Samuel Swinfin Burdett (February 21, 1836 – September 24, 1914) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

Biography

He was born on February 21, 1836, in The Old Manse,

Broughton Astley Broughton Astley is a large village and civil parish located in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is situated in the south of Leicestershire, about east of Hinckley, about from the centre of Leicester, and about 14 mil ...

, bordering Sutton-in-the-Elms in

Leicestershire, England Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...

. His father was minister at Sutton-in-the-Elms Baptist Chapel. When twelve years of age he emigrated to the United States. He worked on a farm in Lorain County, Ohio, and attended the common schools. He studied law at

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational liberal arts college in the United S ...

, Ohio, was admitted to the bar in 1858 and commenced practice in DeWitt, Iowa. Burdett was an abolitionist and joined John Brown during the Bleeding Kansas conflict in May 1856. He entered the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

as a private in the First Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, in May 1861. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, later becoming captain, and served until August 1864. He served as assistant provost marshal general from March 1, 1864 – August 1, 1864. He moved to Osceola, St. Clair County, Missouri, in December 1865. Attorney for the seventh circuit in 1868 and 1869. He served as delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1868. Burdett was elected as a Republican to the Forty-first and Forty-second Congresses (March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1873). He served as chairman of the Committee on Manufactures (Forty-second Congress). He was an unsuccessful candidate in 1872 for reelection to the Forty-third Congress. He resumed the practice of law in

Osceola, Missouri Osceola is a city in St. Clair County, Missouri, United States. The population was 909 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of St. Clair County. During the American Civil War, Osceola was the site of the Sacking of Osceola. History Located ...

. He was appointed Commissioner of the General Land Office in 1874. He engaged in the practice of law in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, residing at Glencarlyn, Virginia, during his last years. Commander in chief of the

Grand Army of the Republic The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (U.S. Navy), and the Marines who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Decatur, Il ...

from 1885 to 1886. He founded the Arlington, Virginia neighborhood of Glencarlyn with his partner George W. Curtis in 1888. When he was old he decided that he would like to visit the place where he was born. He travelled to England and stayed at the Old Manse (now 12, Green Rd) Broughton Astley, Leicestershire. He suddenly became ill, and some days later he died, on September 24, 1914, in the very room in which he had been born. He was buried with his wife, Nancy (1826–1906) in

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

Legacy

He is the namesake of the community of

Burdett, Missouri Burdett is an unincorporated community in northwest Bates County, in the U.S. state of Missouri. The community is on Missouri Route FF approximately seven miles west northwest of Adrian. History Burdett was platted in 1870, and named after Samuel ...

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Burdett, Samuel Swinfin 1836 births 1914 deaths Military personnel from Leicestershire General Land Office Commissioners Union Army officers Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri People from Broughton Astley People from Lorain County, Ohio People from DeWitt, Iowa Grand Army of the Republic Commanders-in-Chief 19th-century American politicians People from Osceola, Missouri People from Arlington County, Virginia Military personnel from Iowa