John Burwell, retired farmer; P. O. Oakland; born in Morris Co., N. J., Feb. 1, 1813, where he engaged in the manufacture of wrought iron until 19 years of age, when he emigrated West and engaged at his trade in the States of Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio, until 1840, when he abandoned his trade and located upon his farm in Delaware Co., Ohio, where he lived until 1851, when, selling his farm, he emigrated West and located in Embarrass Tp., Edgar Co., Ill., purchasing a farm of 480 acres, which he worked until the spring of 1856, when he removed to Oakland, where he has since continued to live, with the exception of two years which he spent upon his farm; he owns 310 acres of prairie and timber land in Coles Co., Ill., and 320 acres in Henry Co., near Newton, Kan. He married Sept. 19, 1833, to Missouri Thorp; she was born in Franklin Co., Ohio; she died in 1853, leaving five children – Amos, Mary, Moses, John, Alice. His marriage with Lucy Ann Terhune was celebrated Sept. 19, 1853; she was born in Johnson Co., Ind.; she died in 1856, leaving one child, since deceased. He married April 18, 1857, for his third wife, Nannie McCrum; she was born in Huntingdon Co., Penn., Oct. 3, 1820; one child was the fruit of this union-Frank P., born Dec. 31, 1859. Mr. Burwell followed milling in Oakland from 1856 until 1875, when he rented his flour and feed mill and retired from active labor.
