Bernhard Meckel & Sophia Weinheimer

When I was writing a post dedicated to Konrad Meckel, I knew little about him and his relatives. Thanks to the information provided by Mr. H. Meckel, Konrad's relative in Germany, and my further studies, I learned more about the Meckel family.

Bernhard Meckel, born on 24 July 1829 in Geisenheim, Prussia, was the youngest son of Herr Konrad Meckel (carpenter) and his wife Gertrude Mabreuerinn. Bernhard's older siblings were:

twins Adam and Konrad - born 14 September 1818 (Konrad died in infancy),

Georg - born 24 January 1820,

Elizabeth - born 23 April 1822,

Susanna - born 13 March 1825,

and Konrad - born 11 November 1826.

Little Bernhard was baptized in the Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church in Gisenheim, Rheingaukreis, Hesse-Nassau, Prussia on the day of his birth (1).

Bernhard got older and he decided to emigrate. He came to New Orleans, Louisiana on 9 November 1852. Next, he moved to Texas, then to Fredericksburg where he worked as a cooper.

Bernhard Meckel also raised cattle and had a registered (1855) brand (M4 on the left hip of the cattle).

On 4 August 1855, Mr. Meckel married Miss Sophia Weinheimer (2), daughter of Jacob and Theresia of Münster bei Bingen, am Rhein, Hesse-Nassau, Prussia. The young couple were united in matrimony at the Catholic Church in Fredericksburg.

Sophie was born on 8 December 1836 in Bad Münster am Stein, Bad Kreuznach, Rhein, Prussia to parents Jacobi Weinheimer and Theresiae Engels (3). She was christened on the same day at the church in Sarmsheim, Bad Kreuznach, Rhein (4).

A year later, on 20 March, Bernhard applied for US citizenship. The man also bought a town lot with a log house on Creek Street (on 17 July 1856). 

• Daughter Anna was born to Bernhard and Sophia on 18 April 1856.
• Son Adolph Konrad was born on 3 May 1858. Sadly, he lived only a few months. The baby passed on 18 November 1859.
  
• Son Jacob was born on 27 March 1860, died when he was about 4 months old, on 16 July 1860.
  

25 February 1861 - B Meckel enlisted in the Mounted Minute Ranger Company (Capt. Phillip Braubach) and served until 26 November of the same year.

• Daughter Marie Ida was born on 25 September 1861.
• Son William was born on 13 May 1863.

 

In 1865, Sophia and Bernhard moved to a new place (nowadays West Main Street, Fredericksburg) on 30 September. B Meckel had a cooper shop there. During the following years he obtained 4 more lots neighboring their home and expanded the house and business.

• Son Louis Georg was born on 31 July 1865.
  

25 October 1866 - a tragic day came - Bernhard's brother Konrad was killed by Indians. 

• Son Adolph Joseph was born on 6 October 1867.
• Son Jacob Ferdinand was born on 29 May 1870.
  

9 February 1873, Bernhard Meckel bought 160 acres on Baron's Creek. Together with Heinrich Bierschwale, he was also a co-owner of 32 acres on the south bank of the Pedernales River.

 

• Daughter Maria was born on 22 April 1874. 

Mr. Benhard was quite an enterprising man, he served on the Fredericksburg Arbeiters Verein board of directors and was the Gillespie County Treasurer from 24 May 1869 to 22 November 1880.

• 21 August 1878 - 22-year-old daughter Anna married Johann William Kunz (5) of Frickhofen, Germany.

• Son Otto Jacob was born on 29 September 1878.

 

• Death in the family - 13-year-old Louis Georg, the Meckels' fourth son and sixth child died on 2 October 1879.

 

Louis was buried at the Catholic Cemetery in Fredericksburg

 

• Death and mourning once more - 9-year-old son Otto Jacob passed over on 14 December 1887.

 

 

Otto's grave at the St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery

• 3 May 1892 - son Adolph Joseph married Miss Susanna Schandua (6).

 

 

Summer 1892, Death visited the family and brought dark and heart-breaking time again

• the Meckels grieved the departure of their child -  Marie Ida, age 31, died on 1 August 1892,
• passing of another daughter - Anna Meckel Kunz left this world on 15 August 1892 - she was 36;
• Bernhard and Sophia lost another son - William died on 19 January 1893. He fell off a horse, got injured, and died two days later (7), William was about 30 years old.

 

Siblings Anna and Willie were buried next to each other

 

Merry days finally came

• 10 April 1894 - daughter Maria married Mr. John Gantemann (8),

• 16 October 1894 - another wedding in the family - son Jacob Ferdinand married Miss Maria Schandua (9).
  

Mr. Bernhard Meckel lived 74 years. He died on 27 December 1903. Sophia passed 7 years later on 31 May 1910.

Their children

Jacob Ferdinand passed away on 15 September 1919.

Adolph Joseph died on 1 August 1938.

Maria Meckel Gantemann passed on 11 December 1839.

 UPDATE

William Meckel possibly married Miss Bertha Doell (born 31 March 1867), the daughter of Johann Doell and Wilhelmine Kensing. 

Any additional information regarding William and his family is appreciated.

Resources:

1. "Deutschland, Hesse-Nassau, Diözese Limburg, Katholische Kirchenbücher, 1601-1919", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DWY6-K73Z : 2 October 2020), Bernard Meckel, 1829.

2. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGC-26K : 17 January 2021), Bernhard Meckel and Sophie Weinheimer, 06 Aug 1855; citing Gillespie, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,801.

3.Deutschland, Rheinland, Bistum Trier, katholische Kirchenbücher, 1704-1957, database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WXWG-DTZM : 12 September 2019), Sophia Weinheimer, 8 Dec 1836; citing Birth, certificate 38, Bad Münster am Stein, Bad Kreuznach, Rhein, Preußen, Deutschland, Bistumarchiv (Diocese Archive), Trier, Germany.

4. "Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:C46C-8HT2 : 25 March 2020), Sophia Weinheimer, 1836.

5. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGC-P9X : 17 January 2021), William Kunz and Anna Meckel, 21 Aug 1878; citing Gillespie, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,801.

6. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK8T-92S7 : 17 January 2021), Adolph Meckel and Zussana Schandtua, 03 May 1892; citing Gillespie, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,802.

7. Hanschke, Robert. Freie Presse für Texas. (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 28, No. 3275, Ed. 1 Tuesday, January 17, 1893, newspaper, January 17, 1893; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1082226/: accessed February 21, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .

8. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FXSN-HZP : 17 January 2021), John Geutemann and Maria Meckel, 10 Apr 1894; citing Gillespie, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,802.

9. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VK1T-8BF : 22 January 2020), Maria Schandua in entry for Ferdinand Meckel, 1894.

• "PIONEERS IN GOD'S HILLS" : a History of Fredericksburg and Gillespie County People and Events", Part 1, Gillespie County Historical Society, 1960.
  
• Family Tree information provided by Mr. H. Meckel