Burton, Harold H.

Harold Hitz Burton (1888-1964) was born in Jamaica Plains, Massachusetts. His father, Alfred E. Burton, was a scientist and dean of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Burton entered Bowdoin College in 1905 and established an excellent record as a student and athlete. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1909 and enrolled in Harvard Law School, receiving his degree there in 1912.

Burton first came to Cleveland, Ohio in 1911 while still a student at Harvard, taking a summer job as an electrical lineman. After graduation in 1912, he returned to Cleveland and joined the law firm of Gage, Wilbur and Wachner. Two years later he accompanied Rollin Wilbur, a partner in the firm, to Utah where Wilbur had been retained as attorney to the Utah Light and Traction Company. Burton subsequently received appointments as attorney for the Idaho Power Company and the Boise Traction Company.

With the outbreak of World War I, Burton interrupted his legal career and enlisted in the army. He served with distinction in the 361st Regiment of the 91st Division, seeing action in the Argonne Campaign. After the armistice he retained an interest in the military and played an active part in the American Legion, serving as the chairman of its Cuyahoga County Council in 1926 and 1927.

Burton returned to Cleveland after the war and resumed legal practice with the firm of Day, Day, and Wilkin. During the 1920s he became increasingly active in community affairs. Besides his work with the American Legion, he served as president of the First Unitarian Church, a member of the East Cleveland Board of Education, and a member of the Citizens Committee on Regional Government. He also served as an instructor in corporation law at the Law School of Western Reserve University from 1923 to 1925. In 1925 he formed his own law firm, Cull, Burton and Laughlin.

By the late 1920s, Burton had begun to be active in political affairs. His excellent reputation as a lawyer and concerned citizen placed him in good stead when seeking office. In 1928 he was elected to the Ohio state house of representatives with backing of the Committee on Regional Government. The following year, he was appointed law director of the city of Cleveland, and in 1932 he served a short term as Acting City Manager.

When the city manager form of government was discarded in late 1932, Burton served as Acting Mayor of Cleveland for three months prior to a new election. He did not run in the election, and subsequently returned to private law practice with the firm of Andrews, Hadden and Burton.

Burton again entered political life in 1935, running for mayor of Cleveland as an independent Republican. In addition to the economic problems engendered by the Great Depression, Cleveland suffered from a variety of urban ills in the 1930s, including police graft, the spoils system, and racketeering. Despite the overwhelming power of the Democratic Party on both the local and national level, Burton's promises of reform and his personal integrity brought about his election to office in a three-way race.

Throughout his tenure as mayor, 1935-1940, Burton worked to free the city from its problems. His appointment of Eliot Ness as Safety Director led to the complete reorganization of the police department and the demise of organized crime in the city. Despite his party affiliation, he worked well with the Democratic federal government in administering New Deal reforms in the city and thus helped to relieve some of the economic problems of the city. Similarly, he advocated projects such as lake front development, river improvements, and the Great Lakes Exposition which not only employed people, but helped to beautify and modernize the city. His successful re-election campaigns in 1937 and 1939 testified to the broad support his administration received.

In 1940, Burton entered national politics, seeking election as a senator from Ohio. Despite his lack of support from the state Republican organization, he was successful in this attempt. He served as senator from 1940 to 1945 and was active on the Military Affairs Committee and the War Investigating Committee.

His service on the latter committee greatly impressed its chairman, Harry Truman. As president, Truman remembered Burton and appointed him an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court in September 1945. Burton served on the court until his retirement in 1958. He died in Washington, D. C. in October 1964.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Harold H. Burton

From the guide to the Harold H. Burton Papers, 1911-1965, (Western Reserve Historical Society)

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Harold H. Burton

Harold Hitz Burton (1888-1964) was born in Jamaica Plains, Massachusetts. His father, Alfred E. Burton, was a scientist and dean of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Burton entered Bowdoin College in 1905 and established an excellent record as a student and athlete. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1909 and enrolled in Harvard Law School, receiving his degree there in 1912.

Burton first came to Cleveland, Ohio in 1911 while still a student at Harvard, taking a summer job as an electrical lineman. After graduation in 1912, he returned to Cleveland and joined the law firm of Gage, Wilbur and Wachner. Two years later he accompanied Rollin Wilbur, a partner in the firm, to Utah where Wilbur had been retained as attorney to the Utah Light and Traction Company. Burton subsequently received appointments as attorney for the Idaho Power Company and the Boise Traction Company.

With the outbreak of World War I, Burton interrupted his legal career and enlisted in the army. He served with distinction in the 361st Regiment of the 91st Division, seeing action in the Argonne Campaign. After the armistice he retained an interest in the military and played an active part in the American Legion, serving as the chairman of its Cuyahoga County Council in 1926 and 1927.

Burton returned to Cleveland after the war and resumed legal practice with the firm of Day, Day, and Wilkin. During the 1920s he became increasingly active in community affairs. Besides his work with the American Legion, he served as president of the First Unitarian Church, a member of the East Cleveland Board of Education, and a member of the Citizens Committee on Regional Government. He also served as an instructor in corporation law at the Law School of Western Reserve University from 1923 to 1925. In 1925 he formed his own law firm, Cull, Burton and Laughlin.

By the late 1920s, Burton had begun to be active in political affairs. His excellent reputation as a lawyer and concerned citizen placed him in good stead when seeking office. In 1928 he was elected to the Ohio state house of representatives with backing of the Committee on Regional Government. The following year, he was appointed law director of the city of Cleveland, and in 1932 he served a short term as Acting City Manager.

When the city manager form of government was discarded in late 1932, Burton served as Acting Mayor of Cleveland for three months prior to a new election. He did not run in the election, and subsequently returned to private law practice with the firm of Andrews, Hadden and Burton.

Burton again entered political life in 1935, running for mayor of Cleveland as an independent Republican. In addition to the economic problems engendered by the Great Depression, Cleveland suffered from a variety of urban ills in the 1930s, including police graft, the spoils system, and racketeering. Despite the overwhelming power of the Democratic Party on both the local and national level, Burton's promises of reform and his personal integrity brought about his election to office in a three-way race.

Throughout his tenure as mayor, 1935-1940, Burton worked to free the city from its problems. His appointment of Eliot Ness as Safety Director led to the complete reorganization of the police department and the demise of organized crime in the city. Despite his party affiliation, he worked well with the Democratic federal government in administering New Deal reforms in the city and thus helped to relieve some of the economic problems of the city. Similarly, he advocated projects such as lake front development, river improvements, and the Great Lakes Exposition which not only employed people, but helped to beautify and modernize the city. His successful re-election campaigns in 1937 and 1939 testified to the broad support his administration received.

In 1940, Burton entered national politics, seeking election as a senator from Ohio. Despite his lack of support from the state Republican organization, he was successful in this attempt. He served as senator from 1940 to 1945 and was active on the Military Affairs Committee and the War Investigating Committee.

His service on the latter committee greatly impressed its chairman, Harry Truman. As president, Truman remembered Burton and appointed him an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court in September 1945. Burton served on the court until his retirement in 1958. He died in Washington, D. C. in October 1964.

From the guide to the Harold H. Burton Photographs, 1930-1940, (Western Reserve Historical Society)