History

Marsden C. Burch was one of the most prominent attorneys in Michigan's history, and built one of our community's most prominent homes. So why is it that we've never heard of him before?  There are no Rochester streets named after him, no statues erected to his memory, no books written about his life. What is it about this man that earns him our remembrance?

Marsden C. Burch was born in Union Springs, New York in 1858.  He attended college at Hobart, New York, and completed his law studies at the University of Michigan after he and his family moved to Michigan in 1879.

After his graduation and admission to the bar, Burch opened his practice in Rochester. He was also appointed the attorney for the newly incorporated village of Rochester.  He married Belle Hamlin, the young daughter of John and Laura Hamlin, in 1871. Their farm consisted of 166 acres and a 40 head dairy herd – located where Hamlin Elementary school is today.

A few years later the Burch Family moved to Hersey, in Osceola County, Michigan where Marsden was Judge of Probate. While a resident of Hersey, Burch was elected to the State Senate, the youngest member of that body in 1877.  Later he served as United States Attorney for the Western Division of Michigan and held that office until he was appointed judge of the Circuit Court for the 17th District.  He left this offi ce to go into private practice in Grand Rapids until 1897 when President McKinley appointed him Assistant Attorney General for the United States government.

He retired from this office after 16 years of service to return home to Rochester to look after property interests here.  During the years after he retired from government service until his death, Judge Burch served as a consultant and often was called back to Washington.

He became ill and died just one week before his 74th birthday and only months after he and Mrs. Burch celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.  He left his wife, adopted son, Malcolm Gates, and a host of friends to mourn his loss. Judge Burch was laid to rest in Mt. Avon Cemetery.

His good friend and law partner delivered these words at his funeral, "The public career of Judge Burch has been, perhaps, the most varied of any public man of our State, and he always brought distinction and ability wherever he was called.  His career is an open book. It but refl ects the scholarly and Christian gentleman, the conscientious and profound lawyer, and the citizen whose life and conduct have ever been surcharged with a keen appreciation of the privileges and duties of American citizenship.  There are many incidents of such a life worthy of mention, but it is the harmonious whole that challenges our admiration."

The handsome Burch home, designated as a Rochester Hills Historic District, still stands on Rochester Road just north of Hamlin Road, being adaptively reused by Mercy Care.