Fall, 2010
Tyler Burdick
by Stephanie Burdick (gpxchick@hotmail.com)
(I would like to introduce you to Tyler Burdick. Some of our family members achieve great things in their lives but few reach that plateau from birth. You see, Tyler, born in early 2009, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on June 22, 2009. Tyler's mother, Stephanie, is so kind to provide us nearly daily updates on his condition and to shed more awareness on this terrible disease. Tyler's father, Dan, and his older brother, Dawson, form the rest of this remarkable family. If you have a chance, please visit CaringBridge.org (http://www.caringbridge.org). Type "tylerburdick" in the "Visit a Website" section. You'll need to register (select "Log In" and then "Sign up Today"), but it is free and will allow you to keep up with this little boy's heroic struggle. The family loves to hear from people so please leave them a message -- I do frequently. The following are Stephanie's posts from July 22 and September 20. I am happy to report that while Tyler has good days and bad days he continues making progress. -- HB) Posted July 22, 2010:
Another month has passed, making this 13 months since diagnosis with only 11 months left of treatment. Over halfway there now! YAY!
I've been doing a lot of looking back on things lately. Hospital pictures, old emails and I even read the beginning of his Caringbridge. That became overwhelming though, so I decided to revisit it another time. Not that I had much choice when the screen was getting all blurry, so I only got through July. While looking back, I started a timeline of events in the "My Story" section. There's a lot of info in there, so if you ever wonder what counts mean or want to look at the timeline, it's all there. I hope to eventually finish the timeline, but that's as far as I was able to get.
Looking back reminded me of some bad, emotional, horrible times that I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy! It also brought back memories of all the awesome people I have in my life. I saved every supportive email I've gotten and I'm glad I did because it's hard to remember all those details when the main focus was Tyler. Everyone's support made it possible to focus more on Tyler and took away some of our stress. The people who took Dawson into their home and cared for him when we couldn't have him with us at the hospital, I don't know what we would've done without you guys! The visitors that came and put a bright spot in my day, it's amazing how even a short visit can make a person's day in the hospital. It gets SO boring and depressing in there, no matter how much they try to brighten the place up, living at the hospital for half a year is just plain depressing!
It was so nice that people brought food, snacks and other things when I needed them. All the cards, packages and donations have helped us out so much. It's so exciting to get mail in the hospital and those donations really saved our bank account! We for sure would've been in a very tough spot if it wasn't for you guys. The messages everyone left where a lot of what kept me going each day. It was the first thing I did each day when I went online, is look for those encouraging Caringbridge and Facebook messages and emails. I've met a lot of people along this road that I never would've met if Tyler hadn't gotten cancer and I can't thank you guys enough for all your support, for sharing your knowledge and wisdom along the way and for letting me vent to someone who's been there and understands. I always felt bad that I wasn't always able to thank each person individually, but I've always been thankful beyond words for everyone and all you've done for us. I'm very lucky to know so many good people.
I got some good news the other day and forgot to mention it! I was torn between going monthly to the Oncologist for check-ups, or to the Pediatrician in town here and the Oncologist every few months or something. Well it looks like I'll be getting the best of both! An Oncologist, Dr. Perkins, sees patients right here in St. Cloud once a month for follow-up appointments! Tyler's main nurse told me about this and said it should be fine for her to see Tyler but we should still come to Children's every few months for his regular Oncologist to see him. I really like Dr. Perkins as well, so this will be very nice and convenient for us.
If anyone wants to see more pictures of Tyler or keep up with him and his brother's home life, feel free to visit our blog (http://burdickfamilyblog.blogspot.com/). I always post lots of pictures there. Caringbridge limits pictures, so I don't post many there.
Posted September 20, 2010:
I can't remember if I updated on Tyler's walking or not, but I'm happy to say that since being off chemo for over a week, his legs are very strong again! Today he was playing in the school's Gross Motor room and was walking up and down the incline they have set up. They were all impressed that he wasn't falling. He no longer puts an arm out for the wall or walks slowly. Today he was almost running! Big grin on his face, arms out, excitedly running towards me. One of the best sights ever!
The last 2 nights he's felt warm to the touch. Last night it was just his head, not his body and his temp was 98. Tonight his body felt warm as well and his temp was 99.9. Will be keeping a very close watch on that, fevers are dangerous with these kids, especially with counts so low. If he gets to 101.5, it's a mandatory ER visit. At this point, I'm not sure if I'd wait the extra .5! I guess we'll see how he looks. During the day he's been very happy and active, so it's hard to tell what's going on. So often I wish I could just ask him things!!
Here's a post from another Caringbridge site, I thought it was a good list she put together about what you can do for the cancer kids and families. I'm also adding a little to it. I was actually looking into donating blood when I found out about the pregnancy (I forgot to mention, Dan and Stephanie are expecting their third child -- HB), so I guess that one is out for a while for me!
In honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, I wanted to share with you some ideas on how to commemorate and honor the young lives touched by cancer. A lot of times, people tell me that they wish they knew how to help...there are SO many ways to help! I've pulled some ideas from other cancer moms and here is a list of just a few:
1) Donate blood, again and again please. I donated for the first time since college recently. It was easy, it felt great and I now know the difference in can make to the daily life of a cancer patient.
2) Get on the bone marrow registry. I know of a relapsed ALL girl who recently received a bone marrow transplant from a registered donor. The technology has improved so much that the transplant cells were taken right from the donors blood instead of the bone. http://www.marrow.org/
3) Consider donating umbilical cord blood to a national bank for transplant recipients. A mother has three choices: private bank, public bank or throw it out. Please ask your OBGYN for more information on how your new life, can save lives. http://www.marrow.org/
4) Get a flu shot to protect yourselves and the families of immune compromised patients. The H1N1 and general flu vaccine are combined this year. Please keep your families healthy.
5) Relax, stay home and keep your kids home when they are sick and when you send them back to school, send them with a pocket sized hand sanitizer to help minimize the spreading of germs and remind them to cough into their arms. Immune suppressed kids take oral antibiotics every week to protect their lungs from certain strains of pneumonia which if contracted could send them to the hospital if counts crash. A fever of 101.5 or higher for a cancer kid means an immediate trip to the ER, a port accessing poke, many labs/cultures are run to rule out a potentially deadly blood infection and preventative IV antibiotics are administered . Please cover coughs and be in good communication with the cancer mom. We really do appreciate it as our life is a balancing act of letting our kids have a childhood and keeping them out of the hospital. We will always be thankful to have the opportunity to avoid a communicable disease.
6) Take a special interest in the brother or sister of a cancer patient- cancer is hard on the whole family.
7) Volunteer at your local Ronald McDonald House, Children's Hospital or another charity near you. You can help hand out water to runners at a charity run if you are not able to run yourself. The Ronald McDonald house has a list of items they need, ask them for the list and donate something. Families really depend on them and they really don't get paid a lot. Laundry and kitchen soap, towels, toilet paper. All that little stuff and some larger items too all depend on donations, otherwise it comes out of RMH's pocket. Or you could just donate to the RMH fund at any McDonalds restaurant.
8) Let the cancer family know about something you have done in honor of their child. It's healing to know that their child's struggle has influenced someone to give back to the greater community.
Also, thank you everyone who signs Tyler's guestbook! I still check for messages everyday and it always means a lot to see them. :)
Burdicks in Cortland County
Submitted by Jane Kellogg (jek20new@localnet.com)
(Jane has been a friend of the Burdick Newsletter for a long time. She has provided this wonderful history of Scott, NY where some of her Burdick ancestors lived. Maryette and Benjamin Stillman Burdick [I1160], and probably among others, are buried in the SDB Cemetery in Scott. I find these vignettes of our ancestors fascinating as it causes us to see them as people, not just names and numbers in a book or database. -- HB)
From "Book of Biographies - Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Cortland County, NY", Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, NY, 1898, Pages 407-409
Hamilton I. Whiting [I131153], who is living in practical retirement on his farm, near the village of Scott, was born February 13, 1839, in the town of Scott, Cortland County, N. Y. He is a son of Anson Lord and Nancy (Burdick) Whiting, and a grandson of Thomas Whiting.
The Whiting family is of English descent, our subject's great-grandfather, Theophilus Whiting, having been born in England. He came to this country during the early colonial period and settled in Connecticut, where his son Thomas was born. Thomas Whiting remained in his native state until 1811, when he with his wife and eight children moved to Spafford, Onondaga County, N. Y. There he spent most of his life, but was living at Onondaga Hill, near Syracuse, when his earthly career ended. He was one of the pioneer settlers of Spafford, which was then called Babcock Settlement, and followed the occupation of a farmer.
Anson Lord Whiting was a native of Connecticut and was four years of age when he came with his father to Spafford, in 1811. There he grew to manhood and followed farming; in 1833 he moved to the town of Scott, where he operated a mercantile store for the following sixteen years. He also manufactured flax for many years. He was an extensive land-owner and shortly before his death gave each of his five children a good farm. He was a shrewd and energetic business man and accumulated considerable money, besides owning no small amount of real estate.
He was united in marriage to Nancy Burdick [I1153], a daughter of Henry [I422] and Jemima (Crandall) Burdick. The Burdick family is of Scotch descent, and, upon coming to this country, settled in Hopkinton, R. I., where Henry, our subject's maternal grandfather, was born. There he remained until the year 1800, when he came to Scott and purchased a farm. After a stay of two years, he went back to his native state and upon returning to Scott, he was accompanied by his father and mother, and his four brothers, Joseph [I424], Paul [I427], Jesse [I429] and Russell [I428]. They all settled within a radius of five miles of Scott, and his brothers, with the exception of Paul, lived to be prosperous and successful farmers. Paul was of a mechanical turn of mind and was an inventor; his son Orin [I1168] became well known all over the country by his connection with the Osborne reaper.
Henry Burdick was a pioneer settler of Scott and one of its leading citizens. Besides clearing his own farm of 100 acres, he cleared farms for others. He was an active and industrious man and possessed the confidence of all who knew him. He acted as justice of the peace for many years and served on the board of supervisors. He married Jemima Crandall, by whom he had the following children: Elmira, deceased, was the wife of Daniel Babcock of Scott; Sallie, deceased, married Abel Lewis of Scott; Nancy, married Anson Lord Whiting, our subject's father; Betsy, deceased; Henry Lee; Jared C. was a prominent publisher of New York City, where he was at the head of the Ladies' Wreath and Parlor Annual; Russell M. was a prominent business man of Hartford, Conn., and was interested in the cultivation of oranges in Florida; William M.; and Asher B., who was the publisher of "Helpers Impending Crisis." Henry Burdick had reached the advanced old age of eighty-nine years, when he died in 1869.
Mr. and Mrs. Whiting's union was blessed by the birth of five children, namely: Lucelia O., deceased, who was the wife of Hon. S. A. Childs, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this book; Henry Lee, after attaining his majority, went to Hartford, Conn., where he was in the mercantile business for twenty-five years, then returning to Scott in 1892, where he died in the same year; Hamilton I., our subject; Lorinda F., the wife of James B. Spencer, whose personal history appears elsewhere in this book; and Adelle O., who married Leland Griffin, a resident of Scott. At one time our subject's father was a Whig, but later became a Republican. He was quite active in politics and held a number of public offices; for many years he was a member of the board of supervisors, and was also town clerk. Religiously, he was a member of the Seventh Day Baptist Church, and contributed largely to the support of that organization.
Hamilton I. Whiting received his primary education in the district school at Scott, after which he attended the De Ruyter Institute of Madison County, N. Y. At the age of eighteen he left school and engaged in the manufacture of flax in partnership with his father, under the firm name, A. L. Whiting & Son. Eight years later he began to manufacture green tow and continued in that business for some fifteen years; he was the first in this section to engage in that business, but he was quickly followed by others. In 1884, he opened a general merchandise store in Scott and conducted it alone until 1891, when his son, Merton A., became a member of the firm. One year later, Mr. Whiting retired from active business life, and his son has since conducted the store with the same good judgment, that characterized all of his father's business ventures. Mr. Whiting still oversees the farm of 148 acres, upon which he now lives, but does none of the hard work.
He was united in marriage to Josephine A. Truman, a daughter of Dr. William M. Truman of Alfred Center, Allegany County, N. Y., in 1858. Dr. Truman was born in Madison County, N. Y., and studied medicine in Scott. He graduated when he was nineteen years old and then went to Richburg, Allegany County, where he practiced for about seven years. He next went to Alfred Center, where he acquired a large practice, and remained the rest of his life. He married Hulda L. Babcock of Scott, and they reared a family of four children, namely: Josephine A.; Elosia A.; Adelbert W., M. D., lives in Rochester, N. Y.; and Mary, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Whiting have reared four children, whose names are as follows: William I., who is head clerk and manager of a grocery store at Skaneateles, N. Y., Lena M., the wife of John B. Brown, a farmer of Scott; Merton A.; and Mary E. In politics, Mr. Whiting is a stanch Republican and takes an active interest in state as well as local politics. He is serving in an official capacity as county committeeman, and was supervisor one term. He is also a director of the Homer National Bank. He is a well informed man, sociable, genial, and has a large number of friends.
History of Ephratah, NY
submitted by Tim Hall (timhall1@gmail.com)
(You may remember that Tim brought to light the life of Edward "Edwin" Burdick (I10120002) in the Spring, 2010 Newsletter. Tim continues to make his excellent research available to us which includes a history he found of Ephratah, NY. Edward "Edwin"'s father, also named Edward (I310170), lived in Ephratah and was a prominent citizen of the town. -- HB)
From: History Of Fulton County
Revised and Edited by: Washington Frothingham
Published by D. Mason & Co. Publishers, Syracuse, NY 1892
Ephratah was formed from Palatine, March 27, 1827, but a part of the town was reannexed to Palatine on the erection of Fulton county, April i8, 1838. The first land grant within its present bounds was the Stone Arabia patent, consisting in all of 12,700 acres, which was granted October 19, 1723, and included nearly all the land south of Garoga and Sponable creeks. It is claimed that the town was named by Anthony Beck, who selected the Bible name of Ephratah, which signifies abundance-bearing fruit. Beck claimed the power of seeing into the future and of describing coming events, and there were many persons of such superstition as to give credence to his prophecies. He made the assertion that he was able to penetrate coming events, however remote, and many years prior to the invention of locomotives or the application of steam power, he claimed to have seen it, and he took delight in describing moving things, similar to modern railway trains, called by him "smoking wagons" which rushed through the country, passing through what is now the village of Ephratah, for which he prophesied a great advance. He also claimed to have seen, at midday, from " Spook Hill," (a high piece of ground about a mile east of the village) a large and wealthy city, full of business and active life, the scene of this vision being the site of the present village of Ephratah.
Early Settlemen - The southern part of the town was among the earliest settled portions of Fulton county. As early as 1720 Frederick Getman, Johannes Bearman, Frederick Empie, John Shoemaker, Johannes Schell and Honnas Reed, all from Germany, came and located in the southern part of what is now the town of Ephratah. They were followed prior to the revolution by others, among whom were Jacob Frey, Gerrit Marcellus, Michael Strayer, Christian Blopper, Nicholas Rector, Lodowick Herring, John Herdick, Phillip Kreitzer, William Cool, Henry Hart, Zechariah Tripp, John Casselman, Peter Schutt, Nicholas and Henry Smith, John Sponable, Richard Young, Richard Coppernoll and William Duesier.
Town Officers - The legislative act passed March 27, 1827, that created the town of Ephratah also provided that the officers elected shortly prior to the division should continue to serve in the same capacity for the territory to which they belonged. Accordingly at the time of its formation Ephratah had the following officers: Supervisor, Thomas R Benedict; Town Clerk, Edward Burdick; Justices of the Peace, Chauncey Hutchinson, Joseph Getman, Peter Smith and Edward Burdick. A special town meeting was held at the house of Philip Empie, on the last Tuesday in April, 1827, and resulted in the organization of a complete board of town officers, as follows: Assessors, Joseph Getman, Henry Souls and David C. Everest; Overseers of the Poor, John Empie, Sr. and Caleb Johnson; Collector, George Beck; Commissioners of Schools, Peter W. Saltsman, and John McLaughlin; Commissioners of Highways, James Caldwell and Chauncey Orton; Inspector of Schools, Samuel R. Dudley; Poundmasters and Fence Viewers, Michael Dorn, Jr., Joseph Dennis and Phillip Young.
The first regular town meeting did not take place until the first Tuesday in March, 1828. It was held at the house of Philip Empie, and the following officers elected: Supervisor, Thomas R. Benedict; Town Clerk, Charles Getman; Sssessors, Henry Souls, Daniel S. Gray and David C. Everest; Overseers of Poor, John F. Empie, Sr. and John Shaver; Collector, Joseph Scouten; Commissioners of Highways, Peter W. Saltsman, Edward Burdick and James Hall; Commissioners of Schools, James C. Ott, Philip Kring and Samuel R. Dudley; Inspectors of Schools, Henry Edwards, Caleb Johnson and Solomon Cummings.
The Murder of Thomas E. Burdick
submitted by Tim Hall (timhall1@gmail.com)
(Tim also uncovered the sad fate of Thomas E. Burdick (I10120003) who was Edward "Edwin"'s brother. Unlike "Edwin", Thomas was an upstanding member of Johnsville, NY, the comminity in which he lived. -- HB)
New York Times, 11 Jul 1870, p. 5
The St. Johnsville Fourth of July Murder - The Culmination of a Life Revenge.
From the Utica Observer, July 9.
Thomas E. Burdick, who was killed at St. Johnsville on the 4th of July, owned a small farm in Ephrata, Fulton County, and was, besides, an old school-teacher, and had practiced more or less at the Bar. He read the Declaration of Independence at the celebration in St. Johnsville on the day of his murder.
The Eacker family is in Montgomery County, both widely extended and highly respectable, but like other families, it has its "black sheep." Charles Eacker, the murderer, has lived in various parts of the county, and has always been troubling himself, and others. He married the daughter of James Quackenbush, of Fonda, and his rights as an heir of the latter should be worth several thousand dollars. He has had a good opportunity of making money, since his business (farming) is accounted as profitable as any other.
But Charles Eacker was controlled by a sullen and revengeful spirit, which was aggravated by intemperance. He was continually at law, and a member of the county Bar stated to a correspondent of the Troy Times that he had paid enough costs in the Montgomery County Courthouse to buy the building. Law kept him poor, and at last he sunk into the condition of a farm laborer, and was generally regarded as a bad member of society. He carried "grudges," as they are called, with sleepless tenacity, and revenge seemed to be a ruling passion.
He murdered Burdick in order to satisfy an old "grudge" springing out of the trifling matter of a five-dollar bet. Burdick and wife were honored guests at an Independence ball at Briggs' tavern on the night of the murder. Two sets of cotillions had brought the entertainment to midnight, and some of the dancers had come down to get fresh air, and were passing through the lobby attached to the bar. In this apartment a number of guests, male and female, were conversing on the events of the day, when, suddenly, one of the group was seen to draw a pistol from his pocket, take aim, fire and slip the pistol back to his pocket, as though to hide the act. It was the culmination of a life revenge. Burdick sank to the ground with a cry of agony, while the shrieks of his wife filled the room with dismay. Eacher was seized, making no resistance, while his victim was conveyed to his chamber.
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Excerpts of other newspaper articles about the incident:
Historical Gallows Upon Which Sixteen Persons Have Been Executed: The gallows on which Clement Arthur Day was hanged in Utica has been the instrument of death for fifteen men and one woman. Among those who have been swnug [sic] into eternity from this gallows were Chas. Eacker who shot and killed Thomas E. Burdick, a school teacher, on July 4, 1870, in the Briggs House, St. Johnsville;...[the article continues to list others].
Unidentified newspaper, 13 Jul 1870, Vol. XXXII, No. 47 (1191): Fourth of July brought forth a crop of murders. At St. Johnsville, N.Y., Charles Eacker deliberately shot Thomas E. Burdick, a school teacher, through the breast, killing him instantly.
From "The Gloversville Intelligencer", Gloversville, N. Y., Thursday, October 27, 1870: Indicted For Murder. Eacker, for the killing of Thomas E. Burdick, last 4th of July, in St. Johnsville, was indicted last week, at Fonda, for murder in the first degree.
Utica Daily Observer 21 Dec 1870: A special Oyer and Terminer was held last week at Fonda, Judge Bockes, of Saratoga Springs, presiding. The trial of Charles Eacker, for the murder of Thomas E. Burdick, at St. Johnsville, last 4th of July, was adjourned to the regular Oyer in February next. The trial of Charles B. Conklin, the New York Central Express robber, was also adjourned to the same time.
Sound on Cellophane
submitted by Tim Hall (timhall1@gmail.com)
(Tim continues his history of this most interest Burdick line with Jay Fonda (I10120097). This inventive family member is Edward "Edwin"'s great-grandson and yet another example how our extended family has touched many areas of American history. -- HB)
Time Magazine - Monday, Dec. 20, 1943:
A new sound-recording machine which may upset the recording industry was in production last week in Manhattan. A compact affair not much bigger than a portable radio, it makes records on Cellophane tape. They are first class as to tone, and in durability, ease of production and cheapness they beat any records previously produced.
The machine is a record addict's dream. It can be plugged into a microphone, radio or telephone for recording; then a flip of a switch sets the machine to play the record back. Its Cellophane tape permits eight hours of recording or playing without changing. Its sapphire needle does not have to be changed, never scratches the record. The high-fidelity cellophane record, which costs only 50 cents per hour's recording to make, emits almost no surface noise, can be played thousands of times. The inventor plans to turn out a smaller home model of the machine for $50.
He is a longtime cinema sound man named Jay Fonda. He got his idea from the movie sound track. He thought that a sound record on film, using a needle instead of the strong light by which a movie track is translated into sound, might have many advantages over records made of wax disks or cylinders. But how to press a sound track on film with a needle, without cutting through the film? Fonda finally solved that problem with a "yieldable bed" of felt under the film, which would permit the needle to emboss a groove in the film without cutting through it.
Feet and Hours: For the film, Fonda uses Cellophane twice the thickness of cigarette wrappings. The recording tape, a little over an inch wide, is an endless loop 350 ft. long; once around is eight minutes and in eight hours of recording the needle cuts 60 parallel grooves in the tape. Cellophane records are less bulky and more permanent than recordings on magnetized wire (TIME, May 17); the wire is subject to magnetic interference. Cellophane recording also seems likely to be a good deal cheaper for some time to come than light-wave recording (as in movie sound tracks), even if that process were reduced to domestic scale.
Although the Fonda recorder obviously has a great variety of possibilities, wartime material shortages have so far limited its use to a few important jobs. Chief use: as a monitor in airport control towers.
In the home, the recorder's anticipated uses range from catching the baby's early cooing to reproducing broadcast music. Cellophane records, unlike disks, cannot be produced in quantity by molding from a master record, but Fonda expects no great difficulty in finding ways to achieve mass production. Neither do the young manufacturers behind the making of the Fonda recorder, Jefferson-Travis Radio Manufacturing Corp.
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"One Thing and Another on Radio Row" by Jack Gould, September 27, 1942:
What may revolutionize radio's coverage of the war is a new program entitled "Freedom's Firing Line," which, when fully developed, is expected to bring to American homes an eyewitness, first-hand account of our armed forces in action on the world's battlefronts. The project is the idea of Ernest Chappell, former production manager of the Columbia Broadcasting System and free-lance announcer. He has been assisted in its execution by Jay Fonda, a specialist in the design of recording apparatus, and Oliver Gramling, assistant general manager of the Press Association, Inc., radio news subsidiary of the Associated Press.
Mr. Fonda has perfected a new, compact device which makes recordings on film and the basic idea is that the unit would be carried into the combat areas by a specially trained crew, one of whom might be an AP man. The film, which eliminates the fear of breakage common to acetate recordings and takes up little room, would be shipped to this country by airplane, thus affording coverage which in many instances would not lag far behind official communique.
Mr. Chappell, who said that the device was undergoing finishing tests in this country, saw no reason why Americans at home should not hear the actual noise of battle and perhaps a running account as, for instance, the Marines fight in the Solomons, a pilot goes over Berlin, or a destroyer protects an Atlantic convoy. Mr. Gramling said that the AP, in exchange for its cooperation, would have first refusal on any spot news. The program, which has the approval of the Army, Navy and OWI, is being handled by the Lyons & Lyons agency and already has aroused considerable interest among potential sponsors. ...
Burdick News... Up-To-The-Minute!
Bridget Stanley (bridgets@webstudies.org) runs a summer day-care facility. She is always looking for fun new projects to keep the kids busy and genealogy is one of them. Bridget thought you might like this resource, the "Big List of Genealogy Links", which is a part of USA People Search. Point your browser to: http://www.usa-people-search.com/content-big-list-of-genealogy-links.aspx.
For all of you who may be World War I historians, someone sent me (howard@burdickfamily.org) the following link: http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/burdick.php. It tells of the career of Howard Burdick (no relation to me) during the conflict. If any of you happen to be related to this Howard, I'd like to know.
Norman Burdett (normbt@comcast.net) is sad to report that his brother, David Burdett of South Kingstown, RI (and a lifelong resident of Rhode Island) died on February 20, 2010 at age 70. He was a descendant of Robert Burdick through Rebecca Burdick and Abel Peckham of Westerly, as well as a descendant of the Burdetts who arrived in England with William the Conqueror in 1066. David will be missed.
Anyone have a broken computer (like I did earlier this year)? Live in the Calgary, Alberta area (I don't)? If so, contact David Lanciault (dlancelot@yahoo.ca) who is a computer repair specialist. Actually, you don't need to live in Calgary, his company ships computers to and from many places. You never know when you'll need a competent professional to help you out of a tight spot.
Charles Wheeler (cbwheeler1234@yahoo.com) has the birth certificate of his father, who is also named Charles Wheeler. The parents listed on the certificate are -- you guessed it -- Charles Wheeler (Charles' grandfather) and Anna Burdick. Charles (the father) was born on June 19, 1913 when Charles (the grandfather) was 30 years old and Anna was 22. The birthplace was Stonington, CT, which is where Charles (the grandfather) and Anna were also born. Unfortunately Charles (our Charles) cannot find any additional information. Are there any Wheeler researchers out there who know this family line?
Joan Bergman (yarandnaoj@att.net) reports that Ray Bergman passed away on August 2. He made it to his 75th birthday party in late July, which was attended by 50 people. Ray was a longtime reader and supporter of this Newsletter. He will be missed.
Joan McConnon (mcconnon2@sbcglobal.net) reports that their annual Michigan Burdick Reunion was held July 10, 2010 at the home of Bobbi Taylor in Manton, Michigan. You may remember that Joan provided detailed information of last year's event that was highlighted in the Winter, 2009 Burdick Newsletter. This year's get-together was attended by about 75 people, mostly descendants of Susie Burdick Fenton Longstreet and Fink Burdick, children of George Washington Burdick and Mary Jane Abbott. A few were unable to attend because of age or bad health. Good food and a great time was had by all! Joan was able to meet a few relatives she had never met before; they are planning on another reunion next year.
There are many things I enjoy about publishing this Newsletter but one stands out above the rest: calling attention to our family members who are also our military heroes. One such person is Derrick Burdick. You may remember him from the Winter 2008 Newsletter when then-Sergeant Burdick was recovering from wounds suffered in the Helmand Province in Afghanistan. He won that battle and was contemplating going to Officers Training. Well, I am please to announce that Sergeant Burdick is now First Lieutenant Burdick! He is now the Executive Officer of the HHC BDE 162 Infantry in Ft. Polk, LA. I am sure you are as proud of him as I am, and I know that he would appreciate hearing from you. Since it my policy to not publish contact information for active duty military, you can email me (howard@burdickfamily.org) and I will be sure 1LT Burdick receives your greetings. And if that is not enough, Derrick's brother, Justin Wade Burdick, is a Marine veteran as is their father, Glen Burdick, who was a soldier from 1959-1963 with the U.S. Army 7th Infantry in Ft. Ord, CA. God bless our military and keep them safe.
In the last Newsletter there was some information about Alfred, NY, an area that holds a lot of Burdick history. Connie Wright (littlebojack@windstream.net) came across a great on-line source for information on the history of Alfred: http://history.rays-place.com/ny/alfred-ny.htm.
Joyce Patterson (djpat@shaw.ca) has been looking for a Maxson-Chase connection for a long time with no luck. She once saw a site that listed Lucy Maxson, Joyce's g-grandmother, as being married to David Chase. But Joyce cannot validate the connection. There are two Lucy Maxsons in the Burdick genealogy but neither one shows a marriage to David Chase. Can you help?
Phyllis Hammick (phyllishammick@yahoo.com) is the granddaughter of Blanche Julia Marble, the daughter of Thomas Franklin Marble and Martha Ann Coon (Thomas' mother was Julia Ann Burdick). Phyllis has information on this family after they moved to Missouri and had other children. But she has been unsuccessful at finding out about two of Thomas and Martha's children, Emma and Ella. Can anyone help?
Diane (diane.jim@roadrunner.com) and Don Wilt (EDONWILT@aol.com) have joined forces to look for information about Eva Burdick who married William John (Adam) Denhoff, Diane's grandfather. William was born in 1884 and died June 26, 1952. Eva was born in 1885, died Feb. 21, 1920 and is buried in the Eulalia Cemetery in Coudersport, PA. Eva may have been the widow of Peter J. Burdick before marrying William since she already had a son named Levi Burdick (Levi was a very heavy drinker and had a son named Robert Denhoff.) Eva's mother may have been a Lewis family member. Diane's father has passed away and she has been searching for information for 3 years. The couple lived in Coudersport, Potter County, PA. The 1920 census has them at #8 Tannery Row, which was company housing located at the Local Tannery. The census lists William as coming from Germany and the couple having a 6-year old daughter named Maude. But here's the mystery: in some way this family is connected to the murder of Patricia Burdick of Sault Ste. Marie, MI in 1956. The story has become part of the family's tradition. It appears that Eva was the mother of Patricia. Diane and Don have a lot of questions: What was Eva's maiden name? Why did she die so young? Who was her mother? Did Eva also come from Germany at an early age? Was Levi Burdick Eva's son? Could the murdered Patricia have been Patricia Maude or Maude Patricia? Sounds like a job for some of you sleuths out there!
Barbara Pendergast (bpendergast1@kiowaonline.net) has a photo from 1952 captioned "Grandchildren". On the back are these names: Ethel H, Ethel Campbell, Howard Burdick, Rodney Burdick, Minnie Bailey, Edith Ferris, Henry Burdick, Clara Raufeisen, Nate Bronson, Nate Bronson, William Bailey, Henry Ervisse (the "v" may be a different letter). She also has a picture of Fred Burdick and Maria Laverty Burdick taken in Livonia, NY. A third photo is of Maria Laverty Burdick and her granddaughter, June Ferris. Frederick J. Burdick was the son of Henry J. Burdick and Codelia Whalen Burdick. Codelia was the daughter of Jeremiah Whalen and Martha Whalen. Clara Raufeisen was Barbara's grandmother; Barbara was not aware of the Burdick family until her mother, Eleanor, wrote Eleanor Burdick instead of Raufeisen. It turns out that Eleanor was born out of wedlock. Barbara has various unmarked pictures of Burdicks but she has no memory of them, including one of her as a baby with her Burdick grandfather. Does anyone know this line? If so, please contact Barbara.
You may remember from the last Newsletter that Barbara Bond (cbbond42@gmail.com) is searching for her ancestor, James Bond, who married Amarilla Burdick (I2179). She has found bits and pieces, as reported, but nothing definitive. Here's some new items. In the 1846 City Directory of Chicago there was a business called "Bond & Burdick". There was no mention of the Burdick name but the Bond was Hiram Bond. The business was located in the Oregon Temp House. In the "History of Will County, Illinois," published 1878, in Lockport the following residents were listed: Bond, James, painter; Burdick, A.S., painter. Does anyone know who this Burdick was in 1846? Could he be the same as mentioned in the Will County book? With a name like "James Bond", someone must know something!
I am writing this on the morning of September 11th. On this day of remembrance, it is important that we remember others who gave their lives for our country. David Burdick (dcburdi@yahoo.com) wants us to remember those who were killed in Vietnam. He wanted you to know of a wonderful web site, http://www.virtualwall.org, where you can view every fallen soldier's picture, biography, and medals. Please take a few minutes and visit this site.
Jim Street (jstreet@eircom.net) passes along the following link to a web site that has an historic photo of William L. Burdick; the owner would like to return the photo to a family researcher: http://www.ancientfaces.com/research/photo/412091.
Carla White (tiasaunt@aol.com) and her family have been trying to solve the mystery of Rhoda Burdick for years. Rhoda, b. 3/25/1865, d. 11/11/1928) is the mother of Carla's grandfather, Justin Adrian Burdick (Justin married Elizabeth Jane Heaten.) Rhoda had a twin, Rhode, who died sometime after the age of five. Rhoda and Rhode were born in Canada according to census records; both sisters appear in the 1870 census. Rhoda married Benjamin Burdick (d. 1/25/1912.) Does anyone know this family?
Brenda Lupo (blupo@heliogramme.com) is trying to locate Clem Burdick (John Clement Burdick III) who graduated from Union City High School, Union City, TN with her in 1960. Do you know this Clem?
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howard@burdickfamily.org