[3] Bishop Alexander Viets Griswold admitted Burgess to deacon's orders, in Providence, June 10, 1834.

[6] He was elected first bishop of Maine, early in October 1847, and consecrated in Christ Church, Hartford, that same month.

His ministry was of the style of Muhlenberg, Alonzo Potter, and Alexander Griswold, who were sometimes called high church evangelicals.

[10] He suffered a severe hemorrhage in July 1865, but still sailed for the West Indies in December by appointment of the house of bishops to visit Haiti in the interests of the church.

[13] He authored several publications, including "The Book of Psalms, translated into English Verse" (1840); " Strife of Brothers," a poem (1844); "Pages from the Ecclesiastical History of New England between 1740 and 1840" (1847); "The Last Enemy" (1850); and "Sermon on the Christian Life" (1854)".