Heinrich Karl Hasse and Family

Heinrich was born in the village of Nienstedt, Hannover on 24 March 1810. Nothing is known about his early years and family to whom he was born. Heinrich Karl got married at the age of 23 to Johanna Gerke. The two were married for seven years and then, Johanne died. There is no record of Heinrich and Johanne's children (well, at least I have not found any) besides Heinrich Eduard who was born in 1834 and baptized in a local Evangelical church (1).

Later, Heinrich Karl Hasse married again. His second wife was a widow who had a daughter from a previous marriage. The daughter's name was Josephine.

The family decided to leave their home in Prussia. They traveled to Bremen which they left on 9 November 1845 (2) on board the vessel B. Bohlen.

The passenger list record mentions Hasse Heinrich from Nienstedt; 6 persons, whose destination was Gillespie County (3). That tells us that the family Heinrich + wife with their children Heinrich Eduard and Josephine and two other related persons.

They landed in Galveston on 22 December 1845 (4). What the Hasses and other emigrants found in Texas was privation and great hardship. Heinrich's wife died of cholera in Indianola (5).

Heinrich Karl and his family traveled from Indianola by ox cart and reached the nowadays Fredericksburg area. The census of 1850 recorded them in Gillespie County, in/or about Fredericksburg on 20 September (6). Besides Heinrich (Henry), the household dwellers were Wilhelmina, age 36, children Henry (age 13), H Ellen (age 11), Henry Behrens (age 11), Sofia (age 7), Myria (age 1). Henry Sr. worked as a laborer.

Now, there are questions. 

1. Wilhelmina Hasse - who was she? If Heinrich's wife had died in Indianola, was Wilhelmina his sister? 

"Mason County Historical Book" (7) mentions enigmatically that Henry's sister married in Germany to a Heinrich Höfner. Was she and her child part of Henry Hasse's party who accompanied him on the ship B. Bohlen?

2. H Ellen (Helen?) Hasse listed in the census. If it was not Heinrich's stepdaughter Josephine where was Josephine then? H Ellen's estimated birth year, given in the record, was 1839. Josephine was born in 1837 (8). Two different girls/daughters or one and the same listed under another name? 

The Behrens siblings who lived with Heinrich and Wilhelmina were the children of Sophie Dorothea Henriette Behrens nee Hauer and her husband Heinrich Konrad Behrens. The latter was deadly shot by Comanches when he was visiting his to be surveyed land situated not far from Camp Mason. Possibly, wounded Heinrich Konrad Behrens was taken to Fort Mason to seek a doctor's help. Mrs. Behrens went there as well. Analyzing the 1850 census records, we can see that the children of Sophie and H K Behrens were in the care of Heinrich and Wilhelmina Hasse on 20 September 1850, when the census happened. It means that Mr. Behrens had been shot by the Indians before that day, and also, Heinrich K Hasse and Sophie Behrens had known each other earlier. Maybe H K Hasse met Sophie Behrens (and her husband) not in Fort Mason as one source suggests (9), but much earlier in Fredericksburg? The Behrens relatives lived in the town (10) as well.

Mr. Henry Karl Hasse married the widow Sophie Behrens in 1851. Not long after that, the Hasses relocated to the Llano River area and joined other pioneer families who had already farmed there. Heinrich Karl had 320 acres of land north of the river.

Sophie bought 320 acres (for $40) neighboring the 320 owned by her second husband. Heinrich Karl built two picket houses for his family.

Daughter Margarete was born to Heinrich and Sophie Hasse on 18 March 1852 (11). 

The Hasse family were some of the very first charter members of the Llano German Methodist Episcopal Church South which was organized on 8 March 1856 at Castell (12). 

19 April 1857 - Josephine, Karl's stepdaughter, married John Conrad Simon in Gillespie, Texas (13).

About a year later, on 9 February 1858 (14), 13-year-old Marie Christine Sophie Behrens married 26-year-old Jacob Brodbeck (born 13 October 1821 in Stuttgart). The man was Marie's teacher, he worked at Vereins Kirche school in Fredericksburg, which the girl attended.

On 5 September of the same year, there was another marriage in the family. Heinrich Eduard Hasse, the oldest son of Heinrich Karl's, married Miss Friedericke Bickenbach in Gillespie County (15,16).

 

Henry Julius Beherens, Henrich's stepson, married Miss Catherina Heinrichs on 15 November 1865 in the local Methodist church in Hilda (17).

The youngest stepdaughter of Heinrich Karl Hasse's, Sophie (Myria), was married to Mr. Fritz Ellebracht when she was 17. It happened on 15 October 1866 in Hilda Methodist Church, Mason (18). Fritz's parents were Friedrich Albert Ellebracht and Sophie Wilhelmine Stamme.

1867 was the year of elections. Henry Hasse Sr. was registered on the voter list in Mason on 10 September (19). Henry Jr. a day earlier (20).

Henry Carl Hasse farmed on the 640 acres he and Sophie owned. 8 June 1870 brought another census. The couple lived then with their daughter Margaret. The Hasses real estate was worth $100, the value of their personal real estate was $350 (21). 

Margarete was married to Mr. William Louis Steinmann two years later, on 11 January 1872, at Hilda Bethel Methodist Church, Mason, Texas (22). 

Henry Carl (Heinrich Karl) Hasse passed on 25 April 1880. He was buried at Lower Willow Creek Cemetery, Mason, Texas. After his death, Sophie Behrens Hasse lived with her son Henry Julius and his family. The wife of Heinrich Karl Hasse's ended her Earth journey in 1892.

Resources:

1. "Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Patriot Ancestor Album" Vol.1, Turner Publishing Company, Paducah, Kentucky, 2001.

2. List of Passengers Aboard B. Bohlen

3. "A New Land Beckoned: German Immigration to Texas, 1844-1847" by Chester Geue, Chester William Geue, Ethel Hander Geue, 1966

4. List of Passengers Aboard B. Bohlen

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

6. "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXLK-LVK : 23 December 2020), Henry Hasse, Fredericksburg, Gillespie, Texas, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

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

8. Findagrave.com 

9. Maria Christina Sophie Behrens Brodbeck

10. 1850 Census records - Gillespie County, Fredericksbur

11. Findagrave.com

12. Llano County, Texas, German Methodist Episcopal Church South

13. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGC-L4V : 10 March 2021), John C Simon and Josephine Hasse, 19 Apr 1857; citing Gillespie, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,801.

14. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGC-LCN : 10 March 2021), Jacob Brodbeck and Maria C S Behrens, 09 Feb 1858; citing Gillespie, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,801.

15. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGC-VH4 : 10 March 2021), Henry Hasse and Friederike Bickenbach, 05 Sep 1858; citing Gillespie, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,801.

16. http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/gillespie/vitals/marriages/b1gilmar.txt 

17. Hilda (Behtel) Methodist Church marriages.

18. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2MM-489 : 22 January 2020), Sophie Behrens in entry for Fritz Ellebracht, 1866.

19. "Texas, Voter Records, 1867-1918", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4MZL-HZN2 : 15 December 2020), Henry Hasse, 1867.

20. "Texas, Voter Records, 1867-1918", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4MZL-HZMM : 15 December 2020), Henry Hasse, 1867.

21. "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXGQ-41X : 2 January 2021), Henry Hasse, 1870.

22. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2MM-HSJ : 22 January 2020), Margrete Hasse in entry for William Louis Steinmann, 1872.

Johann Heinrich Hoerster and Family

Johann Heinrich Hörster (Hoerster) was born in Piertzenthal, Prussia, on 16 July 1814. The town of Pirzental which I have found in Europe is situated in the Rhineland-Palatinate region in nowadays Germany, south-west of Berlin.

Johann was a shoemaker, his wife was Maria Christina Gelhausen (born 25 August 1818). Three sons were born to them in Prussia Fritz (Friedrich) - born 11 November 1841 (1), Daniel - born 15 September 1843 (2), and Anton (Johann Anton) - born 8 January 1845 (3).

Johann had done his time in the Prussian Army and together with Christina, they decided to emigrate. The family traveled to Texas on the ship Prince Edward and arrived in Galveston, Texas in September 1846. From there, the Hörsters relocated to New Braunfels and subsequently to Fredericksburg. In the spring of 1847, Johann Heinrich obtained 10 acres of land (nowadays the area of Highway #9).

On 18 September 1850, during the Census, Johann Heinrich's /Henry's family was recorded in Fredericksburg, Gillespie County (4):

• Henry, age 36,
• wife Mary C (Maria Christine), age 33,
• Frederick (Fritz), age 9,
• Daniel, age 7,
• Anton, age 5,
• Mary Catherine, age 2, she was born on 11 April 1848 (5),
• William (Wilhelm), born on 16 April 1850 (6).

Johann Heinrich and Maria had 10 children, only 7 survived until their adulthood.

• Karoline was born on 12 April 1852 (7).

October 1856, the Hörsters moved to Mason County, nowadays Art area. They were one of the first pioneer families who settled there. Heinrich built a house close to other families, on a hill by Upper Willow Creek. The new home had 3 rooms, an attic, and it was made of logs sealed with mud.

• Wilhelmina (Minnie) was born on 11 November 1856 (8).
  

The pioneers were self-sufficient regarding produce and making their own food. Heinrich grew corn, potatoes, sugar cane, beans, and cabbage. The meat was provided by wild game. Later, the man also raised longhorns and hogs. His cattle brand was "HSTER". It happened that he butchered 100 hogs at a time. They made sausages, and Heinrich had his own recipe for curing meats. Johann Heinrich sold much of it to the soldiers at Fort McKavett, and in San Antonio as well. 

 

1856 - the family moved to the Mason area (nowadays Art). In 1859, Christina, the mother of the family, died. Some time later, Heinrich remarried. Anna Elise Gammenthaler (born 1 October 1833, Sumiswald, Switzerland) became the stepmother to Heinrich and Christina's kids. Seven children were born to Heinrich and Anna Elise Hörster:

• Rosina - arrived on 4 May 1862, Hilda, Mason, TX (9),
• Heinrich - born on 23 November 1864, Hilda, Mason (10),
• Lydia - born on 4 Aug 1867 in Hilda (11),
• John August Emil - born on 18 September 1870 (12),
• Henry John - born on 12 March 1872 (13),
• William Eddie born 9 November 1874, Art, Mason (14),
• Alfred Willie Eddie born on 4 April 1877 (15).

Only 3 of their sons, Henry (Heinrich), William Eddie, and Henry John - died 31 July 1957 (16), lived till adulthood.

The Upper Willow Creek area was not a safe place - Indian raids happened quite often there. On 19 July 1859, a band of Kiowas stole the horses guarded by nine-year-old Wilhelm and captured the boy as well. Bill had been shot in the neck. The band crossed the Sana Saba, they got to the Indian village after 6 days. Billy was mistreated by the kidnappers and  beaten often. Luckily his neck wound healed. Later, he Indians sold the boy to the Mexican Comancheros for a mule and other items which were worth $100. On 19 November 1859, one of the Mexican brought the boy to Ute Indian agent by the name of Christopher Carson who worked in Taos, the territory of New Mexico. Billy was in a bad condition and he was not able to say where his family lived. William hardly could speak English then, but remembered who his parents were (17). To make the story short, in the result of an exchange organized by the state legislature, Bill came back home in January 1860.  

Johann Heinrich (John Henry) Hoerster served as County Commissioner from 1858 to 1866.

In the middle of 1874, the Mason County War started. The war was all about cattle and cattle rustlers. Tragically, young Daniel, the son of Henry Hoerster, who worked as a cattle inspector, was one of the war casualties. He was killed on 29 September 1875 (18).

The note contains a mistake. Peter Jordan, mentioned in it, was a friend of the Hoerster family. Besides that, he was also Daniel's brother-in-law. Peter's sister Wilhelmine was Daniel's wife. The two were married on 1 December 1871. Deputy Sheriff John Wohrley (Johann Anton Wohrle) was married to Miss Helene Geistweidt.

 

Katherine married Karl Kothmann on 28 March 1867, in Hilda, Mason, TX (19).

Fritz married Johanna Leifeste on  5 January 1871 in Hilda, Mason, TX (20). She was the daughter of Anton Heinrich Leihfeste (Leifeste) and Elisabetha Sphie Henriette Viedt.

Karolina married Caleb Cook Smith in 1872.

William Hoerster married 

• Anna Alperson on 23 January 1873 (21), she died in 1878.
  

• then he married Maria Seipp on 27 July 1880 (22),

• his 3rd wife Anna Theresa Scholl, they got married on  31 October 1884 (23).

  
  
  

Johann Anton married Louise Marschall on 19 September 1873 (24).

Minna married Heinrich Leifeste, the son of Johann Friedrich Leihfeste and Sabine Molzbergeron. The ceremony took place on 4 March 1875 (25). After Minna's death, he married Bertha Hartmann in 1912.

Henry married Emilie Leifeste on  22 July 1886 in Hilda, Mason, TX (26). Emilie's parents were Johann Heinrich Leifeste and  Margarethe Reihnhard.

William Eddie married Sophie Henrietta Steinmann about 1898.

John was married to Frieda Kassel on 16 September 1903 in Llano, Texas (27). 

John Henry Hoerster was proud of his children and grandchildren, and all of the family achievements in their new home Texas. He passed on 20 June 1900 in Mason, Mason County. Henry's wife Anna Elise died 12 years later on 31 July 1912 in Art, Texas.

 

Resources:

1. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K339-JVB : 13 March 2018), Fritz Hoerster, 23 Feb 1931; citing certificate number 9247, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,135,506.

2. "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVG-KKMJ : 8 August 2020), Daniel Hoerster, ; Burial, , Mason, Texas, United States of America, Daniel Hoerster Cemetery; citing record ID 20061640, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

3. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K332-JT2 : 13 March 2018), J Anton Hoerster, 17 Jun 1932; citing certificate number 23997, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,135,874.

4. "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXLK-XDB : 23 December 2020), Henry Hoerster, Fredericksburg, Gillespie, Texas, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

5. "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVG-GKW9 : 8 August 2020), Kate, ; Burial, Art, Mason, Texas, United States of America, Kothmann Cemetery; citing record ID 19494326, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

6. "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVKF-BVS3 : 8 August 2020), William Hoerster, ; Burial, , Mason, Texas, United States of America, Art East Cemetery; citing record ID 41093091, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

7. "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVLD-GDLB : 8 August 2020), Carolina Hoerster Smith, ; Burial, Mason, Mason, Texas, United States of America, Gooch Cemetery; citing record ID 87812121, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

8. "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVGP-LDG1 : 13 September 2020), Minnie, ; Burial, Goldthwaite, Mills, Texas, United States of America, Goldthwaite Memorial Cemetery; citing record ID 123820367, Find a Grave, http://ww.findagrave.com.

9. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4L27-D1MM : 14 February 2020), H. Horster in entry for Rosina Horster, 1862.

10. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4L27-XBZM : 14 February 2020), Heinrich Horster in entry for Heinrich Horster, 1864.

11. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4L2Q-GFT2 : 14 February 2020), H. Horster in entry for Lydia Horster, 1867.

12. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4LP9-RK3Z : 14 February 2020), H. Horster in entry for John August Emil Horster, 1870.

13. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4L27-4TT2 : 14 February 2020), H. Horster in entry for Henry John Horster, 1872.

14. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3XF-RFP : 13 March 2018), Henry Hoerster in entry for William Eddie Hoerster, 12 Dec 1963; citing certificate number 79257, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,117,356.

15. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4L2Q-5NT2 : 14 February 2020), H. Horster in entry for Allfred Willy Eddy Horster, 1877.

16. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K338-FGX : 13 March 2018), John Hoerster, 31 Jul 1957; citing certificate number 43508, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,135,798.

17. "A Fate Worse than Death: Indian Captivities in the West, 1830-1885", by Gregory Michno, Susan Michno, Caxton Press, Idaho, 2007.

18. Clipping: Downs, J. W. The Waco Daily Examiner. (Waco, Tex.), Vol. 3, No. 234, Ed. 1, Saturday, October 9, 1875, newspaper, October 9, 1875; Waco, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth112150/: accessed February 20, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; . 

19. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2MM-HT9 : 22 January 2020), Catherine Horster in entry for Carl Kothmann, 1867.

20. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2MM-WLQ : 22 January 2020), Fritz Horster, 1871.

21. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2MM-FXH : 22 January 2020), Wilhelm Horster, 1873.

22. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VK1T-QQV : 22 January 2020), William Hoerster, 1880. died 1883

23. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6BM-T8N : 17 January 2021), Wm. Hoerster and A. T. Scholl, 31 Oct 1884; citing Travis County, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 978,166.

24. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VK1Y-QVQ : 22 January 2020), J. A. Hoerster, 1873. 

25. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2MM-4ZY : 22 January 2020), Minna Horster in entry for Heinrich Leifeste, 1875.

26. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2MM-W2N : 22 January 2020), Henry Hoerster, 1886.

27. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV14-Z1GT : 7 December 2020), Mr John Hoerster and Frida Kassel, 16 Sep 1903; citing Marriage, citing Llano, Texas, United States, Texas State Library, Archives Division, and various Texas county clerks; FHL microfilm 982,995.

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