By Myra Lee Adams Goff

Safety and protection of citizens and property have always been foremost in the minds of anyone involved in law enforcement in New Braunfels and Comal County and it goes way back.

Law enforcement began with Prince Carl who was responsible for the safety of the German emigrants as they made their way inland from the coast. He organized a group of 20 young men to protect them against hostile Indians. This unknown land had been the home of the Indian tribes and Solms knew nothing about them. While in San Antonio Ranger Jack Hays told Solms that it would not be safe to move in the direction of the Llano and challenge the Comanches so New Braunfels was chosen. See Sophienburg.com web-site for more info. (1-26-2010)

The Prince chose only Germans to form this group of 20 (some say 22) to protect the colonists on their journey to the colonization site and after they arrived. They received a salary and there were strict behavior rules – no drinking or gambling. Punishment was inflicted by thrashing, exile and shame in the colony. Prince Carl also organized another group of volunteers able to bear arms. The third group consisted of the rest of the men in camp, inexperienced in shooting, but trainable.

Prince Carl received criticism from Americans and Germans alike: from Americans for enlisting only German men in the military, and from Germans for promoting aristocracy. (One of the issues that made many emigrate to begin with)

Prince Carl returned to Germany in May 1845 and the Troop of 20 no longer had a commander. When Comal County was created on July 13, 1846, the election of county officials was held and Henry Gerwin was elected sheriff.

The state of Texas had been organized into three departments - Bexar, Brazos, and Nacogdoches. The battle of San Jacinto in 1836 culminated the revolution against Mexico and Texas became a Republic for the next ten years. Comal County had originally been part of Bexar County so in 1845 before Texas became a state, the Texas Congress created new counties and Comal County was formed.

Local retired Texas Ranger and author, Ray Martinez, in his latest book, “Creating the Professional Lawman”, has quite a bit of information about law enforcement in New Braunfels and Texas. (Book available at the Sophienburg) He says that from 1900 to 1930, the sheriff was the only paid member on staff. That changed in 1932. Here’s an example: Sheriff August Knetsch was paid $150 a month, Chief Deputy Ed Schleyer Jr. was paid $90 a month and jailor Charles Marion got $50 a month and 50 cents a day for two meals for each prisoner. They used their own cars, and paid their own expenses.

The advent of the automobile brought big changes to law enforcement. In 1907 the State of Texas passed its first traffic laws. Here are a few: the speed limit on the highway was 18 mph and no more than 8 mph in cities. Horses had the right-of-way, the car had to have a sound device that could be heard 300 feet away and had to have headlights. A problem existed with this in that actual light bulbs were used and bumpy roads caused the bulbs to loosen and lights go out. The Comal County Commissioners Court authorized a headlight inspection station, probably a forerunner to car inspection.

According to the City of New Braunfels web-site, the city is comprised of over 42 square miles. The Police Department is under the jurisdiction of the City government with the early law enforcers being city marshals. In 1930 Bruno Merz was elected the first chief of police.

In 165 years much has changed in law enforcement, but the basic principle of “serve and protect” is still the same.

Comal County Sheriff and Deputies, 1937. L-R ?, Walter Heitkamp, ?, Lonnie Dietert, Elmo Arnold, Charles Marion, Sr., Ottmar Kraft, ? Louis Marion. If you can fill in the blanks, call Sophienburg at 629-1572. Then check our website for the names.

By Myra Lee Adams Goff

Twenty-six-year-old Ernst Gruene applied for his passport to emigrate to Texas from Germany. He is described in his passport as a very tall, (over 6’2”) blond, handsome man. Later family accounts describe him as not only good-looking, but very charming. In Germany he was a flax farmer and planned for his move to Texas by bringing linen fabric made from the flax that would be used for clothing and other linens. We have several pieces at the Sophienburg and even a skein of raw flax.

Ernst sailed on the Margaretha from Bremen, along with his 19 year old wife, Antoinette nee Kloepper, as well as his mother, Marie Engel Gruene.

Ernst’s wife, Antoinette, was not remembered by family in such a fond way as her husband. She was a little over five feet tall, inclined to be “pudgy”, could not read or write, never learned English, and was definitely the boss. On the flip side of this little lady, family praised her homemaking abilities, and especially her cooking. She wouldn’t allow anyone else in her kitchen and she was fastidiously clean, not allowing dust to settle. One favorite family story went like this: The couple slept in twin beds, but on cold nights, Ernst would crawl into Antoinette’s bed to warm it up for her. Then when she went to bed it would be warm and he retired to his cold, cold bed. (Now, that’s the boss!)

Originally intending to go to Fredericksburg, the family stopped in New Braunfels because Ernst had contracted cholera on the trip from the coast inland. In New Braunfels the women nursed him back to health with dirt-dauber nest tea and the family never left New Braunfels.

An interesting story about Ernst has to do with a visit that he made to a nearby Indian camp on the Guadalupe River. He wanted to buy a quarter of venison but the chief refused to sell it to him. Ernst reached into his pocket for his snuff, sniffed, and then sneezed. Offering the chief a sniff, he too sniffed and sneezed. Then all the warriors sniffed and sneezed. The peace pipe was brought out and after that the chief gifted Ernst with half a deer.

The couple rented a little log house on Comal Street where Ernst, Jr. was born. That house is on display at the Witte Museum in San Antonio. Next, Ernst bought farmland in Comaltown where Heinrich was born .Then he bought 10 acres on what is now Rock St. where Johanna was born. This is the house that Anna Lisa and Danny Tamez have renovated beautifully and turned into a vacation rental. How fortunate that we have this early 1850s home preserved. The original barn on the property that the Gruenes lived in while the house was being built is at Conservation Plaza and is known as the Welsch Barn because it was given by the Welsch family who later owned it.

Recently the Ferdinand Lindheimer Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas was treated to a morning at this renovated Gruene Farm home. A program was given by Roxolin Bose Krueger who is, incidentally, a g-g-granddaughter of Ernst and Antoinette Gruene. Recollections of the family were based on memories of her aunt, Roberta Posey Mueller and put into a book called “Oma, tell me about olden times” which is for sale at the Sophienburg.

You’re wondering if Gruene, Texas is the same family? Yes, Heinrich Gruene developed the Gruene community and he was the second son. He lived in the famous Gruene Mansion and he built his parents a retirement home nearby.

The family says that Ernst Gruene was really a good dancer. I’ll bet he could “Waltz Across Texas” at the oldest dance hall in Texas – Gruene Hall!

Seated – Antoinette Kloepper Gruene and Ernst Gruene Sr. with two of their children, Johanna Gruene Sippel and H.D. Gruene.