John Lansing Burrows

Notes:

A HISTORY OF THE DAVIESS-McLEAN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION IN KENTUCKY, 1844-1943
by Wendell H. Rone. Probably published in 1944 by Messenger Job Printing Co., Inc., Owensboro, Kentucky. Used by permission. p. 252-256.
Daviess County

JOHN LANSING BURROWS, D.D.: This noble man of God was born in the city of Albany, New York, on the 14th of February, 1814. He was the son of Samuel and Elizabeth Burrows. His father was a sailor and in consequence his duties called him away from home. He died of yellow fever in 1822 in the city of Mobile, Alabama. The widowed mother left with three children went to live with her father-in-law, Nathaniel Burrows. Here young John L. went to the schools at hand and still later to college. His first experience at college life was at Lafayette, in Easton, Pennsylvania. Then at Union College, Schenectady, New York, and finally at the Andover Theological Seminary, Andover, Massachusetts. It was during his college days that he became concerned in religious matters under the preaching of that wonderful pulpit orator, Bartholomew Welch, who was the pastor of the Pearl Street Church in Albany. The religious background of young Burrows was not Baptist. The whole family had united m[sic][in] the communion known as the Dutch Reformed. While not opposed by his family, it is at this period that we find him starting for himself. The date of his conversion and baptism are not known; but as the two events were contiguous in time, so the determination to preach was entered upon and encouraged by Dr. Welch.

In 1835, Mr. Burrows became of age and also an ordained Minister of the Gospel. The Church at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., was charmed with the youth and called him as their pastor, and so he was ordained over them. But this relation was not lasting. .[sic] Some difficulties arose which he could not cope with. He resigned and became assistant to the aged Dr. McClay of the Mulberry Street Baptist Church in New York City. The Church raised a purse in 1836 for the purpose of sending him as an agent for the China Mission to the State of Kentucky. He came, with his wife, to Shelbyville, Ky., where he taught school for one year with the venerable J. E. Farnham. He went from there to Elizabethtown, Ky., where he taught, preached, and also worked as editor with John L. Waller. A daughter was born to the young couple while at Elizabethtown.

In 1839, his wanderings took him to Owensboro, Ky. While here a great revival broke out and hundreds were brought to a knowledge of the truth. As this incident is of particular interest to the history of this Association and related Churches we wish to dwell on his experience here. From records we learn that in May, 1839, Elder Burrows began a series of meetings in the Court House at Owensboro. Elder Ben Crouch, a Methodist, was holding a quarterly meeting. Burrows proposed a union meeting, which Crouch refused and went on with the meeting until Wednesday night and closed. Elder Burrows then went into a union meeting with the Methodist Circuit-rider and Sam Calhoun, a local preacher of the Cumberland Presbyterians. The people came only to hear Burrows, so after a few days he did all the preaching.

The meeting lasted about six weeks and over 200 people were converted. About half of this number joined the Baptist Church here. Elder Burrows went from Owensboro to Pleasant Grove Church, where another revival ensued which resulted in over 100 conversions and additions to the Church. We next find him at Henderson, Ky., where another revival resulted in the organization of a Baptist Church of about 100 members.

Brother Burrows was immediately called to pastor the Churches at Henderson and Owensboro preaching two Sundays at Owensboro and one at Henderson. This task he accepted and performed for some time. Hundreds united with other Churches as a result of the revivals and his fame spread far and wide over the Green River Country and the Ohio Valley. But his stay here was to be short. In September, 1840, he returned east to attend the Triennial [sic] [Tricentennial?] Convention of the Baptist Denomination at Philadelphia. His fervid oratory, his excellent spirit, his grace of manner, so impressed the people of the Sansom Street Church in Philadelphia, that they insisted that he should not return to his old Kentucky home but abide with them. He accepted the call to the regret of the Churches at Owensboro and Henderson. In 1844, he founded the Broad Street Church in Philadelphia and was its successful pastor for ten years. In 1854 ~ [sic] he accepted the care of the First Church in Richmond, Virginia, a relation which was sustained for twenty years with much delight and success. He returned to Kentucky after an absence of almost thirty-five years, in 1874, and became pastor of the historic Broadway Church in Louisville. He remained here until 1882, when he accepted the call of the Free Mason Street Church in Norfolk, Virginia. This pastorate lasted for ten years, until 1892. Owing to ill health and advanced age he was forced to resign. The First Church at Richmond kindly took care of him during the remainder of his earthly life. He died in the city of Richmond, Va. on January 2, 1893, at the age of 79.

In the year 1887, he attended the Jubilee Meeting of the General Association of Kentucky Baptists at Louisville, Ky., and told of his experiences 50 years before when the Association was organized. He was a messenger from the Severn's Valley Church at Elizabethtown, Ky., to the Association at its organization in 1837.

Besides the one daughter already mentioned, two sons were also born to Brother and Mrs. Burrows. Mrs. Burrows died in 1874 and Brother Burrows was left in a sad and dreary state but with a phlegmatic determination to try again he entered with energy into his work and his latter days were crowned with as much success or more than his first. He had no connection with this Association as it v. as [sic][was] formed about four years after he returned east; but his labors in and adjacent to the cities of Henderson and Owensboro will last in the monumental labor and life of the First Baptists Churches of these respective cities. Cathcart considered John Lansing Burrows, D.D., one of the greatest pulpit orators and most useful men the Baptist Denomination has ever had.

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/daviess/burrows.jl.txt

John married Adelaide Van Benthuysen on 5 May 1835. Adelaide (daughter of Benjamin Van Benthuysen and Susan Evertson) was born on 14 Sep 1806; died on 22 Aug 1874. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Mary Adelaide Burrows was born on 4 Jan 1838 in Elizabethtown, Hardin, Kentucky, USA; died on 28 Mar 1887 in Independence, Washington, Texas, USA.
2. Howard Lansing Burrows was born on 10 Apr 1843 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA; died in 1919.
3. Mason Mitchell Burrows was born in 1840; died in Jan 1862; was buried in Hollywood Cem., Richmond, VA.

Samuel married Elizabeth Lansing on 31 May 1808. Elizabeth (daughter of John Abraham Lansing and Elizabeth Fryer) was born on 5 Sep 1788 in Albany, Albany County, New York, USA; died on 12 May 1860 in Albany, Albany County, New York, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Albany Reformed Church, Albany, NY

Nathaniel married Anne Torbert on 21 Sep 1780 in Newtown, Bucks County, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Elizabeth Fryer on 10 Feb 1776 in Albany, Albany County, New York, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Abraham married Elizabeth Cooper on 20 May 1744. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]