USA > Texas > History of the German element in Texas from 1820-1850, and historical sketches of the German Texas singers' league and Houston turnverein from 1853-1913, 1st ed > Part 13
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Charter Secured.
After the new hall had been finished in 1871 the Verein decided to become an incorporated society, and on Decem- ber i of that year the Governor signed the charter of the Houston Turnverein, granted by the Legislature of the State. As incorporators were named: G. Loeffler, F. W. Heitmann, J. Veith, L. Harde, L. Kosse. R. H. Cabanis, T. D. Usener, G. A. Meyer, E. L. Leonhardt, P. R. Westen and F. A. Michels. R. H. Cabanis is now the only survivor of these incorporators.
As the only surviving charter incorporator of the Turn- verein and one of its earlier members R. H. Cabanis is an interesting link between the Turnverein's early struggles for existence and its present flourishing condition, that has kept apace with the marvelous growth of Houston. Mr. Cabanis was born in Silberberg, Silesia, on January 27, 1833, moving to Texas with his parents in November. 1846. He joined the Turnverein in January, 1858, and has been a member for 55 years, being in point of age and member- ship the nestor of the Turnverein, closely followed by Mr. Theodore Miller, who became a member in 1861.
After the incorporation the history of the Turnverein has been one of continued triumphs and success. Political or religious connections were never allowed to intrude upon
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. the freedom of pleasure and social mingling that was the life of the Verein, and while a great many Americans be- came members, the management of the business affairs of the Turnverein rests entirely in the hands of the active German members.
In the year 1903 the membership of the Turnverein had increased so much that the club rooms and the hall built in 1871 had become entirely too small. In order to meet the pressing demand for larger and more convenient accommo- dations, the board of directors after long and careful dis- cussions and deliberations, submitted to the members plans for an additional structure to the old hall, and a remodeling of the grounds by removing the bowling alleys to the Prai- rie Avenue side, at the same time enlarging it. These plans were adopted by a general meeting and the building at a cost of $15,000 erected, thus giving the Turnverein the largest and best equipped hall in the State of Texas.
During the last 10 years the ranks of the old members have been greatly thinned through the grim reaper. Death, and the Turners had to mourn the loss of many of the most energetic and devoted members of the Verein. Among those who left us may be prominently mentioned, August Moser, who died in October, 1898, and who as the long time president was the life and soul of the Turnverein ; then Ferdinand Hacker, Louis Meyer, Henry Hartmann and Charles Herrmann, the latter two at the time of their death occupying the office of vice president; Fred Schweikart, Maurice Kattmann, who for 14 years was the faithful and trusted secretary of the Turnverein, and the eight oldest members-John Zimmermann, Captain E. B. H. Schneider, Frank Michels, Dr. Erich Schmidt, Louis Harde, Louis Kosse, J. Danielson, Sr., and Jacob Binz, who departed from us only a few weeks ago.
The Golden Jubilee.
The golden jubilee of the Turnverein was celebrated in
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an elaborate manner on Thursday January 14, 1904, in a manner befitting the importance of the event. The arrange- ment committee of the celebration, of which L. E. Christian- sen was chairman, had done everything in the scope of dec- orations and arrangements to make it a memorable festivity. Many hundreds of bright and expectant faces greeted Dr. Max Urwitz, then president, when he ascended the plat- form in the large hall to address the Turners at the morning exercises, and at the banquet following, in which the city and county officials participated, many happy toasts con- gratulatory of the Turnverein were spoken and enthusias- tically cheered by the hundreds of participants.
Moritz Tiling had written a festival poem and published a booklet in German and English, containing a brief history of the interesting history of the Turnverein, that was hand- ed to all guests present as a fitting memorial of this im- portant landmark in the life of the Verein. The grand ball on the evening of January 14. that concluded the jubilee festivities, was a gala affair in the full meaning of the term. The large hall in its dazzling decorations of gold and pur- ple, looked gorgeous in the bright light of hundreds of elec- tric globes, and was filled to its capacity with a joyous mass of dancers until the early hours of dawn.
Death of Dr. Urwitz.
On October 2, 1905, the Turnverein sustained a severe loss through the sudden death of its honored and beloved president, Dr. Max Urwitz, who died of apoplexy. In due respect to the character and sterling qualities of the de- ceased his remains were carried to Turner Hall, where they lay in state and where at 8 p. m. elaborate public funeral services were held. Dr. Henry Barnstein opened the cere- monies with the Jewish service. He was followed by Mr. M. Tiling, who in behalf of the Turnverein, delivered a eulogy in the German language, taking occasion to pay high tribute to the manly virtues represented in Dr. Urwitz's
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character. Messrs. H. Fischer and A. B. Langermann, two intimate friends of the departed, spoke feelingly in English, while during intervals the Saengerbund and the Elks' Quar- tette rendered beautiful and impressive mourning songs.
Then, as mentioned above, Louis Harde died on April 21, 1908, and Louis Kosse on August 2, 1910. Of the old members of the sixties of the last century, only Messrs. R. H. Cabanis and Theodore Miller survive, and are still members of the Turnverein.
From the beginning the Turnverein has adhered to the scund policy of acquiring as much property for the Verein as was consistent with strict business principles, and in course of time became the owner of the entire block on which in 1855 the Turners bought their first lot. This policy has proved highly beneficial. The phenomenal increase of property values in Houston's business district during the last five years, and the great demand for such property re- sulted in many offers made to the Turnverein for the sale of all, or part of the Verein's property. The directors per- sistently refused all offers, until finally the offer of the Taylor-Guthrie Company for half of the block, fronting on Texas Avenue, from Caroline to Austin Streets, was ac- cepted, and on June 26, 1911, these six lots were sold for the sum of $168,000, the Verein retaining the other half of the block fronting on Prairie Avenue. By this advantageous sale the Turnverein could not only pay the different mort- gages on its property, but had enough funds left for a new and substantial hall and club building. A building commit- tee, consisting of Messrs. L. E. Christiansen, chairman ; A. Hellberg, S. Taliaferro, L. F. Schweikart and I. F. Dor- mant was appointed, that finally adopted the plans of San- guinet, Staats and Barnes for a new hall, which is now in course of construction at the corner of Austin Street and Prairie Avenue. The building, of pressed brick and stone, is four stories high, costing one hundred thousand dollars, while the interior equipment will necessitate a further sum
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of twenty thousand dollars. The Houston Turnverein will then possess the finest and best equipped clubrooms in the entire South.
The lower floor, which is known as the ground floor, same being practically at grade level, will have in same the bowling alleys, also the Turners' school, the kitchen which will serve the club room floor, shower baths, lockers, toilet rooms, etc., for both Turners and bowlers.
The floor directly above is intended to be used for club room purposes, officers' rooms, etc. There will be on this floor the club room, assembly room, buffet, ladies' parlors, library, also main entrance and lobbies, elevator and two stairways leading up to the ball room and banquet room floor.
The upper floor, which in reality consists of two floors, will comprise the main ball room, the stage, dressing rooms. etc., and will have in addition to this a gallery, or mezza- nine floor, which can be used as a gallery in the event that the main hall is used for theatrical or convention purposes. This gallery can also be arranged to be used strictly for banquet purposes, if so desired.
The stage, as designed, has a proscenium opening which is as large as the average opera house throughout the coun- try, and the stage itself will seat between 300 and 400 peo- ple thereon, making it very desirable to use for such pur- poses as conventions, meetings, etc., where a number of speakers are expected to be seated on the platform, or for massed choral effect such as the Saengerfest.
The ball room proper is 70 by go feet, without any posts in same, making it the largest ball room in the State with an absolutely clear space.
Present Membership of the Turnverein.
Thus the affairs of the Turnverein are in a highly satis- factory and flourishing condition. The present membership consists of 275 active and 253 passive members, with the
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following 32 honorary members, who for 25 years and more have uninterruptedly been members of the Verein, on the honor list : Henry Albrecht, S. S. Ashe, James A. Baker, Jr., James Breeding, George R. Bringhurst, Anton Brunner, R. H. Cabanis, William Cameron, W. A. Childress, H. F. Fisher, C. J. Grunewald, F. A. Heitmann, M. Henninger, C. G. Heyne, C. H. Hoenke. V. Juenger, Henry Kasche, R. W. Knox, James Masterson, Theodore E. Miller, C. G. Pillot, II. B. Rice, C. C. Rugers, W. W. Schmidt, H. O. Schneider, J. W. Schneider, L. B. N. Schneider, L. F. Schweikart, Moritz Tiling, Gus H. Tips, H. Waddell, J. A. Ziegler.
The management of the Turnverein is at present con- fided to the following board of officers and directors: W. W. Schmidt, president; C. H. Kuhlmann, vice president ; F. P. Kalb, treasurer: L. F. Schweikart, secretary; who with Messrs. Henry Albrecht, J. C. Goldstein, Hermann Schneider, Gus Dreyling, Henry Kriechhamer. L. E. Chris- tiansen and L. B. Schulte form the board of directors.
We are prevented from looking into and from knowing the future, or even lifting the veil that shrouds coming events from the human eye, but so much may be predicted without any degree of presumption that there is still a long time of social usefulness in store for the Turnverein, and that it will continue to flourish as long as its members ad- here strictly to the lofty principles on which the Turnverein was founded, and as long as the management of its business affairs remain in trusty and capable German hands as heretofore.
GERMAN DAY CELEBRATIONS IN HOUSTON. For Twenty-one Years, 1889-1910.
Firmly established, wherever the German idiom sounds within the wide borders of our great and beautiful country, is German Day. The result of arduous labors of Professor O. Seidensticker, and the late G. Kellner, editor of the Phil- adelphia Democrat, the first German Day was celebrated in the city of William Penn on October 6, 1883. From there the idea spread rapidly over the whole United States, and today, from the populous shores of the Hudson River to the romantic Golden Gate, and from the dense forests of Wisconsin to the sunny prairies of Texas, German Day is the cherished inheritance of all true and loyal German- American citizens.
German Day shall, primarily, commemorate the landing of the first German Colony on American soil on October 6, 1683, but it shall also remind us of the everlasting, faithful work and the achievements of the German element in the United States in art, literature, education and in all indus- trial branches. It may safely and without any exaggeration be asserted that the Germans have taken a leading part in the civilization and development of our country, and pre- eminently so in the great State of Texas, and the celebra- tion of German Day is therefore the proper expression of the just pride and satisfaction the present race feels over works accomplished by our fathers. Hon. Carl Schurz, in a speech delivered at the St. Louis Exposition, said : "Ger- man Day in the United States is the celebration of the friendship of the German and the American people. The German-Americans are the hyphen between Germany and America, presenting the living demonstration of the fact that a large population may be transplanted from one to
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another country, and may be devoted to the new fatherland for life and death, and yet preserve a reverent love for the old."
In Houston the first German Day celebration took place in the year 1889. At a called mass meeting held in Turner Hall the subject of celebrating this day was discussed and it was finally resolved to celebrate German Day on the 6th of October of that year. Mr. August Moser was elected president of the celebration, while Dr. Max Urwitz was ap- pointed orator of the day. Both have since departed to the great Unknown Beyond, but their memory is still fresh and revered by the large circle of their many true and devoted friends. The entire German population of Houston and Har- ris County took part in the festivities, which were held in Turner Hall, and thus the first celebration of German Day in Houston was ushered in and proved an immense success.
In the years 1890 and 1891, the Turnverein arranged the . celebration of German Day, and on both occasions Mr. A. Moser delivered the German address, the text of which was published by the Houston Post in full, in the German lan- guage.
The year 1892 witnessed a German Day celebration of extraordinary magnificence. This year being the four hun- dredth anniversary of the discovery of our Continent. it was deemed proper that the festivities should be arranged on broad and exhaustive plans. The German-American Citi- zens' Alliance took up the matter and after a great deal of deliberation, decided in favor of a two days celebration. On October 20, the festivities began with a vocal and instru- mental concert in the opera house, and the production of his- torical and allegorical tableaux, in which more than a hun- dred ladies and gentlemen participated. On the next day, the first great German Day parade moved through the streets of the city of Houston. The parade consisted of four divisions under the command of Grand Marshal Charles Hirzel, and twenty marshals. Fight floats artistically built
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and decorated by the Messrs. L. Hartmann, V. Juenger and K. Stock, called for the constant applause and unbiased ad- miration of the thousands of spectators who lined the streets through which the pageant passed. Besides the German as- sociations of Houston all the gun clubs of Harris County and the Uniformed Rank of the Knights of Pythias took part in this parade. For the afternoon a great Volksfest had been arranged in Volksfest park and thousands listened to the orations of Captain J. C. Hutcheson, George B. Griggs, and Moritz Tiling. A dance in Volksfest park and a ball in Turner Hall concluded this memorable celebration.
The German Days of 1893, 1894 and 1895 were held al- ternately at Turner Hall and at Volksfest park under the auspices of the Houston Turnverein and Houston Saenger- bund. The orators at these occasions were the Hon. W. P. Hamblen, Hon. S. H. Brashear, Hon. H. B. Rice. Alexander Parttlingck, A. B. Langermann and Moritz Tiling.
The next prominent German Day celebration took place in the year 1896. The executive officers for this celebra- tion were Moritz Tiling. President : John Steinhagen. Vice- President; A. Brunner, Treasurer ; V. Juenger, Secretary : Ben A. Riesner, Chairman of Finance Committee, and Cap- tain F. A. Reichardt, Grand Marshal. The gorgeous street pageant, which ushered in the festivities in the morning. surpassed in brilliancy anything the people of Houston had witnessed in this line before.
The daily press in commenting on the parade, said the following :-
"To President Tiling is certainly due much credit for the brilliant success of yesterday's event. No such parade has before traversed the strets of Houston, and such parades have deteriorated so much of late that the magnificence of yesterday's turnout was a subject of universally favorable comment. The parade rivalled anything of the kind ever given in Houston. It was a handsome pageant and the ideas expressed in the decorations, in the arrangements and in
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the distributions of characters were excellent and excited the admiration of every one who viewed the line as it passed."
In 1897 the year of the dengue fever, German Day was celebrated in Forest Park, with Mr. Julius Schuetze, Sr., of Austin, orator, and despite the quarantine established in many places around Houston, was quite successful.
In 1898, the year of the Spanish-American war, Mr. F. Hacker was president of the German Day committee. The celebration took place at Turner Hall gardens, the orators of the occasion being Dr. Urwitz and Captain Hutcheson. In deference of a German custom, a young oak tree (Fried- enseiche) was planted at the northwest corner of the Tur- ner Hall block and dedicated to the care of the people of Houston. Children's games and exercises, productions of tableaux, arranged by Mr. V. Juenger, and a grand ball were the special features of this celebration.
Next year (1899), German Day was celebrated by the Houston Saengerbund in the new Saengerbund hall with Mr. M. Tiling as orator of the day.
In 1900, German Day was again celebrated on a large scale. The festivities began with a concert in the afternoon af Turner Hall garden, interspersed with songs and exer- cises of 250 children, under the direction of V. Juenger, and gymnastics by members of the Turnverein under the direc- tion of the late Captain E. B. H. Schneider. The oration was delivered by the Hon WV. A. Trenckmann of Bellville, and at night a festival play, "All Hail, Columbia," and tab- leaux, personifying the developments of gymnastics, were set on the stage. while the usual grand ball finished the day's exercises. The officers of that year's celebration were M. Tiling. President ; G. F. Sauter, First Vice-President ; F. Wallrab, Second Vice-President; M. Kattmann, Treas- urer : and C. C. Lieb. Secretary.
From 1901 to 1907 Mr. G. F. Sauter was president of the German Day general committee, which in June, 1906, was
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changed into the Houston German Day Association (Inc.). The charter was signed as incorporators by G. F. Sauter, L. Gus Mueller, V. Juenger, C. C. Lieb and L. C. Christian- sen, and as directors for the first year, besides these incor- porators, were named Dr. H. A. Engelhardt, G. P. Zeiss, M. Tiling, F. H. Potthoff, Wm. A. Reichardt and Wm. Fuchs.
Since the year 1900 to 1908, the yearly German Day cele- brations have not differed materially from each other, each being held without much outward display at Turner Hall, and consisting mainly of children's songs and calisthenic exercises, speeches in German and English, vocal and in- strumental concerts and concluding with the customary ball.
German Day celebration in 1909 was the first since many years in which the German-American citizens of Houston went prominently before the public, and under the direc- tion of President A. Hellberg and Grand Marshal Wm. Bot- tler, proved conclusively that the spirit of former years had only been dormant, but not extinct. The splendor of the great street parade, the "clou" of carnival celebration, is still fresh in the memory of all who saw, applauded and ad- mired it, and does not need to be extolled.
Extensive preparations had been made for the celebration in 1910, which exceeded in its scope and the magnificence of its parade any previous festival. The orators on this oc- casion were Governor-elect O. B. Colquitt, and J. C. von Rosenberg, Grand President of the Order of the Sons of Hermann in Texas. The great pageant was again under the command of Grand Marshal Wmn. Bottler, while Messrs. V. Juenger, C. Stock and C. W. Hille, with a strong corps of assistants had for two months been industriously engaged planning, building and decorating twelve gorgeous and ar- tistically finished floats that in beauty of conception and elegance of execution. eclipsed anything heretofore seen in Houston.
WORKS FOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES.
Aufforderung und Erklärung in Betreff einer Auswan- derung im Grossen aus Deutschland in die nord- amerikanischen Freistaaten, Giessen, 1833.
Auswanderer nach Texas, der. Ein Handbuch und Rath- geber für die, welche sich in Texas ansiedeln wollen. Bremen, 1846.
Behr von, Ottomar: Guter Rath für Auswanderer nach den Vereinigten Staaten von Nord America mit be- sonderer Berücksichtigung von Texas, Leipzig, 1847. G. G. Benjamin: Germans in Texas, Philadelphia, 1910. Berghaus, Heinrich: Die Vereinigten Staaten von Nord Amerika, Gotha, 1848.
Bromine, Trautgott: Neustes vollständigstes Hand- und Reisebuch für Auswanderer, Bayreuth, 1846.
Bruncken, Ernest : German Political Refugees in America, 1815 to 1860; Chicago, 1904 (reprint of Deutsch-Amer- ikanische-Geschichts-blätter, 1904).
Buettner, J. G .: Briefe aus und über Amreika, oder Beiträge zu einer richtigen Kenntniss der Vereinigten Staaten von Nord Amerika und ihrer Bewohner ; Dres- den and Leipzig, 1845.
Douai, Adolf : Land und Leute in Amerika : Berlin, 1864. Duden, Gottfried : Bericht über eine Reise nach den west- lichen Staaten Nordamerikas und einen mehrjährigen Aufenhalt am Missouri in den Jahren, 1824, 1825, 1826, 1827. St. Gallen, 1832.
Ehrenberg. Hermann: Der Freiheitskampf in Texas : Leip- zig, 1844.
Ehrenberg. Hermann: Texas und seine Revolution ; Leip- zig. 1843.
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Eickhoff, Anton: In der neuen Heimath (zweite Aus- gabe). New York, 1885.
Fest-Ausgabe zum fünfzigjährigen Jubiläum der deutschen Kolonie Friedrichsburg. Eine kurzgefasste Entwickel- ungs-Geschichte der vom Mainzer Andelsverein ge- gründeten Kolonien in Texas. Fredericksburg, Texas, 1896, by Robert Penninger.
Grund, F. J. : The Americans. 2 vols. London, 1837.
Hecke, J. Valentin : Reise durch die Vereinigten Staaten
von Nord Amerika in den Jahren 1818-1819. 2 vols. Berlin, 1821.
Hoeline, Friedrich: Wahn und Ueberzeugung. Seine Reise von Weimar über Bremen nach Nordamerika und Texas in den Jahren 1839-1841 ; Weimar, 1844.
Kapp, Friedrich: Aus und über Amerika, Thatsachen und Erlebnisse. 2 vols. Berlin, 1876.
Kapp, Friederich: Die Geschichte der deutschen Ansie- delungen des westlichen Texas und dessen Bedeutung für die Vereinigten Staaten (in Atlantische Studien, ol. I, p. 173, ff).
Kapp, Friederich: The History of Texas, Early German Colonization, Princes and Nobles in America, the Fu- ture of the State; (in New York Tribune, Jan. 20, 1855).
Loeher, Franz: Geschichte und Zustände der Deutschen in Amerika ; Cincinnati und Leipzig, 1847.
Meusebach, John O .: Answers to Interrogatories; Austin, IS94.
Olmsted, Frederick Law: A Journey Through Texas or a Saddle Trip on the Southwestern Frontier (Our Slave States, Vol. II), New York, 1860.
Roemer, Ferdinand: Texas. Mit besonderer Rücksicht auf deutsche Auswanderung und die physischen Ver- hältnisse des Landes. Bonn, 1849.
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. Rosenberg, William von: Kritik der Geschichte des Ve- reins zum Schutze der deutschen Auswanderer nach Texas. Austin, 1894.
Scherpf, G. A .: Entstehungsgeschichte und gegenwärtiger Zustand des neuen unabhängigen amerikanischen Staats Texas. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte, Statistik und Geographie dieses Jahrhunderts, im Lande selbst ge- sammelt. Augsburg, 1841.
Sealsfield, Charles (Carl Post1) : Life in the New World, or Sketches of American Society. Translated from the German by G. C. Mackey. New York, 1844.
Sealsfield, Charles : The Cabin Book, or Sketches of Life in Texas. Translated from the German by C. H. Mersch. New York, 1844.
Soergel, Alwin H .: Neuste Nachrichten aus Texas; Eisle- ben, 1847.
Texanische Monatshefte ,L. F. Lafrentz, XIII Vols. San Antonio, 1895-1909.
Wrede, Friederich von: Lebensbilder aus den Vereinigten Staaten von Nord Amerika und Texas. Cassel, 1844.
LANDUNG IN GALVESTON. WEITERFAHRT NACH PORT LAVACA. am 26. November 1844. Von Fritz Goldbeck.
Hurrah, hurrah, das Prärieland ! Am Horizont erglänzt der Strand, So rief's herunter aus den Wanten, Laut jubelten die Emigranten. Der Lotse, ein gebräunter Mann, Kam flugs im Segelboot heran, Lenkt sicher unser schiff zum Hafen; Wir konnten einmal ruhig schlafen. Da waren wir in Galveston ! Wer hätte nicht gehört davon; Damals war dort nicht viel zu holen,
Heut zählt es zu den Metropolen. Von Galveston nach kurzer Rast, Auf kleinem Schiff mit einem Mast, Fuhren wir nach Port Lavacca weiter, Der Himmel war bis dahin heiter. Recht tröstlich klang für uns das Wort: "Bis morgen Mittag seid ihr dort, Noch einmal vierundzwanzig Stunden Und Alles habt ihr überwunden !" Nicht wie der Mensch es wünscht und denkt Das Schicksal seine Bahnen lenkt. Denn in den nächsten schlimmen Tagen Gabs viel zu jammern und zu klagen. Gleich in der Nacht der Sturm brach los, Als käm er aus dem Höllenschoss Mit Brausen, Aechzen, Heulen, Pfeifen, Der tollen Windsbraut rasend Keifen.
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