History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families, Part 40

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895
Number of Pages: 1532

USA > Texas > Harris County > Houston > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 40
USA > Texas > Galveston County > Galveston > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 40

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On February 2, 1858, Mr. Arends mar- ried Dorothea Goetz, one of his frugal, in- dustrious countrywomen, and taking up his abode permanently on his farm, thereafter

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devoted his time and attention chiefly to agricultural pursuits. He is now one of the oldest settlers on Bray's bayou, owns one of the largest and best improved farms in that section, and maintains a standing second to none in the community where he resides. Mr. Arends' place consists of 570 acres, a large part of which is in cultivation, and on which he raises the usual farm products, cotton, corn, hay, sorghum, vegetables and such live stock as horses, cattle, sheep and logs, the surplus of which is disposed of to good advantage in the market at Houston. Mr. Arends has followed farming for forty- two years, and, having become thoroughily familiar with it and attached, as a man will, to his surroundings, he manifests no desire for a change, but is content with his lot, and pursues his course through life with the ease and sturdy independence for which his race and calling are proverbial. He and his good wife have had three children, two daughters and a son: Marie Louise, born January 13, 1861; William F., born December 5, 1863; and Rosina, born February 11, 1865. The eldest, Marie Louise, was married to Julius R. Voigt, January 26, 1887, and has two children: August William, born December 2, 1890; and Cornelius Louis, born Novem- ber 12, 1892. Mr. Arends' son, William F., died October 16, 1887, and the youngest daughter, Rosina, is unmarried. All the family are members of the German Method- ist Church.

ENRY ROSENBERG, whose name will forever be associated with the history of the city of Galveston, the scene of more than fifty years of his active business life, was a native of Switzerland, born at Bilten, in the canton

of Glarus, June 22, 1824. His parents be- ing people in but moderate circumstances, his early educational advantages were re- stricted. He was apprenticed to a trade in his native country, whichi lie followed there until past eighteen, when he came to Texas in company with one of his countrymen, John Hessley, reaching Galveston in Feb- ruary, 1843. He was afterward associated with Mr. Hessley in the mercantile business in this city, succeeding in a few years to the ownership of this business, which he en- larged and carried on for something like thirty years, by this means laying the found- ation of the splendid fortune which he left at his death. His later years were given chiefly to his banking interests, which be- gan in 1874, on the organization of the Galveston Bank & Trust Company, an incorporated institution of which he was one 'of the originators, and which he, in 1882, bought out and replaced with the Rosenberg Bank, of which he was thereafter sole owner.

Early in his career Mr. Rosenberg began investing his means, as they accumulated, in Galveston city property, and later in . other real estate, improved and unimproved, in Texas, so that he became in time the owner of a large amount of realty, the gradual appreciation of which, in value, contributed materially to his wealth. He was also a liberal subscriber to all sorts of local enterprises, holding stock at different times in almost everything of this nature in the city. As the result of his industry, strict application to business and superior practical sagacity, aided by circumstances, he succeeded in accumulating a very large fortune, variously estimated at from $700, - 000 to $800,000.

Throughout his entire career Mr. Rosen-

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berg was devoted to business. He was keenly alive, however, to the best interests of the public, and was especially proud of the city of his adoption, always manifesting a deep concern in everything relating to its welfare.

Mr. Rosenberg was long known among his more intimate acquaintances as a man of generosity and great kindness of heart, though he often-times appeared otherwise to strangers. His superb gift to the children of Galveston, the Rosenberg Free School, erected in 1888, at a cost of $80,000, and his donation to Eaton Memorial Chapel of Trinity Church in this city and the erection of a church in his native village in Switzer- land, attested his interest in the cause of edu- cation and Christianity, and are the best known of his more important acts of benevo- lence in which the public shared a knowledge before his death. It was not, however, until after his death and the provisions of his will were made public that the splendid generosity of his nature became known. After bequeathing something like $250,000 to individuals, he left the remainder, about two-thirds of his entire fortune, to educa- tional and charitable purposes, the bulk of it going to the people of Galveston. After remembering his native place with two be- quests, one of $30, 000 and the other of $50- 000, he made provision for the city of Gal- veston as follows: The Island City Protest- ant Orphan Home $30,000; Grace Church parish (Protestant Episcopal) $30,000; Ladies' Aid Society of the German Lutheran Church, $10,000; for a womans' home, $30,000; the Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation, $65,000; for a monument to the memory of the heroes of the Texas Revolu- tion of 1835-6, $50,000; for drinking foun- tains for man and beast, $30,000; and a

great free public library, in the erection and equipment of which all the residue of his estate is to be used. The following clause in his will is pertinent in this connection, and expresses a sentiment which there can be no doubt he sincerely entertained: " In making this bequest I desire to express in practical form my affection for the city of my adoption, and for the people among whom I have lived for many years, trusting it will aid their intellectual and moral devel- opment and be a source of pleasure and profit to them and their children and their children's children."

Mr. Rosenberg's death occurred May 12, 1893. Every appropriate mark of respect was shown to his memory in this city and his death was taken notice of by the press generally throughout the State. Surviving him he left a widow, but no children. He had been twice married, marrying first in 1851, Miss Letitia Cooper, then of Galveston, but a native of Virginia. This lady died June 4, 1888, and November 13, 1889, he married Miss Mollie Macgill, a daughter of Dr. Charles Macgill, and a native of Hagers- town, Maryland.

Mr. Rosenberg for many years belonged to the Episcopal Church, holding a member- ship in Grace Church of this city, upon the services of which he was a regular attendant, and in which he was for a long time Vestry- man.

O R. WILLIAM H. BALDINGER, son of Andrew and Anna Cather- ine Baldinger, was born in Galves- ton in 1859. He was educated in the private schools of this city; at Lititz Academy, Lititz, Lancaster county, Penn- sylvania, and at the Texas Military Insti-

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tute at Austin, graduating at the last named institution in 1878.

His preparation for the practice of medi- cine was begun with a clerkship covering two years in the drug-house of J. J. Schott, of Galveston, followed by a year's reading in the office of Dr. Charles W. Trueheart, of the same place, after which he attended lectures at the Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia, at which he graduated in 1885. After graduating, Dr. Baldinger spent some time in the hospitals of New York City, and took a post-graduate course in the Polyclinic and hospitals of that place. Returning to Galveston he took up the general practice and followed it until 1889, at which time he decided to devote his attention to the dis- eases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. Re- turning again to New York, he entered on a course of study designed to fit him for the pursuit of this branch of the profession. He spent two years under such eminent in- structors and specialists as Professors Pom- eroy, Webster, Gruening, Myles and others. In 1892 he returned to Galveston and took up the practice in this new field, where he is now following it with success. He is specialist to the Catholic Orphans' Home and the Home of the Friendless Children, of Galveston, surgeon in charge of the Galves- ton Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Dispensary, a member of the Texas State Medical Asso- ciation and of the Galveston County Medi- cal Society.

RANZ WILLIAM TREACCAR .- In the German village of Kollin, Province of Prussia, on the banks of the celebrated river Rhine, Franz William Treaccar was born in the year 1801. In that country which has con-

tributed so much of wealth and population to the United States Mr. Treaccar received his education and grew to manhood. His parents were thrifty farmers of the better class, and he was reared under wholesome influences both business and social, and ac- quired a thorough knowledge of farming. Later he became the owner of a large tract of land and developed into a prosperous tiller of the soil. He was married rather early in life to Miss Marie Stecker, who died in a few years, leaving one daughter. Mr. Treaccar selected his second wife in the person of Miss Annie Margaret Bender, who was born and reared in the beautiful valley of the Rhine. In 1847 Mr. Treaccar and wife came to America and brought with them the daughter by the first marriage, Eva, who is now a resident of Galveston, residing between Thirty-second and Thirty- third streets, being the widow of Thomas Young. Their own children, born in Ger- many, were named as follows : Theodore; Adaline, now Mrs. Fred Fundling; Gertrude, who is single; and Katharine, widow of Albert Gumpert. Another cliild, Joseph, the youngest of the family, was born in Galves- ton. All of these children are now residing in Galveston and are prosperous and re- spected citizens. The mother, who was an active, capable and much esteemed woman, died on the 11th of September, 1881. Throughout his entire life Mr. Treaccar dis- played characteristics of energy and perse- verance which brought him good returns. As a loyal citizen and a neighbor he stood well in the community, and as one of Gal- veston's early settlers he was well known and respected. He was a veteran of the Mexican war, having joined the United States Army in May following his arrival in this country. By an accident he became

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disabled for active field service, and was tranferred to the quartermaster's depart- ment, where he remained during the greater part of the term of his enlistment and until the close of the conflict. His constitution was undermined by his services and from injuries received, and his death occurred in 1851. His remains repose in the old Catholic cemetery at Galveston, be- side those of his faithful life companion.

ILLIAM OLDENBURG was born in Holstein, Germany, February 11, 1844, where he was reared and learned the trade of cigar- maker, which he followed in the city of Hamburg until 1867, when he came to America, sailing from Hamburg in August of that year for Galveston, Texas, which place he reached November Ist, following. Having a sister, Mrs. Ahrenbeck, residing in Navasota, he made his home there for a short time after coming to Texas, but in December of the same year he located in Galveston, where he secured work at his trade, which he followed with success for several years. In 1872 he joined the Gal- veston Volunteer Fire Department, and had various positions in that organization for the next twelve years, holding the position of Chief during the years 1879, 1880, 1883 and 1884. He was among the first to agi- tate the question of organizing a paid fire departinent. While connected with that department of the city he did much to pro- mote the efficiency of the same, and at all times enjoyed great popularity, both with the men over whom he ranked and with the public at large. In 1891 Mr. Oldenburg was made superintendent of the city water- works, which position he is now holding,

the duties of which he is discharging with his customary fidelity. He is a member of the Odd Fellows, Herman Lodge, No. 5; the Knights of Pythias, Schiller Lodge, No. 56; Chosen Friends, Frederick Council, No. 38; Sons of Herman, Gulf Lodge, No. 46; the Galveston Turn Verein; the German Workingman's Benevolent Society, and the Galveston Mænnerchor, in several of which societies he holds official positions.

In 1866 Mr. Oldenburg married, at Hamburg, Germany, Miss Catherine Bleuse, who was born in Cassel, Gerinany. The offspring of this union has been one daugh - ter and four sons. The daugliter is Mrs. George H. Nichols, and the sons are Will- iam, John, Albert and Paul.

J OHN O'BRIEN .- This gentleman is well known throughout Texas as a man of genius and at the head of his profession in the State. He is a na- tive of Cork, Ireland, and a son of John O'Brien, who was a stone-cutter by trade.

When the subject of this sketch had reached the age of twenty years he decided to seek his fortune in America, and after his arrival here he served an apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, and later took up the trade of marble mantel making. He rapidly developed a taste for designing and carving, in which he became so proficient that by the advice of friends he resolved to perfect him- self in the art. By close application to the duties of his calling, which afforded him not only his means of support but also the best opportunities then within his reach for per- focting himself in his calling, he inade rapid progress. He later spent seven years at Rome, Italy, in St. Luke's Academy, which is recognized as one of the best schools for

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sculptors in the world, and there he pursued his studies under the greatest masters of modern times. Under contract, he returned to America to carve a statue of Commodore Perry, which now adorns one of the public parks of Cleveland, Oliio. Later he pro- duced the heroic statue of Lord Baltimore for the Johns Hopkins University, at Balti- more, Maryland, after which he made the Maryland Confederate Soldier, which was unveiled on one of the public squares of Baltimore in the presence of thousands of people. These splendid achievements brought him renown, and closely following the completion of the last named work he was engaged (1880) to make a life-sized bust of General Winfield Scott Hancock, then candidate for President of the United States. After the finishing touches had been given this beautiful work of art, it was well paid for and presented to its subject by General Han- cock's personal friends and political admirers, and in his letter of acknowledgment the Gen- eral made use of the following significant words:"I am in receipt of your recent com- munication with reference to the carved bust of myself by our well known sculptor, John O'Brien, Esq., of Baltimore. The engrossed letter of presentation with the carving have both been received and are beautiful speci- mens of art. I beg that you accept for your- selves and convey to the gentlemen concerned my warmest thanks and appreciation of this evidence of friendship and esteem. I would ask, too, that you express my special thanks to Mr. O'Brien. I, of course, cannot judge accurately of the merit of a work so personal to myself, but it is pronounced by others to be worthy of Sculptor O'Brien's high repu- tation."

Mr. O'Brien then left Baltimore and came to Texas. His first public work in the

Lone Star State was the production of an heroic bust of General Sam Houston, which occupies a prominent pedestal in the Texas State capitol building, at Austin, for which he received the inadequate compensation of $1,000. For about thirteen years past Mr. O'Brien has resided in Galveston, where he has quietly pursued his profession. He now has under way an equestrain statue of Gen- eral Houston and a life-sized statue of Stephen F. Austin, which bid fair to equal, if not surpass, all his former efforts.

APTAIN LEWIS CONNER HERSHBERGER, local inspector of steam vessels at Galveston, was born in Culpeper county, Virginia, December 11, 1820, and is a son of Joseph Hershberger and Barbara née Ruffner, both of whom were born in Page county, Vir- ginia. Joseph Hershberger was a son of Samuel Hershberger, who was also a Vir-' ginian by birth, having descended from one of five brothers who emigrated from Ger- many to America in 1700, three of whom settled in Virginia and two in Pennsylvania. Joseph and Samuel Hershberger were plant- ers, men of small means, but industrious habits and upright lives. Joseph served in the second war with Great Britain (1812-14) and subsequently moved to the then western frontier of Virginia, dying at the age of sixty- five, his widow surviving some years and dying at the age of seventy-three. The subject of this sketch was chiefly reared in Kanawha county, Virginia, to which county his parents moved when he was a boy of seven, and in the local schools of that county received his early mental training. He had the privilege of a two-years' course at the State University at Athens, Ohio, after

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which he started out for himself. In 1845 he began steamboating on the Ohio river, becoming an engineer on one of the large packets plying between Cincinnati and lower Mississippi river points. He followed this until 1852, at which time he came to Gal- veston, and here continued in the same kind of employment, running on vessels engaged in traffic and transportation on Galveston bay, Buffalo bayou, Trinity and Brazos riv- ers, and gulf coast points, until 1871. At that time he received the appointment as inspector of steam vessels at Galveston, a position which he has since held. Captain Hershberger is thus, both in point of resi- dence and service, one of the oldest men now to be found about Galveston who have had to do with the transportation interests of the city. His twenty-three years' serv- ice as inspector has brought him in contact with most of the shippers, ship-owners and seamen who make this port, and whose con- fidence and good will he has won by his uniform courtesy and faithful attention to official duties. Captain Hershberger has, during the past twenty odd years, had but the one business, and he has made it a point to give his time unreservedly to that. Dur- ing the late war he was a volunteer in the Confederate army, serving in the marine de- partment and mostly in the vicinity of Gal- veston.

In 1855 Captain Hershberger married Miss Anna Boyle, then residing in St. Louis, Missouri, but a native of Virginia, having been born in Wood county in the "Old Do- minion," a daughter of John Boyle, a farmer and stock-raiser. The offspring of this union has been a son, Clarence A .; and two daughters: Corinne L., now Mrs. E. B. Andrews, of San Antonio, Texas; and Maud M., with her parents.

ILLIAM POOL, of Galveston, was born near the town of Fairview, Belmont county, Ohio, March 12, 1815. His parents were Benjamin and Rachael (Donnelly) Pool. His father, a millwright by trade, located at what is now Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1823, where he accumulated considerable means and passed most of his mature life. The subject of this sketch was mainly reared at Wheeling, and learned the business of miller under his father. At about the age of ten he began steamboating on the Ohio river and followed this on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers for a number of years. In 1846, while on a trip to New Orleans, he became interested in Texas and decided to come to the country, sailing from that port as mate of the Reliance, a vessel which had been purchased by Texas parties for the cotton trade between Houston and Galves- ton. He reached Galveston in the month of December, 1846, and for a period of eleven years thereafter ran on the Reliance, most of the time as mate, under Captain John H. Sterrett. In the latter part of the 'sos he gave up steamboating and einbarked in the butcher business at Galveston, in which business he was interested as a men- ber of the firm of Allen, Pool & Company, until 1884, when he retired. For the past ten years he has been but little before the public, but previous to that time he was one of the most active business men of the city and helped in a considerable measure to build up the commercial and shipping inter- ests of Galveston. The firm of Allen, Pool & Company had a large and favorable business connection both with interior Texas and with the markets of the East, and for some years after the war handled a large volume of trade,

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In 1848 Mr. Pool married Miss Harriet Walton, of Wheeling, West Virginia. The issue of this union was several children, four of whom became grown, only one of whom, a daughter, Jennie, now Mrs. E. L. Hawkins, of Galveston, is living. Mrs. Pool died in 1878.

ENJAMIN O. HAMILTON, con- tractor and builder of Galveston, was born in Troy. Miami county, Ohio, October 2, 1824, being a son of Isaac and Sylvia Russell Hamilton, na- tives of Virginia and Massachusetts respec- tively. His father was a steamboat pilot, running for many years on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers until his death, of yellow fever, at Vicksburg, in 1840. Isaac Hamil- ton was a son of James Hamilton, a native of Scotland, who emigrated to America in Colonial times.

Benjamin O. Hamilton was the youngest of a family of five children. He was reared in Cincinnati, Ohio, where his parents settled during his infancy, and at the age of four- teen was apprenticed to the carpenter's trade under his eldest brother, Russell C., which trade he followed at Cincinnati and in that vicinity for several years.

In 1852, while in Newport, Kentucky (across the river from Cincinnati), Mr. Ham- ilton was introduced to General Sidney Sherman, who at that time was on a trip in the East in the interest of the newly projected Texas railway, the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos & Colorado rivers road, and was induced by that gentleman to come out and take charge of the construction of the bridges, water tanks and depots along the line of the road. Mr. Hamilton arrived in Galveston October 26, 1852, and for two years following was

employed as superintendent of bridges and buildings on the above mentioned railway, during which time, and until General Sher- man's death, his relations with that gentle- man were of the most cordial nature. Mr. Hamilton spent the winter of 1854-5 en- gaged in repairing steamboats for Captain J. H. Sterrett, who then owned and oper- ated a line of vessels on the bay and Buffalo bayou. He later entered the employ of Lieutenant W. H. Stephens, inspector of lighthouses on the Texas coast, and for five years was engaged in building and repairing lighthouses, erecting during that tinie the lighthouses at Sabine, Arausas Pass, Pass Cavalla, Corpus Christi, and two screw-pile lighthouses on Matagorda bay; was in light- house employ from 1855 to 1860, then be- gan contracting.

In 1855 Mr. Hamilton settled perma- nently in Galveston and took up the busi- ness of general contracting and building, at which he had made a promising start when the war came and put an end to all kinds of building enterprises. He volunteered in the Confederate army and was placed in the marine department, where he was assigned to detail duty in repairing and reconstruct- ing merchant vessels, rendering them suit- able for the defense of the Texas coast. He served at this with greater or less regularity until the close of hostilities, when he re- sumed operations as a builder and contrac- tor, which he has followed without interrup- tion and with a fair measure of success since that time. In the twenty-nine years that Mr. Hamilton has been engaged in contract- ing and building in Galveston since the war, he has done a vast deal for the building interests of the city, evidences of his activ- ity and workmanship existing on every hand, were it necessary or in keeping with the char-

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acter and purpose of this article to cite them. With an adequate knowledge of his business, and an honest desire to meet every obliga- tion, whether included in the "specifica- tions" or not, he has established himself in the confidence and good will of the people of Galveston in such a way as to need no factitious introduction from others.

On January 23, 1851, Mr. Hamilton married Miss Abia A. Moore, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and the issue of this union has been three daughters and two sons, four of whom, -Ella, wife of J. H. Fletcher, of Houston; Jessie N., wife of A. H. Meier, of Cincin- nati, Ohio; Walter S. and Benjamin O., Jr., of Galveston, -are living, and one, - Fannie, -deceased.

Mr. Hamilton is a prominent Mason, having taken all the degrees in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, up to and in- cluding the thirty-second. He also has the Chapter degrees; is Past Master of Harmon Lodge, No. 6, F. & A. M .; Past High Priest of San Felipe de Austin Chapter, R. A. M .; Past Venerable Master of Lodge of Perfection, Scottish Rite, No. 1, and Past Wise Master of L. M. Oppenheimer Chap- ter Rose Croix, No. 2. He has always taken great interest in Masonic matters, and having learned the work thoroughly in the beginning, has been very helpful to be- ginners.

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Author: Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895 Number of Pages: 1532

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895
Number of Pages: 1532