Michigan's First Famous Fiddler

This is a rare picture of Orange Fame “Cub” Berdan from the family album maintained by his granddaughter, Ginny. I’ve shared my research about her famous grandfather with her and she has shared some family photographs with me. We’re planning to meet in April to discuss and record her memories of the early Berdan family.

"Cub" Berdan -- Michigan's First Famous Fiddler

Cub Berdan was born in Macon Township, Michigan in 1841, the fourth of five children. His ancestors were Dutch immigrants to this country, descended from Huguenots fleeing religious persecution in France.

He enlisted in Company C of the Fifth Michigan Cavalry as a bugler during the Civil War. His regiment fought under the leadership of General George Armstrong Custer, but he left the army at the end of the war, thirteen months before the creation of the U.S. Seventh Cavalry that fought at Little Big Horn.

His obituary reports that he was playing in the orchestra at Ford’s Theatre the night Abraham Lincoln was shot but I’m still looking for some documentation to support that assertion.

After the war, Cub Berdan returned to Michigan where he played for a time in the Ypsilanti Cornet Band. He married Fannie Lee Whitney in 1878 and had two children. He owned music stores in Adrian and Detroit and performed on the concert circuit in southern Michigan and northern Ohio. He was considered by some to be one of the leading violinists in the country.

By 1895, his health began to decline, due in large part to dysentery he had contracted during the civil war.

In 1900, he was admitted to the Wayne County Asylum, (also known as Eloise Hospital) with chronic dysentery, dementia and blindness in at least one eye.

He died October 10, 1901 at Eloise and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Adrian, Michigan.

My research into Cub Berdan's life and music continues and I hope to have more to report soon.

The Golden Griffon Stringtet is pleased to play some of Cub Berdan's tunes and proud to promote the musical heritage of Michigan's first famous fiddler.

© 2012 Jim McKinney Used by permission.