Burton Jerome Root (1878 - 1960)

Born 11 Apr 1878 in Lysander, Onondaga Co., NY

Ancestors

Husband of Lila Ethel (Decker) Root — married 15 Feb 1903 in North Adams, Berkshire Co., MA

Died 8 Mar 1960 at age 81 in North Adams, Berkshire Co., MA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kim Branagan [send private message]

Biography

Name: Burton Jerome Root.

Born 11 Apr 1878, Lysander, Onondaga Co., NY. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Died at the age of 82 years, 8 Mar 1960, North Adams, Berkshire Co., MA.^{[5] [6]}

Summary of obituary: Burton Jerome Root, 82, of 52 North Holden Street, stricken ill at work, died of cerebral hemorrhage at 3:50 AM at North Adams Hospital. Collapsed at Central Supply Mart warehouse, where he was employed. Worked for the Springfield Rendering Company here for 40 years before retiring at 65. Later, went to work at the warehouse. Born in Baldwinsville, NY, lived here about 60 years. Member of the First Methodist Church.

Notes from Burton Richards: Burton Root was born in Syracuse, NY on April 11, 1877. He lived there until age 13 when he moved to North Adams, MA, along with his brother Claude, where he lived with & served as coachman for Dr. Orland Brown. He later worked for Bateman Meat Store as a grocery clerk, and then, at age 35, to his 30 year job collecting renderings for the Springfield Rendering Company. I can barely remember when, at age 3, I rode in the Rendering truck for a day and watched this 64 year old man throw around 55 gallon drums of renderings with seeming ease. At age 65 he went to work as a Warehouse clerk for Central Supply Mart warehouse, where he worked until his death, from a cerebral hemorrhage at work at age 82. I remember visiting the warehouse, under Hadley Overpass, when I was 14 and spent a few hours with Grandpa watching him work. During his 17 years of work at the Warehouse he walked the mile + and back to 52 North Holden Street every day, because he didn't believe he could see well enough to drive.

Little is known of Burton's early years, but on February 12, 1903, at age 26, he married Lila Decker in North Adams. Lila was 24 years old & had been without parents for 4 years.

Unlike Lila, Burton loved to travel and visit, so he did so without Lila. He often visited his daughter & only grandchildren on River St., in North Adams. Sometimes I think he looked forward to these walking visits because it gave him the chance to smoke his White Owl cigars while walking & visiting.

He visited Baldwinsville, NY. almost every year, his birthplace & the home of many of his relatives. He continued these visits, always including a stop to buy comb honey on the way, until he felt he no longer could drive (~1956). My fondest memory of these trips were: standing at the locks across the street from Norman Finch's Antique Shop & watching the barges come through; eating Great Aunt Bertha Finch's Elderberry Pie, made from the tiny elderberries growing on the side of her house.

Another of Burton's favorite visit locations was Averill Park, NY. Hubert "Hubie" Davis, his best friend, lived there with his son Al and family. Al was a farmer and his wife taught school. My memories include: boiling the maple sap for days over an outdoor fire until we had maple syrup; swimming in the pond which was covered with watercress so you could eat & swim at the same time.

1900 Census, North Adams, Berkshire Co., MA.^[4]
"Burtin J. Root," aged 23, was living with the Dr. Orland Brown family at 268 Church Street, North Adams, working as their driver or coachman. Burtin was born in Apr 1877 and was unmarried. He was born in New York, as were his parents; he was literate.

Buried Hillside Cemetery, North Adams, Berkshire Co., MA. ^{[1] [6]}

Marriage 15 Feb 1903, North Adams, Berkshire Co., MA.^{[7] [8]}>
Husband Burton Jerome Root.>
Wife Lila Ethel Decker.>
Child: [son] Root, who died in infancy.>
Child: Helen Lilah Root.>
Child: Bertha Frances Root.

1920 Census, North Adams:^[9]>
13 Jan 1920.>
97 Brocewell Avenue, North Adams.>
Dwelling 222, family 271 (all white, adults literate).>
Burton J. Root, head, rents house, male, 42, married, he and parents b. NY, teamster for tallow co.>
Lilla Root, wife, female, 41, married, b. IL, parents b. MA.>
Helen Root, daughter, female, 6 4/12, single, attended school, b. MA, father b. NY, mother b. IL.>
Bertha Root, daughter, female, 4 6/12, single, b. MA, father b. NY, mother b. IL.

Residence Nov 1940, North Adams, Berkshire Co., MA. ^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Source: #S1715 email to Kim Branagan <branagak@twcny.rr.com> dated 20 Jan 2004
2. ↑ Source: #S7219 As transcribed by Donald Post Lincoln, Jr., 17 May 2007
3. ↑ Source: #S11553 Lysander (Baldwinsville); 178; p. 333C/34C, lines 46-50; dwelling 124, family 134; Jerome Root household; 10 June 2009
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Source: #S12398 North Adams; 54; p. 7B/201B, lines 57-61; dwelling 114, family 148; Orland Brown household; 28 April 2005
5. ↑ Source: #S1894 "Descendants of Nathaniel Root"
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Source: #S1715 Descendants of Nathaniel Root dated 27 Jan 2007
7. ↑ Source: #S1715 email to Kim Branagan <branagak@twcny.rr.com> dated 20 Jan 2004
8. ↑ Source: #S1715 Descendants of Nathaniel Root dated 27 Jan 2007
9. ↑ Source: #S3347 Viewed at Ancestry.com 28 Apr 2005
10. ↑ Source: #S2773 Viewed at Newspaperarchive.com 27 Feb 2005

• Source: S11553 1880 US Federal Census, Onondaga Co., NY, pop. sch.; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com); series T9, roll 905.
• Source: S12398 1900 US Federal Census, Berkshire Co., MA, pop. sch.; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com); series T623, roll 632.
• Source: S1715 Richards, Burton T., Flat Rock, NC; 828.693.5756; burt1939@mchsi.comDescendants of Nathaniel Root dated 27 Jan 2007.
• Source: S1894 Edwin "Ted" Joslin (2601 Applewood Drive, Titusville, FL 32780-5901).
• Source: S7219 Family data, Jerome Bonapart Root Family Bible, The Complete Domestic Bible containing the Old and New Testaments together with the Apocrypha, Concordance, and Psalms of David in Metre, ([unknown publishing location]: Domestic Bible Publishing Company, 1873); original owned by Donald Post Lincoln, Jr. (Cincinnati, OH). Jerome Root to Cora (Root) Smith to Helen (Smith) Lincoln to Donald Post Lincoln, Jr.