Heinrich Konrad came to this world on 31 January 1798 in Wedelheine, Gifhorn, Lüneburg, Kingdom of Hannover, Prussia. He was the youngest son of Herr Hennig Heinrich Kothmann (b. about 1770) and Ilse Dorothee Marwede.
Heinrich went to school in his village. Later, he completed trade training and became a cabinet maker. The man was a talented musician and composer. He played various musical instruments including the clarinet, flute, and violin. Young Heinrich Konrad Kothmann was a member of the Hannover Municipal Band.
Heinrich did his 6-year military service in the Prussian Army (2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment). In 1824, sometime after his honorable discharge, the man married Johanne Sophie Kothmann (nee Wolters). Sophie was previously married to his brother Heinrich Wilhelm (born in about 1800/died in 1824).
The couple made their home in the family estate in Wedelheine. They had two children: Henriette Sophie (born 1824) and Johann Heinrich Wilhelm (born 1 March 1825). Heinrich Konrad and Johanne Sophie were married for about seven years. On 1 March 1831, Sophie died.
Over a year later, on 22 June 1832, Heinrich Konrad Kothmann married again. His second wife was Ilse Katherine Pahlman (born 1 March 1810). Ilse's parents were Johann Hennig Pahlmann and Ilse Dorothee Thorinan.
The children of Heinrich Konrad and Ilse Katherine born in Wedelheine were:
- Ilse Katherine - born 23 November 1832,
- Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Friedrich - born 10 February 1835,
- Karl Dietrich - born 14 February 1837,
- Marie Karoline - born 23 November 1840,
- Marie Dorothee - born 6 December 1842,
- a baby girl died in infancy.
The family decided to emigrate, consequently Heinrich K. applied for the Prussian passports which they received on 25 September 1845.
Heinrich, Katherine and their 5 children left Bremen, Germany on 26 September 1845. The family traveled to Texas on the barque B. Bohlen. The Kothmanns reached Galveston on 20 December 1845. From there, they went to Indianola, where they were forced to stay for several months due to the lack of any transportation means. The living conditions were disastrous. The rainy winter, no proper dwelling place (but shucks and dugouts created by desperate immigrants), and unhygienic conditions brought disease and death to many. One of the victims was also Heinrich and Ilse's daughter, 6-year-old Karoline who died in 1846.
Another child, son ♦ Karl, was born to them in Indianola, on 24 March 1846. Finally, the family was able to relocate and after a three-week horrible journey, they came to New Braunfels. The place was no better than the previous stop so as soon as they could, the Kothmann family moved to the nowadays Fredericksburg area (where they expected to be granted some land). When the immigrants got there, on 8 May 1846, they found nothing but wilderness and one unfinished log house. Despite that, to celebrate the arrival, they all had a great feast. The wild game - roasted bear and panther meat made the feast food.
Heinrich, Ilse Katherine, and children made their first dwelling place in Texas at Fredericksburg.
♦ Wilhelm was born on 18 February 1850.
On 18 September 1850, they were registered in the settlement during the census. Heinrich (Henry) worked as a laborer (1).♦ Caroline was born on 26 March 1852.
♡ 27 November 1854 - Katherine married Mr. Henry F Keyser in Gillespie, TX (2).
1856, Heinrich, his wife, and children, with a few other families, moved to the place where their land grants were. It was the Upper Willow Creek area. They all had to start their work all over again as there was no civilization at all. The families helped each other - they cleared the land and made it ready for farming. Heinrich built a log house for his people - the logs were connected with wooden pins, the roof shingles were brought from the mill (situated on the Guadalupe River) owned and ran by Mr. Zink. Next, the crops were planted and the Kothmanns started raising livestock as well.
♡ Johan Heinrich Wilhelm Friedrich married Miss Sophie Hartwig on 9 September 1856 (3).
Two years later, in 1858, when Fort Mason came into being, the families of Upper Willow Creek found an income source there. Heinrich Konrad hauled food and other supplies to the Fort as well. Besides that, the soldiers brought the settlers some protection, and the Indian raids in the area became less frequent.
♡ Wedding in the family again - Karl Dietrich Kothmann married Louise Stahl on 11 October 1862. The ceremony took place in Hilda, Texas (4).
Heinrich and his family raised a lot of cattle and hogs. In the winter, they had hog (even 100 at a time) butchering. Part of the meat - ham, and bacon was meant for the family, part of it was hauled for sale to Austin and San Antonio.
♡ 24 April 1866 - Marie Dorothee was married to William Knolle in Bethel Methodist Church, Hilda, Mason, Texas (5).
♡ Karl Kothmann, the first child of Heinrich's born in Texas, married Miss Mary Catharine Hoerster on 28 March 1867 in Hilda, Mason, TX (6). She was the daughter of Johann Heinrich Hoerster and Mary Christina Gelhausen.
Two years later, ♡ Marie Caroline was united in marriage with Mr. Louis Knolle on 16 January 1869 (7).
During the census of 1870, Henry and Catharina were registered in Mason County. Of all the children, only 24-year-old William lived at the family home then. He helped his father with farming. The value of their real estate was given as $800, and the estimated value of their personal estate was $1200. Henry's neighbors were the family of his son Charles, the Christian Bakers, the Ernst Jordans, the Ernst Dannheims, the Phillip Eckerts, and the Henry Hoersters (8).
About four years later, ♡ William left the parents' home. He married Miss Auguste Albertson on 17 January 1874.
The Kothmanns were originally of Lutheran faith. However, when the Methodist church was founded in Hilda, they joined the church as its members.
In 1880, 82-year-old Henry and 70-year-old Catharina lived on their own in their homestead at Precinct #4, Mason County (9).
Heinrich Konrad Kothmann passed on 27 August 1881. Ilse Katherine lived till 15 February 1905. They were both buried at the Kothmann Cemetery in Art, Mason County, TX. God bless their souls.
♡ Heinrich Friedrich married Mary Eversberg, nee Miller, but that will be told about another time in another post.
Resources:
- "The Kothmanns of Texas 1845-1931", Selma Metzenthin Raunick and Margaret Schade, Press of Boeckmann-Jones Company, Austin, Texas,
- Geneanet.org
1. "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXLK-PQV : 23 December 2020), Henry Kothman, Fredericksburg, Gillespie, Texas, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VK1R-541 : 22 January 2020), Catharine Kothmann in entry for Henry F. Keyser, 1854.
3. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGC-2FL : 17 January 2021), F Kothmann and Sophie Hartwig, 09 Sep 1856; citing Gillespie, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,801.
4. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2MM-HSX : 22 January 2020), Dietrich Kothmann, 1862.
5. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2MM-HT4 : 22 January 2020), Dorothea Kothmann in entry for William Knolle, 1866.
6. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2MM-HTS : 22 January 2020), Carl Kothmann, 1867.
7. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XLZ2-BJG : 17 January 2021), Louis Knolle and Caroline Cothmann or Kothmann, 16 Jan 1869; citing Austin, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 1,019,273.
8. "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXGQ-X5S : 2 January 2021), Henry Kothman, 1870.
9. "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFJM-RXH : 20 February 2021), Henry Kothmann, Precinct 4, Mason, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district ED 104, sheet 503A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,319.
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