William Cyrus BURGEN

                   Obituary included in notes.

Obituary states birthdate is 1853, though most other records show 1858.

The Klickitat County Agriculturist, Goldendale, WA., December 7, 1928, page 1NOTED IN EARLY KLICKITAT HISTORYW.C. Burgen, who passed away recently, is survived by his widow, Mrs. Mary A. Burgen, and three children, as follows:William Burgen, Mrs. Sylvia Fox, of Corvallis, and George Burgen. Also 7 grandchildren, two brothers and five sisters. Thos. Burgen of Euphrata; Oscar Burgen of Spokane; Mrs. Jane Thompson of Cliffs; Mrs. Mary Wallis of Portland; Mrs. Emma Pearce, Kent, Wash.; Mrs. Nancy Graham and Mrs. Frank Branton, Goldendale. Mr. Burgen began his career as a cowboy at the age of 15 working for an eastern Oregon stockman; was a scout for the U.S. Army, and the Wells-Fargo express companies, and later an express rider. He was in this class of work altogether some 25 years. Mr. Burgen was born in Marion county, Or., in 1853. When 3 years of age he came to Klickitat county, with his father, John S. Burgen, who was one of the first settlers here to establish a home. When the first railroads came to the coast and the northwest, he went to Portland for a few years. In the late 60s he came back to Klickitat, and for 5 years engaged in farming on a wheat ranch in the No. 6 section, near Goldendale; and along about 1892 he sold the farm and bought a house in this city. Shortly after he moved to this city he became a deputy sheriff and later was elected sheriff, and served two terms, the legal limit.
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The Klickitat County Agriculturist, Goldendale, WA., November 23, 1928, page 1THE PASSING OF W.C. BURGENWilliam C. Burgen, a pioneer of Klickitat county, and a former sheriff, passed away Tuesday morning, November 20, 1929(sic). Mr. Burgen had been in poor health for several months past and his death was not unexpected.He was a son of the late John W. Burgen of the Goodnoe Hills section, who came to Klickitat in 1860.Mr. Burgen, who was 75 years of age, is survived by his wife and children and numerous relatives.The funeral services was held on Friday, November 23rd, from the Chapman undertaking parlors, with interment in the Odd Fellows cemetery.He was a member of the Eagles and Odd Fellows, which orders had charge of the services.--------------------------The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., November 22, 1928, page 1DEATH OF WILLIAM E. BURGENThe death of William E. Burgen occurred at the family home in Goldendale Tuesday afternoon about five o'clock, following a brief illness, caused by organic heart trouble. Mr. Burgen was unconscious from Monday noon, although prior to that time little hope was offered for his ultimate recovery.The funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 2:30 from the Chapman Chapel. Interment will take place in the I.O.O.F. cemetery. An obituary will be published in the next issue of The Sentinel.--------------------------------The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., November 29, 1928, page 7WILLIAM C. BURGENWilliam C. (Bill) Burgen, 73, who died at his home in Goldendale, November 20th, at 5:30 p.m. was the oldest living white resident of the Klickitat Valley. He was born in Marion county, Oregon, in 1855. When three years of age, he came to Klickitat county with his father, John S. Burgen, who was one of the first settlers to erect a cabin and establish a home in the Klickitat Valley.His death marked the passing of another outstanding figure of the days of the old West. He began his career as a cowboy at the age of fifteen for an early day eastern Oregon stockman, for whom the town of Maupin, Wasco county, Oregon, was named. His activity as a cowboy, Indian scout for the United States Army, Wells Fargo Express guard and pony express rider, continued for twenty-five years and during the time he took an active part in the stirring events of the day on the Western Frontier from the Pacific Coast states to Wyoming and the Dakotas. He had a marked ability with a six shooter, was a skillful roper and wild horse rider. His knowledge of the habits and whims of range cattle, when driven in large bands gained him the position of trail boss for bands of cattle, driven from the Columbia River Basin in early days, across the Rocky Mountains, for shipment to Eastern markets from Cheyenne. As a broncho buster, he was without a rival in the Columbia River basin and earned much money for himself and friends, winning wagers, by riding horses that had previously unseated all riders.With the advent of railroads in the Pacific Northwest, he lived at Portland, Oregon, for a couple of years, where he worked in a livery barn and was a member of the early day volunteer fire department. In the 90's he came back to Klickitat county. For five years he engaged in farming on a wheat ranch in the No. Six neighborhood of the Klickitat Valley wheat belt.In 1892 he sold his farm and came to Goldendale to live. Soon after returning to Goldendale in the 90's he was given a commission by Colonel E.B. Wise, then Territorial sheriff of Klickitat county, to serve warrants on several members of an organized band of cattle thieves operating in Eastern Klickitat county.The men wanted had been indicted secretly by a grand jury at Goldendale. He accomplished the work of arresting members of the gang and driving accomplices out of the country, single handed. The task involved some exciting episodes. He arrested the leader of the band, a noted gun fighter and outlaw before the cattle thieves became aware that they were wanted. The man made a daring escape soon afterwards, but was out-witted and recaptured by Burgen, before he
could get out of the country.Another rustler taken into custody by Burgen, was saved from lynch law at the hands of vigilantes who sought to take his prisoner away from him. Burgen held the mob at bay with his six gun until citizens of Goldendale disposed to the side of law and order, persuaded the men to disband.Not long after moving to Goldendale, he became a deputy sheriff and continued as under sheriff until elected to the office in 1898, serving two terms. After retiring as sheriff in 1902, he served as City Marshal of Goldendale, a greater portion of the time until 1926.He is survived by his widow Mrs. Mary Adeline Burgen, and three children, as follows: William Daniel, Ketchikan, Alaska; Mrs. Sylvia Fox, Corvallis, Ore.; George W., The Dalles, Ore.; also seven grandchildren; two brothers and five sisters, as follows: Tom B., of Euphrata, Wash.; Oscar B., Spokane; Mrs. Jane Thompson, Cliffs, Wash.; Mrs. Mary Wallis, Portland; Mrs. Anna Pierce, Kent, Wash.; Mrs. Nancy Graham and Mrs. F.L. Branton, Goldendale.--------------------------------The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., February 7, 1929, page 8ODE TO W.C. BURGENThe following poem was ridden by Tom Thurman, of Oak Harbor, Washington, who had just heard of the death of his most esteemed friend, the late William C. Burgen.Billie was a cowboy in the days of old, He was honest and true with a heart of gold. The last survivor of that long, long trail When they trailed beef to Chicago from Goldendale. He faced the dangers of the cunning foe; Of rustlers and Indians, in the long ago. That weary trip that took three years, Way back to Chicago with a herd of steers. When his pals were slain in Denver town He rode with holsters buckled down. I have rumors of an awful fight, Out at Denver on a winter's night, For Billie was a brave pioneer That rode the trails and had no fear, He was always a friend to those in need, For Billie was a man indeed. And I saw him ride there in the west When the snow was up to his horses breast. When Klickitat was a bunchgrass plain As a broncho buster he had a great fame. When I was a boy in the long ago He was riding the hills of the Simcoes. He rode the trails of the bunchgrass plain Through sleet and snow, through wind and rain. And we were friends in the days of old, And our friendship grew and never grew old. Now he has passed to the other shore, And that noble heart, it throbs no more. That cowboy of the days of old Has gone to walk the streets of gold.