CHARLES H. BURIG, a prosperous and highly respected agriculturist of Donegal township, is a native of Germany. His father, Charles W. Burig, was born in July, 1797, in the town of Brunswick, Germany, and attended the public schools of the place until fourteen years of age. He then learned the trade of miller, which he followed for forty years. In 1827 he was married to Fredericka Ide, who was born in 1807, also in Germany, and to their union were born four children: Sophia (widow of Frederick Miller, living in Triadelphia, Ohio Co., W. Va.), Caroline (deceased wife of August Miller), Amelia (Mrs. Henry Snyder, of Moundsville, VA) and Charles H. In 1848 Mr. Burig set sail from Bremen for America but as war was then raging between Prussia and Denmark, but few vessels were sailing from German ports, and the emigrants were obliged to come over in an English packet. They were sixty days on the ocean, but finally landed safely in New York. Thence they went by boat up the Hudson river to Albany; by railroad to Buffalo, N. Y.; by Lake Erie steamer to Erie, Penn.; from Erie to Beaver by canal, from Beaver down the Ohio river to Wheeling. Mr. Burig located on Peters run, in Ohio county, W. Va., where he followed milling and farming until 1860, when , on account of age and failing health, he retired. During the last years of his life Mr. Burig lived at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Miller, in Wheeling, W. Va., and there died in 1875, having been preceded by his wife in 1866. Charles H. Burig was born December 21, 1838, at Furstenberg, Duchy of Brunswick, Germany, and came to America with his parents. He received his education at the common schools, at the same time, in his boyhood and early youth, assisting his father in the mill work, and the duties of the farm. On September 4, 1862, he was united in marriage with Catherine Helfenbien, who was born February 27, 1843, in Marburg, Hessen Cassel, Germany,, and was but six years of age when her parents immigrated to America, settling in Ohio county, W.Va. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Burig had the following children: William (a farmer of West Finley township), Amelia (Mrs. Armour J. Roney, of West Finley township), George (also of West Finley township), A. Elmer (living with his parents), Gertrude (Mrs. Albert Morrow, of Donegal township) and Charlton L. (living at home). After his marriage Mr. Burig farmed for some time in Ohio county, W. Va., and in 1865 settled in Donegal township, Washington Co., Penn., locating on the old "De France farm," lying a short distance from the mouth of Dutch fork of Buffalo creek. He was engaged in milling for twenty years; but in 1885 he abandoned this business to devote his entire attention to farming. In political life Mr. Burig was a Democrat until 1880, when he united with the Republican party. He has recently erected an elegant residence which is equal to any in the vicinity.

Text taken from page 810 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed September 1997 by Cathy Cadd of Redmond, WA as part of the Beers Project. Published September 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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