Frederick and Gertrude (Cooper) Burlingame

Eleventh Generation: Frederick Clifford Burlingame, Sr: (Clifford Herman, Herman Leroy, Hiram, Isaac, Josiah, Silas, Moses, Moses, Thomas, Roger):

Frederick Clifford Burlingame, Sr. was the son of Clifford Herman and Clarissa Minerva (Landenberger) Burlingame born Smethport, PA January 31, 1890 married December 27, 1919 Gertrude Cooper born Portville, Cattaraugus, Co. NY February 5, 1896, daughter of Horace Paige and Flora (Trumball) Cooper. Resided Smethport, PA where their children were born. They were: Eugenia (Infant born April 10, 1920 – died May 6, 1920) Frederick Clifford Jr. (deceased), Glenna Jean and Mary Louise (deceased). Frederick worked as a tool dresser for the oil industry and was an independent oil well driller. (Their first child was Eugenia, died as an infant and is buried in the family section in Rose Hill Cemetery, Smethport, PA.)

Other notes: Fred Burlingame, Sr. was an avid musician and played trombone in the Smethport Town Band and Fire Hall bands for many years. His son recounted the story of how Fred would assess the skills of a new youngster who would come in to rehearse with the band. If he was a highly skilled trombonist with good tone and sight reading skills, Fred would say, "Oh the new trombonist? He is cracker jack!" But if those skills were lacking, he would say, "That new kid couldn't play 'Come to Jesus' on a gramophone."

During the Depression, times were particularly hard for Fred Burlingame, Sr. and his family. He was forced to sell the tools he had to work in the oil fields. After his retirement, he spent many hours in the workshop in the shed behind his house doing practical woodworking and caning chairs.

Photo above: Frederick Clifford Burlingame, Sr. (left) with his son Frederick Burlingame, Jr. during World War II. The men are seated on the back steps of Fred Sr.'s home on Bank Street in Smethport, PA.

Above: Obituary of Frederick C. Burlingame Sr from October 26, 1967.

Photo above: Frederick Clifford Burlingame, Sr. holding his infant son, Fred (known to family and friends as "Bud").

Above: July 12, 1934

Photo above: Gertrude Cooper as a young girl. Gertrude was born in Portville, NY - the daughter of Horace Paige Cooper and Flora (Trumball) Cooper. She had a brother, Glenn Cooper.

Photos above: Portrait of Gertrude Cooper Burlingame (left) and Gertrude preparing for a march in support of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. "Lips that touch liquor shall never touch mine!", she said in 1982 when viewing this photo - laughing at that memory.

Photos above: Gertrude Cooper Burlingame holding her son, Frederick Clifford Burlingame, Jr.

McKean County Democrat

SMETHPORT, PA., THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1931

BAND BENEFIT DANCE WAS

MOST SUCCESSFUL EVENT

The St. Patrick's benefit dance conducted by the Smethport Band at the Legion Lyceum Tuesday evening was largely attended and was a most delightful event. The large crowd taxed the Lyceum to capacity and the crack local musical organization netted a neat sum from the dance.

Music for the dance was furnished by the band. The band played beautifully and the dancers enjoyed themselves to the limit.

It should be gratifying to the members bers of the splendid musical organization to realize, from the support given to their dance Tuesday night, that the people of Smethport gratefully appreciate their generous and constant efforts to provide the town with a fine band which is always available for public ceremonies and which adds to the joys of community life with a schedule of open-air concerts every summer.

It is hoped that the Band will conduct more public dances like that of Tuesday night. The events would be assured of liberal patronage.

The use of the Legion Lyceum was generously donated to the band by Bucktail Post American Legion.

Prof. J. E. Chadwick. director; Fred Anderson, Alford Bush and Clarence Gregory, cornets; Howard Acre, clarinet; Leonard Benson and Alderson Lynch, saxophones; Elmer Petruzzi, euphonium; A. E. Quirk, sousaphone; Tony Sharro and Fred Burlingame, trombones;,W. I. Burdick, French horn; Elvin Burlingame, drums.