Like his younger brother Arthur F. Burton an account of whose life appears on another page of this work. Thomas F. Burton of the firm of Wm. W. Burton and Sons leading merchants of Afton, Wyoming, Uinta County has been very generally useful to the community in which he lives. There is scarcely any form of productive enterprise or public interest that has not been quickened by the touch of his tireless hand and broadened by the force of his active mind. He was a pioneer in this region and has here lived and worked for its development through all the changes that have come over it. His life began at Ogden, Utah on May 12, 1871 and his parents are William W. and Sarah A. (Fielding) Burton of that city. (For an account of their ancestry and family history see the sketch of Arthur F. Burton.) He was educated at the public schools of his native city. Immediately after leaving school he entered the employ of his father in the large implement and general store at Ogden, which was then and in now one of the leading mercantile establishments of the place and served a short apprenticeship there. In 1886 when he was but fifteen years of age he came to Afton and went to work in the general store his father had opened here been connected with it ever since and with the other extensive mercantile interests of the family here and at Ogden. These embrace in addition to the stores already mentioned one of the largest creamery and cheese factory plants in the West, which is located at Afton and also an immense stock and farming industry in which cattle horses and sheep are handled in large numbers, The creamery has a capacity of 40,000 pounds of milk per day and is thoroughly equipped for its work with every modern device for the business that is of value. Scarcely anything that the sleepless eye of science has discovered or the cunning had of skill has fashioned in the way of machinery or convenience for creamery work is wanting to the complete equipment of this model established. The ranches belonging to the firm and devoted to the stock interest of the business embrace 1,200 acres of the best land in the valley stocked with a large number of graded Shorthorn cattle and superior breeds of horses and sheep. Mr. Burton has entire charge of the ranch and the stock of this giant mercantile concern excepting the sheep and has conducted his department ion the same high plane of excellence and uprightness that characterizes the other departments his great aim being to give his trade the best article attainable for the money and to treat every patron with the utmost fairness and consideration. Mr. Burton is a gentleman of great progressiveness and public spirit taking a constant and genuine interest in everything that tends to improve the community and advance the welfare of its people. For a number of years he has acted in the church bishopric of his ward and is now connected with the high council. Nature endowed him with musical talent of an exalted character and he has given to the church the benefit of his capacity in this line. On June 22m 1898 he was married at Salt Lake City to Mss Alice M. Call a daughter of Anson V. and Alice J. (Farnham) Call of Afton but natives of Bountiful, Utah where Mrs. Burton was born. Extended mention of Mr. Call is made elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Burton have winsome and interesting daughters, Sarah Alice and Lila Maud.
