Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 597 - 598 

JOHN C. BURWELL. Prominent among the successful farmers and extensive stock-growers of this county, may be named the subject of this historical notice, whose homestead lies on section 9, Illinois Township, and who, by his enterprise and energy in the direction of his chosen industry, has given to his work a significance and beauty of which few deem it capable. He was brought into the world Oct. 22, 1845, in Delaware County, Ohio, and is the son of John and Missouri (Thorpe) Burwell.

            The father of our subject was born in New Jersey in 1813, and was there married to his first wife, the mother of John C., Miss Missouri Thorpe, who died in 1853, having borne a family of seven children, as follows: David, who died in infancy; Amos, who married Miss Rebecca M. Russell, by whom he had three children, and who is a stock-dealer in Colorado; Mary, Mrs. E. H. Warden, is the mother of four children, and resides in Coles County, Ill., where her husband is a harness-maker; Moses M. T., who married Miss Isabel Goodfellow, is the parent of eight children, and is a stock-dealer at Bloomington, Ill.; John C., the subject of our sketch; Alice, who married John Adams, and is now deceased; and William, who died in infancy. After the death of his first wife the father of our hero married Miss Lucy Terhune, by whom he had two children, both of whom died in infancy. The second wife died while they were residents of Coles County, Ill., and the father of our subject, after some time, was united in marriage to Miss N. McCrumb, who became the mother of three children: Frank P., whose biography occurs elsewhere in the pages of this ALBUM; and two who died in infancy.

            The subject of this narrative was reared upon a farm, his father following the vocation of an agriculturist all his life, and received his education in the usual manner in the district schools of his native State and Illinois. On attaining his majority, he commenced his struggle upon the stage of life on his own account, and having, by his industry and economy, acquired a home of his own, on the 16th of March, 1869, he was wedded, and installed as mistress of his house Miss Ada Annie Rohr, a native of Virginia. The bride was born Sept. 27, 1849, and is the daughter of Joseph U. and Frances J. (Campbell) Rohr, natives of West Virginia and Virginia respectively. Her father, who was a wheelwright by trade, was born May 16, 1820, and died March 29, 1873. Her mother was born July 6, 1820, and is a resident of Coles County, Ill. Mrs. Burwell was the second in a family of four children, born to her parents as follows: Marion, who married Susan Allen, and is a tinner, living in Iowa; Ada A., Mrs. Burwell; and twins, one of whom died in infancy, and the other, Willie N., married Snowden Sargent, and died at the age of twenty-seven years.

            Mr. Burwell first came to Kansas in 1877, and settled in Harvey County, where he made his home until 1883, and then returned to Illinois. In 1886, being in love with the fertile and productive nature of the soil, and the genial, salubrious climate of this State, he returned, in December, to Kansas, and settled in Sedgwick County, on the southwest quarter of section 9, Illinois Township, where he at present resides. He has a magnificent farm of 160 acres of land here, which is most beautifully located and highly cultivated. His buildings, which are handsome and substantial, with their lovely surroundings, make up a view which is very pleasant to the eye of the passerby. Besides this farm he is the owner of the southeast quarter of section 19, Pleasant Township, Harvey County, this State, 115 acres of which are under the plow, and on which he has excellent buildings, a good orchard and a quantity of small fruits.

            To the subject of this memoir and his wife there have been born three children to gladden their hearts and enliven their home. Their names and record are as follows: Frances M., who was born Jan. 12, 1870, attended the High School of Oakland, Ill., from which institution she would have graduated in one year, and is residing at home with her parents; Mary Ulla, who was born April 2, 1873, and Louisa Olive, whose birth occurred Sept. 30, 1881. The two latter are at home, and are drawing the elements of their education from the excellent district schools provided by Sedgwick County for the rising generation.

            In his political views Mr. Burwell coincides with the Republican party, and usually supports the tickets of that organization. He is a believer in the doctrines of religion as taught by the Methodist Episcopal Church, while his wife seeks spiritual consolation with the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination. Both of them united with their respective churches in Illinois, previous to their immigration to this State. Mr. Burwell is one of Sedgwick County's most prosperous stock farmers, and bears a high rank in the community as a reliable and substantial citizen, of a genial and lovable disposition.

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