Children's Author Thornton W. Burgess Shared His Knowledge

Springfield Republican
November 7, 1926

In 1926 the children's author Thornton W. Burgess lived in Springfield, MA.  On November 6, 1926 he heard the news that early that morning an owl was perched on a radio aerial at the home of  Dr. and Mrs. James V. W. Boyd.  The home was located at 34 Ellington Street.  Mr. Burgess, "a local naturalist", learned of this very interesting news and arrived on Ellington Street to see for himself.  Perhaps he heard the news from his step-son, Chester P. Johnson or Chester's wife Ruth.  Chester, Ruth and their son Robert lived at 112 Benedict Terrace in Longmeadow.  

When Mr. Burgess first heard the news he had believed that the owl would be a Horned Owl.  That was what he believed until he saw the large bird.  An estimation was given of the owl's size.  Two feet in height as it was perched up high and the distance from wing tip to wing tip was 60 inches.  

It was a Great Northern Snowy Owl.  The home for these owls was Labrador, not Massachusetts.  For 3 hours the owl was perched up high with spectators watching below.  Suddenly, the owl flew to a nearby rooftop and watched the scene below for another half hour.  Then, it flew away.

Mr. Burgess eagerly shared his beliefs as to why this owl had ventured to Western Massachusetts.  Food such as fish may have become scarce, so it flew south.  The Great Northern Snowy Owl could see during the day and also at night, so hunting for food could be done anytime here in Western Massachusetts.  Rabbits, squirrels and ducks could become food for it.  

Thornton W. Burgess was well known in the area and throughout the country as the author of children's stories and books.  His stories were about animals and birds.  The short stories were published in newspapers across the country under the title  "Burgess Bedtime Story".  Whitey the Owl was one of the characters in his stories.                         

The Atlanta Journal
March 1, 1927

Mr. Burgess was born in Sandwich, MA in 1874.  His father had died when he was an infant.  He married Nina Osborne in 1905 and she died when their son Thornton was born in 1906.  Mr. Burgess worked for the Phelps Publishing Co. (in Springfield, MA) on the Good Housekeeping Magazine.  He began writing stories for his son about the Green Forest and about the Green Meadows.  These stories are in his first book, Old Mother West Wind.  

The author remarried in 1911.  Thornton and Fannie Burgess lived in Springfield.  In 1912 Thornton Burgess began writing children's stories for newspapers.  The first story that was printed in the Springfield Republican appeared on Feb. 17, 1920.

Springfield Republican
Feb 16, 1920

Mr. Burgess purchased Laughing Brook in Hampden, MA as a summer home in 1928 and later turned it into a year round home.  He died at the age of  91 after publishing so many daily stories for children including 70 children's books.

Laughing Brook is a familiar name and a familiar location in Hampden, MA to many area residents.  Many children have enjoyed expanding their knowledge about nature while attending camp during the summer at this beautiful Massachusetts Audubon Society education center and wildlife sacnctuary.       

Additional Sources:  Springfield Republican- June 6, 1965; Watertown Daily Times- May 19, 1928 and
Union-News- Jan. 14, 1988

~Written by Judy Moran