George Burnham was a banker and Republican politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 from San Diego, California

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

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Burnham was born 1868 in London, England to James and Maria Ann Burnham.
He immigrated in 1881 to the United States with his parents, who settled in Spring Valley, Minnesota

Spring Valley, Minnesota

Spring Valley is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,479 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.U.S...

.
He attended public schools in London and Minnesota.
Burnham worked as a clerk 1884–1886, then moved to Jackson, Minnesota

Jackson, Minnesota

Jackson is a city in Jackson County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,299 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Jackson County.-Geography:...

 in 1887 where he entered the retail shoe business.
In 1901 he moved to Spokane, Washington

Spokane, Washington

Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...

 and worked in real estate and ranching.

Burnham moved to San Diego in 1903 and continued to work in real estate with his brother John, until 1917 when he took up banking.
Burnham was active in public affairs.
Burnham was one of the organizers of the Panama-California Exposition

Panama-California Exposition (1915)

The Panama-California Exposition was an exposition held in San Diego, California between March 9, 1915 and January 1, 1917. The exposition celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal, and was meant to tout San Diego as the first U.S. port of call for ships traveling north after passing westward...

 in 1909, serving as vice president from 1909 to 1916.
He was also member of the Honorary Commercial Commission to China in 1910,
member of the San Diego Library Commission 1926–1932, a member of the San Diego Scientific Library 1926–1932, and
vice president of the California-Pacific International Exposition 1935–1936.

Burnham married Neva May Ashley on October 1, 1890 and they had six children, Harold, Percy, Helen, Laurence, Virginia, and Ben.
After she died, he married Florence Kennett Dupee.

Burnham was elected to the 73rd Congress in 1932, and reelected in 1934, serving as Representative for Imperial

Imperial County, California

Imperial County is a county located in the Imperial Valley, in the far southeast of the U.S. state of California, bordering both Arizona and Mexico. It is part of the El Centro Metropolitan Area, which encompasses all of Imperial County. The population as of 2000 was 142,361. The county seat is the...

 and San Diego

San Diego County, California

San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...

 counties.
He worked to expand Navy presence in San Diego.
In 1936, he drew up bills to add 365,000 acres (1460 km²) of federal land in the Carrizo and Vallecito areas to the newly-created Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is a state park located within the Colorado Desert of Southern California. The park takes its name from 18th century, Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and borrego, the Spanish word for bighorn sheep...

.
In 1936 he did not run again and retired in San Diego, where he lived until his death in 1939.
Burnham is interned in the Greenwood Cathedral Mausoleum, in Greenwood Memorial Park

Greenwood Memorial Park (San Diego)

Greenwood Memorial Park is a cemetery located on county-owned land at 4300 Imperial Avenue in San Diego County, California. The cemetery is adjacent to Mount Hope Cemetery.Opened in 1908, Greenwood covers approximately five miles east of Downtown San Diego...

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External links

• Biography (San Diego Historical Society). Based on biography in Heilbron (above) (U.S. Congress)