Hudson Taylor
Burdon was a friend and fellow travelling evangelist of the young Hudson Taylor. He married Harriet Ann, whom he lost to illness in 1854 in Shanghai. His second marriage in 1857 was to Burella Hunter Dyer, the daughter of missionary Rev.Samuel Dyer. She died the following year of cholera, also in Shanghai. His third wife also predeceased him. Burton is fluent in Shanghainese. In April 1855, Burdon and Hudson Taylor stationed in Chongming Island, adjacent to Shanghai. When they preached, Hudson Taylor spoke first in Mandarin, then Burton interpreted into Shanghainese, which is native to the island.