PERSONAL HISTORY 185 



usually able to find it. Being naturally expert 

 in reading human character, she was of great 

 assistance to father in his business, as he em- 

 ployed much help and dealt with men of all 

 classes and of various nationalities. Indeed, she 

 was truly a helpmate to her husband in all' 

 respects. She was fond of flowers, and with 

 all her other numerous duties had the home sur- 

 rounded by them. After coming to California 

 she lived in Luther's home, active and interested 

 in all of his work until her death in December, 

 1909, at the age of nearh^ ninety-seven. 



We first hear of the Burbanks at Lancaster, 

 Lancashire, England, from which place five 

 Burbank brothers emigrated to America. We 

 find by the customhouse records at Boston, Mas- 

 sachusetts, that Joseph Burbank came in the 

 ship Abigail from London in 1635, and that 

 John Burbank, from whom our family de- 

 scended, was made a voter at Rowley, Massa- 

 chusetts, in 1640. 



Father's mother was Ruth Felch, originally 

 from Wales. Mother's family — the Rosses — 

 came from Scotland: "This was a great and 

 illustrious family in the time of Kings Robert 

 and Bruce. Among the ancient and noble 

 houses of Scotland none perhaps ever held 

 a higher place in the annals of the country 



