David Hamlin Burrell was an American industrialist, inventor, and philanthropist based in Little Falls, New York

Little Falls (city), New York

Little Falls is a city in Herkimer County, New York, USA. The population was 5,188 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a small cataract near the city....

. He achieved prominence through improvements and inventions related to the dairy industry

Dairy

A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...

 during the late 19th- and early 20th centuries.

He developed most of his inventions at his Overlook estate

Overlook (Little Falls, New York)

Overlook, also known as the Burrell Mansion, is a historic home located at Little Falls in Herkimer County, New York. It was designed by noted architect Archimedes Russell and built about 1889 for industrialist and inventor David H. Burrell . It is a three story, asymmetrical masonry building...

 at Little Falls. There he invented a seamless cheese bandage, silo

Silo

A silo is a structure for storing bulk materials.Silo may also refer to:* Silo , a 3D modeling software* Silo , a defunct chain of retail electronics stores* SILO , used in Linux...

s for the preservation of ensilage

Ensilage

Ensilage or silaging is the process of preserving green food for livestock in an undried condition in airtight conditions, either in a storage silo , or in plastic wrapping. The fodder which is the result of the process is called silage....

, the Burrell-Simplex Link Blade "Simplex" Separator

Cream separator

A separator is a centrifugal device that separates milk into cream and skimmed milk. Separation was commonly performed on farms in the past. Most farmers milked a few cows, usually by hand, and separated milk. Some of the skimmed milk was consumed while the rest was used to feed calves and pigs...

, milk pasteurization

Pasteurization

Pasteurization is a process of heating a food, usually liquid, to a specific temperature for a definite length of time, and then cooling it immediately. This process slows microbial growth in food...

 systems, churn

Butter churn

A butter churn is a device used to convert cream into butter. This is done through a mechanical process, frequently via a pole inserted through the lid of the churn, or via a crank used to turn a rotating device inside the churn.-Process:...

s, butter workers, milk testers and coolers, gang presses, and a universally accepted, patented, BLK milking machine. He also patented the first practical oil burner

Oil burner

An oil burner is a heating device which burns fuel oil. The oil is atomized in to a fine spray usually by forcing it under pressure through a nozzle...

 in 1885. President Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

 officially proclaimed 1985 to be "Oil Heat Centennial Year" to posthumously honor Burrell.

He was a Republican and served as Presidential Elector for New York, in the Presidential Election of 1896

United States presidential election, 1896

The United States presidential election held on November 3, 1896, saw Republican William McKinley defeat Democrat William Jennings Bryan in a campaign considered by political scientists to be one of the most dramatic and complex in American history....

.