CLARENCE F. BURTON.--The business career of Clarence F. Burton, which has been attended by a large and well merited degree of success, was begun when he was but sixteen years of age as a clerk in a store at Silverwood, Indiana. After ten months spent in that capacity he became a student in the normal at Covington, Indiana, and after a six months' course there returned to the store in Silverwood and clerked there for two and a half years. During the year and a half following this period he was the proprietor of a restaurant at Covington, and then returning again to his home town of Silverwood was for three years associated with D. P. Williams in the grocery business and was the postmaster of that town. Selling his interests there, he went to Clinton and spent a short time in the dry goods store of Randolph Brothers, and in July of 1904 he came to Shelburn and became a partner of I. C. Dalrymple in a mercantile store. In 1908 he purchased Mr. Dalrymple's interest and has since been alone in the business. He is one of the leading merchants of the city and enjoys a large and lucrative trade.
Mr. Burton was born at Silverwood, in Fountain county, Indiana, December 11, 1871, a son of William E. and Sarah J. (Lunger) Burton. The father died when his son Clarence was but three years of age, and the mother, who was born near Linden, Indiana, about 1840, afterward married Peter Reynolds and is living on the home farm in Fountain county. There were three children by the first marriage; Thomas, who is a miner at Clinton, Indiana, and Flora Williams, of Silverwood.
Clarence F. Burton, one of the three, attended the public schools of Silverwood until he was sixteen years of age, and then, as above stated, entered upon his successful mercantile career. On the 6th of March, 1901, he was married to Margaret Randolph, who was born in Silverwood in 1880, a daughter of Henry C. and Clara Randolph, who are farming people residing near Silverwood. The two children of this union are Carroll F. and Lucile, born respectively on the 27th of July, 1902, and on the 24th of September. 1904. Mr. Burton is a member of the Knights of Pythias order. Lodge No. 98, at Silverwood, and he gives a stanch support to Republican principles.