Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-04-12
A PROMINENT PIONEER.
The Late }. N. ID. Burrows ana the
Part HIS Life Played In Davenport's
HistOry.--The Funeral.

The Late J. N. ID. Burrows and the
Part HIS Life Played In Davenport's
HistOry..-The Funeral.
OF the late j. M. d. Burrows, of Dav,
export, whose death occurred in this city
yesterday. the Democrat. Gazette says:
John Mcdowell Burrows is dead. A
man of big heart, of honest impulses, of
deathless energy, -one who for so wears
has been actively and thoroughly identi-
fed with Davenport-is no more-has
gone to his reward The people mourn
for him, for he was goods cheerful man,
the best of husbands, tenderest of fathers
who loved his neigbbor as himself,
whose charities at times outvied his
means, whose public spirit and benevo>
lence was like the breath he drew.
MIR. Burrows was pioneer 10 Daven-
port was couversant with the Oldest
with all the ordeals of frontier life-au
earnest, restless. unsetish business man
whose hands were ever building up and
helping 10 make homes more plentiful
and hearths more happy. He came in
1854 young man then of 90. He was
born in Elizsbethtown, New Jersey, Nav
3, 1914. In 1914 he went with his par.
ents To Cincinnati, and at the age Of II
was sent to Lane seminary to prepare fol
the miuistry-pursuing that course fol
two years, out leaving il TO take up q
business life.
Coming to Davenport he purchased an
so acre tract in what is now the
tarp RI Of THE nitv -
the bluff built snug cottage-beueath
the eminence upon which in 1856 he
built the finest mansion in the country
Clifton" where he hoped to spend
long useful years. After some time spent
in farming he came into the city, wen,
into commercial life, opening large
general merchandise store in which with
the late r. M. Prettyman, he did q
mighty trade. He dealt in country pro,
duce far and wide, built the Albion fiou,
mills, the greatest on the river above ST.
Louis, built blocks of stores, warehouses
loaded steamers with his goods, and
turned the produce of this teeming region
into piles of cash. In 1853 he had be
come the wealthiest man in Davenport
was engaged in many an enterprise
building. manufacturing. shipping and
various operations.
In 1857 financial panic struck the
country and he had so many "ships at
sea" which never came to port, that in
less than q tenth of the time that it took
to raise his fortune, the whole was swept
away-a perfect mass of wreck. How he
struggled to retrieve his fallen fortunes
4 how he built new mills aud strove in
many ways to gain his feet once more is
full well known, and how. in these score
of later years he wrought both early and
late to gain an honest living in his de-
Ginning years, is known to every one.
Following up his financial disasters
came the death of his beloved wife
Sarah Meeker (Gamage) Burrows. who
had been his constant help since their
happy marriage in Cincinnati, December
LIST. 1886. She died in January, 1875
She was the mother of eleven children,
all OF whom, one by one. died-leavine
him alone-wifeless, childless-a man OF
many sorrows. How he bore up under
his Affections, how he sustained the load
and kissed the rod that smote him every
day, is too well known to call for repeti-
ton. Some years ago he married an es.
timable woman, Mrs. Hersh, and con
tinued on in his broken, earnest life I'M
til Frustrated bv age and bodily infirmi-
ties he succumbed. He moved to Rock
Island couple of years ago, and spent
his last months there. A year or so ago
he published the story of his busy life,-
a book of stirring interest. He leaves a
brother, DAVID Burrows. resident of
Davenport. He was long mem
Der of the Presbyterian church-its
deacon for many years. He never sought
for oftice-avoiding public life-seekinp
his pleasure in his business and hi.
friends.
Mr.. Burrows birthplace was at New
York City instead of as stated above; anG
two brothers and a sister survive him
David A. and Lewis W. Burrows, Of
Davenport, and Mrs. Maria Alton, OF
Newark, N. J.
The funeral will be held from the First
Presbyterian church, Davenport, at {
o'clock Sunday afternoon. There will be
no services at the house.