Samuel Burge

Samuel Burge, son of Rev. Benjamin and Lucretia (Dewey) Burge, was born at Enfield, Grafton county, N. H., October 21, 1844. In 1856 Mr. Burge, his mother and sister, moved from Lewiston, Fulton county, to Stark county. The family having settled in Fulton county in 1853, four years after the death of Rev. Mr. Burge. This move was made on the suggestion of the late Samuel M. Dewey, a resident of Stark in 1849, who counseled his sister to bring her family among a people whom he esteemed, and among whom himself was one of the leading citizens. On arriving here Mr. Burge entered his uncle's store and filled the position of clerk for ten years, until 1866, when he acquired a one-fourth interest in the house of Dewey, Lowman & Co. In the fall of that year Mr. Dewey died, but, by the terms of the will, the business was to be continued under the title of Dewey & Burge, and with the mercantile department the banking house, established in 1865, was included. Of all this Mr. Burge took the management January 1, 1867. Early in 1869 he purchased the interests of the Dewey estate, and in the spring of 1870 disposed of the mercantile department, so that he could give exclusive attention to the banking business. In 1879 Charles P. Dewey, son of the late Samuel Dewey, was admitted into partnership, and the firm name of Burge & Dewey adopted. On September 1,1870, Mr. Burge was married to Miss Alice, daughter of William Lowman. To them four children were born, Annie M., Samuel D., Esther L. and Jessie, the latter now lying in the family lot in Toulon cemetery. Mrs. Burge is a graduate of the Rockford Female Seminary, and, as evidenced by references in this work to local literary and musical societies, holds a first place among the alumni of that seminary. In the history of the schools of Toulon township, of the Congregational church of Toulon, of the municipality, of the soldiers of the county and of the W. W. Wright Post, G. A. P., the part taken by Mr. Burge in affairs of public interest is clearly portrayed. To him is credited the introduction of modern residence building into Toulon, and above all a desire to share in building up higher the industrial and social interests of the town, which he calls his home for over thirty years.