Bertha (Rambow) and William Burgard

The spelling of BURGARD is used on all the deeds and papers of the farm (these date back to the 1860'.) as well as on the tombstones.

We know of no family history before the time that Frederick Burgard and Lisette Schrader, came to the United States from Mecklenburg, Germany (this was a part of East Germany) in the mid 1860's.They were married after coming to this country although they had known each other in Germany before coming to USA The trip to the USA was made by sailboatt and took 16-17 weeks. Some days the winds took them as far backward as forward.

Frederick and Lisette bought the farm later owned by Arthur and Ella (Hartwig) Burgard (left) in 1869. They lived at first in an old log house which stood on the property, then built the present house in about l882.They were glad to have the new house as the winter winds and snow blew in through the cracks between the logs in the old one. When the new house was built they moved the log house behind the new one, to serve as a wood house.

There was also an old log stable which stood on the property when they moved there. This building stood on the east side of where our barn stands now. The barn was also built by Frederick before the house was built. This barn is built of oak.

Lisette was always called upon by families in the neighborhood to lay out the dead for burial. Frederick and Lisette lived on the farm until 1906 when they sold it to their son, William. At this time they moved to a house in Ida.

Frederick and Lisette were members of St Matthew Lutheran Church (Ida-Maybee Rd.) and they are buried in the church cemetery. This church has since merged with another Ida church and renamed Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Its address is also Ida-Maybee Rd. Ida, Mich.

William and Bertha (Rambow) Burgard lived on the farm until the 1940's when they moved to a house in Ida. Arthur and Ella (Hartwig) Burgard bought the farm in 1949 and still live there now. Arthur and his son, Lee still farm there.

The only thing that we know about the reasons for Henry and Lou Burgard going west to work was that Chris Schrader owned land there and the pay was better there for farm labor. They worked in Iowa for a time, found their wife, and then moved on to Nebraska.

Henry's wife, Anna, came from Iowa, also Lou's. William and Phoebe Burgard also worked in Iowa for 5 years, he doing farm work, and she housework, but eventually returned to Michigan.

William Miller is buried in St. Matthew's cemetery as are Anna, Albert and his wife, Esther (Rambow). Carl's wife was Elizabeth Mathis and their children are Margaret (Mrs. George Riggs) one son, John. Allison (Wilma) two sons, Larry and Gary Willard (married twice) children from 1st marriage. are Richard (Linda Berns) and Pam (John Moskwa)

Anna and Henry Nickel are buried in Memorial Gardens in Toledo. Walter Nickel married Celia Meinhart, one daughter Caroline. Alma Nickel married John Burwitz, no children.

Albert Miller's children are Charles (Bernice Hehl) two sons, Helen, (Merle Kreps) l son, two daugthers, Bill, Barbara, Karen. Norma (Homer Ballard deceased) three daughters, Mary, Jane, Gayle. Letha (Don Pullou) two sons, three daughters David, Grace Ann, Jeanie, Mark, Faye

Lee Burgard (right), son of Arthur married Rebecca Zellers May 30,198l in Findlay Ohio. one son Adam Lee, born Jan.9,1984, is a hemophiliac. Arthur's daughter is Marilyn.