My Family Tree

History of Texas:

MRS. B. M. BURCHILL.— In every community there are men and women whose excellent quali- ties of mind and heart have made them benefactors of their race. Many of them have had their pathway beset with difficul- ties and discouragements; and in every case trial and opposition have only served to intensify their natures and make them more and more useful. The life of Mrs. B. M. Burchill illustrates this fact. She is a wo- man of marked ability and indomitable will, and has succeeded in her undertakings where many a one would have met with utter failure. Following is a brief sketch of her life; and, although brief and im- perfect, it will serve to show something of what she has accomplished, and in what favor she is held by the people of Fort Worth.

Mrs. Burchill is a native of New York State and a daughter of Augustus and Mariah (Phelps) Murray. The Murrays are descended from Lord Andrew Murray, , and came from Scotland to America about
! the year 1 794. Her grandfather, James Wallace Murray, a prominent educator, was ' associated with two of his brothers in con- ducting a medical school in Edinburgh, Scot- land, prior to coming to America. His two brothers, Jonathan and Thomas, also came I to America, but they subsequently returned to their native land. Augustus Murray be- came a prominent lumberman in New York State and there reared his family. He had two sons and two daughters. The oldest I son. Harden Wallace, died when young, I and the second son was als(j named Hayden. He, too, is deceased. Kate Belle Murray was named for her two grandmothers, Katherine and Bella. The other daughter, Emily Gertrude, died when young. Thus I the subject of our sketch is the only survi- vor of the family. Her father died when she was eight years old, ami her mother lived until 1880, her death occurring at the home of Mrs. Burchill in Fort Worth. He was a Scotch Presbyterian while she was of the Episcopal faith. Both were devoted Christians and were highly esteemed for their many excellent traits of character.

Kate Belle Murray attended the public schools of her native State in her girlhood, and finished her studies in the Watertown Institute of that State, graduating with honor in 1862. After her graduation she became a teacher in the public schools of Watertown, where she taught for four years, and was alike popular and successful. In 1865 she went West to Bloomington, Illinois, and for seven years she was employed as teacher in the graded schools of that place. While there she met and married George S. Burchill, their marriage occurring in 1872. He was at that time connected with the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company.

Mr. Burchill was born December 25, 1840, son of Joseph Burchill. His father was a native of Ireland, was reared in Can- ada, and later in life was a resident of New York State. George S. was reared in the
faith of the Episcopal Church, and finished his education in the Episcopal college at Davenport, Iowa, and after completing his education he learned the trade of car builder.
When the war broke out he was among the first to respond to the call for troops, enlist- ing, in 1 86 1, in the Second Iowa Infantry. He was in the army for three years, partici- pating in many of the prominent engage- ments, among which were Fort Donelson, Shiloh and Corinth, and at the end of that ] time was honorably discharged. During the whole of his service he never received a [ wound, although he was often in the thick- ! est of the fight, with the shot and the shell fly- ing all about him. Upon his return from the army, he entered the employ of the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company, and, as above stated, was thus engaged at the time of his marriage

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Bur- chill came to Texas, Mr. Burchill having secured a situation with the International & Great Northern Railroad Company, that road then being constructed. His head-
quarters were at Hearne, where they ar- rived in April, 1872. He was in poor health at the time, and soon found that the climate of Hearne was far from beneficial to him.
He accordingly started out on horseback to seek a more favorable location, and finally decided upon Fort Worth. In October of that same year they removed to this place, and here, in February of the following year, their first child, Clara M., was born. Fort Worth was then a mere village, times were hard, and the young couple had a struggle to procure the necessaries of life. The average young woman would have said re- turn to a land of more promise, but not so with Mrs Burchill. She was determined to remain and make a success of life here. It was at this juncture that she began teaching a private school.

The people of the South naturally had no good will for a Yankee; and besides this both Mr. and Mrs. Burchill were avowed Republicans. Thus the opening of her school was under the most unfavorable cir-
cumstances, to say the least. Her thorough ability as a teacher and her charming man- ner and great amiability soon brought her into favor, and the attendance at her school increased from two to thirty-seven the first term. That was in 1874. The building she occupied was rented of Mr. King, father of the present County Clerk, the latter be- ing one of her pupils. The success she at- tained induced her to organize a public school, which she did in 1876. It was pre- dicted that few would attend it, such schools being unpopular in the South; but, contrary to alle.xpectations, she opened school with
230 pupils, and at the end of the four months' term the attendance had increased to 337. She received at that time pay for only two months' work, the State failing to appropriate the necessary funds, and it was not until 1887 that she received the rest of her salary, — $1.200 — and then without in-terest. In 1876, after completing this term of public school, she resumed private work, having erected her own school building that year, and she followed teaching with increas- ing success until 1881. That year she was appointed Postmistress at Fort Worth, by President Garfield, and proved as efficient in organizing the force of a postoffice and in carrying on its business as she had in the school room. In 1886 she was removed by the Democratic administration, but was re- instated by President Harris(jn in 1889. She continued in office until April, 1894, when a Democrat was again given the place. Dur- ing her first term she organized the free de- livery of mail in the city. That was in 1884. Even her political opponents speak of her in terms of highest praise.

While Mr. Burchill's time has not been given to educational matters, he has been in full sympathy with his wife's earnest work and has aided her in many ways. Both
have done much to advance the interests of the city in which the\ live and which has had such a wonderful growth during their residence here. They were the prime mov- ers in securing the Government Building at Fort Worth. Mr Burchill now has charge of their stock farm near the city.

Seeing and feeling a need for a home for the children of incompetent and unworthy parents, Mrs. Burchill organized, in 1887, the Fort Worth Benevolent Home. To this in- stitution she gave not only her time and parental care, but also donated to it $800 of her hard-earned money. .-Vt her request the court appointed as trustees of the institu- tion representatives of the various religious creeds, the board being composed of the following members: H. C. Edington, presi- dent; J. W. Spencer, vice-president; and W. J. Boaz; treasurer. At this writing there are eighty-four children being kindly cared for in the Home. Many of the facts herein stated were obtaineii from a prominent gen-
tleman of the city who is deeply interested in this benevolent institution, and who speaks of Mrs. Burchill's grand work in terms of I highest praise.

Mrs. Burchill is president of the local as- sociation of Woman's Suffrage, and she is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

Their residence, a beautiful and com- modious one, surrounded by an attractivelawn, is at No. 926 West Weatherford street, and the hospitality of both Mr. and Mrs. Burchill is unbounded. Edna M., a fine artist, is their only child, Clare and Carl having died in infancy. They also have an adopted daughter, Lillie B., a bright little girl.