Garrard Co. KY - HISTORY-BIO - Burdett Family

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                           Garrard County History
                                      
                                      
          Surnames: BURDETT, ROUT, KEMPER, WEST, ALDRICH, O'BANNON
                                      
   The following is taken verbatim from a letter my G-Grandfather wrote
   to my Father back in the 1920's. "..... as we pick up the story in
   Central Kentucky about 1750. The location there was later called
   Garrard County and their lands laid on Boone Creek, near where it
   flows into Dix River. This settlement consisted of the BURDETT
   families; the ROUTS, KEMPERS, WESTS, ALDRICHS' and O'BANNONS', who
   also came from Virginia, and were all relatives. These families have
   all reached distinguished standing in the higher arts and learning.
   Being Ministers, Teachers, Surveyors, Astronomers, Architects, and
   Doctors; several of them holding College Degrees; but not much
   interested in political affairs, however, some of them having attained
   U. S. Senator, and lesser positions. The lives of the men suggest that
   they were not in favor of slavery, although living in a slave state
   and most of them being Democrats. In 1856, when the question of
   slavery was being agitated, they freed their negroes and three BURDETT
   families migrated to Missouri where they would not be surrounded by
   their neighbors who were taking issue with them on the question. One
   of these, my Grandfather, Daniel O. Burdett located in Cass, or, Van
   Buren County, at that time, on Panther Creek about four miles
   northeast of where Garden City is now located. Another of the families
   going to Bates County, locating where the little village of Burdett is
   situated; and the third family went to Greene County near Springfield.
   They came through from Kentucky by ox teams and wagons, but had
   carriages for the ladies and children. The Missouri Pacific Ry., was
   built as far west as Jefferson City at that time. My grandfather
   bought his land from Captain Withers, who had preceded him from
   Kentucky. He paid $6.00, or I think, $8.00 per acre for this land,
   when there was lots of land on the prairie that could be gotten by
   homesteading, but he wanted the timber and water; and told me in later
   years that he thought the prairie land was "only good to chase
   jack-rabbits and wolves on." But it later proved to be the most
   valuable land in the county. With my grandfather came Richard O'Bannon
   and Lysander West, who was a brother to my grandmother, Elizabeth West
   Burdett, and also a brother to Artemecia O'Bannon. All of these
   families located on adjoining farms and lived in Missouri until "Order
   No. 11" was issued, and my grandfather returned to Kentucky, to his
   old homestead which he had retained when leaving the state. This farm
   was near the Danville and Lancaster Pike, and not far from Camp Dick
   Robinson, a famous Union Camp during the Civil War. My father remained
   in Missouri, and was a member of the Home Guards at Harrisonville
   until 1863, then went to Kentucky, where he was arrested as a southern
   spy, accused by the notorious Dorr Morrison, but was acquitted by
   Court-Martial at Camp Dick Robinson. My father remained in Kentucky
   until after the war, returned to Missouri by wagon coming to the new
   town of Garden City, and operated the first furniture store there.
   During the first few years in Missouri, from 1856 to 1863 our families
   endured some dreadful experiences -- droughts, sickness, and several
   times had their stock driven away by marauders, commonly called "Red
   Legs", border bandits who were constantly coming from the state of
   Kansas and looting homes, driving off stock and burning buildings.
   After leaving Missouri (Order No. 11), my grandparents lived in their
   Old Southern Mansion until their passing away, surrounded by their
   children and relatives -- a happy peaceful ending, with plenty and
   always some to spare for those less fortunate. Daniel O. Burdett was
   born in Garrard County, in 1805, and was married in later years to
   Elizabeth West, a sister to Lysander, Artemecia, Lucinda, and John K.
   West, the noted educator, and promoter and instructor of Central
   College, at Lancaster, Ky., a school for girls." This was composed by
   Ethelbert VanHoy Burdett for his grand-son, Homer Berry Burdett