BURTON, LEWIS (3 July 1815-9 Oct. 1894), was a prominent Episcopal rector in the Cleveland area for 47 years, where he founded or managed a number of parishes. Born just south of Erie, Pa., the son of John and Hannah (Miller) Burton, he followed his brother into the Episcopal priesthood, graduating from Allegheny College in 1837. He married Jane Wallace in 1841; they had 3 children: Amelia, Eliza, and Lewis. Burton was known as a handsome, dignified, genial, and able man. He used these qualities and a head for business to help his church meet the needs of its membership as it followed the southern and western expansion of Cleveland. Moved by the condition of a parishioner, Burton and his sister-in-law, Eliza Jennings, combined her gift of 7- 1/2 acres of land with community financial support to start the ELIZA JENNINGS HOME in 1888; it eventually became a well-endowed social-service agency for needy women.

Succeeding his brother as rector of Ohio City's St. John's parish in 1847, Burton led a successful rebuilding effort after fire destroyed the church in 1866. He started All Saints' and St. Mark's as missions of St. John's. He resigned from St. John's (1871) to take charge of both missions as they became full-fledged parishes. He led All Saints' until 1875 and was rector at St. Mark's until his retirement in 1887. He also developed a former Trinity mission into the Church of the Ascension (1875) and served as its first rector. Burton was buried in LAKE VIEW CEMETERY.

Related Article(s)

• RELIGION