Burrell, H. A.

BURRELL, BRIGHAM, EVERSON, JACKSON

Posted By: mjv (email)
Date: 8/8/2020 at 09:01:06

H. A. Burrell, editor and proprietor of the Washington Press, was born in Sheffield, Lorain Co., Ohio, and is the son of Robbins and Eliza (Brigham) Burrell, both natives of Berkshire County, Mass., in which State they were married. Robbins Burrell came with his father, Jabez Burrell, to Ohio 1816. Several of his brothers came at the same time. They were noted men from the fact of their being giants in size. Only one of them attained prominence, he being Judge of the County Court for several years. There were several children of the Brigham family; one of Eliza’s brothers, Amariah, was for many years Superintendent of the State Lunatic Asylum at Utica, N. Y., dying while in charge of it. He was authority on insanity and its causes, and was the author of a work on that subject. A private asylum for the treatment of insanity, at Canandaigua, N. Y., was named Brigham Hall, in his honor, and Dr. Dwight R. Burrell, youngest brother of our subject, is its present Superintendent. His course of study was most thorough, being graduated in classics at Oberlin in 1864, then graduated in medicine at Ann Arbor, Mich., two years later. He then went to Blackwell’s Island, N. Y., and was Assistant Superintendent for a number of years, and from there took charge of the asylum previously mentioned. He is a bachelor, although not a confirmed one. Rev. John C. Brigham, another brother of Mrs. Burrell, was for several years a Congregational minister at Brooklyn, N. Y., and after his health failed, resigned the pastorate and was elected Secretary of the American Bible Society, attending to that until his death occurred.

Robbins and Eliza (Brigham) Burrell remained in Lorain County from their first coming until their death. They were the parents of Ann, deceased, a graduate of Oberlin College; Solon, deceased, accidently killed in Milwaukee, after roaming almost over the entire world, whaling in the South Pacific and passing through hundreds of hairbreadth escapes unharmed; Lewis B., of Portland, Ore., clerk for Knapp, Burrell & Co., the largest dealers in agricultural implements on the Pacific Coast; Edward P. remains on the old homestead in Ohio, married to Rose Clifton, who has borne one son, Harry; Howard A., our subject, also a graduate of Oberlin College, a resident of Washington, Iowa, and proprietor of the Washington Press. He wedded, in 1863, Miss Harriet Everson, who bore three children – Norman E., Helen B. and Anne M.

The death of the wife and mother occurred June 5, 1856, and Mr. Burrell married Martha J. Jackson, Dec. 19, 1877. Her father John Jackson, was a former resident of Lima, Ohio, and was one of the first settlers in this county. He was its first Surveyor. Mrs. Burrell was about six years of age when her parents located in Washington, and although her husband is not one of the first settlers, he has the honor of being the husband of one.

In April, 1886, Mr. Burrell came to Washington and purchased the Washington County Press,
and has since conducted it. For several years prior to his coming here, he was connected with the Cleveland (Ohio) Daily Leader, of which he was the city editor. This gave him an experience as a ready and logical writer which is appreciated by the citizens of this county, and the Press and its editor are known not only throughout the county, but the State as well. The Press may be considered the official organ of the Republican party in Washington County. It was established in 1856, since which time its political sentiments have remained unchanged.

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington County, Iowa (1887). Excerpt from Biographical Sketch of H. A. Burrell, pages 532-533.