William Chester Burkhart was the youngest son of Leander Columbus Burkhart (1823-1875) and Melissa Ann Davidson (1835-1898). His mother and father had traveled together on the same wagon train, arriving in the Oregon Territory on October 16th, 1847. Leander had fallen in love with Melissa, who was 12 years his junior. He asked for her hand and was told he had to wait until she was 16, so he waited four years, faithfully, and they were wed at her parents' donation land claim in Buena Vista, Polk County, Oregon. Will was the fifth of six children, born on November 27th, 1871 on Leander's original donation land claim (and a portion inherited from his father) in the eastern part of Albany, which was now a thriving town. His parent's home was now a well known stopping place for the pioneers, with a large barn having been put together with wooden pins. In addition to being a successful farmer, Leander was also a brickmaker, creating a Brick Yard with his cousin, George W. Burkhart, and a teamster (with a corral of horses). Will and his sisters, Fannie, Nellie and Bessie used to watch the stage coach stop to change horses as they did every 15 miles, on the way to Oregon City and Portland, carrying mail and passengers, in the early days before the railroad came thru town(Mid 1870's). The horses, along with other animals and farming necessities were all housed in the big barn which was a landmark of sorts as it was the biggest barn in the region. The Burkharts were no strangers to tragedy and when Will was just under four years of age, his father died quite unexpectedly in 1875. The Burkharts felt that both sons and daughters should receive a good education however, and Will's mother and uncles made certain that he could attend college to pursue a career in pharmacology. So young Will attended what was Corvallis College, now Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. [Sadly, his sister, Fannie, died in 1879 from Tuberculosis and his little sister, Bessie Beatrice, born in 1874, would die from a ruptured appendix in 1906.] Following graduation, he became a pharmacist and bought out O.C. McFarland in October 1895. He was now part owner of the Hodges & McFarland Drug Store in Albany for the purpose of "selling at retail and wholesale drugs, medicine, fancy goods, cigars, paints, oils, etc." Each partner received a salary each month. He did well, his business thrived and he courted Mayme Laura Allen. She was the daughter of Nelson Henry Allen who had controlling stock in the Albany Electric Light Company (which he created in 1887), owned about 200 acres near Brownsville and was Vice President of the Oregon Milling and Mining Co. None of those things could keep him from having a sudden heart attack and dying just six days before his 60th birthday. Whether it was from grief or illness, Mayme's mother, Mary Margaret Hanawalt Allen died just one year and 20 days following her husband. Mayme was left to care for her younger brother and sisters until they could come of age to care for themselves. Mayme cared for her siblings, being true to her promise to support them to adulthood; and Rob was true to his vow to wait for her; this they did until they could marry on December 12th, 1905 and it was quite the joyous occasion in the town of Albany. The barn was dismantled in 1910 to make room for a home for the young couple on the Albany-Salem Road, built by Will and his brothers. Will was a member of the Masonic Order in addition to being a pharmacist. They built the house with pocket doors, built in bookcases and other amenities similar to his brother Rob's home, known as Maple Lawn Place. Their homes weren't far from each other and although they never had any children, they were happy together all of their married lives. The garden had roses and other flowers brought back from their travels. Will lived just past his 65th birthday, passing away on Dec 3rd, 1936 from a probable rupture in an artery in his brain, referred to as "apoplexy". Mayme followed him in 1940, succumbing to pneumonia after only three days. They are both buried at Albany Masonic Cemetery in Albany, Oregon. Theirs is a love that is timeless and they are together in Eternity.

William Chester Burkhart was a brother of my maternal great grandmother, Nellie Olivia Burkhart Hall. He is my maternal grand uncle.
Kathie L. Webb Blair