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From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin, publ. 1901- page 893-894
W. D. BURR, merchant and postmaster at the village of Ellenboro, Grant county, was born in Rock county, Wis., Dec. 9, 1852, son of B. F. and Nancy A. (BARNARD) BURR.
Mr. BURR's parents were both natives of the state of New York, the father born July 20, 1816, and the mother June 18, 1820. Both grew to maturity in New York, where they were married in April, 1846, and where they continued to make their home for some five years. Mr. BURR was educated for the ministry and followed that profession in connection with farming all his life. In 1850 he and his wife came West to Rock county, where he purchased a farm, which he cultivated when not engaged in clerical labors. There our subject was born. In about 1856 Mr. BURR bought a farm in Jefferson county, Wis., which became the family home some nine years. At the expiration of that time the family removed to a farm in the town of Lima, Grant county, which was their home until 1869, when Mr. BURR bought a farm in the town of Ellenboro, one mile east of the village. He cultivated this place until 1879, in the intervals of his preaching, and in the year named it was sold to W. D. BURR, the father removing to South Dakota, where he followed farming and preaching until his death, in 1894. His noble and beautiful-spirited wife, who had shared with him all the hardships and privations of pioneer life, died May 4, 1888, at the home of her son, W. D. BURR. To Mr. and Mrs. BURR came a family of seven children: (1) Irving, born in New York in April, 1847, died at the age of fifteen years. (2) Frank, born in New York in 1848, married Miss Katie RICHARDS, of Atlantic, Iowa, and is a boot and shoe merchant of that city. There are eight children in their family. (3) P. A., born in New York in January, 1850, married Miss Lizzie LANDON, and they live on his ranch in Lincoln county, S. Dak., with their two children, Minnie and Orla. (4) W. D. is our subject. (5) Sophia, born in Rock county, Wis., in November, in 1855, was educated in the Normal School, and died Dec. 9, 1873. She was much thought of by those who knew her. (6) Catherine O., born in Jefferson county, Wis. in November, 1857, was educated in the State Normal at Platteville, and was for some time a teacher. She died in 1875, a bright and charming young woman. (7) Helen D., born in Jefferson county, in June 1860, married O. J. ANDERSON, and moved to South Dakota, where she died in March, 1897, leaving a family of four children. She obtained her education at the State Normal, and was a teacher for several years in Grant county and Iowa.
W. D. BURR remained with his parents in their various locations until he was grown, and received a district-school education. In 1879 he came into the ownership of his father's farm in the town of Ellenboro, on which he made his home for two years. In May, 1883, he married Miss Ida NICHOLS, daughter of Leonard and Elizabeth (BELL) NICHOLS, old pioneers in Grant county. Her father, Leonard NICHOLS, was superintendent of the Rand & Laflin Powder Mills at Platteville for some years, and was killed in the explosion at the mills in 1870. Mrs. NICHOLS died in Iowa, and four of her children are living: 1) Carrie is the wife of James LYNN, of Dubuque, Iowa; (2) Ida is the wife of W. D. BURR; (3) George is a resident of Buffalo Gap, S. Dak.; and (4) Lillie is the wife of O. E. CLUBB, of St. Paul, Minn. Mrs. Ida BURR was born in Ulster county, N.Y., in 1861, received a good education in the State Normal at Platteville, and was a successful teacher in Grant county for some five years. For about two years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. BURR lived on the farm and then moved to Montgomery county, Iowa, where he farmed for about the same length of time. In 1886 they came back to Ellenboro, where Mr. BURR went into business as a merchant, continuing thus to the present time. In 1887 he was appointed postmaster under President Cleveland and has held this office ever since.
Mr. and Mrs. BURR are the parents of eight children: Mabel, born Feb. 10, 1884; Lillie, in October, 1885; Walter D., in January, 1888; Harry, in January, 1890; Florence, in February, 1892; Evan, in June, 1894; Vera, in August 1896; and Catherine, in November 1898. Mabel is a student at the State Normal in Platteville.
Mr. BURR is a Republican, has been assessor, and is now treasurer of the town. He has been one of the delegates to the county convention on several occasions. He belongs to the local camp of the Modern Woodmen of America at Ellenboro, and to the Knights of the Maccabees. In religion this family are all identified with the Baptist Church. Mr. BURR is a leading and enterprising business man, and has the respect of the community.
This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck