The Walworthians: Burger, Robert J.
The Walworthians: Burger, Robert J.
A collection of telephone interviews published in the Wayne County STAR Newspaper and Wayne County MAIL Newspaper, 1994-209
by Kate Chamberlin
March 20, 1996
Robert J. Burger is one of the people in our neighborhood. He has a good memory and a writer’s attention to detail when he talks about the way Walworth used to be.
He related the history of Route 350 from its life in 1878 as a Town Road, to when the County took it over and to 1930 when New York State assumed the responsibility for it.
“There were fewer than 10 cars passing by my house each day on the narrow road,” he said. “I watched them lay the steel grid on the concrete. There was 6-inches of concrete.”
Bob was not the first to tell me of how much fun the Friday night dances in the Grange were.
“At that time, the Grange was what is now the Auction Hall,” he said. “As a matter of fact, Charles Pembroke was the band leader and square dance caller. He introduced me to my wife.”
Sometime during the fox trot, round or square dance Margaret Schafer, of Lewis Road, and Bob fell in love and had a marriage that lasted 54 years.
She recently passed away, but their 7 children are still mostly in this area. John (a professor teaches in California(, Helen, Karen, Anne (who is married to an English man and lives in England, Michael, Jean and Margaret (who are twins) attended the Walworth Academy although, Bob recalled that one year he was taxed $8 for the Freewill School District.
Bob was born in Oswego, New York, but his mother died when he was four years old. He lived in an orphanage for about a year until a Marion couple needed extra help with the chores on their farm.
“Dr. Esley would drive his horse and cutter the 7 or so miles to make a house call when we needed him,” Bob said. “The doctor lived in the house near the gas station.
“I was 26 in 1939 when he did my blood test for the marriage license.”
The Marion farm became Bob’s but he had to sell it to pay off family debts. He and Margaret moved to Ontario, but when they put in Route 104, they sold it. The house was moved to a site on the north side of the new route.
In 1943, they bought the farm on Route 350. He had a job as an apprentice with General Railway Systems.
He had planted Christmas trees as a way to make extra money. In 1964, he realized what a bonanza he had. He quit his job and dedicated himself to Burger’s Nursery.
At one time he had as many as 23,000 trees in his nursery. Joe Finley used to buy them wholesale from him and re-sell them.
Bob will sell only during the trees dormant times, so, he began to write in his free time.
His three published books are Siblings (1985), The Ice Cream Girl (1987), and Guide to Successful Planting (1993).
He has a 116-page manuscript of poems and a children’s story that are waiting for a publisher.
The next time you see Bob, ask him about the time he got his car stuck on Atlantic Road near O’Brien’s Hill (the Walworth Water Tower).
Thanks, Bob, you are a Walworthian with the accent on worth.
November 16, 2017 Up-Date:
Robert J. Burger
Obituary
Burger, Robert J.
Ontario: Died on September 10, 2007 at age 94. Predeceased by his wife Margaret & brother Joseph Burger. Survived by his children, John (Leone) Burger, Helen (Donald) Pfromer, Jean (Barry) Dobler, Margaret (Daniel) Bitacola, Karen (Paul) Paprocki, Ann (Paul) Maynard, Michael (JoAnn) Burger; 9 grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren; brother James Burger; many nieces & nephews. He owned & operated a nursery. He participated in many activites including his bowling league, euchre club, & is the author of 3 books.
Friends are invited to call Sunday 2-4 & 7-9PM at MURPHY FUNERAL HOME, 1961 Ridge Road, Ontario. His Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30AM Monday at St. Mary’s of the Lake Church, Ontario. Interment Calvary Cemetery. Donations may be made to Ontario Volunteer Emergency Squad or Walworth Ambulance in his memory.
Published in Rochester Democrat And Chronicle on Sept. 12, 2007