Randolph County, Indiana
John T. Burrows
It is an unquestionable fact that biographies of enterprising men, especially of good men, are instructive as guides and incentives to others. The examples they furnish of patient purpose and steadfast endeavor and integrity cannot help but influence others who are thrown in their company. Some men seem to belong to no exclusive class; apparently insurmountable obstacles have in many instances awakened their dormant faculties and served as a stimulus to carry them to ultimate renown. The instances of success in the face of adverse circumstances and unkind fate would seem to justify the conclusion that self-reliance with so much as a half chance can accomplish any reasonable object.
One of the enterprising citizens of Nettle Creek township, Randolph county, who has overcome the obstacles that led to the successful goals which he coveted when starting out in life, is John T. Burrows, the present popular postmaster at the village of Losantville. He was born December 9, 1852, in Nettle Creek township, this county, and is a son of Franklin and Anna (Medesker) Burrows, both natives of this township also. The paternal grandparents were born in Virginia, and the maternal grandparents were natives of Pennsylvania, and they came to Randolph county, Indiana, in the early days of the nineteenth century. The paternal great-grandparents were Scotch-Irish, and the maternal great-grandparents were of German blood. Franklin Burrows was brought up on the home farm and he continued general farming all his life. His death occurred September 11, 1910. The death of the mother of our subject occurred in 1885. Six children were born to these parents, three of whom died in infancy; one sister, Catherine B., who married a Mr. Hunt, died in 1886, and another sister, Mrs. Amanda Wiggins, lived at Losantville until her death in 1914.
John T. Burrows grew up on the home farm and there he worked in summer, and attended the common schools in winter. He remained on the farm until he was twenty years of age, then ran a huckster wagon for Daniel Wiggins, beginning in 1874, after which he worked on Mr. Wiggins' farm until 1876, in which year his employer sold out to Lemuel Wiggins, for whom he farmed a year, then clerked for him in his store until 1885, when he commenced dealing in agricultural implements, especially reapers and mowers, and again engaged in farming. In 1890 he was elected township trustee for a term of five years. He was appointed postmaster at Losantville during President McKinley's administration, having been recommended for the place by C. L. Henry, at that time Congressman from the Eighth district of Indiana. Mr. Burrows has continued in office to the present time, holding the same over sixteen years. As a public servant his record has been marked by fidelity and honesty, courtesy and carefulness and he has ever given the utmost satisfaction to all concerned. He owns a good farm in Randolph county, consisting of over two hundred acres of fine land.
Mr. Burrows was married March 17, 1877, to Emma J. Wiggins, who was born, reared and educated in Nettle Creek township, this county. The date of her birth is November 26, 1862. She is a daughter of Lemuel and Mary Wiggins. To this union four children have been born, namely: Nellie
E., the eldest, is still at home; Boyden O. is married to Bertha Burroughs, and is living on the farm belonging to our subject, and he has four sons Ivan, Norrice, Sharon and Clois. Delia O., third child of our subject, married Cal. C. Lamb, of New Castle, and they have one daughter, Bernice J. The
youngest of our subject's children, Franklin Chase, is at home with his parents.
Mrs. Burrows is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and stands high in the congregation. Politically, Mr. Burrows is a loyal Republican and is active and influential in the ranks and is a man well informed on present day public matters.
Past and Present of Randolph County, Indiana, 1914.
Contributed by Gina Richardson