Résumé

Principal, Charles H. Burgraf, Architect, Salem, OR, 1891-1899. Burggraf obtained many commissions for public buildings--particularly schools and courthouses.

Partner, [C.A.] Robert and Burggraf, Architects, Salem, OR, 1891.

Principal, Charles Henry Burggraf, Architect, Albany, OR, 1899-1933. Burggraf was probably the leading architect working in Albany, OR, during the period from 1899 until 1933. Burggraf’s office was located at 118 West 2nd Street in Albany, OR, in 1912. (See Albany, Oregon City Directory, 1912, p. 37.)

High School

Burggraff indicated that he had completed four years of high school according to the 1940 US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1940; Census Place: Albany, Linn, Oregon; Roll: m-t0627-03371; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 22-4, accessed 10/02/2020.)

Relocation

Charles Burggraf was likely the accidental baby of John and Eliza Burggraf. His siblings were 15 and 12 years older than he, and his mother was 40 years old when he was born in Centralia, IL. The 1870 US Census listed the Burggrafs as residents of Centralia, with John possessing $1,000 worth of real estate and a $150 personal estate, figures on par with the wealth of his neighbors. Most neighbors were native-born, but many had immigrated from Germany and many worked in the building trades. To be even more specific a number of neighbors had been born inBaden-Württemberg, the same state as that of John Burggraf.(See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Centralia Ward 3, Marion, Illinois; Roll: M593_253; Page: 40B; Family History Library Film: 545752, accessed 10/02/2020.)

Ten years later, in 1880, Charles's family had moved to Tuscola, IL, in Douglas County, where his father worked as a foremen.

The Burggrafs resided in Centralia for the first 18 years of Charles's life, before the family relocated to Nebraska.

In 1910, Burggraf, his wife and son lived on Ellsworth Street in Albany, OR. The address number was recorded as "339," but this was likely wrong, and was actually 329. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Albany Ward 2, Linn, Oregon; Roll: T624_1283; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0174; FHL microfilm: 1375296, accessed 10/02/2020.) They lived at 329 Ellsworth Street in 1912. (See Albany, Oregon City Directory, 1912, p. 37.)

Thirty years later, Burggraff and his family continued to reside at 329 Ellsworth. The family owned their house, valued at $5,000. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1940; Census Place: Albany, Linn, Oregon; Roll: m-t0627-03371; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 22-4, accessed 10/02/2020.)

Parents

His parents were John C. Burggraf, (born 1825 in Baden-Württemberg, Germany-d. 11/24/1904 in Salem, OR),and Eliza Jane Cox (born 1827-d. 1903 in OR). His father worked as a carpenter in Centralia, IL, according to the US Census of 1870. Eliza managed the household that included two other older siblings, George Burggraf (born c. 1852 in OH) and Elizabeth Burggraf (born c. 1855 in OH).

Spouse

He wed Mattie Inez Adams (born 02/28/1871 near Kellogg, IA-d. 01/08/1955 in Albany, OR) on 09/19/1888 in Hastings, NE. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Library and Archives of the Nebraska State Historical Society; Lincoln, Nebraska. Source Information: Nebraska, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1855-1908 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017, accessed 10/02/2020.)

Mattie completed grade school as per the 1940 US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1940; Census Place: Albany, Linn, Oregon; Roll: m-t0627-03371; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 22-4, accessed 10/02/2020.)

Children

Mattie and Charles had three children, two of whom died during early childhood: Theodore Burggraf (1892-1897), Vera Burggraf, (1895-1896), and Charles Lural Burggraf, (born 09/19/1900 in Salem, OR-died 1995.)

Charles, had completed,by 1940, five years of college.

Biographical Notes

The Oregon Census of 1895 recorded that Burggraf stood 5-feet, 8-inches tall, and weighed 138 pounds. He was listed as a Protestant. Mattie Burggraf was listed as being 5-feet, 5-inches tall, and weighing 100 pounds.