US Senator, United States Supreme Court Associate Justice. Harold was born in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, to Alfred E. Burton and Anna Gertrude Hitz. His father was a Dean at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was also an explorer. Burton attended Bowdoin College, where he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, was quarterback of the football team, and graduated summa cum laude. His roommate and Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity (Theta chapter) brother was Owen Brewster, later a U.S. Senator from Maine. He went on to Harvard Law School, graduating in 1912. Harold married Selma Florence Smith in 1912. They had four children: Barbara, William, Deborah, and Robert. Harold was also admitted to the bar in 1912 and commenced practice in Cleveland, Ohio; assistant attorney for a power company in Salt Lake City, Utah 1914-1916 and attorney for a power company in Boise, Idaho 1916-1917; during the First World War he served in the army as lieutenant, later becoming a Captain. In 1919 Harold resumed the practice of law in Cleveland, Ohio. In the late 1920s he entered politics as a Republican. He was elected to the East Cleveland Board of Education in 1927, and to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1928. In 1935 he was elected Mayor of Cleveland. He was re-elected twice, and served until entering the U.S. Senate in 1941. From 1945 until his retirement on October 13, 1958 he was associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He suffered from Parkinson's disease in his later years. He died in 1964 in Washington, DC, from complications arising from kidney failure and pulmonary trouble.
US Senator, United States Supreme Court Associate Justice. Harold was born in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, to Alfred E. Burton and Anna Gertrude Hitz. His father was a Dean at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was also an explorer. Burton attended Bowdoin College, where he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, was quarterback of the football team, and graduated summa cum laude. His roommate and Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity (Theta chapter) brother was Owen Brewster, later a U.S. Senator from Maine. He went on to Harvard Law School, graduating in 1912. Harold married Selma Florence Smith in 1912. They had four children: Barbara, William, Deborah, and Robert. Harold was also admitted to the bar in 1912 and commenced practice in Cleveland, Ohio; assistant attorney for a power company in Salt Lake City, Utah 1914-1916 and attorney for a power company in Boise, Idaho 1916-1917; during the First World War he served in the army as lieutenant, later becoming a Captain. In 1919 Harold resumed the practice of law in Cleveland, Ohio. In the late 1920s he entered politics as a Republican. He was elected to the East Cleveland Board of Education in 1927, and to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1928. In 1935 he was elected Mayor of Cleveland. He was re-elected twice, and served until entering the U.S. Senate in 1941. From 1945 until his retirement on October 13, 1958 he was associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He suffered from Parkinson's disease in his later years. He died in 1964 in Washington, DC, from complications arising from kidney failure and pulmonary trouble.
Bio by: Shock
Inscription
HAROLD HITZ BURTON
Husband
of
Selma F.S. Burton
Mayor of Cleveland
1935 - 1940
United States Senator
1940 - 1945
Associate Justice,
Supreme Court of the
United States
1945 - 1958
Family Members
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