Since he has reached maturity the efforts of David Hamlin Burrell, Jr., of Little Falls, Herkimer county, have been directed toward the upbuilding and extension of the business interests of D. H. Burrell & Company's manufacturing concern of this city. Born in Little Falls, on the 15th of January, 1874, Mr. Burrell is the son and namesake of the late David Hamlin Burrell, the founder of the great industry that is known in agricultural circles the length and breadth of North America. His mother was Louisa Loomis before her marriage and she was born in this city on the 11th of February, 1843. On both sides of the family Mr. Burrell comes from old New England colonial stock, his paternal ancestor in America being one John Burrell, who came from England in 1637 or 1638, while the first of the Loomises to cross to the New World was Joseph Loomis, who came in 1638. A more extended account of the genealogy of these two families will be found elsewhere in this work in connection with the account of the life of Mr. Burrell's father.
David H. Burrell, Jr., attended the public schools of his birthplace, the Pennsylvania Military Academy, the Hotchkiss School, and Yale University, from which he received the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy in 1896. Returning to Little Falls, Mr. Burrell at once entered D. H. Burrell & Company's employ and when the concern was incorporated in 1919, Mr. Burrell was made secretary and treasurer of the corporation, which dual position he has since held. In addition to his work with D. H. Burrell & Company, Mr. Burrell is interested in the Herkimer County Trust Company, the leading financial institution of the county, in which he holds the office of director.
In New York city, on the 24th of April, 1902, Mr. Burrell was united in marriage to Miss Cornelia Cobb Polhemus, daughter of the Rev. Isaac Heyer and Sarah (Brown) Polhemus, now of Bloomfield, New Jersey. Mrs. Burrell is of Colonial Dutch descent, her first American ancestor being the Rev. Johannes Polhemus, who came from Holland during the days of Dutch ascendancy in New York and settled on Long Island. Mr. and Mrs. Burrell are the parents of five children: Anne Polhemus, Louise Goodwin, David Hamlin (III), Barbara and Cornelia.
In civic affairs Mr. Burrell has contributed his share to the maintenance of high standards in Little Falls as a member of the city board of education since 1909. His political views are those of the republican party, but he has never been an active participant in the political campaigns. He belongs to the First Presbyterian church of this city and actively supports its work for the betterment of the community along moral and social lines.