William A. M. Burden Sr.

Immediately after leaving school, Burden, Francis Lee Higginson, John L. Saltonstall, and Augustus Jay took a trip around the world.^[1] He eventually returned to New York City, where he worked for James D. Smith & Co.^[5] On August 19, 1903, he purchased a seat on the New York Stock Exchange from Henry G. Weil for $60,000.^[6]

On October 1, 1907, Burden retired as a floor member of James D. Smith & Co. due to ill health. He was sent abroad to recover, however his health did not improve.^[5]

On April 12, 1904, he married Florence Vanderbilt Twombly, daughter of Hamilton McKown Twombly and Florence Vanderbilt Twombly and a granddaughter of William Henry Vanderbilt, at Saint Thomas Church in Manhattan.^[7] The couple had two sons, William A. M. Burden Jr. (who became the U.S. Ambassador to Belgium) and Shirley Carter Burden (who became a prominent photographer).^[8]

On December 2, 1908, The New York Times reported that his unknown illness had gotten worse and he had been bedridden for several months.^[9] Doctors were unable to diagnose or treat Burden's illness, which was described by The New York Times as a "chronic recurrent fever" that "attacks the patient suddenly...if he recovers, the only thing to do is prepare him for the next attack, which is sure to come".^[5] He died on February 2, 1909, aged 31, at his home in Manhattan.^[1][5]

In 1971, Burden's widow and sons donated Burden Hall to Harvard Business School in honor of him and his grandson, William A. M. Burden III, who also died young.^[8]