John Burrows wrote a second letter to his brother Alexander Burrows in April of 1885. He was living in St. Louis as of the 1880 US Census with his wife Maggie, their daughter Francis, his sister in law and his niece. By the time he wrote this letter he was doing well working for the Waters Pierce Oil Company, and was getting ready to pack his HHG (household goods) to make a move to Mobile, Alabama for a year. He and his wife had lost their son Thomas in 1882 and his wife was still in delicate health. He was hoping the climate change would do her some good. It also sounds like Alexander had written him back with updates on his growing family in Grass Valley.
Although John's handwriting is very legible, I have transcribed the letter as follows...
(Page 1)
Waters Pierce Oil Company
St. Louis 4/7/1885
Dear Brother
I have had yours of March 3rd for some days but being very busy could not answer it till now.
I am packing up my H.H. G. [household goods] getting ready for to take up my home in Ala[bama] probably Mobile. I expect to get away from hear [sic] early next week. I am going there on a good salary to take charge of a branch of one line of goods for the above firm with whom I have been for the last four years. Thus sending me so far away is a prettie [sic] good indication of my having given them satisfaction.
I was glad to learn you were doing so well.
I had a letter a few days since from Fanny Porteus in which she said she heard Robt White was paying Emmys passage to this country and that Father had given up everything at
(Page 2)
Drum to you. This is all the news I have had from them for some time.
Hope yourself and family are well.
My wife is in pretty good health now but not near as good as we'd wish, but are in hopes a change of climate may benefit her.
I have rented my home for one year as I intend to remain that long away at least.
When I get settled I will send you my new address.
Yours
J Burrows
The Robert White that John refers to is most likely Robert Alexander White, the son of Jane Burrows White (sister of Alexander and John Burrows). How and why he paid for Emmy's passage to America is a mystery. The 1901 Ireland Census lists himself working as a farmer, as well as his father Elliott Adam White. The 1911 Census lists Robert as a Land Lord. Was Jane somehow involved in moving finances around so that her sister could go to America?
Fanny Porteus was the daughter of Margaret Burrows Porteus (another sister of Alexander, John and Jane). She married John Graham in 1890. She and Robert were cousins close in age, so she may have known more details about Emmy's trip to America.
There was also some question as to who was going to be willed the property of Alexander Sr. in Drum. Was it going to Alexander? Was John fishing for information from Alexander to pass on to family in Sligo? We know from the letter written in 1878 that Alexander Sr. was writing to Alexander in America for legal advise, so there was communication between father and son there. It is interesting to note that after Alexander Sr. died in 1889 his will specified that his house and land in Drum was bequeathed to the younger son Tom while other family members received smaller shares from the sale of the farm in Largan.
There are more letters to be transcribed; three from sister Jane White, several from sister Emmy and one from sister Elizabeth in New York written to her niece Francis Burrows in America (John's daughter). There may be clues to be sure!
John died in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1914. By that time he owned his own oil company. His daughter Francis married Dr. James T. Riley in 1910 and they lived in El Reno, Oklahoma. Francis died in 1933 at the Mayo Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota where she was being treated for an illness. She was buried at Fairlawn Cemetery with her parents. Francis and James did not have any children.
John Elliott Burrows Obituary from 17 January 1914 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Mrs. James Riley was John's daughter Francis.
The Burrows Family Plot found in Fairlawn Cemetery Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Find A Grave
John Elliott Burrows Dec. 25 1847-Jan 16 1914
Margaret O'Leary Burrows March 31 1841-May 24 1925
Francis Burrows Riley Feb. 26 1880-Aug. 7 1933
Full view of headstone. There is an interesting symbol carved into the cross, which resembles a dollar sign. It is actually the letters I, H and S superimposed over each other. The letters represent the Greek letters Iota (I), Eta (H) and Sigma (S) which are the first three letters of Jesus in Greek. From Cemeteries and Cemetery Symbols https://cemeteries.wordpress.com/
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The following tree is our "working tree". It will change as we do more research, fit more pieces together and verify family members. This is the basic tree as of now.
Alexander Burrows of Carrowcrin (based on his will of 1834) father to....
*
Alexander Burrows of Drum (based on his will of 1889) m. Francis "Fanny" Elliot (based on the marriage registration of John Burrows and Margaret O'Leary) parents of.....
*
1. Margaret Burrows Porteus (married Robert Porteus) of Clara
*daughter Francis "Fanny" Burrows Graham
2. Jane Burrows (married Adam Elliott White) of Sligo
*son Robert Alexander White born at Whitehall, County Leitrim
3. Adam Burrows (lived at the asylum in Sligo)
4. Alexander Burrows (married Elizabeth Jane Hurd in America) my G G Grandparents
5. John Elliott Burrows (came to America) m. Margaret O'Leary in St. Louis. Children Francis Burrows Riley and Thomas A. Burrows.
6. Thomas Burrows (bequeathed house and land in Drum and was to look after Adam per will of 1889)
7. Ismena "Emmy" Burrows (spent time in America but went back home to Ireland)
8. Elizabeth Burrows (came to America and married Hermann Bucher) in New York, was called Emma (based on letters written by Hermann Bucher)
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