University of Wyoming
Burton, a Lake Geneva, Wisconsin businessman and mining financier, was originally from New York. He came to Lake Geneva in 1870, and after teaching school and running a newspaper, began investing in various businesses and industry. Working from his office in Milwaukee, Burton invested heavily in mining. In 1885 he started iron and copper mining operations in the Gogebic Range in northern Wisconsin and Michigan. He was also involved in gold and crystal mining in California, silver mining in Colorado and Mexico, and tin mining in Alaska.
Burton's businesses made him a millionaire. His hobby was collecting Abraham Lincoln books, manuscripts, and memorabilia, of which he amassed a huge collection. In the late 1890s Burton's mining businesses failed. He eventually lost his fortune and was forced to sell his collection of Lincolniana.
Collection contains personal and business materials relating to Burton's mining interests including records of some of the mining companies which were involved. Personal materials include letters to his wife, Lucretia D.; diaries (1885, 1890 photocopy, 1890-1891, 1904, 1907 transcript) concerning crystal mining in California and trips to Alaska, Siberia, Mexico and Cuba; and a few materials relating to his Lincolniana collection.
Burton's business materials include correspondence including a letterbook, ledgers, reports, a scrapbook of 1890s newspaper clippings on silver and gold, maps of the Gogebic Range and glass plate negatives of the Cisco Mine in the Gogebic Range. There are a minute book, a journal and a ledger of the Star Tunnel and Mining Company, which conducted mining in the Gogebic Range. There are also a letterbook and minutes of the Madonna Mining and Development Company (later Monarch Madonna Mining Company) and the Old Sea Level Gold Mining and Dredging Company; minutes of the United States Alaskan Tin Mining Company; and an account book of the Tontine Iron Mining Company. The collection also includes letters (1853-1889) apparently collected by Burton from miners at gold camps at Railroad Flat in California, mainly concerning Phyletus Lewis and his family.
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
There are no known other archival collections created by John E. Burton at the date of processing.
The donor retains possession of the original 1890 and 1907 diaries which are photocopied and transcribed, respectively in this collection.
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
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