Main Street, Grass Valley, near the turn of the century. Photo by D. Fricot's "Grass Valley and Vicinity", courtesy of the UC Bancroft Online Digital Library: BANC PIC 1976.034:07--AX
Shared on Nevada County Historical Society FaceBook page Aug. 24, 2020. You can see the Holbrooke Hotel on the left.
Alexander Burrows was born in Riverstown, Sligo County, Ireland April 4, 1847. As a young man he made his way to Pennsylvania and was living in Schuylkill County when he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. The 1878 Great Register of Nevada County recorded that he was naturalized on October 20, 1870. I am unable to locate him on the US 1870 Census.
The 1870 Census for the family of Elizabeth Jane Hurd lists the family as living in Mahanoy, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania where William Hurd was a miner. Elizabeth Jane was 16. By 1875 the Hurd family was living in Virginia City and Alexander Burrows and Elizabeth Jane Hurd had their first child and were living in Grass Valley, California. I am not sure if Alexander knew the Hurd family in Pennsylvania and came out west with them, or if he made his way west first and met Elizabeth Jane in California.
His biography, written and published in "Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California, 1891", states that he arrived in California from Philadelphia in 1872. I am not exactly sure when the Hurds arrived back in Virginia City, Nevada, but it must have been early 1870's. They had previously made a trip out west in 1856 when E.J. was a year old. The Hurds had extended family as well as friends in Nevada City and Grass Valley, so E.J. would have had opportunity to meet Alexander in California while her parents and family lived on the Comstock. There was a family pattern of movement between both mining towns that extended well into the 1900's. In late 1871 a line extension of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad was built linking Virginia City to Reno, and thus to the Central Pacific Railroad. Travel was then possible from Virginia City all the way to San Francisco. Using the stop in Colfax, the family could easily reach Nevada City and Grass Valley.
When Alexander arrived in Nevada County he was in his late 20's. He became a school teacher and taught successfully on the "Ridge" (The San Juan Ridge, where the town of North San Juan is located). While teaching, he studied law and was admitted to practice by Chief Justice Wallace of the State Supreme Court. The Morning Union of April 11, 1878 reported that A. Burrows of Grass Valley was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court, at Sacramento on Monday (April 9th). There were twelve applicants for admission, and nine passed.
Continuing with his biography, it goes on to say that Alexander had extensive practice in civil courts, and "is also regarded as a very successful single-handed criminal lawyer. He has figured prominently in not a few recent murder trials, as the attorney for the defendant. Among the more recent of these were the successful defense of King, charged with the murder of Pratt, the commercial traveler, at Nigger Tent in 1887; the successful defense of Keefe, charged with the murder of Piazzi at You Bet, in 1888, and the successful defense of Rowe, charged with the murder of his partner at Sonoma in 1889. He also took a prominent part in the defense of Sheriff Lord, charged with forging ballots in Nevada City in 1889."
Newspaper Advertisement from The Mining Review date unknown but sometime before 1900.
Mentions in the Morning Union give a glimpse of what kind of person A. Burrows was, and what kind of lawyer he was. There are many, many write ups, but I have chosen a few just to give you some idea of what his practice looked like, and what kind of personality he had.....
Morning Union, Volume 29, Number 4531 22 October 1881
(This appears to be A. Burrows' side of what happened during a recent court case. Another paper published one side of the story, and he felt he needed to write up his side of the story).
EDITOR UNION: The Daily Tidings publishes what pretends to be a full statement of what it call the recent "row in court," and as usual, when it refers to C.W. Cross--colors-up the facts to suit that lawyers vanity--it may therefore not be improper that the undersigned as an interested party should give the facts of the case, so far as the cause of the conflict is concerned. The facts then briefly are these: Mr. Cross attempted to break down the testimony of a little girl, and slung some vile insinuations at the brave little witness, which insinuations I, as a legal protector of that witness, then and there characterized as infamously false. At this he (Cross) lost his weapon. If I have erred, I am answerable to the court. To the public I think the facts are such insults. I trust I never will be so recreant to my manhood as to permit any lady or child under my protection to be outraged, anywhere, in my presence, without defending her honor--by my voice possible, by my arm if necessary.
A. Burrows
Morning Union, Volume 35, Number 5467, 15 November 1884
Lively Scrimmage--Disciples of Blackstone Strike from the Shoulder
The law office of A. Burrows was the scene of a lively scrimmage yesterday in which fisticuffs were trumps for awhile, and blows proved more forcible than legal arguments. The taking of testimony as to the agricultural or mineral character of a piece of land, situated near town, had long been going on at the office for some days, before Justice Paynter, acting as commissioner for the Land Office. The testimony had all been taken down in writing, and C.W. Kitts, attorney for the agricultural claimant, was insisting that certain interruptions of Mr. Burrows, defendant's attorney, should also be made a part of the record. This was objected to by Burrows, and both of the lawyers went for each other with a vim. The respective clients of the attorneys also started in to take a hand, while others essayed the part of peace-makers. The office being small there was no room to lay out a ring according to the Marquis of Queensbury rules, and it looked to the outsiders who were attracted by the noise as if a general free fight was in progress. During the melee one of the panes of glass of the front sash door was broken, and several persons recieved cuts therefrom, which gave bloody faces and hands. Peace was finally restored and the combatants withdrew from the field, but the business of the commisison was adjourned for the day. According to all accounts Mr. Kitts proved himself the best pugilist, as he came off with by far the least injury.
Morning Union, Volume 41, Number 5577, 23 November 1888
A Downieville Episode
At the King trial (previously mentioned in his biography) Monday while lawyer Burrows was examining a juror, a pistol shot resounded in the corridor and a bullet crashed through the door leading to the Courtroom, lodging in the gallery which was at the time crowded with women and children. Fortunately no one was hurt. Judge Walling quickly said, "Sheriff, attend to that disturbance. Gentlemen, go on with this case." Investigation showed that a pistol in being handed to the Sheriff slipped to the floor and exploded, driving a .38 calibre bullet through door and balustrading. It was almost a miracle that no one was hurt. The more nervous of the ladies shook the dust of the Courtroom off their feet immediately.
Morning Union, volume 51, Number 7070, 14 November 1893
AN IMPORTANT CASE. The Supreme Court to Decide a Point of Interest to Miners. A. Burrows will leave for Sacramento today to make an argument before the Supreme Court in the case of Wilhelm vs. Silvester, which involves a question never yet decided in the State as to whether the locator of a mining claim owns a cross ledge within his ground, subsequently discovered and located by another. the case was submitted in Department but was considered of such importance by the Court that it has been ordered heard in Bank, which means before the full bench of judges. C.W. Kitts, Esq., will represent Wilhelm and A. Burrows, Esq., Silvester.
A. Burrows had his law office somewhere on this block of Main Street. Holbrooke.com History
During this time, his wife E.J. and children are mentioned quite frequently in the Morning Union. School promotions, birth announcements, trips to Virginia City, and community functions are all documented. A. Burrows was also mentioned...
Morning Union, volume 50, Number 6952, 16 June 1893
FORESTERS' PICNIC. A Gala Day in the Woods at Chicago Park. WINNERS OF THE PRIZES. The Married Men Defeat the Unmarried in the Tug of War. Yesterday was a beautiful day. Contrary to rules heretofore set down it did not rain; the sun shone bright. Early yesterday morning saw an eager crowd waiting at the depot to take the train to Chicago Park to attend the picnic given by the Ancient Order of Foresters. At nine o'clock Harry Green's celebrated brass band awoke the city from its lethargic state and called the concourse together...Tug of War won by the following married men: James N. Richards, Joseph Constantine, Jas. F. Jenkin, Jas. Teddy, Alfred Jenkin, A. Burrows, James Stead......
Morning Union, Volume 52, Number 7146, 14 February 1894
FORESTERS' DAY A. Burrows, a prominent attorney of Grass Valley, will be orator of the day.
Morning Union, volume 52, Number 7315, 9 September 1894
NOTES A. Burrows created a riffle of laughter in his speech for the nomination of District Attorney. He said he defended twelve murderers and not one of them was hung. He tumbled to the weakness of his argument and partially recovered. When E.F. Englebright put the name of J.G. O'Neil in nomination he remarked that he was no Irishman either, which brought Martin Leahy to his feet in defense of his country who wanted to know what the speaker had to say against the Irish. The convention went into roars of laughter and it was some time before the chair was able to restore order.
I'm not sure what that was all about, but A. Burrows went on to become City Attorney for Grass Valley and held that position for a number of years. E.F. Englebright later became a politician who served in the United States House of Representatives. His son Harry was also a United States Representative and the Englebright Lake on the Yuba River is named after him.
Alexander Burrows also devoted his spare office moments to literary work. Numerous articles from his pen have appeared in the "Overland Monthly" and law magazines from time to time. Among these the best known are those entitled "Life in a Modern Gold Mining Camp, " "The Development of Gold Mining" and "The Other Side of the Divorce Question." The last named is a defense of our divorce laws against clerical criticism and is "simply unanswerable from any standpoint of logic or revelation." (From "Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California, 1891).
My Auntie Claire requested a copy of the article, which is now archived with the Burrows' Family History.
In the next post I will continue Alexander Burrows' story. It involves a divorce, a remarriage, more courtroom brawls, a death, and a suicide in San Francisco.
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