Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 1025 - 1026 

GEORGE W. BERDINE, the genial and popular proprietor of the Buckeye Hotel at Mt. Hope, migrated to this section of country from Peoria, Ill. He was born on the 25th of March, 1836. He has had some experience in agricultural pursuits, and is a man of good business capacities, public-spirited and liberal, and in all respects a valued member of society.

            Vincent and Louise (Seiple) Berdine, the parents of our subject, left their home in New Jersey about 1843, and took up their abode on a tract of land in Trivoli Township, Peoria Co., Ill., where the father occupied himself as a tiller of the soil until resting from his earthly labors, in 1879. The mother survived her husband only eight years, her death taking place in the spring of 1887. Of their nine children the record is as follows: The eldest daughter, Elizabeth, became the wife of James Shearer, and is now a resident of Kansas City, Mo.; Jacob S. is farming in Hancock County, Ill., and John is similarly occupied near Farmington, that State; Vincent is in Brown County, Tex.; George W., of our sketch, was the fourth child; Martin during the late war served as a Union soldier in Company B, 86th Illinois Infantry, and was killed on the battle-field of Chickamauga; Walter J. is a traveling manager for the Rushford wagon-works, at Louisville, Ky., and has his residence in that city; Albert F. resides in Iowa, and Ellen M., in Peoria County, Ill.

            Our subject was a lad of seven years when his father's family settled in Peoria County, Ill., where he grew to manhood, and received a common-school education. He came to the Territory of Kansas in 1858, and for four years thereafter was engaged as clerk in a general store at Lawrence, with the exception of six months spent in the mountains on account of his health. After the outbreak of the Rebellion he enlisted, in 1862, in Company B, 86th Illinois Infantry, of which his two brothers, Martin and Walter J., were also members. They participated in the battles of Perryville, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, went all through the Atlanta campaign, and accompanied Gen. Sherman first to Richmond and finally to Washington. Here they were in the grand review, and were mustered out in June, 1865, our subject having been promoted to Corporal and carried the colors of his regiment during the last two years.

            Upon his return from the army Mr. Berdine resumed farming in Peoria County, Ill., and subsequently became the owner of eighty acres in Champaign County, Ill., and resided there seven years. In June, 1884, he sold out and removed to Sedgwick County, Kan. His first purchase here was a quarter-section in Sherman Township, which he traded later for his hotel property, and to the latter has since given his time and attention.

            Our subject, while a resident of Illinois, was united in marriage with Miss Mary, daughter of Samuel and Harriet (Frey) Frey, the wedding taking place at the home of the bride, April 3, 1868. Mrs. Berdine was born July 24, 1849, in Huntingdon County, Pa., and was the fourth of eight children born to her parents. Her brother William died when about thirty-three or thirty-four years of age; Almira is the wife of John Adams, and resides in Iowa; Hattie, Mrs. O. P. Sweet, is a resident of Boston, Mass.; David lives in Buffalo, N. Y.; Priscilla became the wife of Arthur Barber, of Carthage, Mo.; Anna, Mrs. Allen Canada, and Ella, Mrs. Isaac Canada, are residents of Jerseyville, Ill. Mrs. Berdine is a very pleasant and intelligent lady, and an expert in the manufacture of wax and zephyr flowers.

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