Peter Metzger & Family

Peter Metzger was born on 10 March 1861, north of Fredericksburg.  His birthday is coming soon.

Peter was the second youngest child (the youngest son) of Jakob Metzger and Anna Maria Trumm. Peter's grandparents, Catherine Leyendecker and Friedrich Metzger, were mentioned in the previous post dedicated to Johann Leyendecker. 

Baby Peter was about 17 months old when his father died. Jakob Metzger was a farmer. The man owned 113 acres of land, which he claimed on 24 September 1857 (1).

👉 Census 30 June 1870 - Peter, his mother Anna (age 44), and his siblings were recorded by a Census clerk, Rudolph Runge. They lived in the Fredericksburg Valley, Gillespie County, Post Office Fredericksburg (2). Anna ran the family farm with the help of her children Johann (age 20), Wendelin (age 19), Adam (age 16), Friedrick (age 15), Christian (age 12), Eva (age 7), and 9-year-old Peter. The boy's grandfather Friedrich (age 89) lived with the family as well.

 

 

A few months after the census, on ♦ 9 February 1871, Friedrich Metzger, the patriarch of the Metzger family, passed away.

On 12 February 1874, Peter's eldest brother Johann started his own family and left the family home. Johann's spouse was Elisabeth Kunz (3).

Wendelin, the second eldest brother of Peter, married their sister-in-law, Anna Maria Kunz, on 13 November 1877 (4).
 
When Peter grew up, he continued to help his mother run the farm and earn money to make ends meet. At the age of 17, he hauled hay for his brother (on a wagon with a team of 8 oxen) to Fort McKavitt and Fort Concho.

 

At the age of 24, on 9 September 1885 (5), Peter married Miss Emma Sophie Houy (born on 22 August 1862). She was the daughter of Ernst Houy and Dorothea Mengis.

 

 

Peter and Sophie moved to the Cherry Mountain area. The young man bought 320 acres from his father-in-law and built a log house there. It had two rooms and a dirt floor.

Children were born to the couple:

• Alvin August - born on 4 June 1887 (6),
• Edward - on 9 November 1888 (7),
• Hulda - 23 December 1895 (8),
• Dorothea - 18 October 1899 (9).

👉 Tax Records 1896 - Peter had bought more land (160 acres) from Sophie's father. Those acres were of better quality than the 320 he got previously as the record informs the 160 were worth $500 and the 320 only $400. In that year Peter also paid taxes for 4 horses and 15 head of cattle (10).

Mr. Peter Metzger was a farmer. Besides cattle, he also raised sheep and hogs. His additional job was cleaning out dirt tanks (with a horse and a scraper) for the public.

 

👉 Census - March 1900 - the family was registered during the census in Justice Precinct #4, Gillespie, TX. 80-year-old mother of Sophie, Dorothea Houy, lived with Peter, Sophie, and their children (11).

After about 17 years in the Cherry Mountain area, Peter Metzger sold his land and purchased 640 acres in Mason County, between the Union Community and Fly Gaps. The family moved to the new place on 28 December 1901.

⚭ Alvin August was married in about 1909 to Annie Mary Jung (born on 14 January 1896, Gillespie, TX). She was the daughter of Jacob Rudolph Jung and Maria Hartmann.
⚭ 1909 - Ed (Edward Arnold) was married to Alma Alice Brown (born on 14 May 1890, Mason County, TX), the daughter of Robert Leonardo Brown and Elizabeth Adella Fleming (12).

Sophie's mother, Dorothea, passed on ♦ 19 February 1910.

👉 Census 7/8 May 1910 - Peter Metzger (age 49), his wife Sophia (age 47), and their two daughters, Hulda (age 13), and Dora (age 10) lived in the household in 🏡 Justice Precinct #8, Mason County, TX (13).

After 12 years in Mason County, Peter sold half of his acres to Ernest Leifeste. The sons Alvin and Ed were given 160 acres each. Peter, his wife, and their daughters moved to Fredericksburg.

⚭ 29 December 1913 - 19-year-old Hulda married 27-year-old Mr. Harold Edward Stork (14). He was born on 11 July 1886 in Gillespie, to Adolph Stork and Angelina Markwardt Stork.

 👉 12 January 1920 - another census - Peter, Sophie, and their youngest daughter Dorothea lived in Justice Precinct #1, Gillespie, TX (15).

In the same year, on ⚭ 28 April (16), Dorothea (age 20) married a year older Edward Louis Woerner (born on 23 December 1898). Dotothea's in-laws were Mr. Louis Woerner and Mrs. Kornelia Treibs Woerner.

 

Peter Metzger lived in Fredericksburg with his wife until the day of his passing, which came at 7:05 PM, on ♦ 11 April 1937. The man lived 76 years, 1 month, and 1 day (17). His body was buried at the City Cemetery in Fredericksburg.

Peter's wife Emma Sophie passed about a year later, on ♦ 13 February 1938 (18).

 

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This post is part of our series "They lived in Texas".

Sources:

• "Mason County Historical Book", Mason County Historical Society, Mason County Historical Commission, 1976.  
• Findagrave.com
  

1. Cushing, E. H. The Weekly Telegraph (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 29, No. 15, Ed. 1 Tuesday, June 23, 1863, newspaper, June 23, 1863; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth236238/: accessed February 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

 2. "United States Census, 1870", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXL5-J5D : Tue Oct 03 23:17:57 UTC 2023), Entry for Anna Metzgar and John Metzgar, 1870.

3. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FX3B-YXS : 22 January 2020), Johann Metzger, 1874.
4. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGC-K7S : Thu Nov 30 11:49:30 UTC 2023), Entry for Wendelin Metzger and Anna Maria Kunz, 13 Nov 1877.
5. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK8T-9VBQ : Thu Nov 30 11:52:17 UTC 2023), Entry for Peter Metzger and Sophie Hauy, 09 Sep 1885.
6. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6P9-SL2 : 13 February 2020), Peter Metzger in entry for Alvin August Metzger, 1887.
7. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4LKL-TK6Z : 14 February 2020), Edward Arnold Metzger, 1888.
8. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6PM-74N : 13 February 2020), Peter Metzger in entry for Hulda Emma Metzger, 1895.
9. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6PM-3Y6 : 13 February 2020), Peter Metzger in entry for Dorathea Metzger, 1899.
10. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-TP7X : Sat Dec 16 08:23:52 UTC 2023), Entry for Peter Metzger, 1896.
11. "United States Census, 1900", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3GZ-7DB : Fri Oct 06 07:59:37 UTC 2023), Entry for Peter Metzger and Sophia Metzger, 1900.
12. Mason County Marriages
13. "United States Census, 1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2QH-Q1K : Fri Oct 06 08:54:35 UTC 2023), Entry for Peter Metzger and Sophia Metzger, 1910.
14. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK8T-9G2W : Thu Nov 30 02:13:28 UTC 2023), Entry for Harold E. Stork and Hulda E. Metzger, 29 Dec 1914.
15. "United States Census, 1920", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC9C-SMQ : Thu Dec 07 23:02:58 UTC 2023), Entry for Peter Metzger and Sophie Metzger, 1920.
16. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK8T-95VZ : Thu Nov 30 11:48:02 UTC 2023), Entry for Erwin L. Weerner and Dorothea Metzger, 28 Apr 1920.
17. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3H5-2HH : Fri Feb 16 21:35:29 UTC 2024), Entry for Peter Metzger and Jacob Metzger, 11 April 1937.
18. "Texas Death Index, 1903-2000," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZDV-VLB : 24 May 2014), Emma Sophie Metzger, 13 Feb 1938; from "Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2006); citing certificate number 7623, Gillespie, Texas, Texas Department of Health, State Vital Statistics Unit, Austin. 

 

Photos: August 2020

O for ORP Orzeł

 

I mean the Polish submarine "Orzeł" ("Eagle") that was built in 1936/commissioned in 1939 and proudly served in the Polish Navy during WWII. My Grandma's cousin was one of the crew members on the vessel. Unfortunately, my Mom cannot recall his name.

 

In June 1940, the submarine did not return to its base. The circumstances of its disappearance are not clear. Probably, it was hit by a sea mine, or struck by an aircraft. Anyhow, "Orzeł" was lost at sea, and all its crew perished.

After WWII, several expeditions were organized to find the submarine or its remains. 

 

 

I think it will be found. I had a dream in which I attended an event celebrating the find. A local women's choir sang there. The women were wearing long dresses with long aprons on them. I could hear a man's voice announcing that the pieces of the submarine were found 300/400 meters under the sea surface level, near the defensive ramparts of Finland. The vessel was buried in a hole in the sea bottom, covered by sand. The announcement was not in Polish, though. I am not sure why.

 

 

 

The submarine you can see in the photos was built in Riga in 1986. It is the third "Orzeł" submarine that has served in the Polish Navy. 

 

 

The photographs were taken during the send-off event celebrating another ORP "Orzeł" search expedition (Balexmetal 2008).

 

Inside the expedition ship

 

Research equipment

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"My Polish Alphabet" is a posts series related to things, places, and people that come to my mind when I think about Poland.

Friedrick Luther Bracher

Frederich Luther Bracher was born in Fredericksburg, TX, on 28 December 1917. His parents were Frederick Albert Bracher and his wife, Emma Hardt. Rev. F. A. Bracher started his ministerial service at Zion Lutheran church in the town in the very same year.

Frederick Luther grew up in Fredericksburg.  In 1920, the boy lived with his parents and five siblings in Justice Precinct #1, Gillespie, TX (1). Having completed his education in Fredericksburg, F. L. Bracher studied at Texas Lutheran College in Seguin, Texas, Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, and Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa as well.

The man's WWII Military Draft Registration inform about his whereabouts at that time (2).

 

 

On June 4, 1942, young Mr. Frederick married Miss Gladys Bauer. The ceremony took place in Iowa. 

 

 

 Clippings source: The Harper Herald (Harper, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 25, Ed. 1 Friday, June 19, 1942, newspaper, June 19, 1942; Harper, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth896910/: accessed June 14, 2023), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Harper Library.

 

A few weeks later, on June 21, Frederick Luther Bauer was ordained by his father, Rev. F. A. Bracher, in Zion Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg.

 

 

Rev. F. L. Bracher's first call place was  St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Sagerton, Texas. Subsequently, the Pastor worked at the following churches:

• Trinity Lutheran Church in Haskell, Texas,
• St. Peter Lutheran Church in Spokane, Washington,
• First Lutheran Church in Avoca, Nebraska,
• St. Paul Lutheran Church in (Shive) Hamilton, Texas,
• Trinity Lutheran Church in Pottsville, Texas,
• St. John Lutheran Church in Bartlett, Texas, and
• Salem Lutheran Church in Welcome, Texas.

 

The minister passed on August 28, 1987, in Gillespie, TX (2). His body was laid for eternal rest at the Greenwood Cemetery in Fredericksburg.

 

 

Sources:

1. "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC9C-8B2 : 3 February 2021), Frederick L Bracher in entry for Fred A Bracher, 1920.
2. "Iowa, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP9Q-SK3K : Sat Feb 10 07:17:40 UTC 2024), Entry for Frederick Luther Bracher and Theological Student, 16 Oct 1940.

  3. "Texas Death Index, 1964-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JVTN-KPG : 5 December 2014), Frederick Luther Bracher, Gillespie, Texas, United States; citing Department of State Health Services, Austin.

SWT Synod

Photos included in the posts - from our walk on 12 August 2010.

Friedrich Albert Bracher & Family

Friedrich Albert Bracher was born on 8 October 1877 in Lagenthal, Bern, Switzerland, to Albert Bracher and Rosette Meister.

🛳 In 1883, 6-year-old Friedrich came to America with his parents and 2 younger siblings: Maximilian Gotthard (born in 1880) and Gustav Adolf (born in 1882).

More children were born to Albert's parents in Brenham, TX

• Ida Bertha (born on 8 June 1877 ),
• William Paul (on 8 December 1888),
• Carl Benjamin Quintus (on 28 August 1895).

 

 

Fritz studied at the Lutheran College in Brenham, TX, and the Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa.

✟ He was ordained on 15 July 1900 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Brenham, Texas. In the following year, Rev. F A Brochard participated in the First German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Texas.
30 December 1902 - the man married Miss Olga Johanna Manske (born on 1 October 1880 in Pommern, Prussia). The ceremony took place in Washington, TX (1). Olga was the daughter of Louis Manske and Antonia Kypke.

 

 

 

Clipping source:  Rankin, John G. Brenham Daily Banner. (Brenham, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 244, Ed. 1 Sunday, December 21, 1902, newspaper, December 21, 1902; Brenham, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth484076/: accessed January 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Library Consortium.
 

At that time, Pastor Bracher was the minister of St. John Lutheran Church in Coryell City. In later years, he continued his ministerial call in various churches in Texas. While working as a traveling missionary in Northwest Texas, Pastor Bracher established and organized numerous Lutheran congregations (among others in Texas and Shreveport, Louisiana).
 

♦ 19 April 1908 - Rev. Friedrich's father Albert passed in Brenham, Washington, TX.

 

 

 

Clipping source: Rankin, John G. Brenham Banner. (Brenham, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 23, 1908, newspaper, April 23, 1908; Brenham, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth486644/: accessed January 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Library Consortium.
 

 

👉 Census 1910 found Pastor Bracher, his wife Olga, and their children in Justice Precinct #2, Jones, TX (2). The children mentioned in the record were Anna Margarete (born on 8 September 1903), Flora Agnes (born on 12 March 1905 in Fayette, TX), Antonia C (born on 4 June 1906), and Rosalie Ida (born on 28 October 1907, Stamford, Jones, TX).

♦ Mrs. Olga Bracher passed on 19 August 1911 (3).

Four years later, Rev. A F Bracher remarried on 5 May 1915 (4). His second wife was Emma Hardt born on 2 December 1876 in Meyersville, DeWitt, TX. Emma was the daughter of Valentine William Hardt and Anna Rumah Brandt.

 

 

 

 

 

Clipping source:  The Houston Post. (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 30, No. 36, Ed. 1 Sunday, May 9, 1915, newspaper, May 9, 1915; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth607248/: accessed January 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .

 

Clipping source:  Brenham Daily Banner-Press (Brenham, Tex.), Vol. 32, No. 34, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 6, 1915, newspaper, May 6, 1915; Brenham, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth489649/: accessed January 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Library Consortium.

👉 1916 - Pastor Bracher participated in the Lutheran Synod which took place in Brenham, TX.

Two children were born to the minister and his wife Emma in Fredericksburg:

• Esther Elizabeth (on 24 May 1916) and 
• Friedrich Luther (on 28 December 1917).

⛪ Rev. F A Bracher started his service at Zion Lutheran Church in May 1917. It was the year of the Quadricentennial Reformation anniversary.

👉 October 31, 1917 - 5000 people gathered at the fairgrounds to celebrate the observance of Thanksgiving and Reformation Day led by Pastor Bracher.

 

The parson led the congregation through the hardships of the 1918 influenza epidemic, the years of depression, crop failure, and the 1st and 2nd World Wars.

Other monumental stone miles of his pastoral time in the church were:

⭢ 1927 - Diamond Jubilee of Zion. For this occasion, Pastor Bracher wrote the history of Zion Lutheran Church (from 1852 to 1927) and printed the form of a booklet. The man was also the author of the history of Lutheranism in Texas.

⭢ In the same year, Zion hosted the Texas Synod (for the sixth time) which also celebrated its 75th anniversary.

Clipping source: Cates, R. F. The Bartlett Tribune and News (Bartlett, Tex.), Vol. 41, No. 44, Ed. 1, Friday, May 13, 1927, newspaper, May 13, 1927; Bartlett, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth76187/: accessed January 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bartlett Activities Center and the Historical Society of Bartlett.

 

Clipping source:  Cates, R. F. The Bartlett Tribune and News (Bartlett, Tex.), Vol. 37, No. 38, Ed. 1, Friday, April 27, 1923, newspaper, April 27, 1923; Bartlett, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth75979/: accessed January 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bartlett Activities Center and the Historical Society of Bartlett.

 

 

Clipping source: Cates, R. F. The Bartlett Tribune and News (Bartlett, Tex.), Vol. 41, No. 44, Ed. 1, Friday, May 13, 1927, newspaper, May 13, 1927; Bartlett, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth76187/: accessed January 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bartlett Activities Center and the Historical Society of Bartlett.

 

⭢ Deeply dedicated to Luther's doctrine, the minister managed to offset the Divine Healing movement.

⭢ 1929 - 400th anniversary of Luther's Small Catechism,
⭢ 1930 - 400th anniversary of the reading of Augsburg Confession.
⭢ 1934 -  400 years of Luther's translation of the Bible,
⭢ 1936 - organizing a Lutheran display for the Texas centennial - Dallas,
⭢ 1939 - Zion participated in the liquidation of the American Lutheran Church debt,
⭢ 1942 - Zion's 90th anniversary, 200th Anniversary of Henry M Muhlenberg's arrival in America (he is regarded as the Patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America).

 

Other accomplishments and improvements that took place at Zion during Rev. Bracher's pastoral ministry were:

⭢ English was introduced into the services, Sunday School classes, and confirmation instructions
Zion's constitution was revised and translated into English,
⭢ 1922 - purchase of the pipe organ by subscriptions and donations (cost $3000+),
⭢ 1923 - a new parsonage was built,
⭢ 1930 - a new bell (dedicated to the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Kuennemann) was installed,
⭢ 1939 - the church building was renovated and rededicated; curbing and sidewalks were made; the school house was renovated,
⭢ 1949 - the Lutheran Standard/ "Kirchenblatt" (parish magazine) was delivered to Zion parishioners' homes,
⭢ 1950 - the Finance Council was created/the use of the Lord's Treasury box was introduced.

👉 May 1951 - Pastor F A Bracher retired.

During his service in Zion, the minister officiated 577 baptisms, 495 confirmations, 244 weddings, and 269 funeral ceremonies. Besides his regular pastoral work, the man was also a treasurer for the Texas District (1918 - 1948) and served on the Board of Regents of Texas Lutheran College.

📃 In 1963, for his outstanding support of the Lutheran Church., the Pastor was awarded an honorary DD degree by Texas Lutheran College.

In later years, Rev. Bracher served at ⛪ St. John Lutheran Church in Wallis, Texas, and worked as a Supply Pastor to Trinity Lutheran Church in Junction, Texas (5).

Rev. Friedrich Albert Bracher died in the Fredericksburg Hospital and Clinic (206 E Center St.) on ♦ 8 May 1970 (6). He was buried in the Greenwood Cemetery in Fredericksburg.

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This post is part of our series

 

Sources:
"150 Years of God's Grace 1852-2002", Zion Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, TX.
1. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV1C-S5RH : Mon Oct 23 14:27:25 UTC 2023), Entry for Frederick A Bracher and Olga Manske, 30 Dec 1902.
2. "United States Census, 1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M23G-LF9: Tue Oct 03 15:44:37 UTC 2023), Entry for Fredrich A Bracher and Olga J Bracher, 1910.
3. "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVKN-381M : 20 May 2020), Olga Johanna Manske Bracher, 1911; Burial, citing record ID, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
4. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2ZY-VB1X : 22 July 2021), Fred A Bracher Or Brocher and Emma Hardt, 05 May 1915; citing Marriage, citing DeWitt, Texas, United States, Texas State Library, Archives Division, and various Texas county clerks; FHL microfilm 5,860,369.
5 https://swtsynod.pastperfectonline.com/byperson?keyword=Bracher%2C%20Frederick%20Albert
6. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3DL-25Q : Tue Nov 28 01:35:17 UTC 2023), Entry for Frederick Albert Bracher and Albert Bracher, 8 May 1970.

Photos: August 2010

Johann Leyendecker

Johann Leyendecker (Leiendecker) was born in the community of Kadenbach (Duchy of Nassau, Prussia), on 17 October 1794. His parents were Franz Leyendecker and Anna Elizabetha Backhauss. 

 

Johann did his time in the Prussian army - among others, he fought in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The man became a school teacher. On 18 May 1825, at about 31, he married Maria Magdalena Zirvas, the daughter of Matthias Zirvas and Anna Maria Herbel (1). The bride was a bit younger than Johann, she was born on 19 June 1803. Their marriage ceremony took place in the Catholic church in Niederelbert, Unterwesterwaldkreis (2).

 

St. Joseph Catholic Church, Niederelbert*

 

 Johan and Maria Magdalena's children were:

• Anna Maria, born 1825,
• Johann, born on 10 September 1827/baptized on 15 September 1827 (3),
• Franz Josef, born on 21 December 1829,
• Katharina died on 1 April 1834/buried on 4 April 1834 (4),
• Matthias Jakobus, born on 12 January 1835 (5),
• Johann Karl, born on 25 June 1837 (6),
• Johann Adam, born on 27 October 1839 - died on 30 September 1841/buried on 2 October (7, #8),
• Johann Adam, born on 16 July 1842, was baptized on 19 July in the same year (9).

In November, Johann, his wife, and children left Prussia and went to Antwerp where they boarded the ship Riga. The vessel departed from the port of Antwerp on 🚢 11 November 1845. 138 emigrants were on the sip. On 8 January 1846, they reached Galveston (10).

On the passengers manifest, the members of the Leyendecker family were listed:

• 51-year-old Johann, wife Maria and children,
• Johann (Johann Zirvas) Leyendecker, son of Johann and Maria, age 18,
• Matthias Leyendecker of Kadenbach, age 71,
• Catherine Leyendecker, her husband Friedrich Metzger of Kadenbach, and their 5 children (11).

Indianola records give the names of Johann and Maria's children who arrived in Texas: Anna, Johann, Franz, Jakob, Karl, Maria (12).

The latter child was probably born at the sea or in Galveston. There is a record of Maria Magdalena Leyendecker, daughter of Johann and Maria Magdalena, who was christened on 20 January 1846 in Galveston, at St Mary's Catholic Church (13).

 

 

They all went to Gillespie county, nowadays the Fredericksburg area. Only Johann Zirvas didn't. The young man probably went straight to the Texas garrison in Matamoros, Mexico, and joined the army to fight in the war with Mexico. At that time, many German volunteers did a six-month or a year-long term, serving in the army for the same cause. Later (by 1847), John Z. went to Laredo, where he settled (14).

 

 

Johann Sr. became a teacher of the newly created school in the building of Vereins Kirche in Fredericksburg. He worked in the school until 1847, when another teacher, Jakob Brodbeck, succeeded him. His home was a place of the Catholic church service before the church building came into being (15).

 

1847 - 4 town lots in Fredericksburg belonged to Johann Leyendecker #224, 313, 337, and 380 (16). In the same year, daughter Ellen was born to Johann and Maria Magdalena Leyendecker.

 

 

In 1850, during the census, Johann and his family were registered. They had a boarder, a 14-year-old Gertrude Knapp, born in Germany as well (17).

Another record (18) mentions Johann Sr. in 1869 (Texas Voters List). The man served as the first Gillespie County Treasurer and also Justice of the Peace.

Mary Magdalena Leyendecker lived 70 years. She passed on 1 July 1873.
Professor Johann Leyendecker died at the age of 80, on 19 June 1876, in Fredericksburg.

Prof. Leyendecker's eternal resting place, St. Mary's Catholic Church Cemetery, Fredericksburg.

* Photo of St. Joseph Church: Dieterwick, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Resources:

1. "Deutschland, Hesse-Nassau, Diözese Limburg, Katholische Kirchenbücher, 1601-1919", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:D4W7-63PZ : 2 October 2020), Johann Lagendecker, 1825.
2. "Deutschland, Hesse-Nassau, Diözese Limburg, Katholische Kirchenbücher, 1601-1919", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:D4W6-P6ZM : 2 October 2020), Johann Leyendecker in entry for Johann Adam Leyendecker, 1842.
3. "Deutschland, Hesse-Nassau, Diözese Limburg, Katholische Kirchenbücher, 1601-1919", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:D47T-K4ZM : 2 October 2020), Johann Leiendecker in entry for Johann Leiendecker, 1827.
4. "Deutschland, Hesse-Nassau, Diözese Limburg, Katholische Kirchenbücher, 1601-1919", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:D4WX-7K3Z : 2 October 2020), Johann Leyendecker in entry for Katharina Leyendecker, 1834.
5. "Deutschland, Hesse-Nassau, Diözese Limburg, Katholische Kirchenbücher, 1601-1919", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:D4WX-SMPZ : 2 October 2020), Johann Leyendecker in entry for Mathias Jakobus Leyendecker.
6. "Deutschland, Hesse-Nassau, Diözese Limburg, Katholische Kirchenbücher, 1601-1919", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:D4WF-7P6Z : 2 October 2020), Johann Leiendecker in entry for Johann Karl Leiendecker.
7. "Deutschland, Hesse-Nassau, Diözese Limburg, Katholische Kirchenbücher, 1601-1919", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:D4WN-FG2M : 2 October 2020), Johann Leiendeker in entry for Johann Adam Leiendeker.
8. "Deutschland, Hesse-Nassau, Diözese Limburg, Katholische Kirchenbücher, 1601-1919", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:D4W8-D62M : 2 October 2020), Johann Leyendecker in entry for Johann Adam Leyendecker, 1841.
9. "Deutschland, Hesse-Nassau, Diözese Limburg, Katholische Kirchenbücher, 1601-1919", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:D4W6-P6ZM : 2 October 2020), Johann Leyendecker in entry for Johann Adam Leyendecker, 1842.
10. Ships from Europe to Galveston
11. "A New Land Beckoned: German Immigration to Texas, 1844-1847" by Chester Geue, Chester William Geue, Ethel Hander Geue, 1966,
12. Indianola Immigrant Database
13. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRS5-75Y : 13 February 2020), Johann Leyendeker in entry for Maria Magdelena Leyendeker, 1846.
14. The Children of John Z Leyendecker" by Felix Garcia, 1984.
15. "History of the German Element in Texas from 1820 - 1850 And Historical Sketches of the German Texas Singers' League and Houston Turnverein from 1853-1913", Moritz Tiling, Published by Moritz Tiling, 1913.
16. 1847 Fredericksburg townlots: https://sites.rootsweb.com/~txgilles/townlot.htm
17. "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXLK-GM4 : 23 December 2020), Gertrude Knap in household of John Leyandecker, Gillespie, Texas, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
18.  "Texas, Voter Records, 1867-1918", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:48S9-3HMM: 15 December 2020), Johann Leyendecker, 1869.
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Photos included in the post were taken during our walk on 10 August 2020.