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 4
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German Element in Texas
ing "siesta." Before their lines were formed, the Texans had charged over their breastworks, taking their cannon. The Mexicans fled in confusion, leaving their camp and baggage to the victims. With the battle cry : "The Alamo !" and "Goliad!" ringing in the ears of the Texans, there was a fearful slaughter of the foe as long as there was any show of resistance. In less than half an hour the Mex- ican army was completely routed.
General Sam Houston in his report of the engagement to President Burnet gives the following graphic descrip- tion of the battle :
"General Sherman and his regiment having commenced the action upon our left wing, the whole line, at the center and on the right, advancing in double quick time, rung out the war cry, 'Remember the Alamo!' received the enemy's fire and advanced within point blank shot before a piece was discharged from our lines. Our line advanced with- out a halt until they were in possession of the woods and the enemy's breastworks, the right wing of Burleson's and the left wing of Millard's taking possession of the breast- work-our artillery having gallantly charged up to within 70 yards of the enemy's cannon, when it was taken by our troops. The conflict lasted about 18 minutes from the time of close action until we were in possession of the enemy's encampment, taking one piece of cannon (loaded), four stands of colors, all their camp equipage, stores and bag- gage. Our cavalry had charged and routed that of the en- emy upon the right and given pursuit to the fugitives, which did not cease until they arrived at the bridge, which I have mentioned before. Captain Karnes-always among the foremost in danger-commanded the pursuit. The con- flict in the breastworks lasted but a few minutes ; many of the troops encountered hand to hand, and not having the advantage of bayonets on our side, our riflemen used their pieces as war clubs, breaking many of them off at the breach. The rout commenced at 4:30 and the pursuit by
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the main army continued until twilight. A guard was then left in charge of the enemy's encampment and our army returned with their killed and wounded, six of whom mortally. The enemy's loss was 630 killed, among whom was one general, four colonels, two lieutenant colonels, five captains and twelve lieutenants. Wounded, 208, of which were five colonels, seven captains and one cadet ; prisoners, 730. President General Santa Anna, General Cos, four col- onels-aides to General Santa Anna-and the colonel of the Guerco battalion are included in the number. General Santa Anna was not taken until the 22d. General Cos April 21, very few having escaped. About 600 muskets, 300 sabers and 200 pistols have been collected since the action ; several hundred mules and horses were taken and near $12,000 in specie. For several days previous to the action our troops were engaged in forced marches, exposed to ex- cessive rains and the additional inconveniences of bad roads, illy supplied with rations and clothing, yet amid every difficulty they bore up with cheerfulness and forti- tude and performed their marches with alacrity. There was no murmuring.
"Previous to and during the action my staff evinced every disposition to be useful and were actively engaged in their duties. In the conflict I am assured that they demcaned themselves in such a manner as proved them worthy mem- bers of the army of San Jacinto. Colonel T. J. Rusk, Sec- retary of War, was on the field. For weeks his services had been highly beneficial in our army. In battle he was on the left wing, where Colonel Sherman's command first en- countered and drove the enemy ; he bore himself gallantly and continued his efforts and activity, remaining with the pursuers until resistance ceased.
"I have the honor of transmitting a list of all the officers and men who were engaged in the action, which I respect- fully request may be published as an act of justice to the individuals. For the commanding general to attempt dis-
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crimination as to the conduct of those who commanded or those who were commanded, would be impossible. Our suc- cess in the action is conclusive proof of much daring, in- trepidity and courage; every officer and man proved him- self worthy of the cause in which he battled, while the hu- manity which characterized their conduct after the victory richly entitles them to the admiration and gratitude of their general. Nor should we withhold the tribute of our grate- ful thanks from that Being who rules the destinies of Na- tions, and has in times of greatest need enabled us to arrest a powerful invader while devastating our country.
"I have the honor to be, with high consideration, your obedient servant,
"Sam Houston, Commander in Chief."
Of the Germans participating in this glorious battle, spe- cial mention deserves to be made of Colonel Eduard Har- cort, chief of staff of General Sam Houston. After the vic- tory of San Jacinto he was ordered to quickly construct a fort on Galveston Island for the detention of the Mexican prisoners. There he contracted fever, from the effects of which he died in the fall of the same year that had secured the independence of Texas.
This is the brief history of the battle of San Jacinto, which, insignificant in regard to the numbers engaged, was of the utmost importance in its results. By this vic- tory the independence of Texas was won and the sovereign authority of the Teutonic race over its wide domain was firmly established. The sway of the decadent Latin race over a large part of North America had come to an end and was replaced by the progressive rule of the sturdy, in- telligent and industrious Anglo-Germanic people. San Ja- cinto was the just retribution for the outrages committed by the Mexicans at the storming of the Alamo and for the wanton massacre of Goliad.
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CHAPTER IX.
The Immigration Increases After Texas Wins Her Freedom.
When the colonists with their families returned to their former homes, after the precipitate flight of the remnants of the Mexican armies across the Rio Grande, they found their houses burned and their growing crops partly de- stroyed. But undismayed by their loss, most of these in- trepid men set instantly to work to rebuild their old homes, to replant their crops and with undiminished vigor started life anew in their now free adopted country. More immi- grants arrived from the Fatherland and new settlements were started. The families von Roeder were the founders of Shelby, Austin County, while William Frels established Frelsburg, the first German settlement in Colorado County. In 1837 the first houses were built on a bluff on the banks of the Colorado River, the beginning of the present city of LaGrange. The land was the property of a Mr. John Moore, who had come from Tennessee with the first set- tlers of Stephen F. Austin's colony. The next year the plan of the new city was made and platted by Bird Lockhardt, one of the settlers, and Moore waited for the inhabitants of his town to come. He was fortunate. A number of Ger- man immigrants who intended to settle in Bexar County were unable to cross the Colorado River on account of high water, which lasted for several months. Moore, hearing of their plight, offered to give to each of the colonists a town lot of 81 by 171 feet, if they would decide to stay there and help him start the new city. They accepted his offer, and thus the city of LaGrange received its German charac- ter that has been preserved to the present day.
The arriving and settling of many Germans in Texas from 1836-39 is conclusively proven by the archives of the General Land Office of Texas, which contains the follow-
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German Element in Texas
ing German land owners that had been recorded up to Octo- ber, 1839, besides those previously mentioned in this his- tory: Andreas Baldinger, Charles F. Bacumlein, Jacob Blum, Jonathan Buhn, P. Bugler, Bernhard Cerchner, Dan- iel and J. M. Cruger (Krueger ?), John Cruse, Carl F. Dres- ler, C. C. G. Eberling, C. B. Fanger, Otto Finte, Carl Fledsner, Albert Friedrich, Andreas Gabel, Ferdinand Ger- lach, Adolf Glaveck, Gottlieb Gosche, Friedrich Gunder- mann; G. L. Haas, Conrad Habermehl, John F. Harig, Friedrich Happle, Franz W. Hermes, F. Helfenstein, George A. Holzmann, Christoph Huth, John Janson, Heinrich Kat- tenborn, William Kieffer, John Kops, Ferdinand Kessler, Philipp Kestler, Jacob Kindig, D. Kerger, Benjamin F. Klein, H. Knapp, Christian and Conrad Knodel, Peter Knoll, John Kohlmann, Henry Kraber, Wilhelm Krisinger, Teodor Leger, Teodor Lehmann, Carl Lunenburg, George W. Lueckenhoger, Henry Lotter, Friedrich Ludwig, Friedrich Lundt, Gustav Loeffler, Samuel Maas, Felix Martel, Hein- rich Maurer, Burchard, Friedrich H. and Peter Miller, John B. Moser, Andreas Neuschofer, Henry Orender, Z. M. Paul, Martin Peske, Heinrich Prosius, Heinrich Ratter- horn, Adolf Reiman, Franz Reimar, George Risner, A. C. and L. M. Rothermel, Englebert Ruhl, Martin Mumps, Carl Schaller, Carl Schlicht, Conrad, Martin, Valentin, W. H. and J. H. Schnell, Ferdinand Schroeder, William H. Schrier, F. Seeholzer, F. Siedekum, Thomas Silte, John Solberg, Franz Stadt, Friedrich Steusig, Heinrich Stauffer, Heinrich Stutz, Heinrich Trott, Friedrich Utz, August Wagner, Thomas Weidmann, Joseph Weyl, T. G. Welch- meyer, Kasper Whistler, Joseph Wichl, Johann Wohler, Carl Wolf, John Wyche, Friedrich von Wrede and Franz Zelner.
During the year 1838 the society "Germania" was or- ganized in New York with the object of establishing a Ger- man colony in Texas. Men in all stations of life, profes- sional men, tradespeople and mechanics, joined this society,
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German Element in Texas
hoping to better their lot in the new country. The condi- tions then prevailing in the United States were fostering emigration. The hard times and the financial panic that followed the Jacksonian epoch had ruined thousands in all parts of the United States and drove other thousands from the country. The Germania Society sent the first section of emigrants, consisting of 130 people, to Texas in their own brig, North, from New York on November 2. The vessel arrived at Galveston on Christmas Day, 1839. There they heard the unwelcome news that a few days previous the last victim of a yellow fever epidemic, a German, had been buried at Houston, which was almost depopulated. This deterred most of the colonists from disembarking and many returned with their ship and their leader, Dr. Schues- sler, to New York. The more courageous remained and went to Houston. Among the families that settled in Houston, then a town only three years old, were the fam- ilies Usener, Schweickart, Habermehl, Bottler and Karcher, and a single man by the name of Schnell.
Most of the single men from the ship North went to Cat Spring, where they bought lands from the Klebergs. Rob- ert Kleberg, returning to Cat Spring after the battle of San Jacinto, found his house and the outbuildings burned and destroyed and decided to abandon the settlement com- menced on the Brazos River and settle on the Island of Galveston on two leagues of land which were chosen there. This enterprise proved a total failure. Kleberg has the following to say about his endeavor to settle on Galveston Island: "We remained about three months on the island after building our house. Most of us were always sick, especially the women and children, long exposure, bad food and water being the probable causes. Not long after we moved into the house, Mrs. Pauline von Roeder, the wife of Otto von Roeder, died there. We were all down with chills and fever. The deer which von Roeder and I killed. together with the fish and oysters caught by four Mexican
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German Element in Texas
prisoners in our service, were our chief means of sub- sistence. We had neither bread, nor coffee, nor sugar, and the water was brackish. Finally, under these dis- tressing circumstances, we became despondent and dis- heartencd ; so, late in October, 1836, we boarded our boat, taking along everything we had, including our Mexican prisoners, who acted as oarsmen, and once more made for the mainland, landing at a place called Liverpool, a small village at the head of Chocolate Bayou. The house on Galveston Island was abandoned, there being no one to whom we could sell. There were no other families at that time residing on the island. There were about 400 Mexican prisoners held there in a fort on the eastern shore."
The Klebergs returned to Austin County, where they had made their first settlement, and remained there until 1847, when they removed to De Witt County. Robert Kleberg occupied several positions of public trust and dis- tinction in the Republic, as well as in the later State of Texas. In recognition of his services and ability, President Sam Houston appointed him as early as 1837 one of the associate commissioners of the General Land Office. In 1841 he was commissioned by President Lamar Justice of the Peace, which was then a far more important office than now, as there were few lawyers and few law books at that time, and important and perplexing suits to be de- cided by these courts. In 1846 he was elected Chief Jus- tice of Austin County, and in 1848 he became one of the commissioners of De Witt County. In 1853 and 1854 he was twice elected Chief Justice of De Witt County. When the war broke out in 1861 he raised a company of volun- teers, but on account of his advanced age was not received in active service, but finally appointed as collector of war taxes, which position he occupied during the whole war.
In De Witt County the first school house, a simple log cabin, was built by Robert Kleberg, with the assistance of
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German Element in Texas
Albrecht von Roeder and some American settlers, on Colita Creek, near the old York and Bell farm, in 1849. Hostile Indians then still made occasional raids on the set- tlements, and the sturdy pioneers had to be forever watch- ful for the protection and safety of their families.
Robert Kleberg had the good fortune to outlive this period of romance and adventure and to sce Texas develop into a great State in wealth and population under the magic wand of civilization, with the proud feeling that he and his family had been active and important factors of its early growth. After the war Judge Kleberg passed the remain- ing years of his eventful life in quiet repose and com- posure at Yorktown, De Witt County, where he died sur- rounded by his family, on October 23, 1888, in his eighty- sixth year, and was buried with Masonic honors. His widow survived him 19 years, being 90 years at her death, which occurred July 3, 1907.
CHAPTER X. First German Societies in Texas.
The Germans are pre-eminently a sociable people. They cultivate with reverence the strongest family life and family ties, and are bound together in friendship by innumerable social, benevolent and literary societies and secret orders. In all of these societies the "Gemütlichkeit," a term best translated by "good fellowship," predominates, diffusing good cheer among their members. In every city or town in Germany there exist several singing societies, athletic and gun clubs, social, literary, political and secret organi- zations, all established for the purpose of promoting good comradeship and rendering assistance to the needy. This commendable trait made itself felt with undiminished force among the Germans in Texas. After the first few strenu- ous years had passed and the German settlements had been firmly established the German's love for sociability, in- tellectual entertainment, mutual protection and pleasure asserted itself.
The city of Houston founded in August, 1836, by A. C. and J. K. Allen, had become quite a town in the short space of four years. Situated at the head of navigation of Buffalo bayou, it had direct water communication by small craft with the sea and Galveston Island, where the emigrants were landed. None of them remained on the island, which, up to 1839, was uninhabited. All immi- grants had to take passage in smaller ships to Harrisburg or Houston, most of them preferring the latter place, which then (1837-1839) was not only the capital of the young Republic, but was also farther inland than Harris- burg. Quite a number of German immigrants stayed in Houston and materially assisted in increasing its population.
By the year 1840 Houston counted among its inhabi-
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German Element in Texas
tants more than 75 German families and single men. What, then, was more natural than to organize a "Verein"? Con- sequently a preliminary meeting was held on Sunday, No- vember 22, 1810, in the German boarding house of Franke & Lemsky, corner of Prairie Avenue and Travis Street, at which great enthusiasm prevailed. The organization of a German Society was definitely decided upon, and George Fischer, Henry F. Fischer, Charles Gerlach, Conrad Franke and Theodor Miller were appointed a committee on organi- zation and instructed to draft a constitution and by-laws to be presented to the next meeting and to ask all Ger- mans living in Houston to become members of the pro- posed society.
On Sunday, November 29, this society was definitely launched under the name "Deutscher Verein für Texas" (German Society of Texas). Its main object, as stated in article II of its constitution, was the giving of assistance to the sick and needy, to promote the material and intel- lectual welfare of the Germans and to assist newcomers with advice and necessary aid and succor.
This was the first German Society in Texas. It began its long career of usefulness with the following 53 mem- bers: George Fischer, Theodor Miller, Henry F. Fischer, Charles Gerlach, Conrad Franke, Robert H. Levenhagen, Henry Levenhagen, Jacob Schroeder, Joseph Sandman, Gottlieb Gasche, Martin Rumpff, William Schroeder, I. Hermann, Gustav Erichson, Jacob Buchmann, I. I. Knoll, A. Jung, Emil Simmler, Friedr. Otto, Ch. Rienitz, Charles Baumann, Henry A. Kuykendall, Wendelin Bock, Ulrich Fischer, Karl Fischer, John H. Mueller, Friedr. Schier- mann, John Koop, Daniel Super, Joseph Ehlinger, Johann Buhn, Anton Brueggemann, William Ewald, Casper Ger- lach, Friedr. Lemsky, Friedr. Barthold, Dr. K. Hermann Jaeger, Abraham Brodbeck, Johann Grunder, Christian A. Kasting, Peter Dickmann, William Weigand, Ant. E. Spellenberg. Peter Bohl, Johan William Schrimpf, Dr. I.
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German Element in Texas
Anton Fischer, Dr. De Witt, A. Schanten, Johann Schwei- · kart.
The first president of the German Society was George Fischer (he spelled his name Fisher) who, at the town election held on July 8, 1839, had been elected Mayor of Houston, with 115 votes cast for him, while his strongest opponent, George W. Lively, received 112 votes, 37 being cast for Moreau Forest and 65 for William Bronaugh. This gave Fischer only a plurality of votes, although this election was the second held for this office within two weeks; in the first election, held on July 1, eight candi- dates had aspired to become the administrative head of the rising city, but the result had been very undecisive, the votes being scattered among the eight candidates.
The result of the second election was also contested and the "Morning Star" upon this occasion wrote: "The elec- tion of mayor of this city, held on Saturday last, which re- sulted in favor of George Fisher, was contested before the board of aldermen yesterday, on points of law in such cases provided, and set aside ; consequently, the chief jus- tice of the county will take such steps as the law requires to order a new election to be held. This, then, will have been the third election holden in this community for the same office within three weeks or upwards before the will of the people can be ratified. We trust that no neg- ligence to ascertain and observe the laws regulating such election shall occasion us the strife and bickerings of an- other contest after the next one shall have been decided."
The third election took place July 22, George W. Lively receiving 176, George Fisher 127 votes. The first board of officers of the German Society consisted of of the follow- ing: George Fisher, president; Harry Levenhagen, first vice president ; Theodore Miller, second vice president ; Henry F. Fischer (Fisher), secretary, and John Koop, treasurer. The scope of the society remained localized, but as many of the German immigrants to Texas up to the
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60s passed through Houston when going into the interior of the State, it was of material assistance to many of the newcomers by giving them the often greatly needed advice and succor. During the war between the States the society was defunct, but was revived in 1866 as the "Houston Deutsche Gesellschaft" and as such existed until the close of the last century.
The desire of a closer union of the Germans in Texas led to the forming of the Teutonic order, which was organized in 1841 by some settlers of Industry and Cat Spring. The fundamental principle of this order was the uniting of all Texas Germans into one society with strong Germanistic tendencies and thus not only preserving the German char- acter and individuality, but making the Germans a strong political factor in Texas.
In an account of the order, published by Fritz Ernst of Industry, he says: "It remains for the Germans in Texas either to become entirely changed, so as to be called Americans, or to make an attempt in a social way among the Germans living here, to form a New Germany. The former, appears to us, as certainly to all good and true Germans, as entirely impossible and must remain com- mitted to our posterity, while the latter can only be possible and practicable, if all our countrymen be united collectively through a common bond. Concord of thought and action, that disappear but too easily in a foreign land, must be re-established among them and the conscientiousness of their German worth be incited. Since the population of Texas consists of immigrants from different countries who must all consider themselves here as foreigners, it appears that this plan can be carried out more easily in Texas than in North American free States, where a generation born there is the leading race."
Gustav Koerner in his book, "The German Element in North America from 1818-1848," stated the purpose of the order as "the preservation of German natural individuality,
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German Element in Texas
the furtherance of German immigration and the facilitation of correspondence between Texas and Germany."-(Koer- ner, page 359.)
The order was made up of several degrees. Admission to the second and third degrees was conditioned on talent, ability and education. The less educated Germans were almost barred from passing beyond the first degree. The order existed only a few years. The foremost causes of the failure were the evident class distinction between the different degrees and the difficulty of communication be- tween settlements hundreds of miles apart.
Although the Teutonic Order was a failure, it clearly demonstrated the tendency of the German immigrants of the first half of the last century to try the establishment of a New Germany on this side of the Atlantic. Hecke, in his book, had advised the purchase of Texas by Prussia in 1821. Duden and the "Giessener Auswanderungs-Ge- sellschaft" in 1832, strongly advocated the establishment of one or more German States in the Mississippi Valley or Texas, and the founders of the Teutonic Order were cherishing similar hopes in 1841. The rapid increase in the American population in Texas and the joining of the Republic to the United States in 1845 put an effective stop to these aspirations.
CHAPTER XI. The Germans in the Republic of Texas.
Texas was an independent Republic from 1836 to 1845. During these nine years it was forever struggling hard for its existence. By far the greater part of its extensive do- main was still a wilderness in undisputed possession of the Indians, while, in the settled portion of the great State, many European nationalities, Americans from the United States, Mexicans and negroes, the latter as slaves, were represented. It is impossible to give a correct number of the inhabitants of Texas at that time, as no reliable cen- sus figures exist. The statements of travelers in reference to the population of Texas are based only on their personal observations and differ considerably. But we can assume as nearly correct that Texas had about 52,000 white in- habitants in 1836 and 150,000, including the slaves, in 1845, when it was annexed to the United States. On March 2, 1837, the United States had acknowledged the independence of Texas and in 1840 France and Belgium recognized Texas as a sovereign State, but Mexico repudiated the agreement between Santa Anna and President Burnet, by which Texas was declared independent of Mexico, and held Texas as being a province in revolt, and at different times sent military parties into the country. According to the best information obtainable, there were 10,000 Germans in Texas in 1840 and about 20,000 in 1845. According to statistics from 1832 to 1846, 100,000 Germans immigrated from Bremen to America, while many also sailed on ships from Hamburg. During the six years from 1840 to 1846 there arrived at Galveston from Bremen alone 7161 Ger- man immigrants, among them many men of culture and refinement who had received a college or university edu- cation. They were all induced to seek these shores through
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