Wakefield Connection
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The four pictures in this collection are from a
joint family gathering of Burdicks and Wakefields with their spouses and
children. Research by Chuckie Blaney, places a date of 1906 on the gathering.
The four pictures, symbolic of the closeness of the families, deserve a
special place right up front in this gallery. That the two families were very
close is not only illustrated by these pictures. A testament to this
closeness is also the fact that early members of the two families share a
combined grave plot in the Forest City (Minnesota) Cemetery. It is not surprising that the families were
close. They shared the adventure of being Meeker County pioneers. The
Wakefields went through the harrowing experience of The Great Sioux Uprising
in Minnesota in 1862; during which, infant Sarah Wakefield was taken for
refuge in the hastily erected, but very effective, Forest City Stockade. One
of the Wakefields (Leander) is known to have had a very narrow escape from
the Sioux. Estimates of settlers killed during that time range from about 300
to 800. Some captured settlers survived to share what they had experienced.* The reason for this special family gathering is
still being pondered. |
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Left to right back: Asa
Burdick, Charlie Burdick, Mary Elizabeth Mamie (Huckins) Wakefield,
Marion Agnes Wakefield, Ansel Burdick (holding Frances, daughter of
Henry and Luella Schreiner), Alvin Burdick (holding Mary, daughter of Julia
and Lee Wakefield), Arthur (Huckins) Wakefield, Theodore Huckins. Front: Bill Schreiner
and Lee Schreiner |
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Back, left to right: Theron & Flora
Wakefield, Julia Wakefield (Lee’s wife), Henry & Luella Schreiner. Front: Lee Wakefield, Seth Burdick, Leander
Wakefield (quite likely), Emma (Wakefield) Smith, Sarah (Wakefield) Burdick
(Seth’s wife).** |
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Left to right, standing: Asa Burdick, Theodore
Huckins, Emma (Wakefield) Smith, Seth Burdick, Julia (Spalding) Wakefield
(holding her daughter, Mary), Sarah (Wakefield) Burdick, Luella (Wakefield)
Schreiner (supporting her daughter, Frances), Flora (Taylor) Wakefield,
Leander Wakefield. Seated: Alvin Burdick, Mary Elizabeth Mamie
(Huckins) Wakefield, Marion Agnes Wakefield, Bill Schreiner, Ansel Burdick,
Charlie Burdick, Lee Schreiner, Henry Schreiner, Theron Wakefield, Lee
Wakefield, Arthur (Huckins) Wakefield. |
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Standing: Julia & Lee Wakefield, Theron &
Flora Wakefield, Henry & Luella Schreiner, Sarah (Wakefield) Burdick,
Seth Burdick, Leander Wakefield, Emma Smith. Front Row: Asa Burdick, Bill Schreiner, dog Mac,
Charlie Burdick, Marion Agnes Wakefield, Ansel Burdick – holding Mary,
daughter of Julia & Lee – Lee Schreiner, Mary Elizabeth Mamie
(Huckins) Wakefield, Alvin Burdick (holding Frances, daughter of Henry & Luella),
Arthur (Huckins) Wakefield, Theodore Huckins.** |
* Six Weeks in the Sioux Tepees, Sarah F. Wakefield, Originally published: Minneapolis: Atlas Print. Co., 1863. (At this time it is not known if Sarah F. Wakefield is related in any way to the Wakefield family in this website.)
** The first three pictures above are from original photographs handed down from my grandparents, Kate and Ansel Burdick. The last picture and a copy of the second picture were contributed by Wakefield descendant Tracie Killion. That contribution is extremely valuable to the record because the picture copies from Tracie were annotated with names, enabling the identification of almost all persons in the four pictures on this page. Prior to this, the top three pictures appeared only in the Unidentified Burdicks section of this website(photos 3, 4, and 24). Thanks to Tracie, with the identifications nearly complete, they are all now here on their own page in cropped versions to emphasize the people.