BY Dorothy Burdett Fuerst

The Bryant-Burdett Connection is great. I’ve read it all. There are a few mistakes, but I’m surprised that there’s not more of them.

There wasn’t much in the book about Bud. Now I know lots and lots of good stuff about Bud. He was the best and sweetest kid anyone could have unless it was my Larry. They’re both still good. Dad spoiled Bud and Billie rotten. Mildred and Reatha straightened Bud out. This was on Elizabeth Street; When Mother took Bud to town with her, on the way home on the streetcar she got off at our block which was about half a mile before the end of the line at Sulphur Springs. One could stay on the streetcar and ride back to their block without paying an extra five cents that it cost to ride the streetcar from town. Bud was about three or four years old. He wanted to ride to the end of the line and was so mad he fell to the street and kicked and screamed. Some lady that had gotten off the streetcar looked so disgusted and said, "I feel sorry for you as you sure are going to have a problem with that child.". When Mother told us about the incident Mildred and Reatha decided to do something about it. From then on they didn’t let Bud get away with anything. Bud turned out to be the sweetest and minded Mother the best.

When we first came to Florida Bud was a year old. He was just beginning to walk. Dad had moved the tent (after the flood) on a lot near a grocery store. Across the dirt road was an empty lot. At the far end of the lot was a cow that had long, sharp horns. The cow was tied there to a stake. Bud must have thought the cow was something to play with. Every time he got mad he’d say, "I’m leaving, and I’m not coming back." Then he’s start out toward the cow. That cow put a long horn into his clothes and was shaking him like he was a rag doll. Edna, Reatha and Dorothy ran fast and rescued him. Needless to say he never tried to run away again. The lesson he learned was it’s a dangerous world out there.

Of course, you know the story where he ran across the stage hollering, "E-ow!" when he was Tom Thumb in the play, The Tom Thumb Wedding. He was only a year old then. I have a picture of him when he was four and six. I’m sending you copies. When he was six he went to school at noon. Mother worked, and the rest of us went to school at nine AM, so Bud was home alone and had to dress himself for school. As he was leaving a man came by and wanted to take his picture. Of course, the man came back later and sold the pictures to Mother. At least his hair is combed nice and neat. This was on Elizabeth Street.

When we moved to Hamilton Ave. when he was eight or nine he ran errands for the neighbors. He was so dependable that when the other boys asked they would turn them down as they wanted Bud. Maybe he was older, ten or twelve. He made his own money so he was really independent. Every day he’d call Mother at the Bilt-Rite Awning Shop and ask her if he could play with RC Ackrage. Now, RC lived only a few blocks away, but he (Bud) never wanted Mother to worry about him, so he’d always let her know where he’d be (or rather ask if he could go).

When Reatha married Ed Mercer Bud went to live with them. They moved to Brooksville and opened a feed store. Reatha and Bud ran the store and waited on customers while Ed gambled the money away. Ed would play cards with a bunch of men, and due to his gambling he was never there to tend to business, and he lost the feed store. They moved back to Tampa, and Ed got a job as a meat cutter again. Reatha raised chickens and cleaned them. Ed sold them at the grocery store where he worked.

One day Bud was coming home (I think). For some reason he started back to Reatha’s when he heard Ed complaining that he didn’t know why Bud had to be there as he wasn’t doing anything for his keep. Right then Bud decided he didn’t want to be anywhere he wasn’t wanted, so he went up to Ohio to live with Uncle John and help him on the farm. While living with Reatha he only made average grades. Reatha said he didn’t know how to study, so she taught him how. After that he made A’s.

Aunt Sarah told me they called her from school and told her what extremely high grades Bud made. He was such a big help to Uncle John on the farm. Bud was always welcome no matter where he went as he was so smart and such a good worker.

UNCLE BUD

BY CECELIA GREENE WOFFORD "CORKY"

Uncle Bud was a teenager when he came to visit us for a few days. He asked Mama if there was anything he could do to help while he was there. Our yard was always a mess of weeds and sandspurs, so either Mama or Daddy told him he could rake the yard. Uncle Bud raked the whole yard, picked up all the trash and put it in a pile out back. He burned the stuff that would burn and put the cans and other junk in the garbage hole. When the hole was full he dug another hole and filled the junk hole with the dirt. Then he raked out under the house. Someone had thrown cans, bottles and other junk under the house which made it dangerous for me to crawl under there when one of our hens decided to hide a nest. I sure was grateful to have a clean yard and not have to worry about getting cut on a broken bottle or rusty can when I had to crawl under the house. I thought to myself that Uncle Bud sure had a lot of energy.

Many years later I saw Uncle Bud at one of the family reunions. I was so surprised to see that I was taller than he was because I had to look up when I last saw him.

DAD BURDETT

BY Linda Burdett Radcliff

My dad has told me that he thought his mom was very clever. When he was young, she was talking to someone and knew Bud was within ears range of hearing what she said. Grandma Burdett was telling another individual "Bud would never smoke. He's too smart. He spends his money wisely." My dad never has smoked.

Also he has told me about him and a friend going down to the Okeechobee River to swim. They were very young and had taken off all of their clothes and left them on shore. There was a sandy area with a large rough wood post quite a ways away. They were having a good time swimming when his friend said "Bud! There’s a alligator over there watching us." Sure enough, it was there. The next thing he remembered was being up that post with the front of him all scratched up. He doesn’t remember how he got up that post.

They waited a long time and kept watching the alligator. It would go under the water and then come back up in a different area, but always facing them hanging for dear life up on that post.

They finally got tired of waiting and decided the next time the alligator went under the water they would swim as fast as they could to shore. They were all out of breath and had spent about all of their energy getting back to safety.

God and an army of angels were watching over him.

UNCLE BUD

by Barbara Burdett Slaughterbeck

When I was very young, Uncle Bud came to Ohio from Florida to find work. He stayed with us and found a job with a local farmer. I can't remember how long he stayed with us but I do remember he was there on my sixth birthday.That day when he came home from work, he found out that it was my birthday.When he started towards me, I knew I was in for a birthday spanking so I took off running as fast as I could go. I ran up stairs and crawled under my bed. I got as close to the wall as I could get, but he was so little, he crawled right under there, got hold of me and dragged me out kicking and screaming. I was struggling but it did no good. He sat down on the edge of the bed, turned me over his knee and I got the spanking. I was so mad I wouldn't speak to him for days. He was about 20 years old at the time.

The next Christmas he came in with a beautiful maple table and chair set for Pat and for me for Christmas. It was really nice. We used that little table for years and years. Coloring, painting, eating, you name it, we used it. The top finally dried out and separated so DAD put a piece of Masonite on it and we used it for another 25 years. The table finally bit the dust but we still have the chairs. Pat has one and I have the other one. Still in good shape, except we have painted them. Every time I change colors in my kitchen, I change the color of the chair. I use it to reach the top shelves in my cupboards. My grandchildren have all sat on it and now my great-grand children sit on it. Thank you, Uncle Bud, for such a lasting gift. We love you....

UNCLE BUD

I remember seeing Uncle Bud only once in my growing up years. I was about four or five years old, and he had come down from Ohio to visit. He was a teenager. I was standing on the back stoop by the kitchen door (at our house in Avondale off Hillsborough Ave.), and he was standing on the ground grinning.

That’s the only time I remember seeing him until a few years ago when I started going to the Bryant reunions in Ohio. I live in Bancroft, Michigan, and he lives in Fostoria, Ohio, about three hours away. I called Uncle Bud and said, "I’m coming to your house on the way to the reunion because I want to see you and Aunt Elva." We had a wonderful visit, and my husband, L.C., and I have been to visit them several times since and consider them dear friends. What a wonderful privilege to get

reacquainted after all these years.

…niece, Janet Greene Mack