Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 165

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1360

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" Therefore my age is as a lusty winter, -- Frosty but kindly."

a HARLES WINSLOW BURDICK, president of the Citizens' Savings Bank, Decorah, Iowa, was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, Au- gust 23, 1838, and is a son of Nelson and El- mira (Mason) Burdick.

The paternal ancestry of our subject is generally supposed to be Scotch, although some assert that Robert Burdick, the original emigrant to America came over with John Cromwell, a Welshman, and hence it is in- ferred that Mr. Burdick was also of that nationality. This John Cromwell served as the first pastor of the first Baptist church in America, the building of which still stands at Newport, Rhode Island. The Burdick family lived at Westerly, Rhode Island, and at Hop- kinton, which was formerly a part of Wes- terly. Later some of the sons removed to New York State.

Robert Burdick, the founder of the Amer- ican branch of the family, located at Newport, Rhode Island. The Colonial records show that he was admitted as a freeman (voter) in that city in 1656. He was a member of the Baptist Church. His birth occurred about the year 1630, and his marriage to Ruth Hub- berd in 1654. Their children were: Thomas,

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born in 1655; Benjamin, 1658; Samuel, 1660; Hubberd, 1663; and Robert, 1665. The last named of these children, Robert Burdick, had but one child, Hubberd, and the children of Hubberd Burdick were: Nathan, born 1711; Hubberd, born 1712; John, born 1714; and Ezekial, born in 1717. The oldest of these children, Nathan Burdick, was the great-great- grandfather of our subject. He died Febru- ary 6, 1793, and his wife, Goodeth Burdick, died in 1798, aged seventy-one years. To them were born the following children: Gil- lamus, born May 30, 1745; Sylvanus, Septem- ber 17, 1747; Goodeth, April 17. 1751; Lacy, October 19, 1754; Mileta, February II, 1758; Adam, December 28, 1759; Naaman, July 18, 1764, and Shepard, October 18, 1766.

Adam Burdick, great-grandfather of our subject, was born in Rhode Island, and died on his farm near Utica, New York, February 20, 1845. He fought throughout the Revolu- tionary war and made a fine military record, although very young at that time. His first wife, Hannah, was born January 20, 1760, and died February 21, 1812. Their children, all of whom were born in Rhode Island, were: Hannah, born January 20, 1780; Elias, born September 16, 1781, and was twice married, his first wife being Sarah Kelsey, and the sec- ond Lucy Stacy; Lacy, born September 8, 1784; Sheffield, born March 5, 1787; Roxana, born March 24, 1790, married William Pea- body, and they made their home in Spring- water, New York; Adam, born March 20, 1792; Betsey, April 24, 1794; and Nathan, December 24. 1796. Mr. Adam Burdick mar- ried his second wife, Dedema, in New York State, and she died there in October, 1845. They had but two children: Goodeth, born June 21, 1800; and Hamilton, born February 11, 1816. Mr. Burdick located in Brookfield, New York, and became a man of much prom- inence there.

Sheffield Burdick, grandfather of our sub- ject, was born in Rhode Island, and was taken to Massachusetts in boyhood. There he mar- ried his first wife, Phoebe Putnam Spaulding,

April 28, 1808. She was born in Massachu- setts, September 1, 1791. Shortly after their marriage they moved to Cayuga county, New York, and there their children were born as follows: Nelson, father of our subject, June 14, 1809; Betsey Ann, November 2, 1812; Putnam, December 2, 1814; Susan, January II, 1817; and Winslow Page, March 30, 1819. In February, 1818, Mr. Burdick removed to Genesee county, New York, and shortly after- ward his wife died. March 6, 1822, he mar- ried his second wife, Miss Clarissa Kise Wins- low Tainter, and to them were born two children: Harriett Newell, January 6, 1827, and Fanny Woodbury, August 31, 1829. Mrs. Burdick, the second wife of Sheffield Burdick, was born in Connecticut February 1, 1803, and died March 14, 1889. She married for her second husband David Silliman, and bore him five children. Mr. Sheffield Burdick kept a general store at Locke, Cayuga county, New York. He exchanged this for a farm in Gen- esee county, when he changed his residence, and followed this calling until his death, which occurred October 19, 1829. He was a man of good education and followed teaching in the winter months until forty years of age. He exerted considerable influence in his neighbor- hood, filled town offices, etc. Politically, he voted the Whig ticket. After marriage he joined the Congregational Church, and later was made a Deacon.

Nelson Burdick, father of our subject, was born in Cayuga county, New York, and died at Decorah, Iowa, July 1, 1885. In the spring of 1833 he moved to Crawford county, Penn- sylvania, where he lived until 1852, when he made a trip to Winneshiek county, Iowa, located a tract of land, and the following spring brought out the family. He tilled this farm until 1862, and then moved to Decorah and passed the remainder of his days in that town, surrounded by his children and friends. He was married to Miss Elmira Mason January I, 1831, in New York. She was born in Preble, Cortland county, New York, December 29, 1 807, and now resides at her home in Decorah.

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RECORD OF IOWA.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Burdick are: Augustus Alfred, born October 23, 1831, was Quartermaster of the Twelfth Iowa Vol- unteer Infantry, and was killed at Tupelo, Mississippi, July 14, 1864; he married Miss Jennie Gilbert, in November, 1856, and to them was born one child, Gilbert; the widow married Lewis Sturtevant, and is living at Spring Valley, Minnesota; Gerry Spaulding, the second child of Nelson Burdick, was born September 20, 1833; he served through the war in Company E, Seventh Minnesota Vol- unteer Infantry, was taken sick and started home with a regiment, and died at Fort Snell- ing, Minnesota, August 8, 1865, just a few days before his company was mustered out; he married Miss Francelia Tuttle, and to them was born one child, Frank Theodore; the widow married Daniel Hawley (who also is deceased), and is living at Decorah, Iowa; Theodore Weld; Charles Winslow, the subject of this sketch; Harriet Emeline was born Sep- tember 13, 1840, and married Ralph C. Pike November 5, 1857; Mr. Pike was a grocer at Decorah, and later the agent of the United States Express Company; he died October 18, 1895, leaving one child, Mary Almira; the widow lives in Decorah; Nelson Bliss Burdick was born December 29, 1842, served in Com- pany G, Twelfth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, was taken prisoner at Shilch, later was exchanged, came home on a visit, and died from an attack of ineasles contracted in the service, Septem- ber 18, 1863; and James Stratton was born February 19, 1848, 'and died February 13, 1864.

Mr. Nelson Burdick engaged in the lumber business when he located in Crawford county, Pennsylvania. This consisted principally in sawing out the lumber and rafting it down the Allegheny river to Pittsburg. On his removal to Iowa he gave his attention exclusively to farming. In ante-bellum days he was a strong abolitionist, and a conductor and station agent the "underground railway." He was a on

member of the Congregational Church. Per- sonally he was a large man, weighing normally

perhaps 180 pounds, and well proportioned, and was of a sanguine temperament. Mr. Burdick was an intensely patriotic man, and while he could not go to the war himself, because of age, he gave five sons to the cause. three of whom died in the service, defending their country. But few families can show such a record.

Elijah Mason, maternal grandfather of our subject, was born in New England in 1750, and died in New York State in 1833; he mar- ried Elizabeth Crabtree, who was born in Con- necticut, in 1763, and died in 1826. Their children were: Elias; Elmira, the mother of our subject; and Elijah; the two last named are still living. Mr. Mason was twice married, the children above mentioned being by the second wife. By the first wife there were seven children. He was a man of considera- ble prominence locally, a farmer by occupa- tion, a member of the Presbyterian Church, and a Whig in politics. His father, Elias Mason, great-grandfather of our subject, was a New Englander by birth. The Masons are of English ancestry.

The subject of this mention, Mr. Charles W. Burdick, made the trip with his parents from Pennsylvania to Freeport, Iowa, when but fourteen years of age. (The impressions of that journey were vividly stamped on the memory of the boy.) They came by rail to Rockford, Illinois, and then staged it to Galena, where they took the boat and came up the river to Lansing, and then were driven across the country by teams to their new home. The father had taken a claim of 200 acres, part of which was direct from the Government, and here his family of boys were put to work clearing the soil for the plow.

Our subject worked on the farm until the breaking out of the late Civil war, when he became one of the first to respond to Presi- dent Lincoln's call for 75,000 nien. It had been his desire to be a member of the first regiment sent out by the State, but on reach- ing Keokuk, the point of rendezvous, it was found that both the first and second regiments

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had full quotas of men. Hence he was mus- tered into the service June 8, 1861, as a mem- ber of Company D, Third Iowa Volunteer In- fantry, the enlistment being for three years.

The regiment was first ordered to northern Missouri, and spent the summer in operating between Hannibal and St. Joseph. At the battle of Blue Mills, September 23, Company D lost through wounds all its officers ranking our subject (who was then Third Sergeant), and he commanded the company until it reached Quincy, Illinois, about the middle of Novem- ber. From there the regiment moved to Ben- ton barracks, St. Louis, Missouri, and then to Huntsville, located on the North Missouri Railroad, where the winter was spent. They left Huntsville March 3, 1863, bound for Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, by way of Cairo, Illinois, proceeding by boat from the last named point. The regiment was at the battle of Shiloh, April 6 and 7, and after this engage- ment Mr. Burdick was promoted to the Sec- ond Lieutenancy. They next proceeded to Corinth, Mississippi, and participated in the capture of that city, after which they were ordered to Memphis. They now moved to Lagrange, Tennessee, where they joined Grant's army, which proceeded to the rear of Vicks- burg by way of Holly Springs. This move- ment, however, was a failure, owing to the fact of the communications being cut in the rear. They returned to Lagrange, and were then ordered to Bolivar, Tennessee. The regi- ment now moved ás a part of a force to intercept the march of General Price, whose army of 30,000 had been defeated at Corinth. The forces came together at the Hatchie river, Oc- tober 5, and during this engagement, which was very hard fought, the Captain of Com- pany D was severely wounded; he never saw active service again, but held his commission as Captain until the regiment was mustered out.

The winter of 1862-3 was spent at Mem- phis, the regiment moving there from Hatchie. In May, 1863, a movement was made on Vicksburg, reaching that point about June 14,

when it joined the besieging army, and was at the surrender July 4, 1863. Two days later the regiment was ordered to Jackson, Missis- sippi, for the purpose of repulsing General Johnston's forces. Here, what proved to be the most disastrous battle of the war, in which the Third Iowa participated, took place. The regiment lost more than two-thirds of its men, in killed and wounded. The first lieutenant being killed, Mr. Burdick was promoted to that rank, and from that time until the regiment was mustered out he was the only officer with the company. Company D had been so re- duced in numbers that it was entitled to but two officers, the captain and first lieutenant; and, as stated above, the Captain never re- joined his regiment after the battle of Hatchie river: it now left our subject the only officer with the company. From Jackson the com- mand went to Vicksburg, and then to Natchez, Mississippi, where it lay until February, 1864, when it returned to Vicksburg. The next move was with Sherman's army east across the State of Mississippi, to Meridian, for the purpose of destroying the Mobile & Ohio Rail- road. It then returned to Vicksburg, having undergone a long and arduous march.

Mr. Burdick was now ordered home with the veterans of the company on a thirty-days furlough. On returning to the army they took a steanier at Cairo and proceeded to Savannah, Tennessee, from which point the regiment marched across country to Kingston, Georgia, where it joined Sherman's forces. Our sub- ject's time of enlistment had now expired, and he was ordered to Davenport, Iowa, to be mus- tered out of the service.

Thus ended a military career that was re- markable in many respects. Mr. Burdick was in every march and in every battle in which his regiment participated. But few soldiers can say as much.

The war over, our subject returned to De- corah, and at once engaged in a real-estate business, associated with his father, the firm name being N. Burdick & Son. This firm con- tinued for ten years, and then, the father re-

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RECORD OF IOWA.

tiring, our subject continued it, and added an "abstract of title" department.

Mr. Burdick was the prime inover in or- ganizing the Citizens' Savings Bank, which began business February 10, 1884, and has continued its president from the first. The other officers at the organization were: L. L. Caldwell, cashier; E. J. Curtin, John Curtin and A. W. Grow, directors. The bank started out with a paid up capital of $10,000, but shortly afterward increased it to $17,000, and in 1894 raised it to $25,000. R. F. B. Port- man is now vice-president; E. J. Curtin, cash- ier; and John Curtin and T. R. Crandell, di- rectors. The main part of the building which the bank occupies was erected by the firm of N. Burdick & Son. In the fall of 1895 an addition was added in the rear, and fitted with safes and vaults of the latest pattern for the purpose of doing a safe-deposit business, thus making it the most finely equipped institution of this character in the northeastern part of the State. The postoffice building was erected by Mr. Burdick in 1880, and has been occu- pied by the Government since.

Our subject was first married February 20, 1867, to Miss Violetta Emma McMurtrie, a daughter of Henry and Violetta (Leach) Mc- Murtrie. Mrs. Burdick died October 8, 1892. Their children were: Allie Susan, born Janu- ary 10, 1868, inarried William H. Tillson, an attorney living at Cresco, Iowa; Mae, the next child, was born May 20, 1872, married Louis Hansen, and resided in Fayette county, Iowa, until her death, which occurred January I, 1891. Mr. Burdick's second marriage occurred November 21, 1894, when he wedded Mrs. Ida M. Stone, a daughter of Dr. Louis Pagin, of South Bend, Indiana. They reside in the fine brick residence built by our subject in West Decorah, in 1883.

Politically, Mr. Burdick has always been a Republican. He was appointed Internal Reve- nue Officer for the district comprising the coun- ties of Winneshiek, Allamakee, Fayette and Howard, and served for six years. Governor Larrabee appointed him a member of the Sol-

diers' Home Commission, and he was re-ap- pointed successively, serving in all eight years. During his term of service the Home was built and put in active operation.

Mr. Burdick is still a man in the prime of life. The large and important business which he has built up since the war is one of the principal factors in the business community in which he moves. The character and ability of the man is well shown in the fact of his having succeeded in establishing such a busi- ness. The successful banker generally finds his time so fully employed that he can give no attention to outside matters; but Mr. Burdick has always found time to respond when duty called, whether it be work of a State charac- ter, such as that involved in building the Sol- diers' Home, or of a local character, such as promoting manufactures and town improve- ments. Whatever is for the good of the com- munity always finds a warm friend in him.

ON .. GEORGE RICE WILLETT, senior member of the law firm of Willett & Willett, Decorah, Iowa, began the practice of his profession at that point nearly forty years ago, and is one of the first attorneys to locate in northeastern Iowa.

He was born of American parents in L'Acadie, Province of Quebec, November II, 1826, and is a son of Mahlon and Margaret (Cooper) Willett. The ancestors of our sub- ject were probably French Huguenots, who located in north England near the Scotch border. From there four brothers emigrated to America prior to the French and Indian war, located in Maryland, and lived there throughout that struggle. They then moved to different parts of the country; one located in New York, and the great-grandfather of our subject moved to Pennsylvania and served throughout the Revolutionary war. Samuel Willett, grandfather of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania; he married in New York, was a farmer by occupation and died in 1807, hav-

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ing just reached the prime of manhood, leav- ing a widow, who survived him by one year only, and six children as follows: Mahlon, father of subject; Sophia, who married Dr. Beriah Douglass, Asa, Sidney, Nathaniel and Samuel.

As will be seen above, Mahlon Willett, father of subject, was left an orphan in his tenth year; and there were five younger chil- dren, he being the oldest, which placed him at this tender age in the position of father to this group of orphans. He was born in Clin- ton county, New York, in 1798; was reared by Judge Moore, of Champlain, Verinont, and was taught the clothing, carding and woolen- manufacturing business. He married, in New York, Miss Margaret Cooper, who was born in Grand Isle county, Vermont, in 1803. Their children were: Mary, who died in infancy; Cornelia; Electa; Samuel Thomas; George Rice, subject of this sketch; and Mary. The first three named were born in New York, and the others in Canada. All are deceased ex- cept the two boys.

Mr. Mahlon Willett moved to Canada in 1823, and died there in 1865. In 1830 he es- tablished a woolen manufactory at Chambly, known as the Richelieu Mills, which is still operated by his son, Samuel Thomas Willett, and has been enlarged to a twelve-set mill. A spade, shovel and trowel manufactory and a gristmill have been added, thus making it, all told, quite an extensive plant. Politically, Mr. Mahlon Willett was first a Whig, and then a Republican. He and his wife were mem- bers of the Methodist Church.

Thomas Cooper (originally spelled Kuper), maternal grandfather of our subject, was born in Massachusetts in 1770. The family are sup- posed to have emigrated from Hanover, Ger- many, to England, and from thence to Massa- chusetts prior to the French and Indian war.

Judge G. R. Willett, whose name heads this mention, was not educated in the sectarian schools of Canada, but by a private teacher kept in his father's family, and at the select school of the Rev. Joseph Braithwaite, a grad-

uate of Oxford, England, who gave instruction to a few students. At no time was the num- ber of students in this school allowed to ex- ceed eighteen, and it was there that Judge Willett formed the habit of systematic and dil- igent study, and laid the foundation for the fine legal training that came later.

From 1850 to 1855 he was associated with his brother in the conduct of the woolen mill at Chambly, Canada. He then began the study of law at Champlain, New York, under the direction of the Hon. James Averill, as preceptor, and later took the regular course of the Albany Law School. He was admitted to the bar in Albany, New York, in the spring of 1856, shortly after which he returned to Champlain, same State, and practiced there until October, 1857, when he came to Decorah, Iowa. Judge Willett had originally intended to locate in Dubuque, Iowa, but on looking over the field found such a glut of lawyers at that point, and living expenses so high, that he determined to seek a better location. He found it in Decorah, and accordingly brought out his family in November, and immediately opened a law office. During the following spring the law firm of Cooley & Willett was formed, E. E. Cooley being the senior partner, and these gentlemen were together in the practice for two years. Our subject then took in as a partner M. V. Burdick, later Judge of the Circuit Court, the firm name being Willett & Burdick. This partnership continued till the breaking out of the war in 1861.

Judge Willett was one of the first to re- spond to Lincoln's first call for men, and through his efforts a company was raised. He was made Captain of this company, and sent to Des Moines, with instructions to offer it as a part of the First Regiment. On reaching Des Moines he found both the First and Second Regiments with full quotas of men, but promptly offered his company to the Third, not knowing whether it would be acceptable to the men or not. His action was promptly ratified, however, and they were mustered in at Keokuk as Company D, Third Iowa Volun-

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teer Infantry. This was the first company raised in Winneshiek county, and one of the first in this section of the State. The com- pany first saw service in Missouri. Its first battle was at Blue Mills, September 17, 1861, where a rebel force of 3,000 attacked a force of 490 union men. The fighting was hard and the smaller force suffered terribly. Judge Willett received a wound in the left knee, and after doing hospital service for a time came home on a leave of absence. He rejoined his regiment at St. Louis, and was sent to north- ern Missouri. He soon discovered, however, that his wound was a permanent one, and that he could not stand the marches. Accordingly he resigned his commission, in February, 1862, and returned home. During 1863-4 he served on the Governor's Staff, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel of cavalry, and did re- cruiting service at Decorah.

On returning home Judge Willett resumed the practice of law. When Mr. F. W. Bur- dick, the County Treasurer, enlisted, our sub- ject succeeded him in the office and served out his term, about one year, which expired Janu- ary 1, 1864. In the fall of 1864 he was elected County Judge, and at the end of two years was re-elected, serving in this capacity four years all told. In 1872 Judge Willett succeeded Dr. Bulis in the State Senate, filling out the unex- pired term of two years. He was then re- elected and served a full term of four years. In the winter of 1874 he acted as president pro tem. of the Senate. He was chairman of the judiciary committee and committee on consti- tutional amendments, and also served as a member of the committees on railroads, insur- ance, and judicial districts. In 1877 the pres- ent firm of Willett & Willett was formed, the son, Mr. Norman Willett, being the junior partner. This is one of the prominent law firms in the State, and it practices in all the local courts, as well.as the Federal courts. It is also permitted to practice in the States of New York and Minnesota, and has been iden- tified as leading counsel with many cases of State importance.

Judge Willett was married January 18, 1848, at Champlain, New York, to Miss Olinda Clementina Kellogg. She is a daughter of Mr. Lorenzo Kellogg, and was born near Cham- plain, October 6, 1826. Their children are Mahlon, Norman, George, William and Ernest. . The Rev. Dr. Mahlon Willett is a graduate of Union Seminary, Chicago, and now has charge of a church at Oakland, California, where he has resided since 1876; he married Miss Anna Wood, of San Jose, California.

Norman Willett, his father's partner, is a graduate of Iowa College, later took a post- graduate course at the State Law School, Iowa City, and married Miss Anna Louise Helmke, of California. George Willett is a graduate of the Troy (New York) Polytechnic School; he married Miss Philena Francisco, is a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is now located at Morris, Minnesota.

William Willett took a course in law, at Iowa City, and later completed it in his father's office.

Ernest Willett, the youngest child, and the special pride of his father, was so unfortunate as to lose his sight in 1878, by the accidental discharge of a gun. Judge Willett did every- thing in his power to repair the calamity in- flicted on his son by cruel Fate, and was, indeed, lavish in his expenditures in this line. The boy was put in the Iowa State Institute for the Blind, where he spent three years. Being discovered that he had a talent for music, he was sent to Chicago for a six-months course, and then to Oberlin, Ohio, where he passed two years. He next crossed the waters to Germany and was one year at Leipsic and three years in Berlin, and then came home on a visit. He now returned to Berlin and con- tinued his studies for two and one-half years, when he had become so proficient and showed such remarkable talent that it was deter- mined to make a concert tour of Germany. All the arrangements were made for this tour when young Willett was seized with a violent cold, which resulted in his death February 22, 1894. Thus ended the career of a young man

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Memorial and biographical record of Iowa, Part 165

Author: Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1360

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1360