An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Western Historical Publishing Company,
Spokane, WA. 1905, pages 405.

HON. J. NEWTON BURGESS, a popular and well known man in the state legislature of
Oregon wherein he has made a splendid record, is no less favorably known and
appreciated in business circles, being one of the heaviest stock handlers in
eastern Oregon. He resides at Antelope and was born in Douglas county, Oregon,
on March 5, 1872, his parents being Thomas and Ellen (Smith) Burgess, natives of
Columbus, Ohio, and Douglas county, Oregon, respectively. They now dwell at The
Dalles and are mentioned elsewhere in this volume. The father came to California
via the isthmus in 1859 and followed mining several years in the Golden State,
after which he journeyed to Idaho and Oregon, and engaged in the same business.
Later, he settled in Douglas county and became interested in stock dealing. He
married in 1871, and shortly after our subject was born came to eastern Oregon.
In 1873 he settled at Bakeoven and there remained until 1902, conducting a
wayside inn for travelers and handling stock. In the year last mentioned he sold
out his interests there and moved to The Dalles. Our subject grew up on the farm
and was educated in the Wasco Independent Academy and the Portland Business
College. When seventeen, he became a partner with his father and they conducted
the business under the firm name of T. Burgess & Son, handling on the average, a
thousand head of cattle each year. Our subject looked after the books and the
outside business, while the father conducted the home ranch and the inn which is
known far and near as one of the choicest places to give entertainment to
travelers in this part of the state. On account of that, it enjoyed an
exceedingly large patronage. In 1895 our subject bought a section of land six
miles west of Antelope creek and has been operating there largely. They milk at
present sixty cows and it is a profitable enterprise. Mr. Burgess lives in
Antelope and in addition to his stock business, conducts a meat market. Mr.
Burgess simply oversees these various interests and gives a good portion of his
time to buying and selling stock. In the first part of last year he shipped over
twenty-five thousand sheep, besides much other stuff and is known as one of the
most active stock buyers in eastern Oregon.      

On May 10, 1897, at Salem, Oregon, Mr. Burgess married Miss Mary M. Ashby, who
was born in Walla Walla, the daughter of William and Nancy M. Ashby, who now
live in California. The father crossed the plains with ox teams in early days
and was engaged in stock raising for many years. Mr. Burgess has one sister.
Laura, the wife of Hon. Dan J. Malarkey, an attorney in Portland and state
senator. Mr. and Mrs. Burgess have two children, Ralph and Madeline.      

Mr. Burgess is a member of the A.F. & A.M., having been past master for two
terms. He also belongs to the R.A.M. Politically he is a Republican, and very
prominent and influential.      

He was elected representative to the state senate from Crook, Klamath, Lake and
Wasco counties in 1902. Since then, this territory has been re-districted and in
June, 1904, he was returned to the legislature from Wasco county. He has shown
himself a man of force and ability in the halls of legislation and has fostered
some very important measures. Mr. Burgess is president of the Wasco Southern
Telephone Company, which has its headquarters at Antelope and he has been a
moving spirit in this enterprise. Personally, Mr. Burgess is a generous minded
man and has won the esteem and confidence of all who know him and he is as
widely known as any man in this part of Oregon. He is generous, public minded
and ever on the alert to foster any movement which is for the welfare of the
country. In business, he is aggressive, yet careful and has the executive
ability to put through any enterprise that he takes up.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2005 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. 
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.