Thomas Burdick (November 17, 1795 (or 1797) – November 6, 1877) was a leader in the early

Latter Day Saint movement The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by ...

, a

Mormon pioneer The Mormon pioneers were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), also known as Latter-day Saints, who migrated beginning in the mid-1840s until the late-1860s across the United States from the Midwest to the S ...

, and a politician in

Los Angeles County, California Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles and sometimes abbreviated as LA County, is the List of United States counties and county equivalents, most populous county in the United States, with 9,663,345 residents estimated in 202 ...

. Burdick was born in

Canajoharie, New York Canajoharie () is a town in Montgomery County, New York, United States. The population was 3,660 as of the 2020 census. Canajoharie is located south of the Mohawk River on the southern border of the county. The Erie Canal passes along the nort ...

. He married Anna Higley in 1828. In 1834, the Burdicks heard the preaching of missionary

Sidney Rigdon Sidney Rigdon (February 19, 1793 – July 14, 1876) was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. Biography Early life Rigdon was born in St. Clair Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on February 19, 1793. He ...

and joined the Church of the Latter Day Saints led by

Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious and political leader and the founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. Publishing the Book of Mormon at the age of 24, Smith attracted tens of thou ...

. The Burdicks moved to

Kirtland, Ohio Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,937 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Kirtland is known for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement from 1831 to 1837 and the site of ...

, to join the main gathering of Latter Day Saints and Burdick was made an elder in the church. In 1836, he was given the responsibility of managing the membership records of the church. On November 7, 1837, Burdick became a

high priest The term "high priest" usually refers either to an individual who holds the office of ruler-priest, or to one who is the head of a religious organisation. Ancient Egypt In ancient Egypt, a high priest was the chief priest of any of the many god ...

and a member of the

presiding high council In the Latter Day Saint movement, there are two presiding high councils, one said to be "standing," and the other "traveling." The traveling high council is generally known as the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. Both councils, at least in theory, presi ...

at Kirtland. In 1838, Burdick was one of the twelve high priests selected by

Bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

Newel K. Whitney to constitute the first sitting of the

Common Council of the Church In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Common Council of the Church is a body of the church that has the power to discipline or remove the President of the Church or one of his counselors in the First Presidency due to misbehavior. Its existence and ...

, which heard charges levied by Sylvester Smith against Joseph Smith. Burdick also taught school and was a justice of the peace in Kirtland. In 1838–39, after the majority of Latter Day Saints left Kirtland, Burdick remained. He was appointed the church

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

in Kirtland on May 22, 1841. After the

death of Joseph Smith Joseph Smith, the founder and leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, and his brother, Hyrum Smith, were killed by a mob in Carthage, Illinois, United States, on June 27, 1844, while awaiting trial in the town jail on charges of treason. The ...

in 1844, Burdick followed the leadership of

Brigham Young Brigham Young ( ; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 until h ...

and made plans to follow Young west. Burdick remained in

Kanesville, Iowa Council Bluffs is a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. The population was 62,799 at the 2020 census, making it the state's tenth most populous city, and the most populous city in Southwest Iowa. The O ...

until 1853, when he led a

company of over 100 wagons to

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...

Utah Territory The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah, the 45th st ...

. After arriving in Salt Lake City, most of the company, including Burdick, determined to carry on to the Mormon settlement of

San Bernardino, California San Bernardino ( ) is a city in and the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a population of 222,101 in the 2020 census, making it the List of ...

. In the winter of 1853–54, Burdick and his family settled at

San Gabriel Township, California San Gabriel (Spanish language, Spanish for "Gabriel, St. Gabriel") is a city located in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County, California. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 39,568. San Gabriel was founded ...

. In 1855, Burdick was elected as a member of the

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (LACBOS) is the five-member Board of Supervisors, governing body of Los Angeles County, California, United States. History On April 1, 1850 the citizens of Los Angeles elected a three-man Court of Se ...

; he served two consecutive one-year terms. Burdick died in Los Angeles of

apoplexy Apoplexy () refers to the rupture of an internal organ and the associated symptoms. Informally or metaphorically, the term ''apoplexy'' is associated with being furious, especially as "apoplectic". Historically, it described what is now known as a ...

. He and his wife were the parents of seven children. Their son Cyrus Burdick was the co-founder of

Pomona, California Pomona ( ) is a city in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. Pomona is located in the Pomona Valley, between the Inland Empire and the San Gabriel Valley. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city's population was ...

. Burdick's sister was Rebecca Burdick Winters, a Mormon pioneer known for her grave site along the

Mormon Trail The Mormon Trail is the route from Illinois to Utah on which Mormon pioneers (members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) traveled from 1846 to 1869. Today, the Mormon Trail is a part of the United States National Trails Syst ...

References

"Thomas Burdick"

Joseph Smith Papers ''The Joseph Smith Papers'' (or Joseph Smith Papers Project) is a documentary editing project to collect, research, and publish all documents created by, or under the direction of, Joseph Smith (1805–1844), the founder of the Latter Day Saint m ...

* County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors
"Supervisor Thomas Burdick"
, lacounty.gov

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Burdick, Thomas 1790s births 1877 deaths American leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Converts to Mormonism American justices of the peace Leaders in the Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints) Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Mormon pioneers People from Canajoharie, New York People from Kirtland, Ohio Religious leaders from New York (state) Latter Day Saints from New York (state) Latter Day Saints from Ohio Latter Day Saints from Iowa Latter Day Saints from California Deaths from bleeding