The Brueck family of Saginaw and Bridgeport, Michigan

 
 
 

The Brueck family of Saginaw and Bridgeport, Michigan arrived on the ship Saxonia on the 25th of November 1867 in New York from Hamburg, Germany.  Frederick Brueck, his wife Charlotta (Schrick) Brueck, children: Philipene and Frederick Brueck, Jr. along with Grandmother Sophia (Goetz) Brueck traveled together and settled in the Saginaw area.  Sophia’s husband, Henry Brueck, was already deceased.  Sophia later died in 1878 while living with her daughter Magdalena.  Various Federal Census Schedules indicate that the Brueck family came from Hesse Darmstadt, Germany.

Frederick’s sisters Caroline and Magdalena Brueck (spelled as Brueche on the passenger list) arrived a few years prior on the ship Ernestine on the 4th of September 1860 in Baltimore from Bremen.  Magdalena later married John Niederstadt on the 4th of August 1861 in Saginaw.  Nothing more is known about Caroline.

A large number of the family members are buried in Brady Hill Cemetery, Forest Lawn Cemetery and Roselawn Cemetery; all located
in the Saginaw area.

 

 
 

 



 
 

Frederick Brueck 1838-1921

 

Charlotta (Schrick) Brueck 1838-1922,
daughter of Johann Friederich Schrick
and Anna Margaretha Baeyer
of Alsenz, Pfalz, Bayern, Germany.

 
 

(Original photographs in possession of Janet Cooper).

 
 

Frederick and Charlotta had the following children:  Philipene, Frederick (Jr.), John, Henry, Amelia, William and Elizabeth. 

 
 
 

 
 

 

Frederick Brueck (Sr.) was a Boot and Shoe Maker and Dealer.  His business was located at various locations in Saginaw:

  • 914 Genesee between Clay and Jane Streets (1872 East Saginaw City Directory)

  • on Genesee between Park and Webster Streets (1877-78 Polk Directory)

  • 117 Lapeer Street (1881-82 East Saginaw and Saginaw Directory)

In the 1907 directory, still at the Lapeer location, a better description is given of the business:

                                               “Wholesale Leather and Findings, Union and Oak Harness Leather a Specialty,
                                                                        Boots and Shoes, Manufacturers of Shoe Uppers.”
 

Back in 1994 I was sent a few photos by William Schomaker, Curator of the Historical Society of Bridgeport, showing a building owned by Fred Brueck and later owned by his daughter Philipene and her husband Frank Krause.  This building was still standing until recently.  About 8 or so years ago, it was torn down and a brand new Rite-Aid was built in its place.  Some of the original bricks were used to construct a sign for the local historical museum (source: Carolyn Obertein).

 

 

 

 
 

 It was last owned by Norman G. Light Realtors, Inc. which was located at 6155 Dixie Highway, Bridgeport. 

 
 
 

 
 

 

Philipene Brueck (1864-1960), eldest daughter of Frederick and Charlotta, married Frank A. Krause.  Philipene started out working as a clerk for her father, but eventually the family building pictured above became the Krause Saloon.  Philipene and Frank had the following children:  Frank and Bertha. 

 

 
 

 
   

Frederick Brueck (Jr.) (1865-1937), was a Furniture Maker.  He was mostly known for his barrister-type bookcases but also made some chairs at one time among other things.  He somehow supplied Pigeon High School (in Huron County, Michigan) at one time before it was rebuilt with enough bookcases to fill their library.  During the same time period he also owned a bank in Pigeon until a fire destroyed it during the Depression.

 
 
 

A Family Heirloom

 
 

 

A close up of the Brueck stamp used on all of his furniture.

 
 
 

Looking through various business directories, Frederick Brueck was involved in a few different businesses:

  • Brueck and Pardridge Bros. who were grocers located at 1203 S. Washington Ave. (1894-95 Saginaw Directory)

  • The Brueck Sectional Book Case Company, manufacturers of sectional book cases,
    located at 227 through 233 N. Franklin Street (1907-08 Saginaw Directory)

 

 

 

 

Frederick Brueck (Jr.) and his wife Daisy Evelyn Hubbard (1872-1931), daughter of Benjamin Hubbard and Charlotte Hidley, pictured in the early 1930’s.  
 

Frederick and Daisy had the following children:  Frederick H., Benjamin F., Raymond E., and Charlotte E. Brueck.

 
 

 

 

Other children of Frederick and Charlotta (Schrick) Brueck:

John Brueck died young, 1867-1868.

Henry Brueck (1869-1958) became a Police Officer in New York City. 
He married Marceline Martell and they had the following children:  Alvena and Henry Brueck.

Amelia Brueck (1870-1945) married Judson P. Cooper.  He was a Minister. 
They had the following children:  Foss L., Judson B., Fred, and Charlotte Cooper.

William Brueck died young, 1873-1874.

Elizabeth Brueck (1875-1956)  married Cass L. Crawford and moved to Proctor, Vermont.

 

 

 
 

Other children of Henry and Sophia (Goetz) Brueck:

Caroline Brueck (1836-?)

Magdalena Brueck (1840-1909) she married John Niederstadt and they had the following children:  Amelia Niederstadt.

 
 
 

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