ERBzine 2754: Burroughs Family Stories

Official Edgar Rice Burroughs Tribute & Weekly Webzine Site
Since 1996 ~ Over 10,000 Webzines and Webpages In Archive

Master of Imaginative Fantasy Adventure
Creator of Tarzan® and "Grandfather of American Science Fiction"
Volume 2754

BURROUGHS FAMILY STORIES & TRIBUTES

**PAGE DIRECTORY**
1. Edgar Rice Burroughs	2. Major George T. Burroughs	3. Mary Evaline Burroughs
4. Emma Centennia Burroughs	5. Joan Burroughs Pierce	6. Hulbert Burroughs
7. John Coleman Burroughs	8. Florence Gilbert Burroughs	9. James H. Pierce
10. Jane Ralston Burroughs	11. Studley Oldham Burroughs	12. Danton Burroughs
13. Tarzana Ranch	14. More Family Stories	15. Stories In Waiting

Art by Enric Torres Prat

(September 1, 1875 - March 19, 1950) Ed Burroughs, born to a well-to-do Chicago family, tried his hand at a multitude of occupations before turning his hand to writing at age 36. After receiving schooling at Michigan Military Academy he led a very adventurous life: Academy professor, cowboy, gold miner and photo shop owner in Idaho, railroad policeman in Salt Lake City, and US Cavalry Trooper in Arizona.

After marrying Emma Hulbert in 1900 they settled in Chicago where he headed a large mail order department at Sears, Roebuck & Company, and then worked as an accountant, salesman, businessman, and various other low paying jobs until 1911 when his first novel, Under the Moons of Mars was accepted by All-Story Magazine.

This launched an amazing writing career. He moved to Tarzana Ranch, California, in 1919 and from then on he was in the forefront of every facet of 20th century entertainment. In his twilight years he witnessed the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and worked as the Pacific Theatre's oldest war correspondent until 1945. He died near his beloved Tarzana in 1950.

The works of Edgar Rice Burroughs will endure as classic tales of adventure, romance and wonder. Tarzan has been swinging through the trees since 1912 and remains one of the best-known literary characters in the entire world. Edgar Rice Burroughs also wrote thrilling adventures set on other planets and in lost lands and
civilizations.

Ed Burroughs' life, and the family members he touched and inspired, have woven stories as fascinating and as incredible as the imaginative tales he created. With this in mind I have spent many years in an attempt to unravel the Burroughs family stories.

My research is ongoing and new chapters are presented each week in the many ERB Websites I have created. Much of the information I owe to the generous sharing of treasures from the actual Burroughs Family Archives by the late Danton Burroughs and other family members, as well as from the dedicated staff at Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. in Tarzana.

1. CONTENTS

Bio Timeline

ERBzine.com

Archives

Bios I

Bios II

War Years

Lost Words

ERB.ca

Major George Tyler Burroughs, Sr.
(1833-1913) George Tyler Burroughs, born in Warren Massachusetts, was an American Civil War veteran having served in the Union Army. After the war he moved to Chicago where he became a prosperous businessman, first in the distilling business. and then as owner of ABC battery company. He was a vigorous and dynamic man who took an active role in political, civic, and social affairs. The Burroughs family was welcomed into the upper class of Chicago society and lived on Washington Boulevard, a main Chicago thoroughfare.

2. CONTENTS

Biography: ERBzine 0942

Memorium: ERBzine 0943

Mary Evaline Burroughs
MEMOIRS OF A WAR BRIDE Mary Evaline Burroughs, at the encouragement of sons Edgar, George, Henry (Harry), and Frank, wrote and distributed her memoirs to all members of the Burroughs family in 1914. Ed and his brothers collaborated in preparing the book for the printer and in assembling the genealogical sections. The original handwritten manuscript is still preserved at the ERB, Inc. office in Tarzana, California. It is dated Chicago, June 23, 1914 and addressed to "My dear son Edgar."

3. CONTENTS

Pages 1 - 8

Pages 9 - 16

Pages 17 - 24

Pages 25 - 32

Pages 33 - 40

Pages 41 - 48

Pages 49 - 55

Civil War Anecdotes ~ Major G.T. Burroughs

Burroughs Family Genealogical Notes

Emma Centennia Burroughs

Emma was Ed Burroughs childhood sweetheart from their early Chicago days. Her father was a wealthy hotelier. They were married on January 31, 1900. They had three children: Joan, Hulbert and John Coleman. She served as a sounding board and proofreader for many of his novels.

4. CONTENTS

A Life In Pictures (under construction)

ERB Family Timeline (Mother Died Today)

Joan ("Jo-Anne") Burroughs Pierce
(January 12, 1908 - December 31, 1972)
The voice of Ed Burroughs speaks all through this narrative...
just as it did when it was the guiding light through Joan's lifetime. Joan was born to Edgar Rice and Emma Burroughs during the hard times prior to her father's amazing success as an author. She spent her formative years on the family's Tarzana Ranch and went on to an acting career. She and husband, James H. Pierce starred as Jane and Tarzan in the very popular Tarzan radio show in the early 1930s.

5. CONTENTS

I: The Early Years

II: Marriage and Career Years

III: Years of War and Turmoil

IV: Family and Laurels

Hulbert (Hully) Burroughs
(August 12, 1909 - August 8, 1991) Hully took an active interest in writing and photography at an early age. He co-wrote a number of SF short stories with brother Jack. He witnessed the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor with his father, Edgar Rice Burroughs. Soon after he became a combat photographer for the US Army Air Force. His full bio is in preparation.

6. CONTENTS

Full Illustrated Biography: (in prep)

Hully's Family Scrapbook

ERB Family Timeline

Hulbert Burroughs Collection

John Coleman (Jack) Burroughs
(February 28, 1913 - February 22, 1979) Jack was the youngest of the three ERB children. He wrote numerous SF stories with brother Hully but his true talent lay in painting and illustration. He took over the illustration of his father's books following J. Allen St. John and went on to illustrate almost half the ERB titles. John Coleman had many art gallery showings and during wartime created instructional booklets for Douglas Aircraft. He also illustrated many newspaper strips and comics. He married fellow-artist, Jane Ralston and they had three children: John, Danton and Dian.

7. CONTENTS

JCB Biography

Official JCB Website

ERBzine Tribute

Florence Gilbert Burroughs
(February 20, 1904 - February 27, 1991)
Mrs. Edgar Rice Burroughs from 1935-1941 Florence was born in Chicago and moved to Hollywood in 1918. She acted in a series of silent films, married film producer Ashton Dearholt with whom she had two children, Lee and Caryl Lee. She visited friend Joan Burroughs numerous times at Tarzana Ranch where she met ERB. She broke up with Dearholt around the time he was producing a Tarzan film in Guatemala around the time Ed and Emma became separated. She and Ed married on April 4th 1935 and honeymooned in Hawaii. They returned to live in Hawaii in 1940 and divorced in 1941.

8. CONTENTS

Biography Pt. I

Biography Pt. II and Filmography

James H. Pierce
(August 8, 1900 - November 12, 1983) Jim was born in Freedom, Indiana and went on to become a college all-star football, player and coach. He moved to Hollywood and took on a series of bit parts before being "discovered" at a party at Tarzana Ranch. He was picked to star in Tarzan and the Golden Lion. He married Joan Burroughs on August 8, 1928 and they starred as Tarzan and Jane in a 1932 Tarzan radio serial. When his acting career didn't take off he turned to the aviation business and eventually to a successful career in California real estate.

9. CONTENTS (work in progress)

Contents | Intro | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | Tarzan Radio Shows

Jane Ralston Burroughs
1913 - 2002 Jane Ralston married Pomona classmate, John Coleman Burroughs, on December 12, 1936. Jack illustrated many of his father's novels and comic strips and Jane helped with the backgrounds, inking and lettering and even served as model for Dejah Thoris and other ERB heroines. They had three children: John Ralston (June 22, 1942), Danton (June 21, 1944) and Dian (June 17, 1948). All three children carried on the Burroughs legacy through their interest in business, the arts, and entertainment. Danton was actively involved in the running of ERB, Inc. until his death in 2008. Jack and Jane divorced in 1961 and Jane died in 2002.

10. CONTENTS

Jane Burroughs Tribute in ERBzine

Jane Burroughs Tribue at the John Coleman Burroughs Site

Studley Oldham Burroughs
(December 26, 1892 - December 27, 1949) Studley Burroughs was a nephew of Edgar Rice Burroughs, born to to Ed's brother Harry and his wife Ella (Nellie) Burroughs. He was a commercial artist but was influenced by his uncle Ed, and even illustrated four ERB novels. During the time he spent at Tarzana ranch he helped create the ranch's golf course which, years later, evolved into El Caballero Country Club. During this time he also worked on numerous art projects to promote ERB's numerous enterprises. He went on to work for major newspapers, publishers, advertising companies and corporations.

11. CONTENTS

Biography and Art

Family Christmas Memories

The Final Years

Cartoon Art

Danton Burroughs
June 21, 1944 - May 1, 2008 Danton was a family man, businessman, and collector of art, artifacts and literary works, and protector and promoter of the legacy of his Grandfather, Edgar Rice Burroughs. Throughout his younger years, Danton lived in a magical world created by the novels of his Grandfather which was filled with all the exciting illusions of exotic lands and inner earths that included heroes and villains larger than life. It was an exciting world that stimulated his imagination and Danton’s future was clearly set before him. Danton became an officer and director of the family owned business of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. and was dedicated to keeping his Grandfather’s legacy and fame alive.

12. CONTENTS

Danton Burroughs Website

Danton Memorial Tribute

Danton Burroughs in ERBzine

TARZANA RANCH
Ed Burroughs' description from the mid-1920s Tarzana Ranch comprising some five hundred and fifty acres stretching from Ventura Boulevard to the summit of the Santa Monica Mountains, lies inside the city limits of Los Angeles on the broad state highway leading to Santa Barbara and San Francisco.

Formerly the country estate of the late General Harrison Grey Otis, it has always been one of the show places of Southern California. The main residence, standing on the summit of a low hill a half mile from the highway, represents General Otis' conception of a typical, modern Spanish-American home, with its broad arcades and spacious central patio. This is my home. I have lived here for four years. I love it hereand I hope to live here the balance of my life. . .

13. CONTENTS

Tarzana.ca

Memories

Back to ERBs' Tarzana Ranch 1921

Clippings

Farewell

14. MORE FAMILY STORIES	15. BURROUGHS FAMILY STORIES WAITING TO BE TOLD
Harry Burroughs' Letters to Home from Yale Hartland 1884 ~ Yale 1887/1888 ~ Chicago 1920 & 1926 George Burroughs' Letters to Home from Camp Burroughs Brothers Letters Home from Yale Burroughs Brothers & Sweetser in Idaho Eddie Gilbert	John Burroughs Dian Burroughs Linda Burroughs Ralph Rothmund and the Loyal ERB, Inc. Associates through the years

From

The Fantastic Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan.com	ERBzine.com	DantonBurroughs.com	Tarzan.org
BurroughsBibliophiles.com	JohnColemanBurroughs.com	Tarzan.com/tarzine	JohnCarterOfMars.ca
EdgarRiceBurroughs.ca	Weekly Webzine	Weekly Webzine	Pellucidar.org

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