Résumé

Draftsman/Superintendant/Secretary-Treasurer, Charles W. Ertz, Architect, Portland, OR, 1920-1933.

Partner/Manager, Ertz-Burns, Architects, (as well as Ertz-Burns and Company, Building Contractors), Portland, OR, 1933-1945. In 1935, Charles Ertz moved to Beverly Hills, CA, to open an architectural office, while Thomas Burns operated the Portland office. From 1935-on, Ertz spent the majority of his time in the Beverly Hills office.

Associated Architects, Burns and Bear, Portland, OR, 1946-1948.

Partner, Burns, Bear and McNeil, Architects, Portland, OR, 1948-1950.

Partner, Burns, Bear, McNeil and Schneider, Architects, Portland, OR, 1950-1961. in 1960, the firm became Burns, Bear, McNeil and Schneider, Bloodworth and Hawes, Associated Architects. After Burns's death in 1961, the firm reformed as Bear, McNeil and Schneider, Bloodworth and Hawes, Architects.

Professional Activities

Oregon State Architectural License # 0200; Burns earned this license in 1927.

Relocation

Although originally named "Alfred Thomas Burns," he went by the name of "Tom" his whole life. Born in Wichita, KS, he and his parents lived at 1540 Fairview Avenue in Wichita. (SeePolk-McAvoy Directory Company's Wichita City Directory, 1907, p. 136.) A year later, their address had changed to 1621 Fairview Avenue, which was probably a mistake, as the 1910 US Census located them again at 1540 Fairview. (See Polk-McAvoy Directory Company's Wichita City Directory, 1908, p. 99 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Wichita Ward 2, Sedgwick, Kansas; Roll: T624_456; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0114; FHL microfilm: 1374469, accessed 07/01/2022.) The 1915 Census of KS also listed as Tom living with his parents in Wichita, KS. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, Kansas; Roll: ks1915_218; Line: 8, accessed 07/01/2022.)

Tom Burns moved to Portland, OR, in 1917, and remained here for the rest of his life.

In 1920, Burns lived with his parents in a rented dwelling at 496 NE 15th Street in Portland. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Portland, Multnomah, Oregon; Roll: T625_1502; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 144, accessed 07/01/2022.)

The Burns Family lived at 3111 NE Shaver Avenue in Portland's Alameda neighborhood in 1940. At the time, Alma's mother Celia Travis (born c. 1884 in MO) and a household servant, Maxine Keever (born c. 1916 in KS), also lived in the house. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Portland, Multnomah, Oregon; Roll: m-t0627-03392; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 37-434, accessed 07/01/2022.)

He died in Portland at the age of 62.

Parents

His father was Amos G. Burns (born c. 01/1875 in VA in -d. 02/25/1961 in Mulino, OR), who, according to the 1900 US Census, worked as a steel molder. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Wichita Ward 2, Sedgwick, Kansas; Roll: 499; Page: 11; Enumeration District: 0281; FHL microfilm: 1240499, accessed 07/01/2022.) He was employed as the Foreman for the Walterscheid Machine and Supply Company at 115-125 North Rock Island Avenue in Wichita, KS, in 1908. (See Wichita, Kansas, City Directory, 1908, p, 99.) By 1920, Amos was a molder in a Portland steel works. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Portland, Multnomah, Oregon; Roll: T625_1502; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 144, accessed 07/01/2022.)

Louise Margaret Buckridge (born 03/07/1877 in OH-d. 01/10/1922 in Portland, OR), Tom's mother, operated the household. She and Amos wed on 05/26/1898 in Sedgwick County, KS. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: Kansas, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1811-1911 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016, accessed 07/01/2022.) In 1880, she lived in Erie, KS, with her parents Alfred Thomas Buckridge (born 06/28/1848 in ON, CA-d. 07/10/1912 in Wichita, KS), a manufacturer of pumps, and Rosana Alphronia "Rose" Lamb (born 08/06/1856 in Sandusky, OH-d. 07/21/1939 in Wichita, KS) and her two siblings. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Wichita Ward 2, Sedgwick, Kansas; Roll: 499; Page: 10; Enumeration District: 0281; FHL microfilm: 1240499, accessed 07/01/2022.)

She and Amos had only one child.

Spouse

Burns married Alma Pearl Ingram (born in Little Rock, AR) on 03/14/1931 in Whatcom County, WA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013, accessed 07/01/2022.) Her surname was also listed as "Travis."

Alma and Tom divorced on 01/08/1957 in Portland, OR. Tom Burns was the plaintiff in the case who charged "cruel and inhuman treatment." (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Oregon State Archives; Salem, Oregon; Oregon, Divorce Records, 1946-1968, accessed 07/01/2022.)

Children

Tom Burns, and Alma Ingram Burns had four children, all sons: Thomas Burns, Jere Travis Burns (born c. 1932 in Portland, OR-d. 08/15/2003 in Portland, OR), Todge Reed Burns (born 05/07/1933 in Portland, OR-d. 08/1978), and Beal Ingram Burns (born c. 1939 in Portland, OR).

Beal attended Cleveland High School in Portland, c. 1955. He married Dyanne Amy Schneider (born 06/08/1937 in Wheaton, MN) on 08/15/1959 in Portland, OR. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Oregon State Archives; Salem, Oregon; Oregon, Marriage Records, 1906-1910, 1946-1966, accessed 07/01/2022.)

Biographical Notes

According to his World War II draft registration card, Burns was Caucasian with a dark complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. He stood 5-feet, 10-and-1/2-inches tall and weighed 192 pounds. This form indicated that he had a scar over his left temple and a vaccination scar on his left arm. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Oregon, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 15, accessed 07/01/2022.)

• Wichita, KS (Architect's Birth)
  Wichita, KS

  ---

  OpenStreetMap (new tab)

  Google Map (new tab)

  

  ---