Albert George Burr (November 8, 1829 – June 10, 1882) was a
United States representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
in Congress from the state of
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
for two terms, the
40th and
41st Congresses (serving from March 4, 1867, until March 3, 1871). He was a member of the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
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.
Biography
He was born near
Batavia, New York, on November 8, 1829, the son of George Washington Burr and Phoebe (Sweet) Burr. His father had left New York for Illinois earlier that year, intending to begin a homestead and then return for his family, but he disappeared under circumstances that were never solved.
Burr's mother moved the family to
Sangamon County, Illinois
Sangamon County is located in the center of the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 197,465. Its county seat and largest city is Springfield, the state capital.
Sangamon County is included in the Sp ...
in 1830. Burr had to begin working as a child in order to help support the family, and his youth included a job in a brickyard and other manual labor. He was largely self-taught, and after completing his education and receiving his teaching qualification, he taught school for several years in
Vandalia. In 1850, he moved to
Winchester, Illinois, where he worked as a merchant and
studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1856 and commenced practice in Winchester.
A
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
, he served in the
Illinois House of Representatives from 1861 to 1864. In 1862, he was a delegate to the state constitutional convention. In 1866 he won election to Congress, and he served two terms, 1867 to 1871. He did not run for re-election in 1870 and resumed the practice of law in
Carrollton. In June 1870, Burr was elected chairman of the
Illinois Democratic State Committee, and he served until 1872.
In 1877, the Seventh District of the Illinois Circuit Court was expanded from two judges to three. Burr was elected to the new position, and served until his death.
Death and burial
Burr died in Carrollton on June 10, 1882, and was buried at Carrollton City Cemetery.
Family
Burr's first wife was Alicia A. Anderson, with whom he had two children, Louis and Lucy. After his first wife's death, Burr married Mary Harlan (1837–1913). They were the parents of three children, Mary, Albert, and William.
References
Sources
Books
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External links
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Albert G. Burrat ''The Political Graveyard''
Democratic Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives
1829 births
1882 deaths
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois
Illinois state court judges
19th-century American legislators
People from Genesee County, New York
People from Winchester, Illinois
People from Carrollton, Illinois
19th-century American judges
19th-century Illinois politicians
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