JAMES ORRINGTON BURRIS was born in Ohio on February 25, 1876. His name has been recorded as J. Orrington Burris, James Ora Burris and J. Ora Burris, and he was known popularly in Camden as Orrie Burris.

J. Orrington Burris married a young dressmaker, Josephine Alice Preston in 1899. The young couple was living in Philadelphia when the Census was taken in 1900, and moved to Camden a few years later. J. Orrington Burris the worked as a driver. The young couple soon moved to Camden, where Josephine's parents, Edward and Mary Preston, were living at 739 Elm Street. J. Orrington Burris first shows up in City Directories in 1902 at 120 Pearl Street, working as an engineer. The 1904 City Directory has him following the same trade and living at 520 Grant Street in North Camden. A daughter, Dorothy Mae Burris, was born in 1905, and a second daughter, Margaret, followed in 1909.

J. Orrington Burris and his family were living at 520 Grant Street in North Camden when he was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on June 14, 1910. He began his service on July 1, 1910. The Burris family was troubled for a time with health concerns regarding daughter Dorothy. He was serving with Engine Company 4 in 1913, then brought over to Engine Company 2 the following year.  The Burris family moved to 638 York Street not long after the 1915 City Directory was compiled.

J. Orrington Burris was still with the Fire Department on February of 1918 but left not long afterwards to take a defense related job in Trenton, New Jersey. He living in the Trenton area when he registered for the draft on September 12, 1918, and when the Census was taken in 1920.

J. Orrington Burris passed away in 1927 and was buried at Evergreen Cemetery. Sadly, daughter Dorothy Mae died in 1932, leaving a husband and a son, Irving C. Errickson. Josephine Burris died in 1961, both are buried with J. Orrington Burris in Evergreen Cemetery. Margeret Burris married Henry Zimmerman and appears to have lived in Atlantic County, New Jersey from the 1920s until her death in March of 1996.