My Genealogy Hound

Karl Borchart, a veteran of the Franco-Prussian War, and a representative of the thrifty and industrious German-American citizens of Oakland County, is engaged in general farming and stock raising on his farm of 100 acres situated in section 16, Farmington township. He was born at Barkow, Germany, October 4, 1850, and is a son of Karl and Fredericka (Zeam) Borchart, the former of whom died in Germany in 1897.

Karl Borchart, the subject of this sketch, was reared in Germany and there received his schooling. In 1870, upon the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, he entered the German Army, being a member of the 92nd Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, 15th Army Corps. He took an active and interesting part in the following battles: Woerth, Vionville, Gravelotte, Beaumont, Strasburg and Metz and received his honorable discharge from the army on July 1, 1872.

On the 14th of September, 1884, Mr. Borchart set out for America and located first in Livonia township, Wayne County, Michigan, where he rented a farm and there followed farming until 1902. In that year our subject purchased his present farm of 100 acres of good farming land in Farmington township; the property is well improved. It is a fine location and does credit to Mr. Borchart’ s industry and careful business methods that gave him the means with which to make the purchase. He grows all the standard crops of this section, and raises considerable live stock, in which branch he has possibly met with the larger success.

On September 30, 1874, Mr. Borchart was married in Germany to Wilhelmina Sommer. They have reared four children, three of whom were born in Germany; the record is as follows: Bertha, who accompanied her parents to America and here was united in marriage with Charles Gow, who is engaged in farming in Farmington township, Oakland County, — three children have been born to them, Mono, Earl and Helen, who died in infancy; William, born October 3, 1877, who is now working in a rolling mill in Detroit; Frank, born February 28, 1880, who is residing with his parents on the homestead farm; and Elizabeth, born November 27, 1884, in Livonia township, Wayne County, Michigan, who is also living with her parents.

Religiously, our subject and family are members of the German Evangelical Church. Mr. Borchart is a Republican.