Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-31
BENJAMIN H. BGRROWS DEAD
Surveyor Of Customs and Custodian of
Federal Building.
HERE FOR THIRTY.EIGHT YEARS
Has been Newspaper Man aud Adver-
Using Manager for the Union
Pncific-IIhd Been AilinE
for some Months.

BENJAMIN H. Rarrovs United states sur.
veyor Of customs. and custodian OF the
federal building died at $40 o'clock Friday
morning at his home. a25 south Twenty
sixth street An affection OF the heart
from which he had been suffering for more
than five years. precipitated his death.
Mr. Barrows has been confined to his bed
Tor more than three weeks.
a strange coincident in the passing OF
Mr. Barrows is that he died on his birth
day. being 80 years old.
At the bedside when the end came we're
his wife and daughter Mrs. Harry Nichol-
SON OF Alliance, Neb
Willard Barrows a son, OF Pueblo, Colo
was notified Of his fathers death and
probably VIII arrive I'm Omaha Saturday
n. ght or sunday morning. The funeral
services will not be arranged definitely
until the sons arrival They will PROB
ably be held Sunday afternoon, with burial
in Prospect Hin cemetery.
Mr. Barrows was born December 90 1871,
on a farm two miles west of Davenport,
ia. He was educated at Grswod col
lege. an Episcopalian school at Davenport.
At the age OF II, young Barrows accom-
panied his father, Willard Barrows, and
his brother-in-law, J. II. Millerd, across
the plains to Virginia city, Mont, where
Mr.. Willard, in connection with b. +.
Allen Of Des Moines, established a bank.
Mr.. Barrows remained in Virginia City two
years. He returned to Davenport in 1865
and became reporter on tho Davenport
Democrat
Here Nearly Forty Years.
Mr.. Barrows came TO Omaha In 1872 and
became secretary and treasurer of the
Omaha Rpublican, one of the early day
newspapers Mr. Barrows was editor and
general manager of the paper in 1874 when
elected to the legislature. He remained
representative two years. While in his
last year as representative he was made
a regent of the Nebraska university.
President Grant appointed Mr.. Barrows
consul to Dublin in February, 1915 He
served in that capacity under five presi-
dents-Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur and
Cleveland
While in Dublin, Mr. Barrows met Miss
Lizzie Phelan, youngest. daughter Of Will
liam Phelan, barrister at law of Cashel,
County Tipperary. They were married
April "a, 1873. The wedding took place at
the famous st. Annis church in Dublin.
Five children were born to them, three
Of whom died at earged ages. Those sur
NlNlub are W llldAu LhIIuWss WIN liNtb III
Pueblo Colo; and Mrs. Nicholson. the
wife of II. c. Nicholson, a banker OF AL
lance. Neb. Mr.. Barrows' first wife died
in Omaha in 1885 shortly after the family
had returned here.
Mr. Barrows married the second time
August 10, 1889 Mrs. Gertrude Carpenter
Fitzpatrick of a prominent Omaha family
became his wife. Mrs. Barrows and a son
old ha
members of his immediate family in Omaha.
Interesting Writer.
Mr. Barrows became advertising agent
for the Union Pacific system in 1888. While
in that position he wrote many interesting
stories and lengeds of the west. He re-
signed as advertising agent of the Union
Pacific in 1895 to become city librarian.
This position he held until 1897. He WAS
appointed deputy surveyor of customs in
1901 and in 1903 succeeded Cadet Taylor as
surveyor Of customs. He remained sur
veyor Of customs until his death. His
father, General willard Barrows, was
civil engineer and government surveyor.
General Barrows published in 1884 the first
acnurate map of Iowa. He ran the bound
airy line between that state and Minnesota,
as we'll as surveying all Of the government
islands in the Mississippi river from
Natchez to Island No. 1c.
General Barrows died shortly after the
publication Of the Iowa map. Mrs. Bar
rows. moved to Omaha IN 1885 and died
here I'm March, two years later. She left
three children, Benjamin II. Barrows, Sarah
j. Barrows and Mrs. Joseph II. Willard,
nee Carrie c. Barrows. Mr.. and Mrs.
Joseph II. Willard came to Omaha in 1867.
Mrs. Willard died here in January, 1903
Miss Sarah Barrows, who lives at the
Merriam hotel. is now the only survivor
OF the family.