Harriet Gladys Burgess Trine was born in Springport, Michigan, the daughter of George and Elizabeth Jane (Houseman) Burgess. As a young girl Hattie attended a one-room school where her teacher, David Winfield Trine, was only six years her senior. Several years later David returned to Springport and started to court the now grown-up Hattie. On October 5, 1898 when she was twenty-one and he was almost 27, they were married in Springport by the Reverend George Sprague.
When they were young, David and Hattie lived in many different cities, moving as David’s career took him to new places. Living in the south, particularly in the Appalachian area where the Hatfield-McCoy feud was ongoing, was an experience Hattie never forgot. Federal agents rode the trains both to protect the passengers and to search for "moonshiners."
Five children were born to the couple, and four of them inherited the trait of deafness. Because of this handicap, Hattie had her hands full trying to teach them. While living in Virginia the Trine’s investigated a special school near Staunton which was designed to teach deaf children. Unfortunately arrangements could not be made, as Hattie’s children were still too young to attend. The parents committed to teach their children. Hattie and David successfully taught sign language the children.
In 1906 another job opportunity presented itself in Lexington, Missouri. David purchased a set of greenhouses and ran a commercial floral business which specialized in growing roses destined for the Kansas City market.
With 1908 came tragedy. Early in that year Hattie's beloved Pa died of a heart attack at the railroad station in Springport. She returned to Michigan by train for the funeral. Back in Lexington on her birthday, June 25, David gave Hattie a glass pitcher as a gift. Soon thereafter, David began to feel unwell. His stomach complaint increased and he seemed deathly ill. By the 4th of July he felt improved enough to read in bed . Hattie sat in front of her vanity, brushing her hair. In the mirror she saw him turn and prop himself up, then suddenly collapse. As quickly as that he was dead. The stomach problem was an ulcer. And the glass pitcher became her treasure, his last gift to her.
Widowed and pregnant with her fifth child, Hattie decided to return to Michigan where she had family. Her father-in-law, David Urias Trine, came to assist her, both in getting David’s body back to Springport for burial and for helping with the move. Somehow her husband's library, his massive framed pictures and much of the furniture all were packed and shipped to Michigan. Keeping the deaf children in line on the long train journey back to Michigan was a big job for the pair of them. Hattie decided to move to Flint, the location of the Michigan School for the Deaf. Hattie purchased a house directly across the street from the school. That house, though not large, had a lot adjacent, and on that lot she had another larger brick house built. She sold the first, moved into the second, hired a couple to live rent-free in her bigger house in exchange for child sitting services while she went to work as a practical nurse. Her patients were ones who were either terminal or who would eventually get well. In either case, she had jobs only so long as she was needed.
After World War I, Hattie bought another lot in a new area of Flint bordering Kearsley Park. There she had a bungalow constructed on Wisconsin Avenue. Hattie and her son Burgess moved to that smaller house and rented out the property on Court Street. Burgess, an autoworker, became the caretaker and driver for Hattie. Following the 1933 death of her daughter, Virginia, Hattie proceeded to raise her grandson, Robert Gilbert. Hattie lived at the Wisconsin Avenue house until the early 1930's when she returned to the Court Street home. There she remained until after the death of Burgess Trine in 1945. In about 1947 she sold the Court Street house, moved back to the Wisconsin Avenue dwelling, and remained there until her death.
While Burgess was alive, he drove his Mother to many places. Burgess took her to Baltimore and Washington, to Northern Michigan, to the New York World's Fair in 1939, to the Skyline Drive and to her old home in Wise County, Virginia, to the eastern shore of Maryland to see her uncle Chauncey, many trips to Springport. Hattie Burgess Trine was a widow for almost fifty years. She died on August 13, 1957 in Flint of heart failure and was taken home to Springport for burial.
When they were young, David and Hattie lived in many different cities, moving as David’s career took him to new places. Living in the south, particularly in the Appalachian area where the Hatfield-McCoy feud was ongoing, was an experience Hattie never forgot. Federal agents rode the trains both to protect the passengers and to search for "moonshiners."
Five children were born to the couple, and four of them inherited the trait of deafness. Because of this handicap, Hattie had her hands full trying to teach them. While living in Virginia the Trine’s investigated a special school near Staunton which was designed to teach deaf children. Unfortunately arrangements could not be made, as Hattie’s children were still too young to attend. The parents committed to teach their children. Hattie and David successfully taught sign language the children.
In 1906 another job opportunity presented itself in Lexington, Missouri. David purchased a set of greenhouses and ran a commercial floral business which specialized in growing roses destined for the Kansas City market.
With 1908 came tragedy. Early in that year Hattie's beloved Pa died of a heart attack at the railroad station in Springport. She returned to Michigan by train for the funeral. Back in Lexington on her birthday, June 25, David gave Hattie a glass pitcher as a gift. Soon thereafter, David began to feel unwell. His stomach complaint increased and he seemed deathly ill. By the 4th of July he felt improved enough to read in bed . Hattie sat in front of her vanity, brushing her hair. In the mirror she saw him turn and prop himself up, then suddenly collapse. As quickly as that he was dead. The stomach problem was an ulcer. And the glass pitcher became her treasure, his last gift to her.
Widowed and pregnant with her fifth child, Hattie decided to return to Michigan where she had family. Her father-in-law, David Urias Trine, came to assist her, both in getting David’s body back to Springport for burial and for helping with the move. Somehow her husband's library, his massive framed pictures and much of the furniture all were packed and shipped to Michigan. Keeping the deaf children in line on the long train journey back to Michigan was a big job for the pair of them. Hattie decided to move to Flint, the location of the Michigan School for the Deaf. Hattie purchased a house directly across the street from the school. That house, though not large, had a lot adjacent, and on that lot she had another larger brick house built. She sold the first, moved into the second, hired a couple to live rent-free in her bigger house in exchange for child sitting services while she went to work as a practical nurse. Her patients were ones who were either terminal or who would eventually get well. In either case, she had jobs only so long as she was needed.
After World War I, Hattie bought another lot in a new area of Flint bordering Kearsley Park. There she had a bungalow constructed on Wisconsin Avenue. Hattie and her son Burgess moved to that smaller house and rented out the property on Court Street. Burgess, an autoworker, became the caretaker and driver for Hattie. Following the 1933 death of her daughter, Virginia, Hattie proceeded to raise her grandson, Robert Gilbert. Hattie lived at the Wisconsin Avenue house until the early 1930's when she returned to the Court Street home. There she remained until after the death of Burgess Trine in 1945. In about 1947 she sold the Court Street house, moved back to the Wisconsin Avenue dwelling, and remained there until her death.
While Burgess was alive, he drove his Mother to many places. Burgess took her to Baltimore and Washington, to Northern Michigan, to the New York World's Fair in 1939, to the Skyline Drive and to her old home in Wise County, Virginia, to the eastern shore of Maryland to see her uncle Chauncey, many trips to Springport. Hattie Burgess Trine was a widow for almost fifty years. She died on August 13, 1957 in Flint of heart failure and was taken home to Springport for burial.
Harriet Gladys Burgess Trine was born in Springport, Michigan, the daughter of George and Elizabeth Jane (Houseman) Burgess. As a young girl Hattie attended a one-room school where her teacher, David Winfield Trine, was only six years her senior. Several years later David returned to Springport and started to court the now grown-up Hattie. On October 5, 1898 when she was twenty-one and he was almost 27, they were married in Springport by the Reverend George Sprague.
When they were young, David and Hattie lived in many different cities, moving as David’s career took him to new places. Living in the south, particularly in the Appalachian area where the Hatfield-McCoy feud was ongoing, was an experience Hattie never forgot. Federal agents rode the trains both to protect the passengers and to search for "moonshiners."
Five children were born to the couple, and four of them inherited the trait of deafness. Because of this handicap, Hattie had her hands full trying to teach them. While living in Virginia the Trine’s investigated a special school near Staunton which was designed to teach deaf children. Unfortunately arrangements could not be made, as Hattie’s children were still too young to attend. The parents committed to teach their children. Hattie and David successfully taught sign language the children.
In 1906 another job opportunity presented itself in Lexington, Missouri. David purchased a set of greenhouses and ran a commercial floral business which specialized in growing roses destined for the Kansas City market.
With 1908 came tragedy. Early in that year Hattie's beloved Pa died of a heart attack at the railroad station in Springport. She returned to Michigan by train for the funeral. Back in Lexington on her birthday, June 25, David gave Hattie a glass pitcher as a gift. Soon thereafter, David began to feel unwell. His stomach complaint increased and he seemed deathly ill. By the 4th of July he felt improved enough to read in bed . Hattie sat in front of her vanity, brushing her hair. In the mirror she saw him turn and prop himself up, then suddenly collapse. As quickly as that he was dead. The stomach problem was an ulcer. And the glass pitcher became her treasure, his last gift to her.
Widowed and pregnant with her fifth child, Hattie decided to return to Michigan where she had family. Her father-in-law, David Urias Trine, came to assist her, both in getting David’s body back to Springport for burial and for helping with the move. Somehow her husband's library, his massive framed pictures and much of the furniture all were packed and shipped to Michigan. Keeping the deaf children in line on the long train journey back to Michigan was a big job for the pair of them. Hattie decided to move to Flint, the location of the Michigan School for the Deaf. Hattie purchased a house directly across the street from the school. That house, though not large, had a lot adjacent, and on that lot she had another larger brick house built. She sold the first, moved into the second, hired a couple to live rent-free in her bigger house in exchange for child sitting services while she went to work as a practical nurse. Her patients were ones who were either terminal or who would eventually get well. In either case, she had jobs only so long as she was needed.
After World War I, Hattie bought another lot in a new area of Flint bordering Kearsley Park. There she had a bungalow constructed on Wisconsin Avenue. Hattie and her son Burgess moved to that smaller house and rented out the property on Court Street. Burgess, an autoworker, became the caretaker and driver for Hattie. Following the 1933 death of her daughter, Virginia, Hattie proceeded to raise her grandson, Robert Gilbert. Hattie lived at the Wisconsin Avenue house until the early 1930's when she returned to the Court Street home. There she remained until after the death of Burgess Trine in 1945. In about 1947 she sold the Court Street house, moved back to the Wisconsin Avenue dwelling, and remained there until her death.
While Burgess was alive, he drove his Mother to many places. Burgess took her to Baltimore and Washington, to Northern Michigan, to the New York World's Fair in 1939, to the Skyline Drive and to her old home in Wise County, Virginia, to the eastern shore of Maryland to see her uncle Chauncey, many trips to Springport. Hattie Burgess Trine was a widow for almost fifty years. She died on August 13, 1957 in Flint of heart failure and was taken home to Springport for burial.
When they were young, David and Hattie lived in many different cities, moving as David’s career took him to new places. Living in the south, particularly in the Appalachian area where the Hatfield-McCoy feud was ongoing, was an experience Hattie never forgot. Federal agents rode the trains both to protect the passengers and to search for "moonshiners."
Five children were born to the couple, and four of them inherited the trait of deafness. Because of this handicap, Hattie had her hands full trying to teach them. While living in Virginia the Trine’s investigated a special school near Staunton which was designed to teach deaf children. Unfortunately arrangements could not be made, as Hattie’s children were still too young to attend. The parents committed to teach their children. Hattie and David successfully taught sign language the children.
In 1906 another job opportunity presented itself in Lexington, Missouri. David purchased a set of greenhouses and ran a commercial floral business which specialized in growing roses destined for the Kansas City market.
With 1908 came tragedy. Early in that year Hattie's beloved Pa died of a heart attack at the railroad station in Springport. She returned to Michigan by train for the funeral. Back in Lexington on her birthday, June 25, David gave Hattie a glass pitcher as a gift. Soon thereafter, David began to feel unwell. His stomach complaint increased and he seemed deathly ill. By the 4th of July he felt improved enough to read in bed . Hattie sat in front of her vanity, brushing her hair. In the mirror she saw him turn and prop himself up, then suddenly collapse. As quickly as that he was dead. The stomach problem was an ulcer. And the glass pitcher became her treasure, his last gift to her.
Widowed and pregnant with her fifth child, Hattie decided to return to Michigan where she had family. Her father-in-law, David Urias Trine, came to assist her, both in getting David’s body back to Springport for burial and for helping with the move. Somehow her husband's library, his massive framed pictures and much of the furniture all were packed and shipped to Michigan. Keeping the deaf children in line on the long train journey back to Michigan was a big job for the pair of them. Hattie decided to move to Flint, the location of the Michigan School for the Deaf. Hattie purchased a house directly across the street from the school. That house, though not large, had a lot adjacent, and on that lot she had another larger brick house built. She sold the first, moved into the second, hired a couple to live rent-free in her bigger house in exchange for child sitting services while she went to work as a practical nurse. Her patients were ones who were either terminal or who would eventually get well. In either case, she had jobs only so long as she was needed.
After World War I, Hattie bought another lot in a new area of Flint bordering Kearsley Park. There she had a bungalow constructed on Wisconsin Avenue. Hattie and her son Burgess moved to that smaller house and rented out the property on Court Street. Burgess, an autoworker, became the caretaker and driver for Hattie. Following the 1933 death of her daughter, Virginia, Hattie proceeded to raise her grandson, Robert Gilbert. Hattie lived at the Wisconsin Avenue house until the early 1930's when she returned to the Court Street home. There she remained until after the death of Burgess Trine in 1945. In about 1947 she sold the Court Street house, moved back to the Wisconsin Avenue dwelling, and remained there until her death.
While Burgess was alive, he drove his Mother to many places. Burgess took her to Baltimore and Washington, to Northern Michigan, to the New York World's Fair in 1939, to the Skyline Drive and to her old home in Wise County, Virginia, to the eastern shore of Maryland to see her uncle Chauncey, many trips to Springport. Hattie Burgess Trine was a widow for almost fifty years. She died on August 13, 1957 in Flint of heart failure and was taken home to Springport for burial.
Family Members
Siblings
