USA > Texas > A Twentieth century history of southwest Texas, Volume II > Part 20
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This he operated successfully until 1890, when, feeling the burden of increasing years, he retired from the active supervision of his many inter- ests, giving the management of them to his son Harry, who has still con- trol of this vast estate. Thenceforward Mr. Landa lived retired, enjoying the fruits of his earlier labors, until his death, August 19, 1896, at a venerable age.
On October 8, 1851. Mr. Landa married Helena Friedlander, who was born at Kempen, Prussia, a daughter of Solomon and Paulina Fried- lander. In 1840, accompanied by his family, Mr. Friedlander moved to Manchester, England, and after residing there three years came across the ocean to the United States. bringing with him his wife and three children. Locating in Albany, N. Y., he conducted a jewelry store there for a few years, and then removed to Saratoga, N. Y., where he was engaged in business as a real estate dealer until his death. Mrs. Fried- lander subsequently went to New York city, where she spent the remain- dler of her life. Mr. and Mrs. Landa became the parents of seven chil- dren, namely: Fannie, Hannah, Rachel, Issy, Morris, Harry, and Sarah.
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Fannie married McDowell K. Price, and they have two children, Vir- ginia and Larkin F. Hannah, wife of W. R. Storey, has two children, Frances and Russell. Rachel married Mr. Abraham, and has three chil- dren, Solomon, Joseph, and Landa. Issy is engaged in the grain busi- ness, real estate business, and banking at Kansas City, Mo. Morris died in 1896. Harry lives at home, and with his mother manages the estate. He is also president of the American Bank and Trust Co. of San Antonio. ' Sarah, wife of Harry Wise, has one child, Harry.
At his death Mr. Landa left his entire estate intact in the name of his wife, through whose assistance, counsel, and wise advice, he was en- abled to acquire such vast property. A woman of strong individuality and great force of character, Mrs. Landa is domestic in her tastes, taking great pleasure in the management of her home, and is an expert busi- ness woman, possessing recognized executive and financial ability. Intel- ligent, capable, broadly philanthropic as well as practical, she has been a wise and judicious counsellor of her son Harry, who for a number of years has had the general supervision of the parental estate, and of the various industries thereon established. Among these may be mentioned the Landa Roller Mills, the Cotton Oil Factory, the Electric Light and Power Plant, the ice plant, the magnificent stock farm, and the irrigated gardens. The main building of the flour mills is five stories in height, made from material quarried on the place, and well equipped with all of the latest approved machinery, Mr. Harry Landa having spared neither time nor expense in his efforts to reduce the vast quantities of raw grain shipped to him from the states near by to a superior brand of meal or flour, which in its turn furnishes subsistence to many thousands of our people, the products of his mill being largely sold in the home markets. Near the flour mill, and operated by the same power, is a commodious structure in which ice is made, the process of freezing being by ammonia, which evaporates rapidly, and is a cheap factor in ice making, as, by the use of a condenser, it is easily converted back to a liquid form for further use. Connected with this factory are three large cold-storage rooms, and in the plant is the pump that supplies the factory with water, and likewise the tank used for fire protection on the Landa estate. There is also a cooper's shop, in which the barrel heads, hoops and staves, shipped from the lumber mills, are put together. On the opposite side of the race basin is the cotton oil plant, consisting of the mill, the hull and seed houses, warehouses, tank house, and superintendent's office, all of which are substantially constructed buildings, and well equipped for the purposes for which they were made.
Herds of thoroughbred cattle are found on the home ranch, which consists of about five thousand acres of fine land, the stock being mostly Red Polls or Short-horns, of the best registered breeds. In the breeding and raising of stock, Mr. Harry Landa has met with brilliant success, the rich oil meal, and the hulls from the cotton seed being the best of fodder for these highly pedigreed cattle. On the irrigated tracts of the ranch Mr. Landa is successfully raising vegetables of all kinds, his venture in this line resulting in harvests far richer than he had ever dared hope, beans, beets, onions, cabbage, cucumbers and cauliflower growing luxur- iantly, while just across the Comal is a farm of one hundred acres irri-
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gated by a system of flumes and ditches on which are raised large crops of sorghum and alfalfa, staple farm products.
The pride of the estate, however, is Landa Park, a beautifully laid out garden, containing about one hundred acres, which is devoted to rac- ing and show tracks, and to athletic sports. Aside from its natural beau- ties, it is traversed by shady walks and drives, while purling brooks, rippling streams, and crystal springs, all surrounded by the various colors of vegetation, soft greens, blues, browns, and violets predominating, add to the witching charms of this picturesque spot. Everything that can add to the attractiveness of this park is eagerly sought by Mr. Landa and his mother, and even now its beauties are not surpassed in our beautiful America, or in those much-visited countries across the sea. It is worthy a visit from those who have seen the famous resorts, parks, and public places of interest at home and abroad, and will, indeed, remain for cen- turies to come a monument to its founder, Joseph Landa, and a reminder to future generations of the enterprise, energy and wise management of Mr. Landa's wife and son.
GEORGE KNOKE. A man of sterling integrity, excellent judgment, and of much financial ability, George Knoke occupies an assured posi- tion among the representative citizens of New Braunfels, and for many years has been prominently associated with the leading interests of this part of Comal county. A native of Germany, he was born, January 10, 1854, in Goettingen, Hanover, which was the birthplace, likewise, of his father, George Knoke, Sr., and where his grandfather, Frederick Knoke, was a life-long resident.
Having acquired a good education in the public schools, George Knoke, Sr., left the fatherland, going to Paris, where after serving an apprenticeship at the tailor's trade he remained as a journeyman worker for about ten years. Returning then to Goettingen, he established him- self in business as a merchant tailor, and was thus successfully employed for many years, having an extensive patronage. He subsequently lived retired until his death, at the venerable age of eighty-three years. His wife, whose maiden name was Mathilde Scherff, was born in Goettingen, Hanover, and there died when but twenty-seven years of age. Of the children born of their union, but two are living, namely: Theodore, engaged in mercantile business at Hamburg; and George, the special subject of this sketch.
Brought up in his native city, George Knoke received his educa- tion in the Goettingen Gymnasium, and having won a good record as a student was given a certificate limiting his service in the army to one year. In 1870, without entering the army, he emigrated to the United States, coming directly to New Braunfels, and for seventeen years there- after was employed as a clerk by his uncle, Ernest Scherff, who was one of the pioneer merchants of this place. In 1887, Mr. Knoke, who had become thoroughly acquainted with the details connected with the management of a mercantile establishment, formed a partnership with George Eiband, and as senior member of the firm of Knoke & Eiband succeeded to the business of his uncle, and is still conducting it. This well known firm carry a large stock of choice groceries and general merchandise and are the most successful cotton merchants in this sec-
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George
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tion. Enterprising and progressive, Mr. Knoke is also identified witlı various other projects requiring capital, being financially interested with Frederick Reinarz in cotton gins; having stock in the First National Bank of New Braunfels, and in the Citizens' National Bank at Ballin- ger ; and being associated with Hon. Joseph Faust, John Marbach, H. D. Greene, and others, in the real estate business, owning thousands of acres of land in different parts of Texas.
On July 20, 1887, Mr. Knoke married Emilie Floege, who was born in New Braunfels, a daughter of Charles and Louise (Weinert) Floege. Neither of the two children born to Mr. and Mrs. Knoke are living, both having died in infancy. Religiously Mr. Knoke and his wife attend the Lutheran church.
WILLIAM SEEHATZ. Coming across the broad Atlantic to Texas upwards of three-score years ago, William Seehatz became one of the pioneer settlers of New Braunfels, and is now one of the few survivors of the original householders of Comal county. His name has long been familiar to the people of this section as that of one of their most respected and valued citizens, and it is with pleasure that we are enabled to place a brief review of his life before our readers. A son of Johann Seehatz, he was born, October 1, 1825, in Nassau, Germany, the early home of his ancesters on both sides of the house.
Born and reared in Nassau, Johann Seehatz learned the baker's trade when young, serving a long apprenticeship. Subsequently enter- ing the German army, he was in the thick of the fight at the famous battle at Waterloo, and for gallant conduct was presented by the Duke of Nassau with a silver medal, which is now in the possession of his son William. Emigrating to this country in 1853, he located at New Braunfels, and having opened a bakery was here actively employed until his death, in 1861. He married Katherine Gertrude Lick, who spent her entire life in Nassau, dying there in 1840. She bore him three children, namely: William, the subject of this sketch; Gustav, who came with his father to Texas, and died in New Braunfels; and Juliana, who died in Germany.
Having completed the required course of study in the public schools of the fatherland, William Seehatz learned the baker's trade with his father, after which he served an apprenticeship with a butcher. In 1845, with a natural wish to improve his finances, he emigrated to America, coming on a sailing vessel to Galveston, and from there to Indianola by boat, thence overland to New Braunfels, which was then but a frontier hamlet, with few settlers. Indians, buffalo, deer, and wild animals of all kinds roamed unrestrained over the country, and the peo- ple lived chiefly on corn meal and the fruits of the chase. There were no grist mills in this section at that time, and the corn was ground in mills that were fastened to the trees in different places, and operated by hand. Mr. Seehatz was engaged in mercantile pursuits for a few years, but during the war manufactured salt petre for the Confederate Government. At the close of the conflict, he was for a time employed in butchering, but subsequently kept a fruit and confectionery store until his retirement from active pursuits.
In 1846, Mr. Seehatz married Susanna Young, who was born in
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Nassau, Germany, a daughter of Jacob and Eliza Young. She died in 1873, leaving seven children.
AUGUST TOLLE. Prominent among the honored pioneers of Comal county is August Tolle, who has been a resident of New Braunfels for sixty-two years, and for upwards of half a century has been actively identified with its business interests. Coming here a beardless boy, he has witnessed with pride the wonderful changes that have since transpired, and has well performed his part towards promoting the growth and prosperity of this part of the country. Like many of the city's most enterprising and thrifty citizens, he was born in Germany, his birth occurring August 10, 1829.
Frederick Tolle, Mr. Tolle's father, was for many years engaged in business as a tanner in Germany, his native land, living there until 1845. In that year, hearing glowing reports of the fortunes waiting the working men of America, he sold his tannery, and with his wife and children came to Texas, hoping here to find a home more suited to his tastes. Arriving at Galveston, he came from there to Comal county with ox teams, traveling for fourteen days through a wild, unsettled country, some days not seeing a dwelling of any description. Reach- ing New Braunfels, which was a small frontier hamlet but recently settled by a few Germans, he bought a tract of land lying two miles from the present site of the village, he began clearing a farm, and soon afterwards started a tannery, which in connection with farming he operated for a number of years. Being then succeeded in business by his eldest son, he moved to town, and subsequently lived retired until his death, at the age of eighty-five years. His wife, whose maiden name was Helena Moikenroth, died at about the same age. They reared a family of six children, namely: Sophie, Christoph, August, Fritz, Harry, and Augusta.
At the age of seventeen years, having obtained a practical common school education, August Tolle came with his parents to Texas, and for awhile after his arrival assisted his father on the homestead and in the tannery. He subsequently began life on his own account as clerk in drug store, and a few years later, having acquired a good knowledge of drugs and their uses, he, in partnership with his brother- in-law, Dr. Keuster, embarked in the drug business, and continued thus associated until the death of the Doctor. Since that time, Mr. Tolle has conducted the business alone, in his operations meeting with well mer- ited success.
In 1862 Mr. Tolle married Caroline Messer, who was born, bred and educated in Germanv, and when a young woman came to Texas to join a sister then living at San Antonio. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Tolle has been blessed by the birth of five children, namely: Ida, Amelia, Clara, Theodore, and Alfred. Ida is the wife of George Starche. Amelia married Otto Scholl, by whom he has one child, Stella. Theodore married Ella Henne, and they have one child, Milton. Alfred married Emma Hambe. and they are the parents of three chil -. dren, Lorine, Randolph, and Clarence.
FREDERICK REINARZ. Properly classed among the self-made men of Comal county is Frederick Reinarz, who began his career at the
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Frederick Reinarz.
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foot of the ladder of success, without other resources than his own in- domitable will, and those habits of industry and thrift that are charac- teristic of the German people. Toiling with well directed energy, and using good judgment in the management of his affairs, he has risen from a humble position in life to that of one of the representative men of an intelligent community, and it is with feelings of pride and pleas- ure that he recalls the fact that he was a member of the enterprising colony that emigrated from Germany in 1845, and settled in New Braunfels as pioneers of this place. A native of Germany, he was born, March 9, 1835, not far from the River Rhine, in the little town in which his father, Martez Reinarz, was also born.
Having served an apprenticeship to a baker, Martez Reinarz fol- lowed his trade in his native land for a number of years. Being left a widower, he made up his mind to try his fortunes in a new country, and, accordingly, in 1845 joined the colony organized by Prince Solms- Braunfels, and with him came to America, being accompanied by his five motherless children. Settling with the party at what is now New Braunfels, he thereafter resided here with his oldest son until his death, in 1850. He had a family of five children, namely: Anna, William, Eleanora, Regina, and Frederick. The three oldest of these have passed to the life beyond. Regina married Edward Zimmerman, and is now living in Austin.
Coming to Texas when ten years of age, Frederick Reinarz enjoyed the novelty of the long ocean voyage in the slowly moving sailing ves- sel, which landed its passengers in Galveston. From that place the colony sailed to Indianola, coming from there overland to New Braunfels, the route being through a sparsely inhabited country, and the trip made with ox teams. Deer, buffalo, wild game of all kinds, and Indians were plentiful. Very little of the land was enclosed, and the very best tracts could be bought for twelve and one-half cents per acre. Beginning the battle of life for himself soon after coming here, Frederick Reinarz worked for his board and clothes for two years, after which he en- gaged in teaming from Port Lavaca and Indianola to Eagle Pass, a distance of two hundred and fifty miles, taking with him his provisions, and cooking and camping on the way, while the cattle fed in the open fields. He continued thus occupied a part of each year until 1861. During the time of the Civil war, Mr. Reinarz teamed cotton for the government, receiving his pay in Confederate money, which soon be- came worthless. At the close of the war, he settled on a farm which he had previously purchased at Solms, and there, in 1865, erected a cotton gin, which was operated by horse power, and in connection with this was a wooden screw press. Two years later he replaced this press by one in which steel screws were used, and in 1882 he put in steam power. Succeeding well in his operations, Mr. Reinarz, with charac- teristic enterprise and forethought, bought a small cotton gin at New Braunfels, and two years later was doing business enough to warrant its enlargement. In 1896 Mr. Reinarz returned to New Braunfels, where he has since resided. In that year he purchased a farm of four hundred acres at Wetmore, Bexar county, and the following year there erected a gin, and this and the farm he still retains possession of. In
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1890 he, in company with George Knoke, bought a block of land near the International and Great Northern Railroad station, and there erected at a cost of $30,000 one of the best equipped cotton gins in the state of Texas, and in its management carried on a large and remunerative business. His agricultural and manufacturing operations have been ex- tensive, and almost uniformly successful, proving him to be a man of more than ordinary business ability and judgment, able to overcome all obstacles in his way.
On June 12, 1859, Mr. Reinarz married Antoinette Schmidt, who was born in Nassau, Germany, a daughter of Jacob and Eliza Schmidt, who were natives of the same city, and came to America with the Prince Solms-Braunfels colony in 1845. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Reinarz, eight children have been born, namely: Gustav, Adolf, Anna, Emma, Otto, Minnie, Bertha, and Alma. Gustav married Adela Ebert, and they have five children, Alvin, Eugene, Viola, Elmer, and Sida. Adolf married Anna Schanabel, and they both died, leaving two sons, Gilbert and Arno. Anna, wife of Albert Voigt, has four children, Irma, Mar- vin, Erwin and Verena. Emma is the wife of William Wohlfahrt. Otto married Anna Ebert, and they have three children, Richard, Ber- thold, and a baby not named. Minnie is engaged in the millinery business at New Braunfels, and lives with her parents. Bertha, wife of Henry. Koch, has two children, Laura and Norma. . Alma married Rudolf Willmann, and they are the parents of four children, Leroy, Leola, Mabel and baby not named. .
HIPPOLYT DITTLINGER. Conspicuously identified with the mercan- tile and manufacturing interests of New Braunfels is Hippolyt Ditt- linger; who is widely known in business circles as a man of undoubted enterprise, ability and integrity, and whose opinions are highly respected. A son of Nicholas Dittlinger, 'he was born, April 3, 1859, at Cape Girardeau, Mo., of honored German ancestry.
· A native of Germany, Nicholas Dittlinger was born in the Rhine province, near Trier, and was there bred and educated. He was talented and cultured, active in public life, and as an intimate friend of Carl Schurz joined the Revolutionists in 1848, and in consequence was forced to leave college and seek refuge in some other country. Emigrating, therefore, to the United States, he settled at Cape Girardeau, Mo., where he soon established a successful business as a general merchant. He also engaged in the manufacture of lime to be used in sugar mak- ing, and at an exposition held in New Orleans was awarded the first prize for his product, which was extensively used at the sugar planta- tions of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. After the close of the war, his health being in a precarious condition, he resigned his business to his brother, and came to New Braunfels to recuperate. But the change was not very beneficial, and he gradually failed until his death, in 1866. Returning to his native land for a visit in 1856, he mar- ried, at Cologne, Bertha Kellner, whom he brought to this country as a bride. She survived him, and after his death returned to Cologne with her children, and there died in 1872. She reared three children, namely : Hippolyt, the subject of this sketch; Minna, who became a sister of charity, and died performing her duties to the end in Covington, in
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1881; and Anna, who came to Texas after the death of her mother, resided at New Braunfels ten years, after which she returned to Co- logne, where she now has charge of a home for young women employed in clerical work, or otherwise homeless.
During the years that Hippolyt Dittlinger resided with his widowed mother in Cologne, he attended school, obtaining a practical education. In 1875 he came back to the United States, and in 1876 came to New Braunfels to visit the grave of his father. Deciding to remain in this locality, he secured a position as clerk in the store of Mr. E. Scherff, with whom he continued two years, being afterwards similarly employed with Tips, Clemens & Faust for a short time. In 1881 Mr. Dittlinger formed a copartnership with Mr. Faust, and established a mercantile business, dealing in hardware and farm implements and machinery un- der the firm name of Faust & Dittlinger until 1886, when the firm was consolidated with Faust & Co. In 1901 this firm was dissolved, and Mr. Dittlinger became sole proprietor of the flour mill and cotton gin, both of which he has since operated successfully. The mill is furnished with up-to-date machinery of all kinds, its equipments being modern in every respect, and has a capacity of two hundred and fifty barrels per day, the flour, which is of a superior brand, finding a ready market in Texas. At the present time, Mr. Dittlinger, with characteristic enter- prise, is preparing to manufacture lime, and will furnish the plant which he is erecting with the latest approved devices for making a first class product.
Mr. Dittlinger married, in 1890, Elise Grob, who was born in Switzerland, which was the native home of her father, Bartholomew Grob. Mr. Grob was for many years a manufacturer of embroidery in Switzerland, living there until 1875, when he emigrated to the United States, locating in Milwaukee, Wis., where he intended to establish an embroidery factory, but had scarcely began operations when, in 1876, he died. Religiously Mr. and Mrs. Dittlinger are members of the Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church.
CHRISTOPH PFEUFFER, a capitalist of San Antonio with large in- vested interests, was born in the kingdom of Bavaria, Germany, in 1841, and in 1845, when but four years of age, was brought to America by his parents, George and Barbara (Brochelle) Pfeiffer, who settled in Texas, being among the first arrivals of the German colonists who set- tled the town of New Braunfels in Comal county, under the direction of Prince Solms. Mr. and Mrs. George Pfeiffer were accompanied by their six children, four sons and two daughters. They suffered many hardships on the journey, particularly from illness and after landing from the ship at Indianola, Texas, their troubles continued as they made their way through a rough and uninhabited country to the proposed new colony, which was later to take an important part in the subsequent history of this section of the state. The story of George Pfeuffer's life with its privations and dangers, its contentions with the Indians and scant opportunities for business advancement, would in itself constitute a large and most interesting volume if told in detail. He was made of stern material and before coming to America had accumulated a snug little fortune in the tannery business, and it was as a tanner that
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he laid the foundation for another fortune after he had established his home in the new world and had overcome the conditions of early pio- neer life. As the years passed by he added to his accumulations and at his death left a considerable estate. His entire life after coming to America was passed in New Braunfels, where for a long number of years he was classed with the most prominent and prosperous citizens. He helped to build the first house in the town and contributed in many substantial ways to the improvement and development of the place, leaving the impress of his individuality for good upon the public life. Farming and trading with Indians, buying their furs and shipping to the old country was his principal business. He died in 1883, while his wife, who was of French ancestry, passed away in the earlier days of their residence in New Braunfels.
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