BIOGRAPHY: Francis M. Burdick; DeRuyter, Madison co., NY

submitted by W. D. Samuelsen
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Biographical Review
The Leading Citizens of Madison County, New York
pub. 1894, Boston, Biographical Review Publishing Company

PROFESSOR FRANCIS M. BURDICK. A record of Madison County's most prominent
citizens would be incomplete without mention of the gentleman whose name
prefaces this biographical notice. He was born on the old Burdick homestead
(founded ninety-nine years ago) in the town of De Ruyter, Madison County,
N.Y., August 1, 1845, and is a son of Albert G. Burdick, who was born at the
same place, March 22, 1807. The father of Albert G. Burdick was Thompson
Burdick, a native of Rhode Island, born at Westerly in 1771, and died on his
farm in the town of De Ruyter June 6, 1852, in his eighty-first year. He was
married in the State of Rhode Island, his wife's name before marriage being
Sarah Coon, and in 1794 came to this town, and took up one hundred and sixty
acres of timber land, which at the time formed a part of the Holland Patent.
After clearing a portion of his land, he sowed some wheat, built a log house,
and returned to Rhode Island for his wife. They made the journey in true
pioneer style, coming with an ox-team and old-fashioned two-wheeled cart, and
bringing their cow with them. They were twenty-one days on the road, and came
by way of Utica, then known as Fort Schuyler, there being but five dwellings
there at that time. Although in very moderate circumstances, they made up in
energy and perseverance what they lacked in means, clearing a good farm and
establishing a permanent home. Within a year or two his brother, William
Burdick, came also, bringing with him his wife, who was a sister of Mrs.
Thompson Burdick; and still later, and previous to the opening year of our
century, another brother, George, made his appearance with his wife, who was
also a member of the Coon family. They settled in what is now the town of
Lincklaen. The father of these three brothers followed his sons in later
years, and died here at an advanced age. From the best evidence obtain-able
the Burdick family is of French Huguenot ancestry, while the Coons were of
Scotch origin, the original form of the name being McCoon. To Thompson Burdick
and his wife there were born the following children: David, Phineas, Sarah,
Priscilla, Albert G., and Joseph, the only survivor, now residing in De Ruyter
with his unmarried daughter.

Albert G. Burdick, the father of our subject, married Eunetia Y. Wheeler, who
was born in the town of Nelson, and was a daughter of the Rev. James and Avis
(Poole) Wheeler, both of whom were from New England, the ancestors of the
latter being Puritans of Quincy, Mass. The father of the Rev. James Wheeler
was a lawyer, living at Rehoboth, Mass. The son received his education at Yale
College, and was ordained as a Baptist preacher, being pastor of a church in
Pompey, N.Y., some years. He was a Mason, and at the time of the Morgan
excitement was silenced because he refused to renounce Masonry. He died at
Whitney's Point about 1840 in advanced age, leaving five sons, one of whom -
Joseph-still survives, and resides in Le Roy, N.Y.

The subject of this brief notice was the second child and first son of a
family of four, namely: Catharine Pearleyette, wife of Leonard R. Green, of
Adams Centre, N.Y.; Francis M.; P. Adelbert, who died July 3, 1893, at Alfred
Centre, N.Y., in his forty-sixth year. He was a lawyer by profession, and was
for many years an earnest and successful temperance evangelist, his labors in
connection with this great modern reform movement covering many different
States. He left a wife and two sons. B. Franklin, the remaining member of the
family, is a farmer on the old homestead in this town.

He of whom we write attended district school in his boyhood, and at the age of
thirteen entered the De Ruyter Institute, from which he was graduated in 1861,
in 1862 commencing a course of study at the Cazenovia Seminary, and later
attending at Hamilton College, being graduated from the latter institution in
1869 and from the Law School there in 1872. He was admitted to the bar that
year, and entered upon the practice of his chosen profession in Utica,
becoming a member of the firm of Barnsley & Cookinham in 1814, the firm later
being known as Barnsley, Burdick & Barnsley. He continued his practice there
until 1882, when he was elected Professor of Law at Hamilton College, and in
1887 became professor in the Law School at Cornell University, going from
there to Columbia Law College, New York City, in 1889. His marriage occurred
June 8, 1875, he being then united to Sarah Kellogg, daughter of Gustavus and
Anna (Van Eps) Kellogg, of Utica. Four children have graced the happy union of
our subject and his wife, their names being as follows : Anna Van Eps, a
bright and interesting young lady of six-teen; Katrine P., aged thirteen;
Charles K., a manly and intelligent boy of ten; and Flora M., a girl of nine.
All of these children are receiving a careful and thorough education, and are
bright and earnest students.

Professor Burdick is a Democrat in his political views, and in 1882 was
elected Mayor of Utica as an Independent on the citizens' ticket, serving one
term, but has since then held no public office. In the summer, with his wife
and family, he resides in a cottage on the old home farm in De Ruyter, their
winter residence being in New York City. Both he and his pleasant and
accomplished wife are members of the Presbyterian church, and by their genial
and unaffected manners, united with moral rectitude of character, have
endeared themselves to and gained the sincere respect and esteem of their
fellow-citizens of De Ruyter, and in a broader sense of all those with whom
they have come into social contact.