Philander Van Burington was born in West Springfield, Pennsylvania on January 14th, 1847. When Philander was nine years old, his parents, Rensalear S. V. Burington and Lucy (Pike) Burington moved the family west to a farm in Illinois, where they resided for four years. Rensalear S. V. Burington decided that the pioneer life did not suit the family and that there would be more opportunity for work and education for their children in the city. The family moved to Amboy, Illinois in 1851, where Philander was enrolled in the public school system. Within a few years, he decided to learn the printing trade. He started as an apprentice and then occupied various positions in the trade, including editor. He then moved to Marshalltown, Iowa, where he was foreman of the Marshalltown Daily Times for six years. In the early 1870’s, Philander Van Burington changed his line of work in order to participate in the westward railroad expansion. He soon became paymaster for the Central Railway Company of Iowa, where he was employed for four years. He moved to Columbus, Ohio in 1881 and worked for the Scioto Valley Railway for two years in the passenger department and eight years as private secretary to the manager. In 1891, Philander Van Burington accepted the position of Auditor of the Columbus Consolidated Street Railroad Company -- later called the Columbus Railway and Light Company, and also the Columbus Railway, Power and Light Company, located at 104 North Third Street. In 1892 he was elected secretary of the company and served in both roles for many years. He was a member of the Columbus Board of Trade and was appointed its Director in April 1905. Philander Van Burington also assisted in collecting statistics, some of which were later compiled and published in a booklet by the Columbus Board of Marshalltown Daily Times for six years. Trade (later known as the Columbus Chamber of Commerce). In 1925 he retired from the Columbus Railway, Power and Light Company. Philander Van Burington was an avid photographer and also did his own plate developing, printing and enlarging. In his spare time he took photographs of family and friends and competed in amateur photography competitions. He received an honorable mention from the Columbus, Philander Van Burington married Viola O. Morse (b. September 20, 1850, d. March 17, 1937) on September 29th, 1868. Viola was originally from New York State and later moved to Amboy, Illinois, where they met. According to the 1914 Ohio State Journal in October 1900. Dau’s Blue Book of Columbus, the family home was located in Columbus, Ohio at 645 E. Rich Street. The house was torn down the Insterstate 71 was built. Burington was also an active member of the First Congregational Church and the American Street Railway Association. The Buringtons had three children: Leora L., Alfred V., and Herbert M. Leora L. Burington married Charles L. Arnold, professor of mathematics at Ohio State University; Alfred V. Burington was an accountant for the Columbus Railway and Light Company; and Herbert M. Burington was the assistant to the secretary of the Columbus Railway and Light Company. They also had two children who died; Ada Grace, who was born April 21, 1879 in Marshalltown, Iowa and died February 1, 1889 in Columbus of rheumatism; and the infant twin brother of Herbert M. Burington. Source: The Men Behind the Guns in the Making of Greater Columbus: A Biographical Reference Work of Columbus Men Co., 1906. [Call number: 977.157 H926m] "Mr. Burington, Director." Columbus Board of Trade Bulletin. 7 April 1901: 1. Taylor, William Alexander. Centennial History of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio. Vol. 2. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing, 1909. [Call number: 977.157 T21c v. 2] Donor Mary Bucher Fisher provided additional information for the biography through correspondence with Lorrie McCallister, Audiovisual Curator. . Columbus: Press of John Pfeifer &
From the guide to the Philander Van Burington Collection, 1890-1926, (Ohio Historical Society)
