1833–1918

Introduction

portrait

Born: Au­gust 4, 1833, Mans­field, Con­nec­ti­cut.

Died: 1918, prob­ab­ly in Nor­wich­town, Con­nec­ti­cut.

Buried: New Storrs Ce­me­te­ry, Storrs, Con­nec­ti­cut.

Biography

John was the son of An­drew Bar­rows and Sar­ah Storrs, and hus­band of Cla­ris­sa Storrs Free­man.

He at­tend­ed Am­herst College, and stu­died di­vi­ni­ty at East Wind­sor Hill, Con­nec­ti­cut, and An­do­ver, Mas­sa­chu­setts.

After gra­du­ation, he worked in par­ish­es in New Hamp­shire and Mas­sa­chu­setts. After six years at the First Church of Exe­ter, New Hamp­shire, he went in­to the mis­sion field in Tür­ki­ye.

He re­turned to Am­eri­ca in 1880 to serve pas­tor­ates in At­kin­son, New Hamp­shire; New­ing­ton, Con­nec­ti­cut; and Road Church in Ston­ing­ton, Con­nec­ti­cut.

After re­tire­ment, he lived with his eld­est daugh­ter Al­ice and her fa­mi­ly in Nor­wich, Con­nec­ti­cut.

Works

Poem

In Heavenly Places

At sunset oft along the lower sky
The sombre clouds reflect no ray of light,
But dark appear, as if approaching night
Were heralded by them; yet such as high
Above them move, in wondrous beauty lie
Across the wide expanse; these fill our sight
With rapture as we gaze. The lofty height
Now seems a world to which we fain would fly;
For more than fairest day, it is the sun
Reflected in a glory that he hides
Until this hour. And thus the Christian shows
The beauty of life in him begun,
When in the hea­ven­ly places he abides,
And Christ, the light, in his dark bosom glows.

John Otis Barrows (1833–1918)

Sources

Lyrics

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