Conrad Meckel and Henriette Luckenbach

I do not know who Conrad's parents were or when he came to Texas. I do not know what the original spelling of his surname was either. Was It Moeckel/Möckel?

In the 1860 Census records (1), there is another man of the same name, born in Nassau in 1827 who lived in Gallon Polk Township, Crawford, Ohio with Catherine Meckel who was 62 and was born in Nassau as well. That Ohio Conrad was a stone cutter. I guess Catherine was probably his mother.

The Crawford man was naturalized in 1859 (2).

Were he (the stone cutter) and his mother related to our Texas Conrad's family? Very likely considering that Conrad Meckel who lived in Fredericksburg was also born in Nassau (11 Nov. 1826) according to the 1860 Census data.

German Birth and Baptism records inform that Conrad Franz Peter Möckel was born on 24 Nov. 1827. The baby was christened on 9 Dec. 1827 in the Evangelic Church in Stuttgart, Neckar, Wuerttemberg. Conrad Franz Peter's parents were Conrad Möckel and Charlotte Katharine Wild (3). The baby could be the man who later lived with his mother Catherine and was recorded in Polk Township, Crawford, Ohio.

It all seems quite possible - I checked on the map of Germany that Nassau is situated not far from Stuttgart. However, the place of birth given in the census records could be not the city of Nassau itself but the Duchy of Nassau - an independent state then. It means the people mentioned above were born in a town or village in the Nassau area. I have checked (on the map) the distance between the two cities Nassau and Stuttagrd - it is only about 270km (3 hours drive by car).

Source: Google maps

Anyway, I assume the original spelling of the surname Möckel was changed in America into Meckel.
Conrad Meckel who lived in Fredericksburg was a wheelwright. Possibly his first name was Heinrich and Conrad was the man's middle name. He ran a store in the town, he was also a cattle trader.

On 6 June 1853, Conrad married a three year younger Miss Henriette Luckenbach.

Record source: "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGC-2D6 : 22 December 2016), Conrad Meckel and Henrietta Luckenbach, 12 Jun 1853; citing Gillespie, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,801.

Seven years later, the couple lived with their children August and Emilie in Precinct 2, Gillespie County, TX. Conrad's brother Henry was recorded at their dwelling during the 1860 Census (4).

On an October day in 1866, Conrad and his two brothers Bernhard and Heinrich (Henry) left Fredericksburg with their cattle. They headed towards Mr. Meckel's ranch which was situated at Willow Creek. After about twelve miles the brothers parted. Bernhard took some cattle and went to Squaw Creek. Conrad and Heinrich reached the Meckel's ranch and returned to Fredericksburg. On their to the town, on the third day of their trip between Loyal Valley and Cherry Spring, the two men stopped for a rest. At that spot, they were attacked by Indians and killed. Conrad was shot in the head and knee. The bodies of the brothers were later found by Ludolph Meier. Their clothes, guns, and horses had been stolen. Conrad and Heinrich were buried at the Fredericksburg Cemetery.
Sometime after the fatal incident, the Indians were seen with the horse which had been owned by Conrad Meckel (5).

Henriette Luckenbach Meckel lived seven years longer. She passed on 17 Sept. 1917.

We are related to Mr. Conrad Meckel via Louis Carl Luckenbach. He was Louis' uncle by marriage.

Conrad Meckel
⇒ his wife Henriette (Luckenbach) Meckel
⇒ her brother Friedrich Wilhelm Luckenbach
⇒ his son Louis Carl Luckenbach
⇒ his wife Jeannie Katherine Hart
⇒ her sister Elizabeth (Hart) Angel
⇒ her husband Rufus Monroe Angel - our 3rd cousin once removed
⇒ his father James Monroe Angel
⇒ his mother Elizabeth Sarah (Gant) Angel
⇒ her father Benjamin Thomas Gant
⇒ his brother Jacob Rippy Gant - our great-great-grandfather

Passengers lists (6)

recorded the immigrants who came on various vessels from Germany to Texas. Among them, there were quite a few persons by the name Meckel from the village of Bicken in Nassau Germany. Some of them settled in Comal County, TX. Maybe relatives of Conrad Meckel of Fredericksburg?

John George Meckel, age 41, arrived on Herschel in 1845, with wife Catherine nee Graaf, age 29, Catherine age 23, Anna Elisabeth age 21, Phillip D age 11, and Catherine age 9. They settled in Comal County.

John Phillip Meckel (32) arrived on Herschel in 1845 with wife Catherine (30) and children Wilhelm Friedrich (7), Pauline (5) and Friedrich (3). John passed on 4 August 1848, his wife on 4 March 1846.

Catherina Elisa Meckel came to Texas on Herschel in 1845. Her place of origin and destination was not recorded.

Phillip Heinrich Meckel settled in Comal County as well. He came to Texas on Hersce4l 1845 as well. Phillip was 25 then.

Wilhelm Meckel of Braunschweig sailed on Brig Semiramus. He left Bremen on 18 August 1845 and arrived in Galveston on 22 Oct. 1845.

UPDATE

I have been contacted by Mr. H. Meckel (a relation of Konrad Meckel ) of Germany who provided me with detailed information regarding Konrad, his siblings and ancestors. I am delighted to share the news with you.

1. The surname is and was Meckel - no changes of spelling occured during/after Konrad's immigration to Texas.

2. Konrad was born in Geisenheim - province of Nassau. He was born on 11 Nov. 1826 as the grave marker says (you can see it in one of the photos included in the text). I did not mention it in the above text though as I thought the marker would speak for itself. I did, however, deliberate on a possible Konrad's relation's (and his date of birth) who emigrated to different part of America. It all could cause a confusion regarding Konrad's passing day.

3. Konrad's parents were Conrad Meckel (b. 1773) and Gertrude Mebreuerinn
 
His siblings:
Elisabeth (b. 1811), Adam Meckel (b. 1818), Konrad Meckel (1818 - 1819), Georg Meckel (b.1820). Elisabeth Meckel (b.1822/d. 1905), Susanne Meckel (b. 1825), Bernhard Meckel (b.1829/d. 1903)

Thank you Mr. H. Meckel!

Sources:
1. "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCLJ-3SH: 13 December 2017), Conrad Meckel, 1860.

2. "Ohio, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1977", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGDZ-TG2Q : 3 June 2019), Conrad or Konrad Mackel or Meckel, 1859.

3. "Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NH1S-94L : 10 February 2018), Conrad Franz Peter Möckel, 09 Dec 1827; citing ; FHL microfilm 1,055,682.

4. "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXFX-GB4: 12 December 2017), Conrad Meckel, 1860. 

5. "Fredericksburg, Texas ... The First Fifty Years. A Translation of Penniger's 50th Anniversary Festival Edition", Fredericksburg Publishing Co., Inc., 1971, page 75. 

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