BURDETTE: First of the name in Reedy.
Willis Burdette and his wife, born Miss Boon, "a direct descendant of the famous Indian scout, Daniel Boon," says Mrs. Isabell R. (Burdette) Hardman, her granddaughter, were both born in what is now Monroe County, of Virginian parents; were married in Monroe County and several of their oldest children were also horn there. Lived in Greenbrier County in 1817, then came to the "Kanawha Licks," Maiden; lived in Kanawba County a while, and are settlers on Middle Fork of Reedy shortly before the 11th day of January, 1829. I am able to be thus specific, because on that date Silas B. Seaman and Margaret Burdette, a daughter of Willis Burdette, were united in marriage on the Middle Fork of Reedy, then in the jurisdiction of Wood County. Margaret J. was born in Monroe County, December 19, 1809, says Moses Seaman, her grandson, in his biograph in Hardesty's History; the same is given by Chris C. Board in his biograph in the same book.
Willis Burdette and wife spent all the remainder of their lives on Reedy. Their children must have all been born before they came to Reedy, for as observed Margaret J. was married there at twenty years of age. The names of these children of Willis and wife were as follows:
Elihu, Level, Parkson, John, William and Margaret J. Seaman. Further:
Elihu and Level each married while that part of Reedy was under jurisdiction of Wood, Wirt or Jackson; we do not have their records here; each made a home and farm, and reared a family. As to Parkson and John, we know nothing at all.
William Burdette, son of Willis and (Boon), his wife, was born in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, September 7, 1817; worked at the Kanawha "Licks"; there married Miss Elizabeth Doolittle, about 1822; moved with his family to "Cassville"-Spencer-1849; lived here until 1869, when he with all his family, two sons and nine daughters, except two, Sallie and Elizabeth R., removed to Clay County, Missouri. Sallie had married Jeff or "Jeffrey" Simmons, Elizabeth R. had married Cassett Hardman: See family name Hardman.
Source: History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927 William H. Bishop, Esq. p 461-462
Submitter: Sandy Spradling, November 28, 1999
