Georg Philipp Eckert & Family

Georg Philipp Eckert was born on 10 Nov. 1824 in Hueffenhardt, Mosbach County, Province of Baden. He was the third child of Mr. Georg Bernhardt Eckert and Miss Anna Margaretha Holoch.

 
Georg Philipp emigrated to Texas together with his brothers - Karl Friedrich (elder brother) + his family - wife and four children, and Bernhardt (younger brother). They reached Indianola in March 1853. Due to Bernhardt's sickness, the family could not move on together - Karl and his people went to Fredericksburg, Georg stayed with the younger brother in Victoria. There, Georg married Miss Margareda Karoline Vogler who was 25 years old then. Karoline was born on 18 August 1828. The marriage took place on 3 May 1853. 

 

Afterward, the couple relocated to Fredericksburg. Their first son Wilhelm Philipp was born in the town on 6 Jan 1855 (1).

 

Sometime later, Georg, Karl and their families moved to Beaver Creek (Mason County) - the place situated thirty-five miles north-west of Fredericksburg. First, a log cabin was built and a farm and ranch founded. Georg made the items needed in the household (including all the furniture) on his own. He did both the carpentry and blacksmith work. In about 1870, a sandstone rock house was built near the log cabin as well.

 

After the passing of Georg's wife Karoline (23 Jan. 1888), Georg Philipp Eckert lived in the home of his son Adolph's. Georg Eckert, the pioneer, died on 14 Jan. 1901.

Georg and Karoline's children

The couple had two pairs of twins - one child of each pair died in infancy. The ones who lived longer were:

Wilhelm Philipp Eckert - a farmer and rancher - married Miss Christine Dorothee Henriette Lehmberg (b.14 July 1853/d. 7 Nov. 1917), daughter of Johann Julius Lehmberg and Anna Sophia Dorothee Christine Kreye. He died on 13 June 1942.

Ludwig Max Eckert was born on 6 May 1856, died on 8 July 1872.

 

Lena Louise born on 23 August 1857 (3) in Mason, Texas. She married Karl Dietrich Rode (b. 23 Nov 1856/d. 16 Nov. 1934), a farmer. Karl/Chas was the son of Friedrich Rode and Emelie Schorph (4).

Georg Adolf Eckert b. 26 Dec. 1858 in Hilda, Mason, TX (5)/d. 30 Jan. 1941 (6) - he was a ranchman and married Miss Emilie Lange (b. 6 May 1861/d. 23 March 1925). His second wife was Miss Margarethe Meyer (b. 6 Sept. 1882/d. 25 Sept. 1952).

Edward Eckert born 11 July 1860, a stockman, lived and died (11 July 1936) in Fredericksburg(7). He married Miss Ida C Lang (b. 30 March 1865/d. 6 Feb. 1865), daughter of Heinrich W Lang and Ursula Elizabeth Hohmann.

Elizabeth Karolina born 31 Dec. 1863, mason, TX/d. 13 Jan 1945, Ann Arbor, Washtenaw, Michigan (8). She married Mr. John D Schenk (b 21 July / d. 5 Nov 1937).

Johann Dietrich Eckert was born on 15 Sept. 1866/d. 1 Dec. 1958 (9). Johann was a rancher and lived in Mason. In 1992, he married Miss Mathilda Kothmann Lehmberg (b. 5 April 1859/d. 6 Dec 1942), daughter of Friedrich Kothmann and Sophie Anna Hartwig. Mathilda's first husband (married in 1880) was Mr. Friedrich Julius Lehmberg who passed on in 1890.

Ludwig Bernhard Eckert born on 25 June 1868/d. 21 Nov 1953 (10). Ludwig was a rancher. In 1992, he married Miss Mathilda Leifeste (b. 6 Sept. 1872/d. 8 May 1947).

 Anna Marie Eckert born 12 August 1870/d. 28 Nov. 1953. She married Willie D Dechert (b. 21 May 1867/d. 24 May 1920), son of John Peter Dechert and Ernstine Pletz.

 

The fmily line in our extended family tree

Georg Philipp Eckert

⇒ his son John Dietrich Eckert

⇒ his wife Mathilda Kothmann Eckert

⇒ her brother Heinrich Friedrich Kothmann

⇒ his wife Conradine (Pluenneke) Kothmann

⇒ her brother Karl Friedrich Pluenneke (28 Dec 1860/24 Sept 1939)

⇒ his son Friedrich Karl Perry Pluenneke (28 August 1887, Castell, Llano, TX/ 2 July 1947 Dallas, Dallas, TX)

⇒ his wife Florrie (Keyser) Pluenneke

⇒ her mother Minnie May (Dye) Keyser (about 1869, TX/1900)

⇒ her sister Addie Lee (Dye) Brown (23 June 1866, Plano, Colin, TX/5 Jan 1930, Collin, TX)

⇒ her husband John Wesley Brown (24 Sept. 1858, Sumner, Tennessee/21 March 1934, Plano, Collin, TX) 

⇒ his brother Robert Jefferson Davis Brown - first husband of our grandmother Rachel Clementine Howard Gant

 Resources:

1, 2. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3DS-K4D : 13 March 2018), William Philip Eckert, 13 Jun 1942; citing certificate number 27758, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,137,102.
3. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4LL7-9TZM : 14 February 2020), Lena Louise Eckert, 1857.
4. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3WY-438 : 13 March 2018), Carl Dietrich Rode, 16 Oct 1934; citing certificate number 44833, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,116,170.
5. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4L27-X1N2 : 14 February 2020), Georg. Adolf Eckert, 1858.
6. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3M1-MP7 : 13 March 2018), Adolph George Eckert, 20 Jan 1941; citing certificate number 4098, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,138,244.
7. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3HD-VJG : 13 March 2018), Edward Eckert, 11 Jul 1936; citing certificate number 35820, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,116,938.
8. "Michigan Death Certificates, 1921-1952," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KF7L-KJV : 13 March 2018), Caroline E Schenk, 13 Jan 1945; citing Ann Arbor, Washtenaw, Michigan, United States, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing; FHL microfilm 1,973,128.
9. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K39T-BBJ : 13 March 2018), John Dietrich Eckert, 01 Dec 1948; citing certificate number 53568, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,223,078.
10. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K371-1BR : 13 March 2018), Louis Bernhard Eckert, 21 Nov 1953; citing certificate number 57738, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,113,986.

Findagrave.com

Mason County Historical Book Mason County Historical Society, Mason County Historical Commission, 1976.

My own MyHeritage research

Edgar Earl Lackner

Edgar Earl Lackner was born on 8 June 1918 in Houston to Fred William Lackner and Laura Quensell (1). His grandfather was Karl Wilhelm Adolph Quensell who came to Texas from Kingdom of Hannover.
Edgar's father was a ticket agent and worked for Southern S. Railroad (2). E E Lackner was the youngest of the three sons of Fred and Laura's.

 

Edgar Earl was fluent in German which he learned from his grandma Louise who seemed to live with Edgar's immediate family after hear husband's death (3).

During WW2 E E Lackner served in the U S Army Air Force intelligence photo reconnaissance squadron. He was enlisted on 26 Oct 1942 (4). The end of the war found him at Eschwege in Germany.
Mr. Lackner worked as a book keeper in Second national Bank in Houston (5). Later he was also an internal editor.

Edgar Earl Lackner married Miss Ann Evelyn Ross (b. in Waco on 19 Nov. 1913). His in-laws were Ewander McIver and Margaret Napier (6).
Mr Lackner was a member of the Harris County Historical Society. He was engaged in his German ancestry research which resulted in writing the book "From Tyranny to Texas" (7).

Resources

1. "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JLFB-LJM : 22 August 2020), Edgar E Lackner, 24 Apr 1998; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).

2. "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HBP6-5T2 : accessed 18 September 2020), Edgar E Lackner in household of Fred W Lackner, Houston, Harris, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 69, sheet 3A, line 15, family 5, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2346; FHL microfilm 2,342,080.

3. "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2MV-YD6 : accessed 19 September 2020), Edgar Lackner in household of F W Lackner, Houston Ward 3, Harris, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 94, sheet 1A, family 8, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1560; FHL microfilm 1,375,573.

4. "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8GD-4PX : 5 December 2014), Edgar E Lackner, enlisted 26 Oct 1942, Houston, Texas, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.

5. "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HBP6-5T2 : accessed 18 September 2020), Edgar E Lackner in household of Fred W Lackner, Houston, Harris, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 69, sheet 3A, line 15, family 5, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2346; FHL microfilm 2,342,080.

6. "Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XLS4-LB6 : 4 April 2020), Ann Evelyn Ross, 19 Nov 1913; citing Waco, Mclennan, Texas, United States, certificate 49674, Texas Department of Health, Austin; FHL microfilm 4,149,950.

7. "From Tyranny to Texas (A German Pioneers in Harris County)" by E E Lackner, The Naylor Company Book Publishers of South West, San Antonio, Texas, 1975.

Karl Wilhelm Adolph Quensell

Karl Wilhelm Adolph Quensell was born on 8 March 1829 in Rottehütte, The Kingdom of Hanover. He was the only child of Johann Christian Elias Quensell and his second wife Sophie Henriette Konradine Bethe.

Wilhelm attended school in Clausthal. For the next two years (from 16 April 1846) he continued his education as a forestry apprentice under Forester Meyer, at Kupferhütte not far from Lauterberg, the boy learned practical forest and hunting essentials.

In May, June, and July 1847, Karl Wilhelm learned all about charcoal burning. His mentor was Charcoal Master from Lonau, Andreas Ernst.

The successfully completed apprenticeship gave Karl Wilhelm A Quensell a government position of a Jäger (hunter) in Mündel. The job included field and office duties. Later Wilhelm was Forest Overseer in Welborn, Schulenberg, Lauterberg, and Oberhütte at Uslar.

The young man was not satisfied with the job and being dependent on several supervisors of various levels. His half-brother Christian L Bethje who emigrated to Texas inspired Wilhelm to seek a better life overseas. After practical preparations and having made several arrangements regarding his new life in Texas, Wilhelm left Germany on 19 April 1852 on the sailing bark Franziska which was owned by Friedrich Leo Quinsell (Wilhelm's relative) and William Stallworth.

Wilhelm traveled from Bremen to Galveston and later to Houston. In the beginning, he stayed at his half-brother's. After four months Wilhelm/William Quensell married Miss Anna Maria Louisa Reinermann nee Gerding. The girl was 17 years old and she was Christan L Bethje's stepdaughter. The marriage was performed by T. Cafer, justice of the peace, on 9 Sept. 1853.

William rented a farm in Harrison County. Both he and his wife frequently suffered from malaria attacks. Their life was full of hardship and chagrin. The couple had 12 children, however, ten died in infancy, one by one taken by fever, tetanus, and lead and arsenic poisoning (which came from enamelware). Only two daughters of William and Louisa's (Emma Quensell Helberg b. 1858 and Laura Quensell Lackner b. 1871) survived until adulthood.

William Quensell was granted citizenship on 4 July 1857. In the same year, he bought 300 acres of land with a house from his parents-in-law.

During the Civil War, he was inscribed in CA. He was private in Capt. H. Heidelmann's Battery of Light Artillery. He stationed in Arkansas and Louisiana from 1863 to 1864, participated in the battle of Mansfield, and Pleasant Hill. Later, private Quensell was transferred to the First Regiment of Texas Heavy Artillery at Galveston.

In 1871 William built a house in Houston on Dallas Avenue. He left the farm which he kept but rented only. On 20 Oct. 1820, malaria which had bothered William for many years, finally got him for the last time. The man died at the age of 65 from congestive malaria fever (1). William was buried at the German Society Cemetery (nowadays the Washington cemetery) in Houston.

Anna Maria Louisa Quensell passed in 1916.

Daughters

Emma Louise Ernestine Quensell - b. 12 July 1858 (2) - married Mr. D. Chris Helberg (3) on 7 Jan. 1880.

Laura Quensell - b. 15 July 1871 - married Mr. Fred W. Lackner on 12 Nov. 1901 in Bell, Texas (4).

Resources:

"From Tyranny to Texas (A German Pioneers in Harris County)" by E E Lackner, The Naylor Company Book Publishers of South West, San Antonio, Texas, 1975.

1.The Galveston Daily News. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 180, Ed. 1 Sunday, October 26, 1890, newspaper, October 26, 1890; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth467541/: accessed September 13, 2020), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Library Consortium. 

2. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F65F-FJM: 13 February 2020), Emma Louise Ernestine Quensill, 1865.

3. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGZ-HHW : 4 November 2017), D Chris Helberg and Emma L E Quensell, 07 Jan 1880; citing Harris, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 25,224. 

4. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV14-CGRL : 10 December 2017), Fred W Luckner and Laura Quensell, 14 Nov 1901; citing Marriage, citing Bell, Texas, United States, Texas State Library, Archives Division, and various Texas county clerks; FHL microfilm 981,038.

Oskar Edward Johnson Sjökvist

Oskar Edward Johanson Sjökvist (Sjöquist?) was born on 25 June 1880 in Byhult, Lekeryd Parish, Jönköping Community, Sweden (1). He was one of many Swedish people of Jönköping who emigrated to Texas.

When he was about 15, Oskar left his family home and decided to become an apprentice at a boot master's shop. As a result of the young man's action, his parents disowned him. However, one of his sisters kept in touch with Oscar and sponsored his five-year apprenticeship.

After finishing learning the trade, Oskar became a master craftsman bootmaker. Then, the Swedish Army put its hand on him. The young man went AOL and relocated to Texas. In 1901 Oskar Edward Johnson got to the Honey Creek near the Llano River. He rented a room at the local hotel and found a job at Mr. Christensen's boot shop.

Mason County Courthouse, Mason, TX

In 1902, Oskar Edward bought the place where he worked and started his own business.
Three years later, Mr. Sjökvist married Miss Ada Garner, the daughter of Mr. Richard Henry Garner and Martha Ann Cain. The father-in-law owned the hotel on Honey Creek, in which Oskar had been staying.

Due to the spelling and pronunciation difficulties, Oskar's surname was changed to Seaquist.

Oskar and Ada's children were:
Garner Edward - b. 28 July 1910 (2)
Daisy Deane - b. 6 August 1912 (3), d. 1964,
Charles Edwin Linden "Billy" - b. 27 Jan. 1919 (4), d. 1934.

View over Mason

In 1918 Oskar Edward Seaquist was registered by the Army (5). From the record, we can learn that the man was medium height, stout, had grey eyes, and light hair.

Oskar and Ada were a hard-working couple. Oskar hired employees at his shoe shop (6), he also helped some Swedish fellowmen (Edwin Lowgren and sam Linden Lockhart) to relocate to Texas and they worked at Oskar's shop for some time. The shoe and boot making business must have been going well as in 1919 Mr. Seaquist bought a house at Broad Street in Mason. The residence with 22 rooms previously belonged to the Reynolds family.

Seaquist house in Mason

Oscar passed over on 27 June 1933 due to asthma-related breathing complications (1).

Garner Oscar, the oldest son of Oskar and Ada's married Miss Clara Nowlin on 22 Oct. 1935 (7).

 The two restored the structure of the Seaquist house in 1972/73.

Not long ago, when in Mason, we went to see the house.
It is a magnificent and impressive structure. The house has 22 rooms. With all the porches, columns, elaborate wall, door and window frames decorations, and domes, it looks like a palace.

Considering that Oskar Edward Johnson came to Texas with not much more than a box of his tools, the purchase of his home may be considered as quite an achievement and a proof of his successful business in Mason. The man must have been a good craftsman indeed.

The construction of the building started in 1887.  The first its owners were the Reynolds family.
The house got a State Historical Marker in 1974. The last permanent dwellers left the Seaquist house in 2003. Later, in 2015, the place was bought by the Seaquist House Foundation and has been improved ever since (to stop and prevent the structure deterioration).

At the time of our visit, the basement was not available to see - we could only admire the outside of the house. However, it seemed the cellar was quite large and intriguing as well.

Resources:
1. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3Q7-FX6 : 13 March 2018), Oscar E J Seaquist, 27 Jun 1933; citing certificate number 29025, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,115,548.
2. "Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VHZV-MHM : 4 April 2020), Ada Garner in entry for Garner Edward Seaquist, 28 Jul 1910; citing, Mason, Texas, United States, certificate 51755, Texas Department of Health, Austin; FHL microfilm 4,112,514.
3. "Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X2BR-6SZ : 4 April 2020), Ada Garner in entry for Daisy Deane Seaquist, 06 Aug 1912; citing, Mason, Texas, United States, certificate 28553, Texas Department of Health, Austin; FHL microfilm 4,127,998.
4. "Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X2VP-866 : 4 April 2020), Ada Garner in entry for Edwin Linden Seaquist, 27 Jan 1919; citing Mason, Mason, Texas, United States, certificate 3476, Texas Department of Health, Austin; FHL microfilm 4,492,066.
5. "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZX2-Y28: 24 August 2019), Oscar Edward Seaquist, 1917-1918.
6. United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2Q4-43J : accessed 31 August 2020), Oscar Seaquist, Justice Precinct 1, Mason, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 196, sheet 1A, family 9, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1576; FHL microfilm 1,375,589.
7. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV1H-NMR4 : 10 December 2017), Garner Seaquist and Clara Nowlin, 22 Oct 1935; citing Marriage, citing Llano, Texas, United States, Texas State Library, Archives Division, and various Texas county clerks; FHL microfilm 1,903,066.
"Mason County Historical Book", a compilation by Mason County Historical Society, 1976.