Walter E Burrell

BURRELL

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 6/1/2010 at 19:05:29

For many years, Walter E Burrell was actively identified with the agricultural interests of Boone county, but is now living retired in Woodward. He was born in Sandusky county, Ohio, May 11, 1837, and is a son of Alexander ad Cynthia (Baker) Burrell. The father was born in Scotland in 17789 and often remarked that he was three years younger than the United States. In early life he came to the Untied States, while the mother’s birth occurred in New York in 1904. I 1842, when the subject of this review was but a small child, the family removed to Michigan, making the trip overland with a ox team, but after spending one year in that state they went to Illinois and 1857 came to Boone county, Iowa, locating upon a farm in Yell township. In this county the parents spent their last days, the father dying in Peoples township in 1872 and the mother in Cass township in 1886. They had ten children of whom two sons are still living, namely: Walter E of this sketch, and Robert a resident of Perry, Iowa. Those deceased are Alexander, Cynthia, Mrs Betsy Pardee, Mrs Elizabeth Olmsted, Mrs Susan Miller, and Mrs Margaret Chapman, William and Adam. The seven older children were born in New York ad the others in Ohio.
Walter E Burrell was twenty years of age when he became a resident of Boone county, and after living for some time in Yell township the family removed to Peoples township in 1862. He early became familiar with agricultural pursuits and for some time worked for neighboring farmers along the Des Moines river. After his marriage he followed faming in Cass township until 1903, when he and his wife removed to Woodward and in 1914 he purchased the modern residence which they now occupy and in which they expect to spend their declining years, surrounded by every comfort as well as many of the luxuries of life. Besides his well furnished home here he still owns a valuable farm of 400 acres on section s29, 30, 31, ad 32, Cass township, improved with good buildings. He is wife owns an 80 acre tract of excellent land on section 13, which is also improved and under excellent cultivation. Thoroughly understanding the occupation to which he devoted the active years of his life, Mr Burrell met with most excellent success and is now able to enjoy a comfortable competence. A portion of his land has recently been secured by the state of Iowa which expect in the near future to erect thereon a home for epileptics.
It was on August 14, 1867, in Boone county, that Mr Burrell was united in marriage to Miss Eliza J Rowley who was born in Wisconsin, September 9, 1847, and came to Boone county with her parents in 1867, the family locating upon a farm in Peoples township. Her father, L Nathan Rowley was born in Steuben county, New York, March 26, 1816 and died in Woodard, Iowa April 26, 1902. He was married October 20, 1842, to Miss Sarah Siter who was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, December 2, 1820, and died in Woodward December 20, 1898. They were among the pioneers of Wisconsin, having removed to that state in 1845. Their children were as follows: Mrs Mary Bates who was bon December 12, 1843, and now resides in Troutdale, Oregon, George W who was born June 1, 1845 and also makes his home in Oregon, Eliza J now Mrs Burrell, Charles who died at the age of six weeks, Annie who died at the age of two years. Mrs Sarah Ellen Caylor who was born in 1852 and lives in Woodward, Iowa, Ward who was born in 1854 and resides in Anglin, Washington, Mrs Ann M Watts who was born in 1856 and makes her home in Beatrice, Nebraska, Eugene K who was born in 1858 and died in Alaska, and Warren W who was bonr in 1860 and died April 1884. The two eldest children were born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, and the others in Wisconsin.
Mr and Mrs Burrell have become the parents of ten children, all born in Boone county, Marion W who was born June 8, 1868, and lies in Peoples township, Eva Leona, who was born June 1, 1870, and died December 4, 1875, Mrs Ellen Pierce who was born June 6, 1872, and makes her home in Thompson, Iowa, Delavan Victor who was born November 10, 1874, and lives at Rocky Ford, Colorado, Sarah and Cynthia twins who were born in 1877 and died in infancy. Carrie and Clara twins who were born May 6, 1880 the former dying at that age of two months while the latter is now Mrs Noland and resides in Cass township, Gladden Alvin who was born July 15, 1884, and lives in Cass township, and Mrs Thora Eliza Small who was born October 22, 1888, and makes her home in Cass township. The children were all given good educational advantages and after attend ding the common schools f the community Marion was a student at Drake University at Des Moines while Delavan and Mrs Noland attended Highland Park College of the same city and Gladden attended Highland Park College and Simpson College at Indianola
The republican party finds in Mr Burrell a stanch supporter of its principles, and for a number of years he served as trustee of Cass township. He and his family hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church and are held in the highest regard by all who know him.

1914 Boone County History Book