BURDETTE, ROBERT J.

BURDETTE, GARRET

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 2/1/2025 at 10:52:50

BURLINGTON CITY.
(P. O. BURLINGTON)

BURDETTE, ROBERT J., the Burlington humorist ; was born at Greensboro, Greene Co., Penn., July 30, 1844; his parents removed to Cincinnati, and thence in 1852, to Peoria, Ill., where Burdette was raised and received an education such as the place afforded, graduating from the high school. In 1872, he enlisted in the 47th Reg. Ill. v., and served three years in the ranks ; at the close of the war, he returned to Peoria, and, after engaging in several mercantile pursuits, all of which proved distasteful to him, he entered the editorial rooms of the Peoria Transcript, as night editor ; he was soon promoted to the city editorship, and, soon afterward, embarked in an independent enterprise, which proved a financial failure, but made his reputation as a humorist ; he then accepted the position on the staff' of the Burlington Hawk-Eye with which he is still connected, and which his humor has made famous ; although that characteristic has attracted the widest attention, Burdette's literary ability is not confined to making fun ; as a political writer, he has few equals, and can do a greater quantity and a greater variety of literary work, in a given time, than could reasonably be expected of two men ; as a lecturer, he is no less successful than in the editorial room. Burdette married March 4, 1870, Miss Carrie S. Garrett, a daughter of a prominent Peoria merchant.

Source: BIOGRAPHICAL DIRECTORY
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY IOWA
CHICAGO: WESTERN HISTORICAL COMPANY, 1879

Transcription typed/proofed as article was originally published in 1879