Obituary

S. J. Eales, Burrton resident for many years, passed away in Hutchinson, Kansas on April 29, 1934 after a few days of illness, aged 92 years, 5 months, 7 days. His wife preceded him in death December 30, 1929. He leaves five children: Mrs. W. C. Coston of the home in Hutchinsoon; Mrs. A. J. Isaacson, El Campton, Texas; Mrs. D. G. Hunewell, Stephenson, Texas; T. C. Eales, Wichita and H. L. Eales, Hutchinson. One child, Charles Burrton died in infancy.

He was born in a little town in New Liberty, Owen County, Kentucky on November 22, 1841, the fourth son of John and Elizabeth Eales. When he was five years of age, his parents and family removed to an adjoining county, Grant, and located in the timber and spice wood brush, five miles soouthwest of Williamsport and proceeded too build a home and farm. This proved to be a hard laborious undertaking, but when done, the soil proved to be fertile and prolific.

As the year went by the family increased until they numbered eleven, seven boys and four girls, eduction was a lost art in Kentucky times were hard.

In 1860 the rumblings of discord and discontent grew, he and his next older brother, H. T. Eales, aligned themselves with the South and decided to enter the Confederate Army and on the 5th of September, 1862, volunteered. His brother was killed on September 18th. He continued in the Army, being under fire in many battles, and finally on the 6th of June in 1865, arrived home on crutches from being severly wounded in the left leg. He was able to do farm work and he farmed for two years in Illinois, then back to Kentucky.

He was married January 7, 1873 to Miss Barbara H. Clark. On Thanksgiving Day, with their first baby, they bid goodbye to the old Kentucky Home, emigrating to Kansas for 7 years fighting grasshoppers, chinch bugs and drought; accident with team running away. He was hurt and had to quit farming. In Nov 1881 they went to Burrton, Kansas and went into the grain business. He sold this business out in 1907 and bought farm property and city property in Hutchinson where they made their home.