History
Early Settlers
Dr. Erasmus D. Burton
Burton Avenue
Dr. Erasmus Darwin Burton was a noted physician, developer, and politician on the east side of Cleveland during the second half of the nineteenth century. He was born at the Burton homestead at 11410 Euclid Avenue on January 28, 1825, to Dr. Elijah Burton and Mary Polly (Hollister) Burton. The house was built by Erasmus’ father in 1820. He began studying medicine at the age of 17 under his father and Dr. John Delamater. In 1946 Erasmus graduated from the Cleveland Medical College, later incorporated in the Western Reserve Medical College.
In those days, the career of a practicing physician was extremely challenging. As reported in The Plain Dealer: “Dr. Burton covered the country from Lake Erie to Shaker Lakes and as far east as Willoughby. He traveled on horseback carrying medicine in his saddle bags. Bridges were infrequent and washouts numerous. Many old residents of East Cleveland remember tales of Dr. Burton’s swimming rivers on stormy nights to reach patients in a critical condition.”
In 1852 Dr. Burton was elected to the Ohio General Assembly in Columbus. He returned to his medical practice in 1854 when his father died. On October 4, 1854, he married Emeline Antionette Meriam. The new Mrs. Burton was born in Portage County, Ohio, in 1820, the daughter of Rev. Joseph Meriam and Emeline (Bidwell) Meriam. She received her education at the Packer Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y. After graduation, she became and assistant teacher at the Shaw Academy in East Cleveland, where her brother Joseph B. Meriam, was the principal from 1848 to 1858. Erasmus and Emmaline had seven children.
In October 1871, Dr. Burton joined with N. Moses & Brothers to develop a 62-lot development on land previously owned by Robert Foster just south of the Lake Erie shore in Glenville. Nelson, Charles and August Moses were well known real estate dealers and businessmen in the Collinwood and Nottingham communities. The new development spanned both sides of the newly created Burton Avenue from Doan Street (Bratenahl Road) to Haldeman Avenue (Lake Shore Boulevard).
In 1889, Dr. Burton joined with Darius Adams, an early settler, successful contractor, and real estate investment partner, to develop the Adams & Burton development immediately south of the Burton-Moses allotment on land acquired from Robert Foster. The new development consisted of 43 lots on both sides of Foster Avenue.
Throughout these years, Dr. Burton remained active in area politics. He served as Mayor of East Cleveland for two terms in the late 1880s and was often selected to run for office on the local Democratic ticket.
Dr. Burton was a trustee of the Society for Savings, a mutual fund bank that eventually became Key Bank, which had its offices on Public Square in Cleveland, and a member of its finance committee.
Emmaline Burton died in 1906 at the age of 85. Dr. Burton died on January 23, 1914, six days before his 89th birthday. All seven of their children survived them. The Burtons are buried in Lake View Cemetery.