Burdett Mason

Burdett Mason was born in 1844 in Michigan, probably the son of Louis (b. 1792) and Sally (b. 1804).

It is possible that he was the same “William B.” Mason whose parents were married sometime before 1835 and settled briefly in New York. Between 1835 and 1837 Louis moved his family to Michigan and by 1850 one “William B.” Mason, age 6, was living with Louis and Sally in Easton, Ionia County where Louis worked as a shoemaker. By 1860 Burdett attending school with his younger brother Alanson, and along with their older sister Loretta they were all living with the Isaac Finch family, on a large farm in Easton, Ionia County.

He stood 5’4” with gray eyes, light hair and a light complexion and was 18 years old and working as a farmer in Lowell, Kent County when he enlisted in Company C on February 24, 1862, crediting Lowell, and was mustered the same day. He reenlisted on February 28, 1864, near Culpeper, Virginia, was absent on veteran’s furlough in March, and returned to the Regiment in April. Burdett was transferred to Company I, Fifth Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864. He was mustered out on July 5, 1865, at Jeffersonville, Indiana.

After the war Burdett returned to Ionia County, probably to Easton, Ionia County, where he worked as a farmer for some years. He was possibly married twice: first to New York native Martha (b. 1851) and second to Carrie Bell.

By 1870 he was working as a farmer and living in Easton, Ionia County with his wife Martha; next door lived one Oliver mason, probably an older brother. By 1880 he was working as a farm laborer and living with his wife and children with the family of Melvin Sprague living in Eaton, and in Orleans, Ionia County in 1890 and in Easton, Ionia County in 1894.

He was a member the Old Third Michigan Infantry Association and a Protestant.

In 1890 Burdett applied for and received a pension (no. 893750).

He was admitted to the Michigan Soldiers’ Home (no. 3143) on March 31, 1899. Burdette was discharged on May 11, 1903, readmitted on May 2, 1904, and discharged for the final time on September 4, 1907, probably to return to his home in Ionia County.

Burdett reportedly died at the Michigan Soldiers’ Home in Grand Rapids on November 4, 1917, and was buried in Oakwood cemetery in Lowell.