Burt was born on August 26, 1831 in the town of Pike, near Rochester, New York, the ninth of thirteen siblings and the eldest son.
His father was Luther Burt and his mother Florinda Horton Burt.
The Burts were poor farmers who came from an old New England line, tracing back to Henry Burt, who had settled from Scotland in 1640.
The Burt lineage included William Austin Burt (1792–1858), who was a notable Michigan surveyor described as "the father of the typewriter".

At the age of seven, he moved with his parents to Jackson County, Michigan, where he worked on the family farm.
Michigan was then only a few years old and Burt's subsequent life and career as a first generation Michigander was often identified with the growth and progress of the new state.
In 1843, when Wellington was 12, his father Luther died.
Under the guidance of his mother, he became the farm's manager and "entered into the struggle incident to pioneer life".
He attended two years of college one at Albion College and one at Michigan Central College (now Hillsdale College).
At the age of 22, he decided to see the world and obtained work as a sailor abroad on freighters in Australia, Central and South America, and New Zealand.
He would recall Australia as his favorite foreign country.

When he returned home in 1857 at age 26, he found a burgeoning timber industry in Michigan, the "Green Gold Rush".
He took a job earning $13 a month at the Pine River lumber camp near St. Louis, Michigan and within a month was promoted to camp foreman with double wages.
He was "tall, strong and knew how to give orders".
Using savings, he started his own lumber company in 1858, buying 300 acres in Gratiot County.
In 1867, he founded the community of Melbourne on the Saginaw River near Zilwaukee, Michigan, named after his favorite city in Australia.
By 1870, Melbourne was among the largest and most complete mills in the world, but in 1876, it was destroyed by a fire of unknown origin.
Many at the time thought this would be the end of Burt's fortunes, but he also owned timber land elsewhere, including in St. Louis County, Minnesota, which turned out to be favourable for him, as it was in the heart of the immensely valuable Mesabi iron range.
In addition to his various timber and iron mine holdings, Burt made his fortune in the salt industry, in railroads and in foreign bonds and banking investments.
He invested in the former CS&M Railroad (running between Durand and Bay City) and for a time, owned most of the Ann Arbor Railroad system.
He also bought railways in Russia and China.
He had plans to build a sugar beet factory in Owosso, Michigan, but the idea failed to come to fruition.

Burt's political career included time as mayor of East Saginaw  in 1867 and 1868, and as unsuccessful Fusion candidate for the position of Governor of Michigan in 1888.
He was elected member of the Michigan State Senate 22nd District for 1893–94 again under the Fusion ticket, and as Democratic candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 8th District in 1900. "
In the capitol at Lansing", one Saginaw News account read, "Sen. Burt was more conspicuous for his political naiveté than for any distinguished act of statesmanship.
They said he tried hard, but to him, politics were strange shenanigans.
You smiled and joked when you meant to kick a man's shins."

Later in his life, Burt lived alone in a 3-story brick mansion at Cherry St. and E. Genesee Ave. (
it was demolished in 1959 and today is a parking lot).
With failing eyesight and hearing he was taken care of by servants.
Due to his isolation from his family and social circles in later years, he was known as "The Lone Pine of Michigan".
He had radical stomach surgery at the age of 80.
His death certificate lists his cause of death as "senility".
He is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Saginaw County Michigan, USA – Plot: Section 8, Plot 1.

Burt was married twice and had seven children, 3 daughters from the first wife and 1 daughter and 3 younger sons from the second wife.
His first wife was Sarah Torrance (1833–1867), whom he married May 22, 1860; his se
Burt was born on August 26, 1831 in the town of Pike, near Rochester, New York, the ninth of thirteen siblings and the eldest son. His father was Luther Burt and his mother Florinda Horton Burt. The Burts were poor farmers who came from an old New England line, tracing back to Henry Burt, who had settled from Scotland in 1640. The Burt lineage included William Austin Burt (1792–1858), who was a notable Michigan surveyor described as "the father of the typewriter".
At the age of seven, he moved with his parents to Jackson County, Michigan, where he worked on the family farm. Michigan was then only a few years old and Burt's subsequent life and career as a first generation Michigander was often identified with the growth and progress of the new state. In 1843, when Wellington was 12, his father Luther died. Under the guidance of his mother, he became the farm's manager and "entered into the struggle incident to pioneer life". He attended two years of college one at Albion College and one at Michigan Central College (now Hillsdale College). At the age of 22, he decided to see the world and obtained work as a sailor abroad on freighters in Australia, Central and South America, and New Zealand. He would recall Australia as his favorite foreign country.
When he returned home in 1857 at age 26, he found a burgeoning timber industry in Michigan, the "Green Gold Rush". He took a job earning $13 a month at the Pine River lumber camp near St. Louis, Michigan and within a month was promoted to camp foreman with double wages. He was "tall, strong and knew how to give orders". Using savings, he started his own lumber company in 1858, buying 300 acres in Gratiot County. In 1867, he founded the community of Melbourne on the Saginaw River near Zilwaukee, Michigan, named after his favorite city in Australia. By 1870, Melbourne was among the largest and most complete mills in the world, but in 1876, it was destroyed by a fire of unknown origin. Many at the time thought this would be the end of Burt's fortunes, but he also owned timber land elsewhere, including in St. Louis County, Minnesota, which turned out to be favourable for him, as it was in the heart of the immensely valuable Mesabi iron range. In addition to his various timber and iron mine holdings, Burt made his fortune in the salt industry, in railroads and in foreign bonds and banking investments. He invested in the former CS&M Railroad (running between Durand and Bay City) and for a time, owned most of the Ann Arbor Railroad system. He also bought railways in Russia and China. He had plans to build a sugar beet factory in Owosso, Michigan, but the idea failed to come to fruition.
Burt's political career included time as mayor of East Saginaw  in 1867 and 1868, and as unsuccessful Fusion candidate for the position of Governor of Michigan in 1888. He was elected member of the Michigan State Senate 22nd District for 1893–94 again under the Fusion ticket, and as Democratic candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 8th District in 1900. "In the capitol at Lansing", one Saginaw News account read, "Sen. Burt was more conspicuous for his political naiveté than for any distinguished act of statesmanship. They said he tried hard, but to him, politics were strange shenanigans. You smiled and joked when you meant to kick a man's shins."
Later in his life, Burt lived alone in a 3-story brick mansion at Cherry St. and E. Genesee Ave. (it was demolished in 1959 and today is a parking lot). With failing eyesight and hearing he was taken care of by servants. Due to his isolation from his family and social circles in later years, he was known as "The Lone Pine of Michigan". He had radical stomach surgery at the age of 80. His death certificate lists his cause of death as "senility". He is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Saginaw County Michigan, USA – Plot: Section 8, Plot 1.
Burt was married twice and had seven children, 3 daughters from the first wife and 1 daughter and 3 younger sons from the second wife. His first wife was Sarah Torrance (1833–1867), whom he married May 22, 1860; his se
Wellington R. Burt