Seldom do individuals have clubs or anything named after them. A person becomes famous because of something outstanding that they have done for the advancement of society. All you historians out there and those that have a passing interest in history know the name Ferdinand Jacob Lindheimer. This extremely interesting person has been the object of my curiosity for quite a while.

Lindheimer, known as the “Father of Texas Botany”, has 38 plants containing his name. Several organizations in New Braunfels have his name as their chapter names, and his picture is larger than life on a downtown mural. He is buried in the Comal Cemetery and his Texas Centennial headstone was given by the State of Texas. What did he actually do for the community? Let’s look first at his background:

Ferdinand Jacob Lindheimer was born the 21^st of May, 1801, in Frankfurt am Maine in Germany. He came from a wealthy family and was educated at the Prussian University at Bonn. At age 25 he left the university to teach at a boys’ school. At this school in 1832, a student riot occurred. At that time there was much dissatisfaction in the way German states were governed, especially among the young people. In this case, the government just closed down the school and the teachers were asked to leave the area. Lindheimer and other educated men decided to emigrate to the United States.

Eight men of high intellect and high education level migrated to a farm called Belleview Farm in Illinois. These men, including Lindheimer, soon tired of the life of idleness and headed south, bound for New Orleans with the idea of coming to Texas . He then boarded a ship and eventually landed on the Mexican coast at Vera Cruz where he started botanizing (collecting plants) in a big way. He stayed there for 18 months.

Lindheimer then involved himself in the Texas War of independence. He enlisted in April, 1836, and was discharged December 1837. His certificate of discharge describes him as a teacher, 5’8” tall, with dark hair and blue eyes. After this military stint, he bought a small farm outside of Houston, but in his own words, ‘was a failure at farming”. Farming and botanizing are two different things and he preferred botanizing.

In 1841 Lindheimer began his correspondence with well-known Illinois botanist Dr. George Englemann. This acquaintance became a lifetime of selling plants to Englemann, who as a professor and doctor, had the means to publish the information that Lindheimer sent to him. Lindheimer showed from the start that he had a keen ability to collect, describe in words and even illustrate plants. A letter to Englemann mentions a woman in Lindheimer’s life. She is not named. He calls a person named Ann his child. No evidence of a child has been found in records. There are no birth records. Could Ann be the woman?

Lindheimer met Prince Carl at Industry not far from Houston. He decided to join the Adelsverein. In that group was Rev. Louis Ervendberg and their friendship and interest in botany lasted their lifetimes.

The Adelsverein granted Lindheimer a large section of land for the services performed for that organization. Now he could botanize full time. The Lindheimer house that you see on Comal St. is on the site of the original log cabin. Maps show a large area around this area called the Botanical Garden. He married Eleanore Reinarz who according to writer Minetta Altgelt Goyne in her book “A Life among the Texas Flora”, was “sometimes difficult”. He was becoming a valuable member of the community “despite what seems to have been some eccentricities”.

In early fall of 1845 famed botanists Asa Gray and George Engelmann published results of Lindheimer’s 1843 and 1844 collections. There are 38 plants named after him and the one that we know best is “Lindheimeria texana” (or Lindheiumeria texensis), the Texas yellow star. It’s not difficult to see why this flower is so popular.

In 1850, Lindheimer became editor and eventually owner of Neu Braunfelser Zeitung. The first issue was on Nov. 12, 1852. The newspaper had difficult financial times the whole time he was editor. During the Civil War, he was influential in the secessionist movement. Although against slavery, he was an adamant “states righter” and did not want the federal government making decisions for the state. Comal County was the only predominantly German community that joined the Confederacy. The decision to secede from the union was a controversial one.

He retired from the newspaper in 1872. He is remembered for more than being the “Father of Texas Botany”. Always on the side of freedom, he was an advocate of education for all. He was on the committee pushing for the establishment of the NB Academy and for the Texas Legislature to levy taxes for the financial support of public schools.

When Ferdinand Lindheimer died in 1879, he was buried in the Comal Cemetery surrounded by family members and the flowers that he loved. Most of the information in this article came from Goyne’s book, “The Life among the Texas Flora” available in Sophie’s Shop at the Sophienburg. Goyne’s footnote explanations read almost like “the rest of the story”.

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The next time you drive downtown, take a look at the old IGN train depot at the intersection of San Antonio Street and Hill Avenue. Although it’s now a museum, with just a little knowledge and imagination, you can transport yourself back to the olden times known as the Railroad Era.

Back when Texas was the Republic of Texas, in 1836, the first congress chartered the first railroad company, the Texas Rail Road, Navigation, and Banking Co. to construct railroads where needed. This was ten years after the first US railroad was chartered. The company lasted two years but the railroad was never built. Other companies were chartered, but still no railroads.

In 1847, Gen.Sidney Sherman acquired lots in Harrisburg, acquired northern capital and established the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado as the first railroad in Texas. By the end of 1861, there were nine operating railroads in Texas, mostly in East Texas. One was the International & Great Northern (IGN). Jay Gould was the controlling stockholder. This name would come up later in New Braunfels history. Politics played a big part as far as where railroads would locate.

After the Civil War and Reconstruction, new lines formed and some merged. In 1875, New Braunfels, as well as other small towns, saw the advantage of a railroad going through their town. Brian Weidner, who has done extensive research on railroads in NB, states that in the New Braunfelser Zeitung, editor Anselm Eiband, began writing about attempts to offer the railroads cash and property to build in NB.

In the meantime the International & Great Northern Railroad in 1879, requested right-of-way land to build a depot in NB. The railroad was able to acquire town lots 10 & 17 from Ferdinand and Anna Nolte. Lot 10 faced San Antonio Street and Hill Street and Lot 17 faced Mill Street. The railroad was in business! The first freight passenger trains entered NB in the fall of 1880.

The first ticket office was a store front owned by Mr. Nolte’s business on San Antonio Street. IGN constructed a small depot and the old store front was removed.

The era of the railroad brought tremendous changes to the economy of Texas and to New Braunfels as well. Many small towns that were overlooked by the railroad completely disappeared. A big advantage of the presence of a railroad was that goods could be brought in and local goods could be sent out. Tourism flourished in towns, like New Braunfels, that had natural beauty.

Remember Jay Gould? The story goes that his daughter, Helen Gould, visited the Harry Landa estate in 1898. According to Landa, Miss Gould liked the beauty of Landa Park so much that she proposed to him that the IGN build a spur track into Landa Park, which they did.

The second railroad line into NB, the Missouri, Kansas, Texas Railroad, while extending their tracks from NB to San Antonio, also built a station plus spur track into Landa Park. The railroads were helping New Braunfels become a tourist destination. In his book, “As I Remember”, Harry Landa made this comment:

“Beer, bathing, boat riding, bands, and dancing, and other recreations were enjoyed by picnickers and Landa Park became one of the most popular resorts of the Southwest.”

The president, Theodore Roosevelt, made a political speech from the rear of a Pullman car passing through NB, and the whole city turned out to see this spectacle complete with a children’s choir, a decorated station and an assembly of young women dressed as Roughriders.

Pressure was on by the public for the railroad to build a larger, better depot to accommodate all the visitors who were arriving. In 1907 the firm of Moeller, Mordhurst & Blumberg were contracted to manufacture cement blocks to build a new depot. Adolph Moeller was responsible for building many public buildings and Victorian homes in NB, and Mordhurst was the one who produced the cement blocks and also decorated the graves with concrete-filled shells. There are at least five homes still standing that were built of Mordhurst’s cement blocks in New Braunfels and also many graves in Comal Cemetery.

Brian Weidner’s research reveals that the new station was made of concrete-colored tiles with red grout between the tiles. There were ornamental wrought iron details supporting the roof. The large entrances were surrounded by diamond latticed glass transoms and side panels. Look for these features. You may have to get out of the car to see all the details.

The construction of the interstate highway system had a big effect on the railroad and its station. Eventually by the 1960s, passenger service was discontinued and then replaced by Amtrak.

The city was given the IGN station by the railroad in 1986 with a yearly lease on the land. The same year, the city leased the station and property to the New Braunfels Historic Railroad & Modelers Society who run it as a free museum to the public.

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From Union St., turn onto Common and drive straight to the Guadalupe River. At the bridge and on the east side of the river, as far as you can see, look left and right. You are looking at Hortontown. Down river to the right of Hortontown was Neighborsville. These two areas are referred to by these names only historically. Beginning in 1846, when sickness was rampant on the coast and in New Braunfels, and emigrants were still arriving, Hortontown was settled to avoid going into the sickness- infested town. Neighborsville followed a few years later. Both areas were originally in Guadalupe County but were added to Comal County and also to the City of New Braunfels.

From the bridge, you will notice a gradual incline up to Loop 337. Turn right on the loop, and right before the railroad overpass, turn left on Church Hill Drive. Across the road from Conservation Plaza, a church was built in 1852. It was the St. Martin’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and next to it, in 1870, a school was built. The Church Hill School served the children of both Hortontown and Neighborsville.

Hortontown was named after Albert C. Horton who came to Texas from Alabama in 1835. He became an active supporter of the Texas Revolution. From 1836-38 he served as senator in the 1st and 2nd congress of the Republic of Texas. He became the first Lt. Gov. of the new state of Texas. Leopold Iwonski became the agent for Horton’s land grant.

The settlement of Neighborsville was laid out by Jacob de Cordoba who designated a lot for the establishment of the church and parochial school. In 1870 the church congregation decided to build a separate building for their school. And that school became the Church Hill School.

The Church Hill School was built of 18” thick hand- cut limestone blocks brought by wagon from a hill country quarry. The doors and floor are also original. The appointments are from other rural Comal County one-room schools.

Martha Rehler, Exec. Director of the Conservation Society, took me on a tour. There is nothing as empty as an empty classroom. Going into the abandoned school, that strange feeling returned. A classroom needs children.

There were wooden desks of all sizes with a hole in the top for an ink bottle. They still had those when I was in elementary school. Our fountain pens had a little bladder that had to be filled with ink. What a mess! In this old classroom the teacher sat in the back of the room by the door. I’m surprised she didn’t notice the initials carved in the older students’ desk, probably by a pocket knife which I’m told, was every boy’s toy. Slate boards were on each desk taking the place of paper. The large chalkboard (black, later green) had the lesson for the day in German script (Fraktur).

Other relics are a long table from the Ursaline Academy in San Antonio displaying photographs of groups of school children. Water was drawn out of a well or a cistern and put in a portable water fountain. There are two large bells. The smaller of the two at one time stood in front of the Guadalupe Hotel (Plaza) which was a stagecoach stop. The bell was used to welcome arrivals. The larger was a school bell to call students.

Rehler gave me a “Texas Public School’s Report Card from 1925 that parents had to fill out about their own child. It was for a 7th grade girl going into the 8th grade. I put myself in my mother’s shoes, evaluating her only chick on a scale of 1 to 100. Knowing that I was a “city girl” in New Braunfels, I would have failed miserably. I would have a “0” in canning, care of stock, care of poultry, cooking, gardening, general farm work, milking, providing fuel, sewing, and sweeping,. I would have done fairly well in dusting, washing dishes, obedience, neatness, reliability and special work. In my case, special work would have been socializing.

The St. Martin’s Church, originally adjoined to the old Church Hill School, was moved in 1968 next to the Hortontown Cemetery on Loop 337. The school remained and was eventually donated to the Conservation Society in 1975 to be used as a museum.

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Hermann Seele in his book Die Cypress summarizes the German immigration story to New Braunfels and the surrounding areas and how it relates to the history of the state of Texas. The detailed account by Seele was translated into English by the late historian Oscar Haas and published over several weeks in the New Braunfels Herald in the mid-1960s. I will add another step to this chronicle by summarizing Seele’s account of the area using other sources as well.

The first immigrants arrived in Texas thousands of years ago probably from Asia across the Bering Strait and then eventually to Texas and beyond, all the way to Mexico. By the early 1800s, these nomadic Indian tribes had mostly settled in specific areas of Texas. The primary ones around the local area were Lipan Apaches, Tonkawas and Karankawas.

During this period, Texas and Mexico were ruled by Spain (1690-1821). Spanish Conquistadores claimed the land for Spain as a result of their exploration. (Cabeza de Vaca, Coronado, Moscoso). France also made an attempt to claim Texas. Mexico overthrew the Spanish government in 1821 and ruled the area of Texas and Mexico until 1836 when Texas overthrew the Mexican government and became a Republic. Texas eventually became a state of the United States in 1845.

Before the mass German immigration projects of the mid-1800s, a scattered few Germans and other Europeans had emigrated on their own into Texas. One of those immigrants was a Dutchman named Philip Hendrik Nering Bӧgel, alias Baron de Bastrop. Coming to Texas, the charismatic Bastrop gained much influence with Spanish officials and was able to secure large land grants and in 1807, secured a grant for four leagues of land situated on the Guadalupe containing the Comal Springs. This grant became part of the Veramendi tract under Mexican rule and became New Braunfels. The grant eventually involved the legal litigation between Bastrop’s heirs and the citizens of New Braunfels. See sophienburg.com, Feb 5, 2008.

When the Spanish government was overthrown by Mexico, immigration laws became more liberal than under Spanish rule. Each Mexican state could pass their own colonization laws as did the combined states of Coahuila and Texas.

One of these colonization grants was the Esnaurizar Eleven League Grant named for Mexican General Antonio Esnaurizar. The Esnaurizar grant began at the northwest edge of Seguin, followed along the San Marcos-Austin road almost to San Marcos, then followed the New Braunfels-Austin road to the Guadalupe River where the old Nacogdoches Road crossing for the New Braunfels settlers was in 1845, and then followed down the Guadalupe River to below McQueeney. In 1832, Gov. Juan de Veramendi and his son-in-law, James Bowie, were appointed to take possession of this land and execute colonization contracts. Veramendi and Bowie were unsuccessful at inducing settlers to come to Texas and it wasn’t until Prince Carl’s mass immigration project that the Esnaurizar area was rendered safe for immigration.

In 1848, three years after New Braunfels’ founding, the German immigrant and surveyor, Charles W. Pressler, subdivided the Esnaurizar land into 220 farms for Jacob de Cordova, who was the sales agent. Cordova built his home on the league not far from Seguin. The name Jacob de Cordova appears on the titles of many properties all over the area from Cordova Creek near Canyon Lake to the small settlement of Cordova near Seguin. Pioneers laid the foundations for prosperous settlements in the 11 leagues. Today a portion of the Esnaurizer grant would become the Northeast part of New Braunfels.

Other areas followed the New Braunfels settlement such as Hortontown, Neighborsville, Mission Hill, Buffalo Springs, Sattler, Fischer, Spring Branch, Solms, Honey Creek, to name a few.

Until the formation of the Republic of Texas and then the German colonization, the area was not stable enough for permanent settlements. It’s interesting to think about what would have happened if Texas had not become a republic and then a state of the United States.

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By Keva Hoffmann Boardman —

What if New Braunfels was not named New Braunfels? I had never considered this, but of course the wonderful historian Oscar Haas did and recorded his findings in his book, History of New Braunfels and Comal County 1844-1946.

There are two occasions on record wherein New Braunfels nearly lost its place-name. — Oscar Haas

Many of you readers know that New Braunfels was named and founded on March 21, 1845, by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels. He chose to name this town after his hometown of Braunfels on the Lahn River in Germany. The first time the name “New Braunfels” was in jeopardy was just prior to the creation of Comal County by the First Texas Legislature.

There was much talk of creating a new county with our town as the county seat. There was some dispute as to whether the county seat should be called New Braunfels or Comaltown. — Oscar Haas

The Republic of Texas began creating counties in 1836. Rusk County was the 36th and the last to be formed during the Republic. In March 1846, Comal County became the 44th county and was formed from the eighth precinct of Bexar County. Bexar County was the third county created by the Republic of Texas and it was beyond enormous. Between 1845 and 1876, the Texas Legislature formed over 120 new counties from what was originally Bexar County. Just FYI: there are 254 Texas counties.

New Braunfels kept its name. It is interesting to note that a lot of county seat cities are located near the center of the county so it is reasonably accessible to the whole county. New Braunfels sits on the southeast boundary of the county as it was, and still is, the largest city in Comal County.

The second time New Braunfels found its name in danger was in 1918. The October 31, 1918, edition of the Neu-Braunfelser Zeitung published an article first published in the October 29, 1918, edition of the Galveston News.

The war with Germany has set a movement on foot aimed at changing the name of the City of New Braunfels. It could be that the loyal descendants of the German colonists of the year 1845, who settled there … [would] under present circumstances consider it a disgrace. It may be true that Prince Solms-Braunfels was not possessed of great aptitude. It is said that he left the colony in the lurch at a critical moment and that his successor had to pay some of the Prince’s debts in Texas and that he never returned.However, New Braunfels is an established name that has grown estimable to the highest degree through the citizenship of that community among whom are many direct descendants of the colonists who landed at Galveston and via Indianola came overland to the Comal in search of freedom and opportunity. The name signifies a great deal with regards to history and cannot possibly have any bearing on the present international state of affairs.

With the place-name New Braunfels, which stems from an ancient place-name of the old country, with its street names, Texas possesses an aesthetic treasure. In New Braunfels one finds Spanish, Mexican, Indian, German, and unalloyed Texan street names, in a manner that reveals beauty and meaning. The picturesque historical names of Texas cities, which came into existence since the Republic, are Texan. Names should never be changed just because of a foreign country origin whose behavior we do not sanction.

To the above article, the editor of the Neu-Braunfelser Zeitung added:

The Galveston News has eminently reasonable views in such matters. Besides, here, no one thinks of changing the name of our city, which, moreover, is not named for a prince, but an especially pretty little city which has furnished our country with admirable citizens. Loyalty is not proven by name-changing or through vandalistic destruction of historical characteristics, but through disposition and performance, and on these standards New Braunfels can confidently be surveyed.

New Braunfels has kept her name. People get it wrong, but locals will always proudly correct them to its true pronunciation.

Just for grins, Oscar Haas listed a few of the before-mentioned multi-cultural street names in early New Braunfels:

• Hispanic — Guadalupe, Nacogdoches, San Antonio, Seguin, Veramendi
• Native American — Waco (Caddo), Comal (Nahuatl), Comanche (Ute)
• German — Baden, Basel, Becker, Castell, Clemens, Coll, Dittlinger, Eickel, Faust, Giesecke, Gruene, Guenther, Hampe, Jahn, Karbach, Klingemann, Kuehler, Lindheimer, Meusebach, Seele, Tolle, Zink
• Scottish — Ferguson, Murchison
• Irish — McGaugh, McKenna
• English — Torrey, Lincoln, Water, Mill, Bridge

What multi-cultural street names can you add to the list?

And, if you are interested in more fun, unusual and “make-you-look-clever” historical facts, Oscar Haas’s book can be purchased at Sophie’s Shop in the Sophienburg Museum for $40 plus tax.

Sources: History of New Braunfels and Comal County 1844-1946, Oscar Haas; Handbook of Texas.

“Around the Sophienburg” is published every other weekend in the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.

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The Daughters of the Republic of Texas: One and Indivisible

By Tara V. Kohlenberg —

There is nothing more beautiful to a Texan than the Lone Star Flag flying against a brilliant azure blue sky. You may have noticed the Texas flags posted around Main Plaza and on downtown streets earlier in the week. But do you know why? Or by whom they are posted?

Every good Texan should recognize March 2 as Texas Independence Day and March 6 as Alamo Day. For the “Newly Texan” or those who do not remember 7th grade history, here is a short explanation in a nutshell.

In 1835, Texian Colonists had grown discontent with the dictatorship of President Antonio López de Santa Anna. Things heated up in the fall of ’35 with a couple of battles taking place. On February 1, 1836, delegates, representing seventeen Texas municipalities, were elected to meet March 1 to discuss independence from Mexico. Before they could meet, Santa Anna’s army attacked the Alamo on February 23, where the battle raged for 13 days. On March 2, 1836, fifty-eight members signed the Texas Declaration of Independence, and the Republic of Texas was born! The Alamo fell on March 6, 1836, sparking the cry “Remember the Alamo” that carried Texians on to win the Battle at San Jacinto on April 21, 1836 (San Jacinto Day).

How do we know these things? There are people and groups that make it their life’s work to research old documents, diaries, and letters to keep history alive. One such group, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas have been sharing the stories of Texas for more than 130 years.

Founded in 1891, The Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT) is the oldest patriotic women’s organization in Texas, as well as one of the oldest in the nation. It came about when Miss Betty Ballinger and her cousin, Miss Hally Bryan, both of Galveston, came up with the idea of honoring the memory of the Texas pioneer families and soldiers of the Republic of Texas by forming an association of their female descendants. They, along with fourteen other ladies at the Houston home of Mrs. Andrew Briscoe, formed the organization that is known today as the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

The DRT held their early meetings in conjunction with the Texas Veterans Association reunions, inviting the wives and daughters of these Veterans to join their organization. It had been fifty-five years since the Battle of San Jacinto. It was easy for the women to realize the necessity of a patriotic group to assist and carry on the work of the aging heroes identifying and preserving important historical sites.

The 34th and final reunion of the Texas Veterans Association took place in Austin in 1907. Only six Veterans answered roll call. The Veterans voted to dissolve the Veterans Association but chose to merge their memories and historical meaning with the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

Building on the DRT mission of perpetuating the memory and spirit of those who achieved and maintained the independence of Texas, the organization provides education programs and preserves historic documents and memorial historic sites from the Republic of Texas period. The DRT chapter numbers have grown to ninety-one chapters statewide, plus one in Arkansas and one in Washington, D.C. The Daughters of the Republic of Texas is a genealogical organization. Membership is open to any woman who is a lineal descendant of a man or woman who rendered loyal service for Texas prior to annexation of Texas to the United States of America (February 19, 1846, Texas Statehood Day). Each chapter is a part of the larger organization, operating within the framework of Bylaws established by the Association.

In New Braunfels, the Ferdinand Lindheimer Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas was chartered on May 11, 1982 with nineteen Charter Members including: Agnes Glasscock Grimm, Sudie Wray Barker, Katherine Elva Grimm Burrell, Ann Cunningham Burrus, Martha Amanda Burrus, Mary Ellis Burrus, Esther Gerhardt, Mary Ann Moore Greaver, Marie Shelly Holm, Mattie Nelson Howard, Viola Mae Shearer Johns, Carolyn Grimm Appling, Mary Elizabeth Williams Lozo, Hilary K. Lyon, Joyce Avery Moore, Luciclaire Proud, Mary Jane Kincaid Schoch, Bronwyn Ann Wilson, and Jeanne Renni Wilson. The Chapter now boasts 145 members and associate members.

The Ferdinand Lindheimer Chapter name pays homage to the Father of Texas Botany, who rode with Prince Solms into New Braunfels, and qualifies as a Republic of Texas Ancestor. The local DRT Chapter has taken on multiple projects preserving and promoting Texas history: the purchase and posting of the Texas flags on Texas Honor Days (several mentioned above); provision of books and educational materials about Texas to local schools; holding essay contests promoting Texas history; awarding scholarships to graduating students in Comal County and to DRT descendants. The Ferdinand Lindheimer Chapter of DRT funds their local projects and the larger DRT State projects with fundraisers held throughout the year.

As part of their mission, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas has maintained the birthplace of DRT in Galveston, The Cradle, and other historic properties overseen by DRT chapters across the state. They also maintain and oversee the DRT Library Collection in San Antonio. Recently, the DRT opened the Republic of Texas Museum presented by the Nelson Pruett Foundation in the new Republic of Texas History Center’s state-of-the-art facility located at 810 San Marcos Street in Austin.

If you are interested in learning more about your Texas ancestors and celebrating Republic of Texas history, check out the Daughters of the Republic of Texas website or email questions to ferdinandlindheimer@drtinfo.org . Who knows? You might be a descendant of a Republic of Texas Ancestor.

Sources: Sophienburg Museum and Archives; Daughters of the Republic of Texas; Handbook of Texas Online.

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By Keva Hoffmann Boardman —

Last week, David Hartmann, the present-day unofficial historian of New Braunfels, brought some old telegrams to the Sophienburg Museum. In case some of you don’t know what that is, a telegram is a written message transmitted by using an electric device called a telegraph. The message was carried from its origin along wires to its destination and then written or printed out for hand delivery to the addressee. Or something like that; I sent and received telegrams from friends in England in the 1970s. The cost of the telegram was based on the number of words in the message. This once important and widely used technology was developed as early as 1836, but became commercially viable in 1839. The Western Union transcontinental telegraph cable was laid by 1867, the transatlantic line was established by 1866 and the completion of the Pacific line was in 1902. Telegrams could then be sent quickly around the world. Basically, a telegram is what we had before a fax or email.

Three old telegrams and a letter, all dated in October 1931, were contained in David’s gift to the Sophienburg. All were addressed to Albert Kirchner at 560 N. Houston Street. Albert was a retired local carpenter.

While telegrams, in-and-of-themselves, are cool to me, what was in these was truly interesting. Albert had entered a contest and won his choice of a brand-new Plymouth, Ford or Chevrolet! Even today that would be a big deal, but in 1931, just two years into what we know of as The Great Depression, it was really something.

Albert had entered the Certified Cremo “Give-a Car-a-Day” competition. “Cremo” was a five-cent cigar manufactured by the American Cigar Company. It was developed, partly, because of Vice President Thomas Riley Marshall’s witty, tongue- in-cheek response to Senator Joseph Bristow’s long-winded speech about the needs of the nation. These were the days of long speeches and grandstanding. Senator Bristow had begun each sentence with “What this country needs —” and then named the thing needed. After sitting and listening for a good while, Marshall is reported to have leaned over to his secretary and said in a stage whisper, “Bristow hasn’t hit it yet. What this country needs is a really good five-cent cigar.” His comment, borrowed from a popular cartoon character, made headlines. Cigar companies rushed to meet his challenge. It was reported that Marshall received as many as 20,000 five-cent cigars from various manufacturers as a thank you from the cigar industry. The quote became synonymous for a sensibly affordable item.

Albert Kirchner was one of thousands across the United States who entered the contest which was announced on the Cremo Cigar radio program. Back in the day, companies sponsored radio shows to advertise their products. Radio shows were the equivalent of commercials prior to television. The Cremo Cigar program was heard at 7:15 every evening except Sunday on WBAC-CBS in conjunction with Bing Crosby. His recommendation for Cremo Cigars made them a leading seller for many years.

Cremo decided to give away 150 new Plymouths, Fords or Chevrolets, one-a-day, between June and November in 1931. Contestants had to create a 20-word statement that described the quality and merits of Cremo Cigars. Each word had to be written on a Cremo Cigar band — one word to each band — with the bands numbered one to twenty. Alternatively, a contestant could create twenty facsimile bands and do the same thing. All were sent to the New York City main office of the American Cigar Company for judging. An article in the Santa Monica Outlook for January 6, 1932, made a quick study of the winners and discovered that of the 150 winners, twenty-two were salesman, eight were housewives and two were reporters; the article doesn’t reveal what the other 118 folks did for a living.

Pretty terrific investment strategy if you already smoked cigars or knew someone who did.

Albert’s winning twenty-word statement was, “Acquire the habit of thrift and health protection by smoking Certified Cremo, a real innovation in sanitation, quality and economy.” It has a real ring to it, doesn’t it — but, It. Won. A. Car.

Albert Kirchner was the 123rd winner of the Cremo contest. The New Braunfels Herald also received a telegram to post the winner in the newspaper. Kirchner’s name was announced on the radio show and used in Cremo publicity. Most importantly, he got to choose his new car from the Gerlich Auto Co. (Ford), Becker Chevrolet Co. or Lee Francis Motor Co. in San Antonio (Plymouth). He chose to buy local and went with a Chevy from Becker’s.

A new exhibit at the Sophienburg will highlight historical local cigar makers. Tools of cigar making, cigar boxes and artifacts made from recycled cigar box wood will be exhibited beginning in March.

Sources: Sophienburg Museum Archives, New Braunfels Herald and Neu Braunfelser Zeitung collections; Santa Monica Outlook, Jan 6, 1932; https://worldradiohistory.com; http://cigarhistory.info/Cigar_History; http://www.cremocigars.com.

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By Tara V. Kohlenberg —

As a child, were you ever told that wanting a special toy or dress or bike would land the whole family on the poor farm? I’m not sure it was said specifically to me, but I have heard it said. I wondered where these farms were and who had to go there, but never really got an answer, until now. Did you know that New Braunfels had a poor farm? I certainly didn’t, and I grew up here.

I think the farm location shocked me the most. A farm. In town. Okay, it was actually located in Comal Town, close to what is now Landa Park, but only a mile and a half from Main Plaza. The area was rural farmland when the county commissioners created it, and Comal Town was not part of New Braunfels. Let’s start over.

As long as people have inhabited the earth, there have been people of lesser means – the indigent or poor people. Many were poor because of unfortunate circumstances, illness or old age. Continental Europe followed Spanish traditions where families and the church charities were responsible for helping the needy. Within English society, responsibility for care of the poor was given to local authorities and families, but with government oversight.

Pauper care in Texas was rooted in Spanish tradition that expected the church, charities and families to care for the needy. The churches did the best they could. With the formation of the Republic of Texas 1836, care for those in need changed to a system rooted in English poor law. The new republic enacted laws that organized courts and defined their duties. One law specified that it was the “duty of said board of commissioners to provide at the expense of the county, for the support of indigent, lame, and blind persons, who are unable to support themselves.” Support came as both outside support (money to help them in their homes) or inside, which meant living in an almshouse or on a poor farm. After Texas gained statehood, the act was modified in 1846 to include a provision for responsibility of pauper burials.

Those who came to Texas from Europe banked all they had to make a new life in this wonderful land. The risk was high and there was no Plan B. If things went wrong, they were in trouble. Illness, snake bites, childbirth, even riding a horse could create a traumatic change of events. Losing a spouse to childbirth or illness often split up families. Those with frailties, no means of support and advanced age were sent to the poor farm and children went to an orphanage. The indigent of early New Braunfels were usually widows or of very advanced age. They were granted support of about $6 monthly.

After the Civil War, there was much suffering that churches and charities could hardly keep up. The Texas Constitution, amended in 1869, provided for the establishment of the county labor poorhouses. It was not until 1897 that Comal County Comissioners voted to establish a poor farm in New Braunfels. They voted to purchase fourteen acres of land from Louis Moeller for $1350. The land was located in the vicinity of the Landa Estates, bordered by Market (now Torrey), LibertyAvenue, Mulberry Avenue and the Comal River. The county authorized the building of three houses of board and batten construction. The houses were located on Lots No. 74 & 82 up front on Market. Mr. George Lang was hired to be the manager of the poor farm. He was allowed to live rent-free in the middle house and was expected to feed all of the paupers sent to the farm on 20 cents per day. Approximately eleven and a half acres of the property was leased back to Mr. Moeller for cultivation.

The poor farm continued to operate over the years in spite the MKT Railroad cutting through the property. Albert Marion was manager for twenty-four years. After his death in 1934, his nephew Milton C. Marion took the job. The poor farm had been very important in helping many people make it through the depression, being able to work and support the families.

In 1934, the Social Security Act changed indigent care forever and the need began to dwindle. I could still find M.C. Marion was listed as poor farm manager in 1940, but not after that. In 1936, Harry Landa sold his park to the City and the Landa Estates developed on property that was once poor farm. People still resided in the old poor farm houses in the ‘40s and ‘50s.

Time moved on and in 1961 the City County Health Department took up residence in one of the white board and batten Torrey Street houses. If you had to get vaccinations or health cards between 1961 and 1974, that is where you went. At the same time, the county warehouse occupied barns on the same poor farm property between the railroad and Torrey Street. After the Health Department moved to the old Naval Reserve building on Comal Street, the County Probation department had some programs there. The two-acre poor farm property changed hands in 1980 when Henk Paving moved in. The last board and batten structure was recently destroyed to make way for parking.

Sources: Sophienburg Museum & Archives; https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1467&context=ita

Caption: Map indicating the location of the Comal County Poor Farm

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By Myra Lee Adams Goff —

Historically, the first July 4th celebration in New Braunfels goes back to 1846. The emigrants had arrived only three months earlier on March 21, 1845, when Texas was still the Republic of Texas. Now, in 1846 they could celebrate the national festival commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 because they had become a state of the United States.

Maybe a little Texas history background: Texas became a republic in 1836 after a war with Mexico. Sam Houston was elected the first president of the Republic, and when Anson Jones was president in 1844, he called a special session of the Texas Congress to consider annexation of Texas to the United States. Congress met July 4, 1845, and approved the idea of annexation. The voters of Texas approved statehood overwhelmingly in October of that same year. The next step was approval by the US Congress; Pres. Polk signed the act that made Texas the 28th state of the US on December 29, 1845. Finally, in February of 1846 the last Republic of Texas President Anson Jones turned over the reins of government to the first governor of the new state of Texas, J. L Pinckney Henderson.

Here’s how New Braunfels fits into that picture: The first colonists arrived in Texas when it was a Republic so they were considered Texans. They were in NB not quite three months when the Texas president Anson Jones approved annexation to the United States as a state. They voted with other Texans on annexation in October when it passed. So, in a little over 10 months these emigrants were classified first as German, then as Texans, and finally as Americans.

Dr. Ferdinand Roemer in his book Texas tells of that first July 4th celebration in NB commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence: The headquarters building of the Adelsverein on Sophienburg hill displayed a large American flag. Flag raising was significant because the year before, Prince Carl hoisted an Austrian flag on the Sophienburg and shortly thereafter a group of settlers strung up the Republic of Texas flag on the Plaza. (NB under three flags)

In the early days, cannon firing from Sophienburg hill heralded the beginning of every celebration. One cannon blew up after the Civil War as a result of overheating and the other cannon was then moved to Comaltown to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of NB. To find out what happened to this remaining cannon, refer back to the Sophienburg column on July 8, 2008, in the Herald-Zeitung or our web site.

In 1876, the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence was celebrated in a grand way. Again, for details, see the column on June 26, 2007, or our web-site.

This year’s July 4th celebration and parade sponsored by the Sophienburg begins at 9:15 a.m. (lineup at Sts. Peter & Paul Church parking lot). The Plaza itself is historically significant because it has been the destination of hundreds of parades and gathering points. After a giant 50th Anniversary Celebration of the town in 1895, the city officials decided to add a fountain and erect a curb around the oval shaped plaza with funds left over from this celebration. The purpose of the curb was to keep people from watering their horses in the fountain. The city actually wanted to extend the curb 15 feet all around, but the merchants objected, saying there would be no room for customers to tether their horses. The merchants won. No horses in the fountain, but there were goldfish and a car or two.

This particular July 4th is a dual celebration: that of America’s birthday and the induction of Main Plaza into the National Registry of Historic Places. Come join the Sophienburg on Main Plaza for another rip-roaring Old-time 4th of July Parade and Patriotic Program. When? You guessed it: Monday, July 4, 2022. See you there!

(This article originally appeared June 23, 2009.)

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By Myra Lee Adams Goff

This week the Sophienburg Museum and Archives will present a great shopping experience to the public. It’s called Weihnachtsmarkt, or Christmas Market, at the Civic Center. It begins Friday, Nov. 19th through Sunday, the 21st.

The market offers 60 plus unique booths, plus Breakfast with Santa and a charming café called Sophie’s Café. It features freshly prepared food in a European outdoor café setting. Sophie’s Shop moves down from the Sophienburg to offer German-made Christmas ornaments and unique decorations. Many local authors are offering their books for sale.

The Sophienburg Museum and Archives is a not-for-profit organization that derives its operating funds from individual donations, memberships, and much from Weihnachtsmarkt. When you purchase at Weihnachtsmarkt, you are helping the Sophienburg keep its doors open.

The Museum displays the rich history of New Braunfels with occasional special exhibits. The present exhibition is the Civil War. A volunteer group works diligently on the collections stored in the old museum building. There is constant work involving organizing and restoring items and papers donated by individuals.

The Archives are a rather complicated collection of records. Let’s suppose you would like to find out something about your family or something about an historical event like WWI or something that happened in NB. In old journalistic terms, you can find out “who, what, where, where, when, why, and how”. Make an appointment to work with a helper.

Here is what is available to the public:

What the Genealogy Society has done for the Sophienburg records will “knock your socks off”. They have collected over 1,000 research books, have compiled burial records from the Comal Cemetery, New Braunfels Cemetery, Comal and Guadalupe County cemeteries and small family cemeteries. They compiled birth, marriage, and death records for Comal County, extracted from the CC Courthouse.

There is a large collection of obituaries and related documents put on the computer by genealogy, collected from 574 donated family history books. They compiled the census of 1850 and every 10 years thereafter to 1930. There is an index of Probate records and Commissioner’s Court minutes starting in 1866 through 1937. Many of the aforementioned records are available for sale in Sophie’s Shop. Genealogy has maintained the Herald-Zeitung on microfiche up to the present.

Recently First Protestant Church allowed the Sophienburg to copy their original German records from 1845 and their translation in English. There are other church histories as well, plus directories, telephone books, and high school annuals.

Now this is a big one: There are over a million photographs in the Sophienburg collection. An attendant can enter a name or event on the computer and tell you if a photograph is available. For a small fee, you can have the photograph copied. Over 200 maps, going back to 1836 are in the collection.

The Reflections program began in 1976 for the purpose of interviewing NB citizens about what they remember about the past. These programs are played on the local radio station. A list of people interviewed is available and a list of subjects is being compiled. About 1,100 interviews have been recorded and you may listen to them at the Archives or purchase a particular interview in CD form. This is an ongoing program and anyone interested in participating is welcome.

For serious historic research, there are the 65 Prince Solms Archives in German, with a few numbers translated into English. There are two volunteers available to do German translations, including the elaborate German Fraktur.

To bring us up in the technological world, the Sophienburg has a web site that you can log in at home. It’s chock full of information about what’s going on with the organization. In addition the column that I write for the Sophienburg that appears in the Herald-Zeitung every other Sunday is on the web.

The Sophienburg asks for your support in keeping this institution up to date by supporting Weihnachtsmarkt. See the website for details.

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