An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL. 1893

ISAAC BURLINGAME, manager of the Fremont Mill, was born at Gaines, Kent county,
Michigan, in April, 1850. His father, Esek Burlingaine, was born in Canada, of
English ancestry. He subsequently removed to the United States, married Miss
Clarissa Turner, of New York, and, in 1832, located in Michigan, where he
followed the trade of mason, and also engaged in farming. The subject of this
sketch was educated in the common-schools of Gaines, and at the age of nineteen
years entered the machine shops of Lietalt Brothers at Grand Rapids, and spent
five years in learning the business of machinist. In 1874 he removed to San
Francisco and followed his trade in the Hope Iron Works and at the United States
Mint up to April, 1877, when he came to Seattle. Finding little business in his
line, he went to Tumwater and began work as master mechanic for the American
Pipe Company, manufacturers of wooden pipe. In May, 1878, he was appointed
superintendent of the factory and so continued up to March 1, 1880, when he
leased the shop and plant and manufactured under a royalty for the use of the
patent, up to May, 1883, when he put up a portable sawmill with a capacity of
10,000 feet per day, and, with planing machinery, engaged in the manufacture of
lumber. In November, 1885, he organized a company which was incorporated as the
Washington Saw and Planing Mill Company, and, as president, operated the mill up
to May, 1888, then bought up the stock of the company and moved the plant to
Seattle. He then became associated with L.H. and L.A. Griffith and Dr. E.C.
Kilbourne, and together they organized and incorporated the Fremont Milling
Company, with a capital of $25,000, and with L.H. Griffith as president, and
subject as manager. The company were then subsidized with about six acres of
land on the shore of Lake Union, upon the provision that they would erect a mill
with a capacity of 20,000 feet per day. The agreement was perfected; the mill
was erected and the brush and timber, and, on the 14th day of August, 1888, they
began cutting lumber. The small mill was operated until September, 1889, when
the old equipment was thrown aside; extensive improvements were perfected, and
with new mill and machinery the capacity was increased to 50,000 feet per day,
improved facilities being afforded for sawing, planing and finishing lumber. The
mills and yards are lighted by electricity, from the company's own electric
system, and are conveniently located on a switch of the Northern Pacific
Railroad. While the mill turns out finished lumber in all sizes, the company
have such facilities for procuring choice fine timber that they make a specialty
of long pieces (seventy-five to one hundred feet) for bridge and car building.
Though this mill was erected in the timber, the enterprise of the proprietors
have converted the wild lands into a prosperous settlement, now known as
Fremont, the same being within the city limits of Seattle and connected with the
business center by the Consolidated Electric Railroad System. The prosperity of
the mill company is largely due to the scientific knowledge and executive
ability of Mr. Burlingame, who personally superintends the mechanical and
manufacturing departments. He has made several notable improvements in mill
machinery, one only of which has he patented, the same being known as the
Burlingame Patent indicator - a device which is used in connection with the
setworks on a sawmill carriage. Mr. Burlingame also developed the water-works
system of Fremont, and the same has become a profitable enterprise. He was
married in San Francisco, in 1876, to Miss Margaret Eaton, of Downieville,
daughter of one of the pioneers of California. Mr. and Mrs. Burlingame have one
child, Eva.

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in January 2004 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.