Thornton Burgess facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thornton Burgess
Born	(1874-01-14)January 14, 1874 Sandwich, Massachusetts
Died	June 5, 1965(1965-06-05) (aged 91) Hampden, Massachusetts
Resting place	Springfield Cemetery, Springfield, Massachusetts
Occupation	Author of Children's Books Conservationist
Spouse	Nina E. Osbourne Burgess (1905–1906) Fannie H. Phillips Burgess (1911–1950)
Children	Thornton Waldo Burgess III

Harrison Cady's drawing for the Mother West Wind "Where" Stories, showing Burgess's animal characters.

Thornton Waldo Burgess (born January 17, 1874 – died June 5, 1965) was an American writer. He was also a conservationist, meaning he worked to protect nature. Burgess loved animals and the outdoors very much. He wrote stories about them for 50 years.

He wrote more than 170 books and 15,000 stories for his daily newspaper column, Bedtime Stories. People sometimes called him the Bedtime Story-Man.

About Thornton Burgess

His Early Life

Thornton Burgess was born on January 17, 1874, in Sandwich, Massachusetts. His father died the same year he was born. Thornton and his mother lived a simple life.

As a young boy, he worked many jobs. He tended cows, picked flowers, and sold candy. He also trapped muskrats. One of his employers lived near a special place. This place had woodlands and wetlands. It later became the setting for many of Burgess's stories. He called it Smiling Pool and the Old Briar Patch.

Becoming a Writer

Burgess finished Sandwich High School in 1891. He then went to a business college for a short time. But he did not like studying business. He wanted to be a writer.

He moved to Springfield, Massachusetts. There, he got a job helping edit at a publishing company. His first stories were written using a different name, W. B. Thornton.

Family and Inspiration

Thornton Burgess married Nina Osborne in 1905. Sadly, she died a year later when their son was born. Burgess raised his son, Thornton III, alone. It is said that he started writing bedtime stories to entertain his young son.

He married again in 1911 to Fannie. They bought a home in Hampden, Massachusetts in 1925. This became his main home later in life. Burgess often returned to Sandwich, his hometown. His childhood experiences there helped him care deeply about wildlife.

His Famous Animal Stories

Old Mother West Wind

Burgess watched nature closely. He used his observations to create plots for his stories. His first book was Old Mother West Wind (1910). In this book, readers meet many characters. These characters appeared in his later books and stories.

Some of these characters include:

• Peter Rabbit
• Jimmy Skunk
• Sammy Jay
• Bobby Raccoon
• Little Joe Otter
• Grandfather Frog
• Billy Mink
• Jerry Muskrat
• Spotty the Turtle
• Old Mother West Wind and her Merry Little Breezes

More Books and Collaborations

For the next 50 years, Burgess wrote many books. They were published around the world. They were translated into languages like French, German, and Spanish. His friend Harrison Cady drew the pictures for his books.

Peter Rabbit was first created by British author Beatrix Potter. Burgess said that Potter made Peter famous. He felt that he, with Mr. Cady's help, made Peter a true character.

From 1912 to 1960, Burgess wrote his daily newspaper column. It was called Bedtime Stories.

Radio Shows

Thornton Burgess also had radio shows. His Radio Nature League started in 1925. It was broadcast from Springfield, Massachusetts. The show was popular with parents and teachers. It had listeners in over 30 states.

Burgess continued to give radio talks. He spoke about conservation and being kind to animals.

Later Works

In 1960, Burgess published his last book. It was called Now I Remember, Autobiography of an Amateur Naturalist. This book shared memories from his early life and career. That same year, at age 86, he published his 15,000th newspaper column.

Thornton Burgess passed away on June 5, 1965, at 91 years old.

Awards and Conservation Work

Burgess was very active in protecting nature. He worked on several projects:

• He helped pass laws to protect animals that travel long distances.
• He started "The Green Meadow Club" for land conservation.
• He created "The Bedtime Stories Club" to protect wildlife.
• He had The Radio Nature League show.

For his efforts, Burgess received several honors:

• An honorary degree from Northeastern University in 1938.
• A special gold medal from the Museum of Science in Boston. This was for "leading children down the path to the wide wonderful world of the outdoors."
• The Distinguished Service Medal for wildlife protection.

His Lasting Impact

Wildlife Sanctuaries and Museums

After Burgess died, the Massachusetts Audubon Society bought his home. They turned it into the Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary. His house is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Thornton W. Burgess Society runs the Green Briar Nature Center. It is in East Sandwich, Massachusetts.

Other Tributes

• A middle school in Hampden, Massachusetts, was named after him. It honored his work for conservation.
• In the 1970s, a Japanese cartoon show was made based on his stories. It was called Fables of the Green Forest in English.

Books by Thornton Burgess

See also

In Spanish: Thornton Burgess para niños