David was trained for mercantile pursuits in Portland ME. Notices placed in the Portland Eastern Argus (1823-25) by David when he was a commission merchant show him both with and without business partners.
When Portland became a city in 1832 he was a member of the city council. In military affairs he was familiarly known by old Portlanders as "Major." He was brigade inspector. An early correspondent in the family noted that, "Uncle David was a handsome man and, dressed in his uniform as Brigade Major, was a most noble looking officer." Another said David was "by all odds the best looking of the fourteen [children]." He held many positions of trust and was long a member of the Masonic fraternity and a permanent member of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Maine.
In 1841 they moved to Baltimore MD where David continued as a merchant. In later years, they lived with Martha in Woodbine MD. After his death, the Baltimore Sun for 25 Sep 1883 received the following reminiscence about David Burbank and the history of the telegraph "which the public may not know":
"Professor Samuel F. B. Morse frequently visited Mr. Burbank at his residence to get his advice as to the disposal of his patent. The professor has been trying for some time to get some one with means to take hold of it, but met with no success, and consequently was very much discouraged. A few weeks before the assembling of the Congress that made the appropriation for the construction of the wires between Washington and Baltimore as an experiment, he placed his patent right in the hands of Mr. Burbank to sell. The bottom price was $300,000, but as much more as possible. Mr. Burbank to receive a large commission if successful. The time was limited to the day that Congress was to assemble. Mr. Burbank packed off to New York with letters of introduction to some of the prominent business men, among whom was a high officer in a bank. This gentleman introduced Mr. Burbank to the great banker of the day, Mr. Jacob Little. After a week or two consideration of the matter, and with many expressions of doubts and fears as to the success of the new invention, Mr. Little concluded to buy, and Mr. Burbank was to call the next day and the papers were to be signed to clinch the bargain (the writer does not remember the price agreed upon). But alas, for human hopes, when the next day did come, it was discovered that this high bank officer was defaulter for a large amount. Mr. Little was involved, and becoming disheartened, concluded to have nothing to do with the new enterprise, deeming it too hazardous. The time of limitation being ended, the papers were returned to Professor Morse.
"When the Telegraph office was removed from over the depot on Pratt Street to the post office building, corner of Fayette and North Streets, Mr. Burbank had the contract for running the wires from the old to the new office."
Sources: Geo. Burbank Sedgley , Genealogy of the Burbank Family 1928; Joyce Brown Layman, The Beginning of All Things -- Burbank-Norris Genealogy in the 20th Century (Feb 1991)
When Portland became a city in 1832 he was a member of the city council. In military affairs he was familiarly known by old Portlanders as "Major." He was brigade inspector. An early correspondent in the family noted that, "Uncle David was a handsome man and, dressed in his uniform as Brigade Major, was a most noble looking officer." Another said David was "by all odds the best looking of the fourteen [children]." He held many positions of trust and was long a member of the Masonic fraternity and a permanent member of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Maine.
In 1841 they moved to Baltimore MD where David continued as a merchant. In later years, they lived with Martha in Woodbine MD. After his death, the Baltimore Sun for 25 Sep 1883 received the following reminiscence about David Burbank and the history of the telegraph "which the public may not know":
"Professor Samuel F. B. Morse frequently visited Mr. Burbank at his residence to get his advice as to the disposal of his patent. The professor has been trying for some time to get some one with means to take hold of it, but met with no success, and consequently was very much discouraged. A few weeks before the assembling of the Congress that made the appropriation for the construction of the wires between Washington and Baltimore as an experiment, he placed his patent right in the hands of Mr. Burbank to sell. The bottom price was $300,000, but as much more as possible. Mr. Burbank to receive a large commission if successful. The time was limited to the day that Congress was to assemble. Mr. Burbank packed off to New York with letters of introduction to some of the prominent business men, among whom was a high officer in a bank. This gentleman introduced Mr. Burbank to the great banker of the day, Mr. Jacob Little. After a week or two consideration of the matter, and with many expressions of doubts and fears as to the success of the new invention, Mr. Little concluded to buy, and Mr. Burbank was to call the next day and the papers were to be signed to clinch the bargain (the writer does not remember the price agreed upon). But alas, for human hopes, when the next day did come, it was discovered that this high bank officer was defaulter for a large amount. Mr. Little was involved, and becoming disheartened, concluded to have nothing to do with the new enterprise, deeming it too hazardous. The time of limitation being ended, the papers were returned to Professor Morse.
"When the Telegraph office was removed from over the depot on Pratt Street to the post office building, corner of Fayette and North Streets, Mr. Burbank had the contract for running the wires from the old to the new office."
Sources: Geo. Burbank Sedgley , Genealogy of the Burbank Family 1928; Joyce Brown Layman, The Beginning of All Things -- Burbank-Norris Genealogy in the 20th Century (Feb 1991)
David was trained for mercantile pursuits in Portland ME. Notices placed in the Portland Eastern Argus (1823-25) by David when he was a commission merchant show him both with and without business partners.
When Portland became a city in 1832 he was a member of the city council. In military affairs he was familiarly known by old Portlanders as "Major." He was brigade inspector. An early correspondent in the family noted that, "Uncle David was a handsome man and, dressed in his uniform as Brigade Major, was a most noble looking officer." Another said David was "by all odds the best looking of the fourteen [children]." He held many positions of trust and was long a member of the Masonic fraternity and a permanent member of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Maine.
In 1841 they moved to Baltimore MD where David continued as a merchant. In later years, they lived with Martha in Woodbine MD. After his death, the Baltimore Sun for 25 Sep 1883 received the following reminiscence about David Burbank and the history of the telegraph "which the public may not know":
"Professor Samuel F. B. Morse frequently visited Mr. Burbank at his residence to get his advice as to the disposal of his patent. The professor has been trying for some time to get some one with means to take hold of it, but met with no success, and consequently was very much discouraged. A few weeks before the assembling of the Congress that made the appropriation for the construction of the wires between Washington and Baltimore as an experiment, he placed his patent right in the hands of Mr. Burbank to sell. The bottom price was $300,000, but as much more as possible. Mr. Burbank to receive a large commission if successful. The time was limited to the day that Congress was to assemble. Mr. Burbank packed off to New York with letters of introduction to some of the prominent business men, among whom was a high officer in a bank. This gentleman introduced Mr. Burbank to the great banker of the day, Mr. Jacob Little. After a week or two consideration of the matter, and with many expressions of doubts and fears as to the success of the new invention, Mr. Little concluded to buy, and Mr. Burbank was to call the next day and the papers were to be signed to clinch the bargain (the writer does not remember the price agreed upon). But alas, for human hopes, when the next day did come, it was discovered that this high bank officer was defaulter for a large amount. Mr. Little was involved, and becoming disheartened, concluded to have nothing to do with the new enterprise, deeming it too hazardous. The time of limitation being ended, the papers were returned to Professor Morse.
"When the Telegraph office was removed from over the depot on Pratt Street to the post office building, corner of Fayette and North Streets, Mr. Burbank had the contract for running the wires from the old to the new office."
Sources: Geo. Burbank Sedgley , Genealogy of the Burbank Family 1928; Joyce Brown Layman, The Beginning of All Things -- Burbank-Norris Genealogy in the 20th Century (Feb 1991)
When Portland became a city in 1832 he was a member of the city council. In military affairs he was familiarly known by old Portlanders as "Major." He was brigade inspector. An early correspondent in the family noted that, "Uncle David was a handsome man and, dressed in his uniform as Brigade Major, was a most noble looking officer." Another said David was "by all odds the best looking of the fourteen [children]." He held many positions of trust and was long a member of the Masonic fraternity and a permanent member of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Maine.
In 1841 they moved to Baltimore MD where David continued as a merchant. In later years, they lived with Martha in Woodbine MD. After his death, the Baltimore Sun for 25 Sep 1883 received the following reminiscence about David Burbank and the history of the telegraph "which the public may not know":
"Professor Samuel F. B. Morse frequently visited Mr. Burbank at his residence to get his advice as to the disposal of his patent. The professor has been trying for some time to get some one with means to take hold of it, but met with no success, and consequently was very much discouraged. A few weeks before the assembling of the Congress that made the appropriation for the construction of the wires between Washington and Baltimore as an experiment, he placed his patent right in the hands of Mr. Burbank to sell. The bottom price was $300,000, but as much more as possible. Mr. Burbank to receive a large commission if successful. The time was limited to the day that Congress was to assemble. Mr. Burbank packed off to New York with letters of introduction to some of the prominent business men, among whom was a high officer in a bank. This gentleman introduced Mr. Burbank to the great banker of the day, Mr. Jacob Little. After a week or two consideration of the matter, and with many expressions of doubts and fears as to the success of the new invention, Mr. Little concluded to buy, and Mr. Burbank was to call the next day and the papers were to be signed to clinch the bargain (the writer does not remember the price agreed upon). But alas, for human hopes, when the next day did come, it was discovered that this high bank officer was defaulter for a large amount. Mr. Little was involved, and becoming disheartened, concluded to have nothing to do with the new enterprise, deeming it too hazardous. The time of limitation being ended, the papers were returned to Professor Morse.
"When the Telegraph office was removed from over the depot on Pratt Street to the post office building, corner of Fayette and North Streets, Mr. Burbank had the contract for running the wires from the old to the new office."
Sources: Geo. Burbank Sedgley , Genealogy of the Burbank Family 1928; Joyce Brown Layman, The Beginning of All Things -- Burbank-Norris Genealogy in the 20th Century (Feb 1991)
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