condolence of the community will go to the berift husband and children and grandchildren because of their great loss. The funeral services will be held Monday [07/28/1913] afternoon at 2:30 at the home by Rev. Chas. A. Stevens and interment will be in Riverside cemetery.

Funeral Notice: The funeral of Mrs. Rose Anna Colcord Burgess were conducted yesterday afternoon at 2:30, at the family residence, 201 5th avenue, Rev. Chas. A. Stevens of the Christian church officiating. A ladies’ quartette, the Misses Ellmaker and Stanley, Mrs. Hendricks and Mrs. Stevens sang, “Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown.” Rev. Stevens read encouraging extracts from I Thess. and Revelation and offered prayer. The quartette then sang two verses of “Beautiful Isle.” The music was beautifully rendered. Rev. Stevens spoke of the firm foundation of our faith and hope as given in the scriptures and in the life of Jesus. He then called attention to certain acts as indicative of the deeper things of the soul, despite many visible imperfections, impressing the thought by several apt illustrations. In closing he urged the imitation of a Godly, fruitful christian life. The quartette sang the concluding verse of “Beautiful Isle.” At Riverside cemetery Rev. Stevens sang two verses of “Dear is the spot where christians sleep,” and pronounced the benediction. A large number of neighbors and friends were present at the funeral.
Contributed by Larry Reynolds - The Sterling Evening Gazette, July 26, 1913, page 3, column 6

BETTY JANE (MAYBERRY) BURGESS , 83, of rural Rock Falls died Friday Feb. 4, 2005 at CGH Medical Center. Mrs. Burgess was born March l, 1921 in Sterling. the daughter of James William, and Anna Theresa (Hurley) Mayberry. She married Claude Merle Burgess on April 15, 1939 in Clinton. Iowa. He died June 8. 1987. She was a member of the Rock Falls Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, Rock Falls American Legion Auxiliary and Women of the Moose, Sterling.

Survivors include two daughters. Patricia (Ronald) Dickinson of Waterloo. Iowa, and Mary (Reiley) Smith of Erie; a brother James Holland of Rock Falls; her step­mothers Doris Mayberry of Sterling; six grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. The funeral is at 10 a.m. Tuesday at McDonald Funeral Home. Rock Falls with the Rev. Dominguez of St. Mary Church Sterling officiating. Burial is at Tampico Memorial Cemetery.

CALEB BURGESS , was born at Ira, Cayuga County, New York, on the fifteenth day of June, 1834. After an illness of three weeks he died this morning (December 16, 1916) at 6:45, aged eighty-two years, six months and one day. He was the oldest of a family of five children, of whom only two survive, they being William Burgess of Garvin, Ia., and Mrs. Ruth Siddles of Coleta, Ill. The Burgess family came west in the spring of 1851 and settled in Genesee township. The journey was by canal to Buffalo, thence via steamer to Detroit, thence via ox team to Michigan City, Indiana, thence to Chicago, via railroad to Aurora, (the terminus) and from Aurora by horse team to Genesee township.

In 1853 the son Caleb worked on a farm for $12.50 per month and the same year purchased from the government an eighty acre farm in Genesee township, paying $1.25 per acre for it. This deed he held at the time of his death the same as the day he received it from Uncle Sam, and so far as known he was the only settler holding a government deed for land purchased in the early fifties, without a transfer or mortagage record against it. On April 30, 1855, he was married to Rose Ann Colcord, to which union four children were born, they bing Ophelia V. and Fred E. now deceased, and Mrs. F. P. Stabler of this city and Mr. Warren E. Burgess of Sacramento, Calif. The farm in Genesee was their home until 1874 when the family moved to Sterling. They resided at 201 Fifth avenue until the death of Mrs. Burgess on July 26, 1915, since which time Mr. Burgess has lived with his daughter Mrs. Stabler.

Mr. Burgess united with the Christian church in 1876 and has always been an interested and supporting member of that church. His faith was steadfast and his hope always bright. He was a man of the highest integrity. His was a strong and true nature, and never a kinder, more unselfish man lived. His warm heart and genial nature made him hosts of friends. Besides his brother, sister, and two children he also leaves six grandchildren: Della, Emma, Earnest and William Stabler, and Edna and Howell Burgess. The funeral services will be conducted by Rev. J. W. Robbins of the Christian church at the residence of F. P. Stabler, 1002 Fourth avenue, Monday [12/18/1916] afternoon at 1:30.
Contributed by Larry Reynolds from the Daily Gazette

MARY (O'CONNOR) BURGESS , died very suddenly this morning between 2 and 4 o’clock at her home in the Pratt addition to Rock Falls. She had been quite well and at 2 o’clock, talked with her husband who had been up to look after the fire in the heating stove. When he awoke at about 4 o’clock his wife was rigid in death. It is supposed that the cause of her death was fatty degeneration of the heart. Mary O’Connor was born in Cary, Ireland, about forty-five years ago. She came to this country when she was sixteen years old and settled with her family in Detroit, Mich. Later she moved to Chicago, where she was married to George Burgess in May, 1884. Their children are, Joseph, Nellie, Edith, Charles, May, Margaret, who remain with the grief-stricken husband to mourn her death. Her parents are both dead, the father having passed away about a year ago. Two brothers and three sisters live in Chicago. They are Martin and John O’Connor, Mrs. C. Mahoney, Mrs. Dennis O’Connor and Mrs. Sarah O’Brien. Another brother Jerry O’Connor lives in Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Burgess moved from Chicago to Savanna, Ill., and lived there until about five years ago when they came to this city. Mrs. Burgess was a Catholic and believed implicitly in the faith. She was an honest, upright, noble woman, who lived only for her family and the good that she could do. The stricken family have the sincere sympathy of their friends in their hour of sorrow (The Sterling Daily Standard, December 14, 1899)

The funeral over the remains of Mrs. J. G. Burgess was held Sunday [12/17/1899] afternoon at the Christian church. The Rev. Silas Jones officiating. The services were attended by a very large number of the sorrowing relatives and friends of the good woman. The service was brief but appropriate and the choir sang “Nearer My God to Three” [sic] “Asleep in Jesus” and “Sheltered in Thee,” the last of which had been a favorite with Mrs. Burgess and she had asked her daughters to sing it for her the evening before her death. A very large concourse of people followed the remains to the Rock Falls cemetery where they were laid tenderly to rest by the following pall bearers: Charles Rawson, Thomas Wormell, D. D. Stone, Julius Smith, A. B. Titus, E. A. Macomber
Contributed by Larry Reynolds - (The Sterling Daily Standard, December 18, 1899)

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