Our Connection to Luckenbach Family

If you asked us what our favorite part of Texas is, the answer would be: "Hill Country".

If you wanted to know which part of the Hill Country - we would say: "Fredericksburg. And Luckenbach."

Fredericksburg, Gillespie County, TX - 'our fountain'

Fredericksburg is quite a special town, whenever I am there, I always feel as if I was close to my home place in Poland. Maybe because, despite being situated in the heart of Texas, Fredericksburg seems to have such a European spirit that is close to my heart. Another reason for that maybe the fact that the town was founded by German immigrants, and Germany borders Poland. Or maybe it is part of my DNA inherited after some of the ancestors who were born and lived in the area of Poland which had been taken over by Prussia. Who knows.

Luckenbach is quite a place of its own kind. Once, we almost got married there - well, we could have (I wrote about that and our visit to Luckenbach here).

Among the twenty thousand and fifty-one persons (yes, 20.051 - a lot of ancestors to write about!) whom I found in our extended family tree there are the ones who are less or more known from history books, housewives, businessmen, farmers, politicians, army men (privates and generals), followers of different religions, presidents and quite average individuals as well. Quite unexpectedly, I recently also came across a Luckenbach family and our connection to them.

To be more specific:

First I found Mr. Rufus Monroe Angel - our third cousin once removed. Rufus was born on November 26, 1892, in Denton, Texas, died April 28, 1960, in San Antonio, Texas. His parents were James Monroe Angel/Anglea and Leanner Catherine Brock.

Then, it was Elizabeth Hart, daughter of Charles H Hart and Emilie Biesenbach. Emilie was born in San Antonio, Bexar, Texas, on June 21, 1892.

Rufus and Elizabeth got married in 1924.

Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965
Name: R M Angel
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 18 Jun 1924
Event Place: Bexar, Texas, United States
Gender: Male
Spouse's Name: Elizabeth Hart
Spouse's Gender: Female
Page: 638
Record Source:
"Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K61G-GW3 : accessed 23 March 2018), R M Angel and Elizabeth Hart, 18 Jun 1924, Marriage; citing Bexar, Texas, United States, various county clerk offices, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Texas Dept. of State Health Services and Golightly-Payne-Coon Co.; FHL microfilm 24,949.

Elizabeth's sister and Rufus' sister-in-law was Jeannie Katherine Hart born on December 20, 1887, in Bexar, Texas.

Jeannie married Mr. Louis Carl Luckenbach (born in Willow City, Gillespie County, Texas, on October 25, 1885*).

Louis' parents were Friedrich Wilhelm Luckenbach (born September 14, 1823 in Stein-Neukirch, Hesse-Nassau, Prussia and Anna Katherina Kallenberg, born on Oct. 29, 1839 in Saxony, Germany).

According to the online Handbook of Texas, Friedrich Wilhelm came to America on the ship Johann Dethardt, at the end of December in 1845. He was accompanied by his brothers and three sisters: 6 years older Albert Jacob b. Oct 6, 1817, Duchy of Nassau, Germany), Friedrich August (b. March 7, 1833, Prussia), Juliane (b. Feb 10, 1827, Prussia), and Henriette (b. Oct 13, 1829, Prussia).

Fredericksburg - the building of the Pioneers' Museum

 

I am not sure whether the third sister was Wilhelmine (b. Oct. 12, 1820) or Lottie (born circa 1838). Considering how old they both were at that time, it seems it more likely that it was Wilhelmine. Probably, Lottie came to Texas later with their mother Anne Elizabeth (born Oct 24, 1791, Stein, Marienberg, Hesse-Nassau, Prussia). Very likely, it was after the death of Anne's husband and the father of her children Johannes peter Luckenbach (b. July 29, 1784 - d. Jan 14, 1849, in Stein, Marienberg, Hesse-Nassau, Prussia). My assumption is based on the fact that Anne Elisabeth died in Fredericksburg, TX on Oct. 18, 1888 (the information found on MyHeritage).

The Luckenbach family, including 'our' Wilhelm Friedrich, Louis' father, were some of the first settlers in Fredericksburg. They became American citizens in 1852 and not long after that, the family moved to the area which is called Luckenbach.

How cool it is to find out it all thanks to my own research!

Coming back to our connection to the Luckenbach family - on July 22, 1885, Friedrich Wilhelm Luckenbach married Anne Katherine Kallenberg in Fredericksburg (where we did marry many, many years later). Anne Katherine was a daughter of Mr. Johannes Heinrich Kallenberg.

Louis Carl was the youngest and the 12th child of Friedrich and Anne's. He had blue eyes and light brown hair.**

Except of Carl, they also had six sons: Ernst (about 1856), Charles F (1860), Friedrich (about 1863), Paul (1867), Max William (1869), and Wilhelm (1879), and five daughters: Louisa L (1858), Paulina (1863), Emma L (1872), Anna Elise (1874), and Louise Mina (1877).

Louis married at the age of 27. His bride 22-year-old Miss Jeannie Katherine Hart on September 19, 1909, in Bexar County, TX. She was born on December 20, 1880, in Bexar, TX to Miss Charles H Hart and Ms. Emilie Biesenbach.

The couple had four children:

Hazel Anna (1910 - 1912 died of scarlatina),

Record Source:
"Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3WP-G57 : 13 March 2018), Hazel Anna Luckenbach, 25 Jun 1912; citing certificate number 14387, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,050,830.

Everest Alexander (1913-2001),

Beatrice Emilie (1915-1918) - died of diphtheria,

"Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3ZP-PL3 : 13 March 2018), Beatrice Emilie Luckanbach, 14 Aug 1918; citing certificate number 30483, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,073,268.

Olive Hazel (1916-2002).

In 1919 Louis and Jeannie lived in La Coste, Medina, TX. Louis worked as Hard Ward & Implement Dealer at Luckenbach H.D. & I. Co.**

Registration Card
Serial Number: 196 Order Number: 665
Name: Louis Carl Luckenbach
Permanent Home Address: La Coste Medina Tex.
Age in Years: 35
Date of Birth: October 25 1882
Race
White: Yes
US Citizen
Native Born: Yes
Present Occupation: Hard Ward & Implement Dealer
Employer's name: Luckenbach H.D. & I. Co.
Place of Employment or Business: La Coste Medina Texas
Nearest Relative: Jeannie Luckenbach Adress: La Coste Medina State: Texas
Registrar's Report: 42-1-54-C
Description of Registrant
Height: Medium, Build: Slender, Color of Eyes: Blue, Color of Hair: L.Brown
Signed: Thomas H Brickett
Date of Registration: Sep 9, 1918
Stamp: Local Board for the County
             of Medina, State of Texas
             Hondo, Texas 

Record Source:
"United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZXL-76N : 13 March 2018), Louis Carl Luckenbach, 1917-1918; citing Medina County, Texas, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,983,489.

In 1942, the family had already lived at 119 Nelson St. in San Antonio, TX. Probably he ran a hardware store.

Registration Card 9
Serial Number: 1405
Name: Louis Carl Luckenbach
Place of Residence: 119 Nelson St, San Antonio, Bexar, Texas
Mailing Address: Same
Age in Years: 59
Date of Birth: October 25 1882
Place of Birth: Willow City, Texas
Name And Address of Person Who Will Always Know Your Address: Mrs. Jeannie Luckenbach, 119 Nelson St., San Antonio, Tx.
Employer's Name And Address: Self - 119 Nelson St., San Antonio, Texas
Place of Employment or Business: 812 Comerce St., San Antonio, Bexar, Texas
Signature: Louis Carl Luckenbach

Record Source
"United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XP53-GX3 : 6 November 2017), Louis Carl Luckenbach, 1942; citing NARA microfilm publication M1936, M1937, M1939, M1951, M1962, M1964, M1986, M2090, and M2097 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

Louis died at Normandy Terrace Nursing Home in San Antonio when he was 70 at 8:45 PM on Feb. 20, 1975. He was buried at Roselawn Memorial Park.***

Louis Carl Luckenbach
⇒ his wife Jeannie Katherine Hart
⇒ her sister Elizabeth (Hart) Angel
⇒ her husband Rufus Monroe Angel - our 3rd cousin once removed
⇒ his father James Monroe Angel
⇒ his mother Elizabeth Sarah (Gant) Angel
⇒ her father Benjamin Thomas Gant
⇒ his brother Jacob Rippy Gant - our great-great-grandfather


Source:
The Handbook of Texas
familysearch.org
*Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6P9-724 : 11 February 2018), Louis Carl Luckenbach, 25 Oct 1882; citing Gillespie Co., Texas, reference item 5 p 135; FHL microfilm 1,764,046.
** "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZXL-76N : 13 March 2018), Louis Carl Luckenbach, 1917-1918; citing Medina County, Texas, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,983,489.
*** "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KSYR-PB6 : 13 March 2018), Louis C Luckenbach, 20 Feb 1975; citing certificate number 07226, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,243,682.
Photo of gravestone: Mr. Emry Schnuriger