John R. Burrows

JOHN R. BURROWS,* a representative farmer of Lola township and prominent in the affairs of his neighborhood, is a son of one of Cherokee County's Civil War veterans, George R. Burrows, who has also been a leading spirit among the agricultural class of the county for some 35 years. They came to the county from Ohio, where John R. Burrows was born in Washington County, November 6, 1862. He now resides in section 22, township —, range —, in Lola township.

George R. Burrows was born in Ohio in 1841, and is a son of John Burrows, who died in Ohio at the age of 80. He was reared to farm life and has never known other occupations, except during the period he was defending "Old Glory" from the attacks of traitorous hands. He had not yet reached his majority when in 1861 he went forth "to do and to dare" in a cause which he felt then and knows now was a righteous one. Enlisting under the first call for three months, he again put down his name, this time "for the war." In the Army of the Potomac he found plenty to do,—why repeat the story—from the first battle of Bull Run to Appomattox, and then sweeping up beautiful Pennsylvania avenue in the beautiful capital of a saved country in the Grand Review that will live in history as long as the triumphal marches of a Xerxes or an Alexander. If he ever forgets those memorable years, he needs only to glance at the maimed hand minus its full complement of fingers to bring back the days when the "Johnnie Rebs" were abroad in the land.

After the war, Mr. Burrows took up the battle of life in the State of his birth, but after several years yielded to the allurements of the "Sunflower State" and in 1869 came to Cherokee County. Here he has since resided, loved and respected by all. In political action he favors the Republicans and is a worthy member of the Christian Church. Before he went to the war, Mr. Burrows married Mary Biniger, a native of West Virginia, who died in Cherokee County 10 years after coming out, leaving a family of five children. Of these, John R. is the eldest; Sylvester G. is a farmer in Lola township; Mrs. Eva Stover lives in Joplin, Missouri, while her twin sister, Mrs. Iva Van Fliet, lives in Chitwood, Missouri; the youngest is Mrs. Thula Bean, of Galena, Kansas.

John R. Burrows, the eldest of the above family, was but a child when they drove over the wild prairies of the county which was to be his future home, but he remembers vividly the scene as it presented itself in such strange contrast to "Buckeye" farms at home. Having passed his subsequent years here, Mr. Burrows is really a product of the county as much as if he was "to the manor born." He received a good common-school education and on reaching manhood took up the occupation which his ancestry has honored from time immemorial. His fine farm shows the master hand of the agriculturist in its generally thrifty appearance. Mr. Burrows has always entered with great zest into the social and religious life of the neighborhood. He is one of the pillars in the Christian Church at Faulkner, having served as deacon for a number of years. The comfortable church building at Faulkner received strong support from him at the time of its building, and he still continues to make it the object of his munificence. He is active in Woodmen of America and the I. O. O. F.

Mrs. Burrows, the estimable wife of our subject, was Jessie Brown prior to her marriage, and she is a native of the county. The wife of Mr. Burrows' youth was Mary I. Crosby, a native of Illinois, who died at the age of 38 years, leaving a family of four children: Effie, Maude, Belle, and Harry. Mr. and Mrs. Burrows are most highly esteemed by all their friends and neighbors throughout the county.

History of Cherokee County Kansas and its representative citizens, ed. & comp. by Nathaniel Thompson Allison, 1904, transcribed by Carolyn Ward, instructor from USD 508, Baxter Springs Middle School, Baxter Springs, Kansas, 6-27-97