Karl Dietrich Kothmann was born in Wedelhine, Germany, on 14 February 1837. He was one of the children of Heinrich Konrad Kothmann and Ilse Katherine Pahlmann. The boy was only 9 when he came with his parents and siblings to Texas. During their stay in Indianola, due to miserable living conditions there, both Karl and his 3-year-younger sister Marie Karoline got seriously ill. The boy recovered after a long time of suffering, but the girl passed away.
In his young days, Karl Dietrich and his two-year-older brother
Heinrich Friedrich spent most of their time together. After the older's brother marriage, Karl assisted his father in the day-to-day duties, helping him take care of the cattle and haul freight from San Antonio to Waco and Brenham. The latter supported the family budget.
18 September 1850, Dietrich and his family (father, laborer, age 53, mother, age 40, and four siblings) were recorded during the Census (1). They lived in Fredericksburg, TX.
♡ 11 October 1862 (2),
Karl Dietrich married Miss Clara Luise Stahl (born on 1 March 1845 in Germany). She was the daughter of J. Friedrich Stahl and Henriette Nickel.
The 17-year-old bride was 5 feet tall and had dark hair and brown eyes. The groom (age 35) was 6'4", and had blue eyes and a goatee. He enjoyed smoking a pipe and playing the violin.
The couple settled on the Llano River, where Dietrich built a log house. There also was a piece of land for a garden that both spouses attended to. Since there was no well, they carried water from the river situated about 400 hundred yards from the house.
Dietrich continued hauling freight to Austin. During one of those trips, the man was robbed by two strangers who, at first, pretended to be friendly. The villains took away Dietrich's brand-new Navy Six-Shooter.
♦ 15 October 1863 - the first child, daughter Clara Emilia
Hulda was born in Mason (3).
February 1864 - Karl Dietrich Kothmann joined the Mason County Minute Men (4).
♦ 19 May 1865 - daughter Alvina was born.
♦ 8 January 1867 - another daughter, Clara, came.
In the same year, Karl Dietrich arranged a government contract to cut wood (for McKavett and Chadbourne Forts) and to mow hay prairie grass for Fort Griffin. The contract participants were also Heinrich Friedrich Kothmann, Dietrich's brother, and Charles Lehmberg. Dietrich hired men and completed the commitment. After that, he looked after his cattle. Besides being a farmer, the man was also a cattle raiser.
♦ 29 January 1868 - Theodore Louise was born (5).
♦ 5 May 1869 - Dietrich Adolph joined the family (6).
1870 - with the help of his two brothers, Karl and Wilhelm, Dietrich drove Mr. Chipman's cattle to Kansas. When the brothers were coming back home, Karl contracted typhoid and sadly, he died.
1871 - Dietrich, his brother Wilhelm and Major Lewis drove two herds (1500 heads each) of Mr. Chipman's cattle to Kansas again. Initially, Dietrich was the boss of one of the herds only. When they all reach the Forth Wort area, due to the cowboys' strike in Major Lewis' team, Dietrich was assigned as the trail leader of both herds of cattle. They all had to cross the Red River, which was swollen at the time, its current was strong and ran wild. Despite the high water on the rampage, Dietrich and his men (32 riders altogether) managed to transport their provisions to the other side of the river and crossed all the chuck wagons, 3000 heads of cattle, and 150 horses. The party got to Kansas and successfully sold the cattle. Then, Dietrich came home by train and a stagecoach while Wilhelm and the 32 riders traveled on horseback.
Karl Dietrich Kothamnn drove cattle to Kansas two more times - in 1872, and a year later.
♦ 20 January 1870 - Little Clara passed. She was 3 years old.
1 June 1870 - census time. The family lived in Mason, Mason, TX (7).
♦ 22 October 1870 - a daughter was born. They named her Clara, after the late baby girl who passed a few months earlier.
♦ 31 December 1872 - son Frank was born.
1873 - having driven the cattle to the Kansas market, Dietrich bought a pair of fine horses and a brand-new hack, then started his journey back home. The man was accompanied by Mr. Adolph Reichenau, Sr. The Llano River was up and still raising when they reached it. With major difficulties, the men managed to cross the wild river stream. While the horses when resting at the Llano bank, the water rose, and a big tree came brought by the river current hit the back of the hack, turned it down, and pulled the vehicle and the horses into the wild water. Dietrich tried to save the horses, but despite all his effort, the animals drowned.
About that time, all the horses and mules Dietrich had were stolen by the Indians.
1874 -
Hoo Doo war started.
♦ 8 November 1874 - Emil came to this world
♦ 14 February 1876 - Alexander Friedrich arrived (8).
1878 - Dietrich sold the land on the Llano River for $1000. The purchaser was Mr. Bernhard Durst. Dietrich Kothmann also sold the hogs he owned and the range mark to Mr. August Meckel (for $600). Subsequently, Karl Dietrich obtained a large tract of land at Fly Gap where he built a two-story house made of stone and cleared the land.
♦ 22 June 1878 - daughter Anna joined the family.
♦ 6 August 1879 - Albert was born.
Dietrich and his family raised hogs again. The lard, ham, and bacon from butchered hogs were sold at the market in Austin or San Antonio. At that time, the products were more profitable than beef.
18 June 1880 - the family of Dietrich Ktohmann was registered by a census clerk in Justice Precinct #4, ED 104, Mason, TX. John Kothmann (age 18), Dietrich's nephew, lived in the family house. He was a farm laborer (9).
♦ 27 August 1881 - Dietrich's father (age 77) passed.
♦ 9 September 1881 - daughter Lillie was born.
♦ 19 January 1883 - Nellie came to this world.
♦ 15 August 1884 - 16-year-old Louisa died.
♦ 15 March 1885 - the youngest son, Sam was born.
In the same year, ♡ Hulda married Mr. John Muennek (Muennink), born on 1 August 1859 in New Fountain, Medina, TX, to Frederich F Muennink and Antje Freden Schoen.
♡ 1887 - Alvina married 8-year-older Mr. John Schneider. Around that time, Dietrich began fencing his property.
♡ 1892 - Adolph married Lydia Sophie Hoerster, the daughter of Daniel Hoerster and Wilhelmina Jordan.
♡ 1897 - Clara married Fritz Charles Grote (born 3 February 1870), the son of Friedrich Adolph Grote and Conradina Bertha Lemberg.
♡ 1899 - Lillie married her brother-in-law Emil Louis Charles Hoerster (born 8 May 1874, Mason County, TX), the brother of Lydia Hoerster.
1900 - Census - Dietrich and the family had a boarder, 16-year-old Alonzo Keller, who had been attending school for three years. They all lived in justice Precinct #1, ED 50, Mason, TX (10).
♦ 9 January 1901 - 15-year old son, Sam died.
A few weeks later, on 23 January, a merry event in the family, ♡ 25-year-old Alexander married Alma Sophie Kothmann (born 3 August 1882, Castell, Llano, TX), who was the daughter of Heinrich Friederich Kothmann and Konradina Pluennneke (11).
♡ 9 October 1903 -
Nellie married Ernest Frank Karl Leifeste (born 21 August 1880), the son of Karl Leifeste and Fredericka Jordan.
Clipping source: The Austin Statesman. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 33, Ed. 1 Saturday, October 10, 1903,
newspaper,
October 10, 1903;
Austin, Texas.
(https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1454722/:
accessed January 4, 2023),
University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu;.
♡ 1905 - Albert married his sister-in-law, 6-year-younger Milda Kothmann
(born 15 July 1885), the daughter of Heinrich Friederich Kothmann and
Konradina Pluennneke.
♦ 15 February 1905 - Dietrich's mother died (age 94).
Clipping source: The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 127, Ed. 1 Sunday, February 19, 1905,
newspaper,
February 19, 1905;
Fort Worth, Texas.
(https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1494374/:
accessed January 4, 2023),
University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu;.
About a year later, mourning came on ♦ 20 May, when Albert's 20-year-old wife died.
♡ 25 June 1908 - Albert remarried in Hilda, Mason, TX. His second wife was Lena Hulda Wiedemann, the daughter of Theodore Karl Wiedemann and Sophia Emma Pluenneke (12).
♦ 10 Nov. 1908 - daughter Hulda died at the age of 45.
♦ 14 July 1914 - Karl Dietrich Kothmann left this world at the age of 77. He was a good-hearted and hard-working man who was not afraid of life's obstacles. He took risks and applied discipline when it was necessary. Besides his own children, eight girls and six boys, he also raised his nephew, John W. Kothmann.
Dietrich's wife, Louise lived 4 years longer until ♦ 4 November 1918. Mrs. Kothmann passed due to liver cancer (13). She was buried next to her husband at the Kothmann cemetery in Art, Mason, TX.
Sources:
"The Kothmanns of Texas 1845-1931", Selma Metzenthin Raunick and Margaret Schade, Press of Boeckmann-Jones Company, Austin, Texas,
1. "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXLK-PQL : 23 December 2020), Deidrick Kothman in household of 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:V2MM-HSX : 22 January 2020), Dietrich Kothmann, 1862.
3. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4L27-46W2 : 14 February 2020), Diedrich Kothmann in entry for Clara Em. Hulda Kothmann, 1863.
4. "Texas, Confederate Army and Commanding Officer Card Index, ca.1861-ca.1865", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z4NW-NH2M : 18 June 2020), Dederick Kathman, 1864.
5. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4LG4-J43Z : 14 February 2020), Diedrich Kothmann in entry for Theodora Louyse Kothmann, 1868.
6. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4L2Q-T9ZM : 14 February 2020), Diedrich Kothmann in entry for Diedrich Adolph Kothmann, 1869.
"Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K372-ZXG : 20 February 2021), Dietrich Kothmann in entry for Adolph Dietrich Kothmann, 06 Mar 1954; citing certificate number 12076, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,114,146.
7. "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXGQ-41H : 29 May 2021), Dietrich Kothman, 1870.
8. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3QG-Q6L : 20 February 2021), Dietrich Kothmann in entry for Alexander Fredrick Kothmann, 24 Nov 1954; citing certificate number 56529, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,114,284.
9. "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFJM-LGN : 15 January 2022), D. Kothmann, Justice Precinct 4, Mason, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm.
10. "United States Census, 1900", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3PK-HYN : 14 January 2022), Dietrich Kothmann, 1900.
11. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK8T-PXLW : 10 March 2021), A F Kothmann and Alma Kothmann, 23 Jan 1901; citing Llano, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,995.
12. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HCMV-VMN2 : 22 January 2020), Albert Kothmann, 1908.
13. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3SZ-13L : 20 February 2021), Louise Kothmann, 04 Nov 1918; citing certificate number 51535, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,073,413.
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Photos included in the text were taken during one of our walks, on 29 July 2020.
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