Daniel Rowlands

One of Burrton's oldest residents, Dan Rowlands, succumbed at his home early Friday morning after an illness of 8 weeks. He was 85. He had been brought home 10 days before after receiving treatment in Grace hospital in Hutchinson for 5 weeks. He was born in Festiniog, Wales on Janury 15, 1869. In 1871, when he was 2 1/2 years old, his parents migrated to the United Statew and settled near Burrton among a number of other immigrants from Wales and England. They homesteaded the farm 1 1/2 east of Burrton which was to to be their home. They endured the grasshopper plague and other hardships of pioneer life. In 1911 Daniel united in marriage with Elizabeth Richards, who had recently come to this country from Wales with her mother, sister and two brothers. She passed away on August 8, 1934. He then married Edna Bales on Februry 12, 1935. Dan continued to live on the home farm after his parents' death in 1926. He kept busy with a number of worthwhile hobbies, gardening, photography and mechanical devices and inventions designed to make life easier. He bought the first car to be owned in this area and entertained his friends with the first gramophone. When Highway 50 was put through, he drilled a water well near the highway for the use of thirsty passervy. In 1942 Dan sold to farm to Mr. 7 Mrs. Dale Pettijohn and bought a home in Burrton. For several years, he carried the mail between the station and the postoffice. He is survived by his wife and three step grandchildren, Mrs. George Goe of Burrton; Mrs. Fred Burris of Marysville; and Paul Bales, Norborne, Missouri; brother, John R. Rowlands, Burrton; two sisters, Mrs. Mary Richards and Mrs. Sophia Thomas of Newton.