John Henry Burningham, born November 21, 1868, was the second son of Alfred and Mary Ann Barrett Burningham. As a small boy, he was always curious. He wanted to know why things grew like they did on the farm, why things worked the way they did. He loved to experiment with new ideas and he was always willing to try new things to see if they would work. He was very innovative.
Alfred, John's father, was known by all his neighbors as an expert farmer and succeeded in helping Bountiful become a garden city. Alfred's father, Thomas, was born in Farnham, Surrey, England. He was head gardener of a large estate. He had beautiful gardens and he taught his children how to work the soil and how to grow produce. Alfred learned his lessons in gardening well, and when he came to Utah he passed this knowledge on to his children in Bountiful They learned their lessons well, also, because all of Alfred's sons were expert farmers.
John worked hard to promote and improve the organization known as The Grower's Market Company in Salt Lake City, where farmers took their produce to sell. It was a wonderful outlet for the farmers in the Wasatch Front area.
On June 7, 1889, John married Emma Corbridge, a beautiful, talented neighbor girl, who had attracted his attention for some time. They were married in the Logan Temple and were to return home after the ceremony for a reception that evening. They missed the last Oregon Shortline train for Salt Lake and had to take a freight train home. They arrived at Woods Cross at 3 a.m. the next morning. The reception, of course, was given without the bride and groom.
Soon after their marriage, John and Emma - in a wagon drawn by two horses and all their worldly goods - went to Star Valley, Wyoming to homestead some property. They lived in Wyoming off and on for many years, but did "prove up" on their property. They returned to Bountiful and built a rock house on the corner of Second East and Second North (later his brother William and his wife Mathilda Burningham resided in the home as long as they lived).
John, of course, was busy with gardening. Lack of water plagued the farmers in the area, especially during August. Mountain streams would dry up before they reached Main Street. Because productive gardens meant water, John - along with others - thought of a way to flume the water in wooden troughs from the foot of the canyons down to the community. Later, glazed clay pipes were laid and helped the farmers get needed water. They found that it was necessary to form a company so that the individual rights of the farmers would be protected. For many years, John was president of the Stone Creek Irrigation Company and always worked to perfect its efficiency.
When the idea grew to channel the Jordan River toward Bountiful so gardens would get sufficient water, John was one of the first to encourage it and planned some engineering ideas for carrying the water more efficiently. He later became president of the Bonneville Irrigation Company. He often said, "If we could get water, this whole valley would be productive." He lived to see that prediction come true when the Weber Water Conservancy District was finished and water from the Weber River was pumped into pipes that gave thirsty Bountiful the needed moisture to become known as "The City of Beautiful Homes."
John's great urge was knowledge. He wanted to know and learn. He [ ] with people who did know. He was an avid reader of good books and accumulated a sizeable library. So eager was he to learn that he attended the old Salt Lake L.D.S. College after he had a family of four children. He was particularly efficient in mathematics and penmanship. He did well in surveying [?], which became a handy tool during the remainder of his life.
John and Emma were dedicated to raising their large family so - it was hoped - they would be a credit to their ancestors, their family, themselves, their community and posterity. The children were not allowed to shirk their school work. John often remarked, "A good education is one of the greatest assets in life, and I want my children to acquire it." Every one of his children had college training. He felt a girl's education was a valuable insurance policy and he has been proven right many times.
One of the most valuable assets for people during the early years in Bountiful was property. John acquired a great deal and was always on the lookout for a good piece of property to buy. During the great depression, many people said he was "land poor," but they were wrong. He made a very good living from the land, and it took a great deal of money to raise and educate ten members of the family. Later, he decided to make the property produce more than just a living. The American Legion was hunting for property to build a Legion Hall. John had property on Main Street between Second and Third South. He donated enough land for their building. When the wards were divided, the new Third Ward needed land and money to build a chapel. Once again, John donated property on the southeast corner of 4th North and 4th East for the chapel. He then donated a building lot on the southeast corner of 3rd East and 1st North so a house could be built and sold to make money for the chapel. When it was finished, a parking area was needed, so he donated land for parking. He sold many acres to the Davis County School District and Bountiful High School now stands on that property.
John may be called a philanthropist because he freely did many things for charity. He paid the way for many local boys to go on missions. He paid the taxes for many of the elderly, helped struggling young people to get ahead. During the depression, many of the needy were given fruits, vegetables, flour, sugar and meat. In his early days, he furnished horses and a wagon to carry the casket from the church after the funeral to the cemetery. He always worked at trying to make the cemetery an attractive place.
John and Emma were very religious and tried to teach their children to follow in their footsteps. All of the children participated in church activities and were officers in many ward and stake organizations. John was a member of the Bishopric, a High Priest and a willing helper whenever he was needed. One of the highlights of his life was when he came home one day and proudly displayed a beautiful pin that signified he was a member of the Sons of Utah Pioneers. He enjoyed working in the organization and took his membership very seriously. He was captain of the State organization.
John died July 12, 1951. Many relations, friends and admirers attended the funeral. Apostle John A. Witsoe and President Antoine R. Ivins of the First Council represented the General Authorities of the L.D.S. Church. Apostle Witsoe, a very dear lifelong friend, was a speaker. He said, "...it is a privilege today to join with you in doing honor to the memory of a good man, a man who should be called great, also ... he belonged to a group of men ... who are constructors, who build, who labor and often toil not only for themselves, but for their fellow men ... He had the constructive, the creative genius within him necessary to bring about changes that were needed for the benefit of society."
Joseph E. Robinson, President of the California L.D.S. Mission, was a very close friend, and his daughter Inez Robinson Preese wrote a song which she sang at his funeral. The tile of the song was "Touching Shoulders." The last four lines are:
"I may not have wealth, I may not be great,
But I know I shall always be true,
For I have in my life that courage you gave -
When I once touched shoulders with you."
John and Emma's children are: Mary (Mrs. William) Stoker, John A., Cynthia (Mrs. Lawrence) Eames, Clarence W., Josephine (Mrs. Mark H.) Nichols, Myrintha (Mrs. Harold D.) Gill, Margaret (Mrs. Elmer W.) Barlow, Edna (Mrs. Reid S.) Melville, Melvin S., Mary B. (Mrs. Vee) Waddoups.
--Author of Biography unknown-
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