Lockley, Fred. "History of the Columbia River Valley, From The Dalles to the Sea." Vol. 3. S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1928. p. 72. ALLISON BURNHAM Resolute, self-reliant and capable, Allison Burnham has made the most of his opportunities, never fearing that laborious effort which must always precede ascendancy in the business world. He is now numbered among the leading abstractors of the state of Washington and has done notable work in the field of public service. He was born at Iola, Waupaca county, Wisconsin, on the 2d of January, 1866, and his parents were Justus and Marilla (Tousley) Burnham, natives, respectively, of Vermont and Illinois. The father was a teacher in Wisconsin and in 1883 brought his family to Oregon, locating in Portland, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was engaged in educational work for over a half century, displaying marked ability as an instructor, and for twenty-six years was principal of the Couch school in Portland. Mr. Burnham was a man of fine character and exerted a strong influence for good. His first wife died in 1873 and his second marriage was with Jennie E. Snell, who for thirty-three years was a teacher in the Couch school. She still resides in Portland but Mr. Burnham passed away in 1908. By his first union he had four children: Allison and Ralston, who are associated in business; Myrtle, who became the wife of J. F. Frank and who died in 1897; and Louis A., who died in infancy. Allison Burnham spent his boyhood in Wisconsin. After he had had only five years of schooling, he began to teach at the age of fifteen and for five months taught a country school near La Crosse, Wisconsin. He was seventeen when the family came to Oregon, and one of his first jobs was assisting in decorating Portland for the celebration held here at the time of the completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad in September, 1883. His next job was in the pressroom of the old Portland Daily News, in which he worked for three and a half years. Afterward he was a teacher in rural schools near Portland until 1889, when he moved to a farm which his father had purchased near Camas, Washington. For a time he taught a country school in that locality and then became principal of the Camas school, of which he had charge for three years. On the expiration of that period he came to Vancouver and for six and a half years was a teacher in the public schools of that city. For one and a half years he was a deputy auditor of Clark county under W. H. Brewster, who died suddenly just before election in 1902. Five days prior to the election Mr. Burnham was the nominee of the county central committee for the office of county auditor and won the contest. His record won him reelection and he served for two terms, from 1902 until 1906. In the latter year Mr. Burnham and Charles B. Sears purchased the C. C. Gridley abstract plant and effected a consolidation of it with the Clark County Abstract Company plant, then operated by C. W. Knowles, the combined companies being incorporated as the Clark County Abstract & Loan Company. The latter company existed until 1918, when a reorganization was effected, and the present style of the Clark County Abstract Company was adopted. Its officers are Allison Burnham, 'president; and Harry R. Porter, secretary and treasurer. Accuracy and reliability are outstanding characteristics of this firm, whose clients receive the benefit of expert service, and the rapid growth of the business testifies to the status of the company and the administrative powers of its executive head. Title insurance has recently been added to its other title service and the growth of this branch of its business has been very rapid. In 1898 Mr. Burnham married Miss Ella W. Johnson, a native of Iowa. When but eighteen months old Mrs. Burnham lost her mother and in 1893 came to Vancouver to live with an aunt, Mrs. R. W. Peebles. She was the mother of two children. The son, Howard J., enlisted in the United States Marine Corps during the World war and was sent to Mare island, where he was stationed during the greater part of his term of service. On receiving his honorable discharge he returned home and is now connected with the business in which his father is engaged. He married Miss Evelyn Woodhouse, of Seattle, and they have one child, Geraldine, born December 1, 1926. The daughter, Myrtle C. Burnham, was graduated from Washington State College in 1925 and is now a teacher in the high school at Rochester, Washington. His wife was active in the work of the Ladies Aid Society of the Methodist church and also was active in the P. E. 0. Sisterhood. She possessed many lovable traits which endeared her to all who were brought within the sphere of her influence and her death on January 26, 1927, was deeply regretted by her family and many friends. Mr. Burnham belongs to the Chamber of Commerce and is a charter member and one of the directors of the Rotary Club of Vancouver. Along fraternal lines he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America. For three terms he was a member of the school board of Vancouver and during the war was chairman of the Clark County Council of Defense. Always an ardent advocate of better and cheaper transportation facilities, Mr. Burnham fought years ago for lower street car fares between Portland and Vancouver and was very active in securing the erection of the interstate bridge which spans the Columbia river at Vancouver, connecting Washington with Oregon. He successfully managed the campaign in 1913 which resulted in the issuing of bonds for the building of this fine structure. For years he has been very active in community efforts to secure the abolishment of tolls on this bridge, success being finally achieved in an agreement to make this thoroughfare toll-free on January 1, 1929. The good roads movement, the building of public docks, the improvement of the Columbia river ship channel, the establishment of a Vancouver airport÷in fact every community effort to develop and cheapen the use of the natural travel lanes leading to his adopted city÷have also received his heartiest support. The recent rapid and very substantial growth of Vancouver, resulting primarily from the development and freer use of these natural travel lanes centering at this city that is truly a "city at the crossing of the ways," has been a matter of keen satisfaction to Mr. Burnham. A strong champion of movements of reform, progress and improvement, Mr. Burnham has used his talents as readily for the public welfare as for his own aggrandizement and his life presents a forceful example of what constitutes good citizenship. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in December 2008 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.