Theodore Weld Burdick

Theodore Weld Burdick (October 7, 1836 – July 16, 1898) was an American banker, Civil War veteran and politician who one term served as a Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa's 3rd congressional district, serving from 1877 to 1879.

Theodore Weld Burdick
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 3rd district
In office March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1879
Preceded by	Lucien L. Ainsworth
Succeeded by	Thomas Updegraff
Member of the Iowa Senate
In office 1886–1887
Personal details
Born	(1836-10-07)October 7, 1836 Evansburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	July 16, 1898(1898-07-16) (aged 61) Decorah, Iowa, U.S.
Resting place	Phelps Cemetery
Political party	Republican
Military service
Branch/service	Union Army
Rank	Captain
Unit	Company D,6th Iowa Cavalry Regiment
Battles/wars	Civil War

Biography

Born in Evansburg, Pennsylvania, Burdick attended the common schools. He moved with his parents to Decorah, Iowa, in 1853 and at age seventeen became the community's first schoolteacher.^[1]

He was a deputy treasurer and recorder of Winneshiek County from 1854 to 1857, and the treasurer and recorder from 1858 to 1862, when he resigned to recruit a company for the Union Army in the Civil War.

Civil War

He was commissioned as captain and assigned to Company D the 6th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry.^[1] He served for three years in the Department of the Northwest, in response to uprisings in southern Minnesota and Dakota Territory by Native Americans against settlers. After the regiment was mustered out in 1865 he returned to Decorah and became cashier of the First National Bank.

Congress

In 1876, Burdick was elected as a Republican to the Forty-fifth Congress, where he served from March 4, 1877 to March 3, 1879. He served on the House Committee on Expenditures.^[2] In 1878, he declined to be a candidate for renomination.^[3]

Later career

He resumed banking at Decorah, and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. He served as member of the Iowa Senate in 1886 and 1887.

Death and burial

He died in Decorah from July 16, 1898. He was interred in Phelps Cemetery.

References

1. "Third District," Iowa State Reporter (Waterloo), 1876-09-13 at p. 5.
2. Waterloo Courier, 1877-11-07 at p. 4.
3. Iowa State Reporter (Waterloo), 1878-05-15 at p. 4.

• United States Congress. "Theodore Weld Burdick (id: B001078)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Lucien L. Ainsworth	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 3rd congressional district 1877–1879	Succeeded by Thomas Updegraff

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress