Mr. and Mrs. Christian Burck's 50th aniv., Monroe, Monroe County, Michigan Copyright © 2000 by Sue Douglas. This copy contributed for use in the MIGenWeb Archives. MIGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed MIGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the MIGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This newspaper Article was donated by Sue Douglas she is related to this family. So if you find a link please e-mail Sue at douglas@ees.eesc.com The blanks are areas of the paper that crumbled away. Newspaper article - The Evening News (Sixty Eighth Year) - September 1927 - NO. 155 Man and Wife Celebrate Golden Wedding, Sunday Mr. and Mrs. Christian Burck, Married Half Century, Have Lived in Only One House. With their three sons and their families gathered in honor of the occasion Mr. and Mrs. Christian J. G. Burck of 311 East Third street, Monroe, observed their fiftieth wedding anniversary Sunday at their home. Ten of 11 grandchildren were present, the only absent one being in Los Angeles, California. Mr. and Mrs. Christian Burck are both natives of Monroe. They were married at the old Trinity Lutheran church here on September 25, 1877, with the Rev. William Hattstead, now deceased, officiating. They have lived in this city and in the house at 311 East Third street ever since their marriage a half century ago. A number of thoughtful presents, many beautiful flowers and several messages of wishes for continued health and happiness were received by the two who yesterday observed their golden wedding anniversary. Mr. Burck is 80 years old. He was born in Monroe June 6, 1847. Mrs. Burck, who was Mary F. Walldorf before her marriage, will be 73 the 19th of October. Mr. Burck's parents were Adam and Mary B. Burck. They had come from Germany to the United States in 1846, making the journey in a sailing vessel and being 63 days on the water. They came to Monroe in the spring of 1847, coming by boat from Buffalo to Toledo. From Toledo to Monroe they used a boat to travel part of the distance and a horsedrawn vehicle the rest of the way. Mrs. Christian Burck's mother came to this country with her parents in 1847 when she was 15. Her (Mary Walldorf Burck's) father, Adam Walldorf, had come to this country a number of years before. C. A. Burck of Monroe, South Macomb street, part owner of the steam laundry here; Edwin J. Burck of Jackson, superintendent of the Michigan Central locomotive shops there, and Theodore Burck of Detroit, machinist in the locomotive department of one of the Ford factories, are the three sons, who, with their families, helped Mr. and Mrs. Burck celebrate their anniversary Sunday. Besides the wives of the sons, the grandchildren present were: Mrs. E. F. Lautner of Detroit, nee Mildred Burck, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. A., of Monroe; eight children of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin J. Burck of Jackson: Hilda, Robert, Ruth, Walldorf, Irvin, Paul, Richard and William, all at home at Jackson; Dorothy Burck, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Burck of Detroit. Dorothy recited two pieces, which pleased the company, giving one in German and one in English. Dorothy is not yet seven years old. Lillian M. Burck daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Burck, was not here, being in California. She sent a telegram of congratulations to her grandparents yesterday afternoon, Mr. E. R. Lautner of Detroit husband of Mildred Burck Lautner, formerly of Monroe, was also at the party. Miss Minnie Burck of Toledo, sister of Christian Burck, and Mrs. Adam Walldorf of Detroit, wife of the deceased brother of Mrs. Christian Burck, were here, as was also Miss Winnie Walldorf, sister of Mrs. C. J. G. Burck, who resides with her. A fine dinner reminiscent in a number of decorative respects, of the wedding one of *50 years ago was served the golden anniversary party. After the meal, the couple were presented with a number of gifts. These included a quite novel four-layer cake, of wood, carved, into 11 sections and each section being separated in the middle. In the place where each section was divided was a niche, which held a gold piece, one of these gold pieces being in each of the 11 sections. This cake of 11 parts represented Mr. and Mrs. Edwin J. Burck and their nine children, and each member of this family presented his piece to the honored couple. The name of the donor was embedded in a niche in the wooden block. Hilda Burck dressed in the wedding clothes yesterday of her grandmother, and Robert Burck donned the stovepipe hat worn by his grandfather in the marriage ceremony more that 50 years ago at the Trinity Lutheran church. A picture of the two children in the attire was taken. The ...... costume of 50 years ...........almost entirely of...............and had an ex-...................long train and.................... There was an orange blossom bridal wreath. The attendants at the ceremony September 25, 1877 were: Emma Reisig, now Mrs. Gus Beyer, of Monroe, bridesmaid, Minnie Walldorf, sister of the bride, of Monroe and Mary Loeffler, now Mrs. John Kamprath, Monroe; John Wagner of Monroe, best man, now deceased; Herman Lipold, of Detroit, also dead, and John Burck, who lives in Monroe, brother of the groom. Both Mr. and Mrs. C. J. G. Burck are in good health. Mr. Burck did a full day's work daily until about two years ago. Mrs. Burck still does her own housework, and is known among her friends for her jovial good nature. The pioneer couple were today receiving the congratulations of neighbors and other townspeople. Other out of Town visitors at the Burck home at yesterday's occasion included: Mrs. Henry Peters, Mrs. William Schulte, and Mr. and Mrs. Edward Nauts, all of Toledo. Monroe people who called at the residence during the day to extend congratulations, included: Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Kirby, and Mr. and Mrs. William Cron. Mr. Burck recalled that when he and Mrs. Burck were married 50 years ago, that Monroe's population was only about a third what it is now. It was then around 5,000 or 6,000. Mr. Burck's first vote for president was for U. S. Grant. The Monroe pioneer is one of the very few people of the city who have lived her 80 years, four-fifths of a century. * The number "50" was painted on top of the souvenir.