From the "History of Northeast Indiana, LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb 
Counties" volume II, page 397

LORENZO BURCH.  A successful career makes its impress upon the manner and 
character of the man himself, and the stranger on meeting Lorenzo Burch would 
soon have revealed to him some knowledge of the fact that Mr. Burch has 
earned his right to live and enjoy all the prosperity that surrounds him at 
his good and thriftity managed farm in Otsego Township.
Mr. Burch was born in the same township April 9, 1867, and represents a 
family of pioneers in Steuben County.  His grandfather, Chester Burch, was 
born in Vermont March 22, 1810, a son of Oliver and Anna Burch.  He grew up 
in New York and in 1831, in Ohio, married Polly Davis, who was born in 
Washington County, Ohio, April 4, 1812.  Chester Burch came to Steuben 
County, Indiana, in 1837, and joined the few other early settlers in Otsego 
Township.  He aquired eighty acres in section 10, and lived there until his 
death on January 26, 1879.  He was a very active member of the Disciples 
Church.
One of his seven children was Halbert C. Burch, who was reared in Otsego 
Township, served over three years as a Union Soldier in the Civil war, and 
was killed in November, 1872, by being thrown from a wagon.  He married Mary 
Rhinehart, who lived to the age of seventy-two.
Lorenzo Burch was a son of Halbert and Mary Burch, and was only five years 
old when his father died.  He attended public school in Otsego and York 
townships, and at the age of sixteen began his career of independent farming. 
 At the age of twenty-one, having inherited twenty three acres in section 11 
of Otsego Township, he took possession and started in to build up his modest 
fortune.  How well he has done his work is seen in his present farm of over 
202 acres, nearly all of which he has bought from time to time out of the 
proceeds of his labors.  He has improved his land with excellent buildings 
and carried on a diversified farming and stockraising business.  His home is 
in section 12 of Otsego Township.
In 1888 Mr. Burch married Mina May Corey, daughter of George and 
Elizabeth(Teagarden) Corey.  Mr. Burch has three daughters and several 
grandchildren.  Ethel, his oldest daughter, married Alva Myers, and her 
children are Howard, Merl, Raymond and Donald.  Edna is the wife of Glenn 
Rozell, and she has two children, Charles and Mildred. Fern married Etta 
Sewell and has a son, Kenneth Earl.  The mother of these daughters died 
December 28, 1916.  Mr. Burch married for his present wife Mrs. Mary Everitt, 
daughter of Calvin Fee.  Mr. Burch is a member of the Christian Church at 
Metz and is fraternally identified with the Knights of Pythias, Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows, Rebekahs and Pythian Sisters.

Note from the submitter:  

     There is a mistake in this biography, Lorenzo Burch had two daughters, 
not three.  Fern Burch was Lorenzo's son and his full name was Clarence Fern 
Burch.   

Submitted by: James L. Davis
email: Jldcoonhunter@aol.com