An American success story
Harry J. Burlington was just a kid when he came over from Ireland with his mother Anastasia, in 1893, to visit relatives and attend the Chicago World's Fair. They ended up staying, his mother relocating to Monroe, New York and Harry attending Cooper Union in New York City, where he studied mechanical engineering. He then worked briefly as a telegraph operator before making his fortune manufacturing elevators. He founded Burlington Elevators, which later merged into Burlington-Burwak Elevators and eventually became Burwak Elevators.
Interesting Note: the company offices were located at 246 Fulton Street, on land owned by Burlington Elevator, and eventually sold to New York City, after which the doomed World Trade Towers were built there.