Butte County
Biographies
CYRENUS
JAMES AND SARAH A. BURDICK
CYRENUS JAMES AND SARAH A. BURDICK.--Occupying
a position of prominence as one of the leading farmers of Butte County during
the many years he lived within its borders, Mr. Burdick was highly respected by
all who knew him. He was born at Hanover, Jackson County, Mich., November
9, 1837, a son of Joshua Burdick, a native of Rhode Island who spent his early
life as a cod fisher. From his native state he went to New York for a
short stay, after which, in 1835, he located in Jackson County, Mich., where he
was engaged in farming until his death, He married Hannah Davis born in
Massachusetts, and they reared six sons and seven daughters.
Cyrenus J.
Burdick attended the district school near his home when his services were not
needed on the home farm, hence his education was very
limited. In 1859 he crossed the plains with ox-teams and first located in
Strawberry Valley, Yuba County, and six months later he went to Forbestown. His next move was to Nevada where he
worked at logging in various sections of the territory for a time, but
eventually he came back to California and, in 1862, located on a ranch of one
hundred sixty acres near Durham. With this as a nucleus he added to his
holdings as prosperity smiled on his endeavors until he became owner of ten
hundred sixty acres of fine land, most of which he improved and upon which he
raised large crops of grain and some stock. Besides his own property he
leased other tracts which he devoted to raising of grain for about twenty
years. He met with success in his efforts, took a very prominent part in
the affairs of his community, and made a host of friends.
Mr. Burdick was married, in 1865, to
Miss Sarah A. Dibble, who was born in Michigan, a daughter of Ambrose M.
Dibble. He was born in Chenango, N. Y., in 1813, and married Sarah A.
Lynch who bore him three children who reached mature years. She died when
her daughter, Sarah A., was a babe of but nine weeks of age. Soon after
the death of his wife, Mr. Dibble decided he would come to California and
accordingly left his children with relatives and joined an emigrant train that
crossed the plains in 1849. Sarah A. Dibble had been left with an aunt,
Mrs. Abigail Gage, a resident of Hillsdale County, Mich., and she lived with
her until she was five years old. In the meantime her father came back
from California, and in 1854 he married for his second wife, Clarissa Spencer
who bore him four children, three of whom reached mature years. In 1860,
with his wife and their children, and the children of his first marriage, he
crossed the plains to California, and upon their arrival here they settled at
Central House. The following year he moved to the Nelson Ranch on Honcut Creek and farmed one-year. In 1862 they
settled near Durham and with a partner, C. J. Burdick, purchased three hundred
twenty acres of the Turner tract, which they began to improve. They added
a quarter section that Mr. Burdick preempted and
farmed both tracts.
After their marriage, in 1865, Mr. and Mrs. Burdick
settled on the last named tract and began improving a home place. Soon
the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Burdick took the hundred sixty acres as
his portion and here he farmed until his death, on October 9, 1916.
During his long and busy life Mr. Burdick accumulated some ten hundred sixty
acres of fine farming land, and this he divided among his wife and children,
deeding a half section to Mrs. Burdick, the place upon which she lives.
Her step-mother died in Harney County, Ore., in July, 1917, at an advanced age.
Mr. and Mrs. Burdick had seven
children: On of them died in infancy; Ella May, married J. A. Franklin of
Durham; Charles is deceased; Minnie Esther, became the wife of John Q. Colm of Durham; Fred is also decreased; Jessie Adaline is Mrs. T. F. Howard; and Leila Ambrosia married J.
B. Tyler and they reside on a ranch near that owned by Mrs. Burdick. Mr.
Burdick was one of the promoters of the Durham Milling Company, organized in
1897; he was a stanch Republican; he took an active interest in education and
served fourteen years as a member of the Durham district school board. He
was a welcome member of Durham Lodge, No. 311, I. O. O. F., and, during its
existence, of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, of Chico. In 1911 he
suffered a stroke of paralysis and never recovered from it, being practically
an invalid until his death, at the age of seventy-nine years. Mrs.
Burdick is a woman who observes the mandate of the Golden Rule; is a thorough
Christian, and is of a quiet and serene disposition. She is truly a
pioneer of Butte County and is adored by her children and grandchildren, and
most highly esteemed by all who know her.
Transcribed
by Pat Seabolt.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 582-585, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2007 Pat Seabolt.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies