Johann Adam Schüssler

Johann Adam was born on 24 August 1811, in the village of Bonfeld (nowadays part of the city Bad Rappenau, Baden-Würtemeberg), southern Germany. From 1806 Bonfeld was part of the Kingdom of Württemeberg, however, it had belonged to the lords of Gemmingen-Guttenebrg since 1476.

Upper Castle in Bonfeld, built from 1749 by barons of Gemmingen

 

Anyway, Johann's parents were Johann Konrad Christof Schüssler, a citizen and farmer of Bonfeld, and Eva Rosie Margaretha Bender. Since they were Evangelicals, the baby boy was baptized by Pastor Vogel in Krie Evangelical Parish 3 days later.

Evangelical church in Bonfeld built in 1774

During the so-called Wars of Liberation against Napoleon (which took place in 1813) and within the next two years time, the citizens of Bonfeld had to bear the presence of soldiers and war prisoners who were stationed in the town. In 1814, Bonfeld had 1150 and was an agricultural and market town.

Young Johann Adam visited a few other places in Europe including the nowadays territory of Poland (on 29 March 1833) before he got married at the age of 23. On ♡ 13 January 1835, Eva Katharina Dischinger (born on 5 September 1810) became Adam's wife. Eva's parents were Johannes Dischinger, a farmer, and Katharina Kloench. 

Six children were born to Johann and Eva Katharina:

♦ Jacob F, came to this world on 2 August 1836. Sadly, the boy died on 30 March 1836.

♦ Johannes, born on 1 June 1836,

♦ Konrad, born on 1 July 1838,

♦ Jacob, born on 17 December 1840,

♦ Christiana, born on 5 September 1843,

and ♦ Katharina born on 1 July 1845.

When emigration to Texas became possible, Johann Adam applied for a land grant in Texas. In 1845, he received 320 acres in Bexar County, via the German Immigration Company. Johann Adam Schüsslers started getting ready for their departure from the old country.

Bonfeld seen from the south

First, the family went to Antwerp, Belgium, where they boarded the ship  "Dyle". It left the European port on 28 November 1845 and reached Galveston, TX after about four months, on 15 March 1846 (1). From there, Johann Adam and his folks traveled to Indianola. Grievously, baby ♦ Katharina died and was buried there. 

 

After months of perilous journey, the Schüsslers finally came to their land grant. Johann Adam received  town lot #90 in the Fredericksburg area (2) and settled 28 miles south of the nowadays Mason. The house Johann Adam built, was the first one constructed there.

 

 

♦ 4 August 1849, son Louis was born to Johann and Eva.

♦ Hermann joined the family on 28 July 1850.

 

In the same year, J Adam was taking care of 10 acres of land in Gillespie County, he had three town lots, no. 501, 502, and 90 (3). Two years later, the man also had 30 acres more and raised 7 head of cattle (4).

 

The youngest son, ♦ Adolph was born in 1852. The boy died when he was 4, on ♦ 22 May 1854.

 

In 1855, Johann Adam Schuessler aid taxes for 213 acres in Gillespie County (originally, the land was granted to M Arcolido?), he had 8 head of cattle and still owned 3 town lots in Fredericksburg (5).

 

♡ 16 July 1858 (6), Johannes, the youngest son, married Miss Louise Wilhelmine Flick (born 8 November 1840).

 

 

By the end of 1858, Johann's (John's) cattle herd had grown to 65 head. He also owned a wagon (7).

 

 

By 1860, Christiane, Konrad, and Jacob got married as well. 

 

♡ 14 December 1859, 16-year-old daughter Christiane married 10 years older Gustav Frasch, the Justice of the Peace in Fredericksburg. Gustav had come to Texas from the Kingdom of Würtemberg as well. Actually, he was born in Heilbronn (8), a city not far from Bonfeld (where the Scuesslers originated from).

 

♡ On the very same day, Konrad's spouse (9) became Mina Margret Storch (born 6 August 1841 in Hesse), ♡ Jacob's wife was Katherine Franziska Hicks. The families of Johann Adam, John's, Konrad's, and Jacob's lived in Gillespie County, next to each other (10).

 

Later, Christiane and Gustav Frasch moved to San Antonio, where he worked as a tax assessor. 

The oldest sons relocated as well. They made their homes in Mason County. Jacob was the first one in the county who grew cotton there. John settled at Battle Springs/Fly Gap area.

1870, 59-year-old John Adam, his wife, and 20-year-old son, Hermann still lived and farmed at Cherry Springs. Their real estate was worth $730, their personal estate was estimated at $900. Son Louis, who was a teamster, and his wife Minna, lived next to his parents' (11).

The youngest living son of Johann Adam and Eva Katharina's, Hermann married Minna Leifeste on 8 October 1874.

1874 - Gillespie County tax rolls inform that in that year, John Adam Schuessler paid taxes for 214 acres (the land was originally granted to Marion Aceredo). Besides, John had 4 horses and 35 head of cattle (12).

Johann and Eva moved to Mason County to be closer to their sons and their families. 

Johann/John Adam lived  about 72 years. He was buried on ♦ 7 April 1884 at Crosby Cemetery, Mason County, TX (13).

After his death, Eva Katharina, the mother of the family, lived with John's family at Justice Precinct #1, Mason County (14). The lady was 89 when she passed over on ♦ 9 January 1901.

 

The surname Schüssler is related to the German word "Schüssel" ("bowl") and the trade name "bowl/dish maker" (15). According to a family story, the Schüsslers are related to the royal von Hohenzollerns via a Schüssler man who was knighted and then, married to a Hohenzollern lady.

I am planning to write more about Konrad and his brothers later/soon. Christiana and Gustav Frasch's children were:

• Minnie - born on 26 August 1862,
• August - born 13 March 1868,
• Louise - born 9 March 1871,
• Hermann - born 7 December 1877,
• and Ida born 22 February 1888.

Resources: 

"John Adam and Eva Schuessler Pioneers, A Family History and Genealogy" by Johnita Schuessler Bohmfalk, 1984,

Wikipedia

Photos:

The Upper castle in Bonfeld: Roman Eisele, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Church in Bonfeld: Peter Schmelzle, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Church inside: Roman Eisele, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Bonfeld - the view from the south: Roman Eisele, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

1. Colonists' ships

2. 1847  Fredericksburg town lots owners

3. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-RXWM : 20 February 2021), Adam Schuessler, 1850.

4. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-RXBR : 20 February 2021), Adam Schuessler, 1852.

5. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-RNV7 : 20 February 2021), Adam Schuessler, 1855.

6. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGC-V4V : 10 March 2021), John Schussler and Louisa Wilhelmina Flick, 16 Jul 1858; citing Gillespie, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,801.

7. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-RVYG : 20 February 2021), John A Schuessler, 1858.

8. San Antonio Express, 25 October 1917

9. Gillespie County Marriage Records

10. "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXFF-CTL : 18 February 2021), Jacob Schuessler, 1860.

11. "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXL5-R5B : 29 May 2021), Adam Schuessler, 1870. 

12. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-T9Z5 : 20 February 2021), Adam Schuessler, 1874.

13. "United States, Cemetery Abstracts, 1949-1969", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPT7-N6BF : 1 July 2021), John S Schuessler, 1884.

14. "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3PK-VKM : accessed 20 July 2021), Eva Schuessler in household of John Schuessler, Justice Precinct 1, Mason, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 50, sheet 14B, family 192, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,658. 

15. Ancestry.com