Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/660

 588 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI Sloan, who came from Tennessee to Mis- souri about 1830. Mrs. Burnham died before she had reached her thirtieth year and the subject of this review was her only child. ]Ir. Burnham was reared to the invigor- ating discipline of the old homestead farm and his preliminary educational training con- sisted of such advantages as were afforded in the public schools of Reynolds county. Sub- serjuently he attended the IMarvin Collegiate Institute, at Fredericktown, ilissouri, and for a time he was also a student in the state normal school at Cape Girardeau. On the 9th of April, 1902, he was graduated in the Gem City Business College, at Quincy, Illi- nois. For six years he was engaged in teach- ing in Reynolds county and from 1902 to 1909 he was a popular and successful teacher in Iron county. He was elected county school commissioner in April, 1909, serving in that capacity until he qualiiied as super- intendent of the schools of Iron county, as- suming charge of the responsibilities con- nected ^nth that office on the 16th of August. 1909. In April, 1911, he was elected as his own successor for the office of county super- intendent for a tenn of four years, and he is acquitting himself with all of honor and distinction in discharging the duties of that important position. As a teacher IIr. Burn- ham had charge of the schools at Belleview, Annapolis, Granite, Pilot Knob and other places in the state. On the 9th of August, 1905, was solemn- ized the marriage of Mr. Burnham to iliss Letha M. ]Ioyer, whose birth occurred in Iron county and who is a daughter of A. G. Moyer, of Belleview. This union has been blessed with one child, Edwin B.. whose natal day is the 14th of September, 1906. In politics Mr. Burnham is a Democrat. His interest in political cjuestions is deep and sincere and he gives a hearty support to all projects advanced for the good of the general welfare. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with Camp No. 421 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Annapolis, and with the Belleview lodge of the ^Modern "Woodmen of America. In their religious faith ilr. and Mrs. Burnham are devout memliers of the Methodist Episcopal church. South, to whos,e good works they are most liberal contributors of their time and means. The.y are popular and prominent in connection with the best social activities at Ironton, where their beau- tiful home is the scene of many attractive gatherings. Leon J. Albert. A representative of a family whose name has been prominently and worthily identified with the history of southeastern Missouri for more than half a century, Leon J. Albert has long held dis- tinctive prestige as one of the active and in- fluential business men of the city of Cape Girardeau, which place has represented his home since his boyhood days and in which he holds secure vantage gi-ound in popular confidence and esteem. He is essentially one of the representative citizens of Cape Girar- deau county, his influence has permeated the civae and business activities of this favored section of the state, and his activities have been directed along normal and legitimate lines. In point of consecutive identification with the more important business interests in Cape Girardeau he is now one of the oldest business men in this city, where his capital- istic interests are of broad scope and impox-- tance. He has stood exponent of the high- est civic ideals and the utmost loyalty and few residents of Cape Girardeau have wielded larger or more beneficent influence in the promotion of the best interests of the com- munity. He served seven years as maj'or of his home city and has held other positions of public trust, — preferments that bear patent evidence of the high regard in which he is held in the comnumity that has so long been his home and the center of his productive ac- tivities. Here he is president of the Sturdi- vant Bank, the oldest and most substantial financial institution of this section of the state, and he has been actively concerned with the same for forty years, being the oldest banker in Missouri south of St. Louis. He is akso a member of the directorate of the Southeast ]Ii.s.souri Tnist Company and has other large interests in Cai^e Girardeau. Leon J. Albert was born at Portland, Jef- ferson county, Kentucky, on the 6th of No- vember, 1840, and the village in which he was thus ushered into the world is now an in- tegral part of the cit.y of Louisville. He is a son of Nicholas and Anna (Hoin) Albert, both of whom were natives of Fi'ance and the marriage of wliom was solemnized in the city of Louisville, Kentuckj'. Nicholas Albert was born in Alsace-Lorraine, France, a district that became a (4erman province as a i-esult