Burton lived on Jonas Lidell's Hill Farm and Grace and Arthur were born there. Grace was also married there. His wife Sabina died there and after his mother, Delia Herkimer, died Burton and the children moved to Lower Farm.

The 1880 census lists head of household B.W. Lidell living in Exeter, Otsego, NY, with his daughter Grace and son Arthur. There is also a married couple in the house, Uria and Cora Bentley, listed as a farm laborer and housekeeper.