Burrows Family

Albert Burrows was born in Morgan County, Indiana in 1837. Not much is known about his early life. But in 1857, at the age of 20, he moved to Des Moines, Iowa. There, he would meet his wife, Martha James, and have four children: Calanthia, Lillian, Maud, and Albert S. (Selden).

Portrait of Albert Burrows (1837-1896). Ca. 1890. Credit: University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections


Married life was soon disrupted, as in 1861, tensions between the North and South would escalate into the Civil War, where Burrows served in the Union Army. Once the war ended, Burrows returned to his homestead in Iowa until his wife, Martha Burrows, died in 1876.


After her tragic passing, Albert Burrows decided to make the move westward where he would be entitled to 160 acres of land for homesteading as a Civil War veteran. In 1882, after a short stop in Sacramento, Burrows and his four children would arrive in Seattle, Washington, where he would get a job working at a sawmill.

1889 Patent for Land 024.0N - 005.0E Sections 6 and 31 (above)

Burrows served in the Washington House of Representatives for the 43rd district from 1895 to 1896. He lived 59 years, born February 20, 1837 in Morgan County, Indiana and died April 30, 1896 in Bellevue, Washington. He was elected in 1894. Burrows Landing is a 0.25-acre park south of Chism Beach Park. Burrows Landing, now a community dock, was named in his honor. 

Albert Burrows would serve in the Washington State Legislature before passing away from Bronchitis in 1896.

The Burrows cabin has had a long history and has been moved several times over the years. The cabin had remained in its original spot on SE 15th, close to Lake Washington, until the 1930s at which point the cabin was moved to Bellevue, near where Bellevue Square now stands.  

The cabin would not remain there for long. In 1946, an expanding city required the cabin to be moved yet again, this time to a private area off 112th Ave NE. At this point, the cabin was owned by Rody Burrows, the grandson of Albert Burrows. Rody made a few additions in 1956, doubling the size of the cabin.  

Burrows Cabin, built by Civil War veteran Albert Burrows Sr. in 1883, was transported August 2016 to Chism Beach Park.

Burrows Landing was situated about half way between Meydenbauer Bay and Beaux Arts area.

Albert Selden Burrows Jr., who was simply known as “Sel,” eventually became the Superintendent of Schools in King County

https://eastsideheritagecenter.org/blog/2024/11/7/the-burrows-cabin-the-legacy-of-bellevue-pioneer-albert-burrows