George W. Burdick, Another Look

OK, I admit it. I have been holding out information on George. I probably would have continued to hold off on some information, but one of Papa’s cousins reminded me, and I am coming clean! The Michigan Histories and Atlases have given me quite a few clues about our families, and here is a crumb:

In January, 1877 a resident of Manton described the village as follows: “We have three good hotels, The Wexford House is the largest, and is a credit to any town. Its proprietor is William Martin, The Burdick House is kept by G. W. Burdick….”¹

In addition, in December of 1876, George’s oldest daughter was married.

Now I am wondering, where was the hotel located? At the same time, I remember descriptions I have read of hotels on the frontier, with people sleeping every which way on the floors, using all available space. I am not sure when I may be able to further assess the location of the hotel.  Once again, I checked in the Michigan County History site, and found three atlases.  The 1889 atlas² is 12 years later than 1876-78, the time period I am interested in, but worth a look.

Lot 3 is empty, but lot 4 has a building of unknown size.  Lot 10 is the home of the “Friends Meeting Ho.”, with 8 and 9 appearing to be empty.

It is possible that buildings may have existed on these lots earlier, and burnt down or otherwise been destroyed.  Without further review of early plat maps at the courthouse, I probably will not know if one of these lots contained a hotel that Burdick may have operated.

1. Alexander Winchell, The Grand Traverse region : a report on the geological and industrial resources of the counties of Antrim, Grand Traverse, Benzie and Leelenaw in the lower peninsula of Michigan (Ann Arbor: Dr. Chase’s steam printing house 1866), page 348; digital images, University of Michigan Library, Michigan County Histories and Atlases (http://name.umdl.umich.edu/BAD0780.0001.001 : accessed 2 November 2009)
2. E.L. Hayes, Atlas of Wexford County, Michigan / compiled by Eli L. Hayes from government surveys, county and township records, and personal investigations and observations (Chicago, Illinois: E.L. Hayes & Co. 1889), page 21, digital images, University of Michigan Library, Michigan County Histories and Atlases (http://name.umdl.umich.edu/3928170.0001.001 : accessed 2 November 2009)