George Washington Burroughs Jr (1858 - 1928)

Born 12 Aug 1858 in Lafayette, Tippecanoe, Indiana, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Clara May (Covert) Burroughs — married 27 Oct 1881 in Lafayette, IN

Died 12 Jul 1928 at age 69 in Topeka, Shawnee, Kansas, United States

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Biography

George W., (George3, Rebecca2, John1) son of George W. and Delilah Rinard Burroughs was born at Lafayette, Ind., Aug. 12, 1858.

When asked for data from which to prepare a sketch of his life, he wrote: "Mine has been a very uneventful life, and while it has had its stirring events I have had no political or jail record with which to make history."

He was educated in the public schools of Lafayette. When nineteen years of age he took up newspaper work on the "Lafayette Sunday Times," and later with the "Lafayette Morning Journal." From Lafayette he went to Paducah, Ky., as managing editor of the "Morning Enterprise." While resident there he was married to Clara May Covert on Oct. 27, 1881, in Lafayette.

Miss Clara May Covert was born Feb. 22, 1863, two miles south of Lafayette. She was the daughter of William M. and Sarah Hutchinson Covert, who were married in Avon, N. Y. Her father was born in Ohio. He enlisted as a private in Co. I, 11th Indiana Cavalry, and died in 1864 while in the service of the U. S.

In 1882 Mr. Burroughs went from Paducah to Louisville, Ky., to become city editor of the "Daily World." Soon afterward he became telegraphic editor of that paper, and later he was city editor of the "Courier-Journal." In 1886-7 he did legislative and state politics work on the "Louisville Daily Commercial", having, on account of political affiliations, together with a dozen other writers on the "Courier-Journal", been asked to resign in order to make room for Democrats.

He left the "Louisville-Commercial" in order to establish the first Republican newspaper ever published in the fifth congressional district of Kentucky. This paper, "The Central City Republican," published in Mechlenberg Co., was a success from the beginning. After its establishment the Republicans effected an organization in the county for the first time, and the second year they won in both county and district.

In 1887 Mr. Burroughs moved to Kansas and purchased the "Hope Herald." In 1889 he was appointed postmaster and served until his removal to Abilene, Kansas, in 1892. At Abilene he established the "Daily Chronicle," which still exists.(1913) On account of a long period of sickness he was compelled to sell the "Daily Chronicle" in 1899. In 1900 he removed to Concordia, Kan., where he purchased the "Weekly Blade", which he converted into the "Daily Blade", of which he has since been the editor. The "Daily Blade" has absorbed the "Concordia Empire" and "Concordia Daylight", rival papers.

In 1910 he located in Topeka, Kan., and is now engaged in commercial printing business under the firm name of Burroughs and Jones. He is a member of numerous fraternal societies.

Sources

History and Genealogy of the John Shepherd Family compiled by R.N. Hodgman, Cleveland Ohio 1913. The Book is in the possession of Bonnie Nilsen who has constructed a website about it at John Shepherd Family book