Rev John Burdick, son of Samuel H. Burdick, was born in 1732. "On the 21st of April, 1772, he was chosen a deacon, and ordained as such in September following. ....In June, 1774, he was ordained to the office of an elder, " as an associate of Rev. Joshua Clarke, upon whose death he was chosen to the pastorate, and received ordination as leading elder, Sept. 3, 1793. On the same day, Dea. Henry Clarke and Dea. Asa Coon were ordained as evangelists. Mr. Burdick is described as "a pious, fervent, faithful, eloquent, and argumentative preacher, " and was therefore "universally respected." He received to the church "over two hundred members in one year." He was incessant in his labors, and assisted in the organization of several churches. He 'departed this life March 27, 1802, in the seventy-first year of his age, and thirty-third of his ministry."
"A valued correspondent (M. L. Potter) adds the following: "Rev. John Burdick was rather tall, with fine form, light complexion, blue eyes, and fair hair, worn rather long. Though solemn and earnest, there was a pleasantness, tenderness, and pathos in his speech, and a courtesy and amenity of manners, that rendered him peculiarly attractive to all who came under his influence. He was not only loved and venerated by his own people, and by them likened to 'the beloved desciple' but when called to preach in distant neighborhoods, was gladly received, and crowds flocked to hear him.

He was the sixth pastor of the Westerly Sabbatarian Church serving from 1793 to 1802. He followed Rev Joshua Clarke and was succeeded by Rev. Abram Coon.

Sources:
1. Type: Book
Title: The Descendants of Robert Burdick of Rhode Island
Author: Nellie W. Johnson
Publication: The Syracuse Typesetting Co., Syracuse, NY
Date: 1937
Text: 16, 37
2. Type: Book
Title: Genealogy of the Descendants of William Chesebrough of Boston, Rehoboth, Mass
Author: Anna Chesebrough Wildey
Publication: Press of T. A. Wright
Date: 1903
Text: 32, 63
3. Type: Book
Title: The "Clarke" Families of Rhode Island
Author: George Austin Morrison, Jr.
Publication: The Evening Post Job Printing House, New York
Date: 1902
Text: 45
4. Type: Book
Title: Westerly and It's Witnesses
Author: Rev. Frederic Denison
Publication: J. A. and R. A. Reid
Date: 1878

Sources:
1. Type: Book
Title: Genealogy of the Descendants of William Chesebrough of Boston, Rehoboth, Mass
Author: Anna Chesebrough Wildey
Publication: Press of T. A. Wright
Date: 1903
Text: 32, 63
2. Type: Book
Title: The Descendants of Robert Burdick of Rhode Island
Author: Nellie W. Johnson
Publication: The Syracuse Typesetting Co., Syracuse, NY
Date: 1937
Text: 16,