German Pioneers of Texas Monument - New Braunfels, TX
Posted by: 
vhasler
N 29° 42.712 W 098° 08.163
14R E 583567 N 3287170
Bronze monument of three German figures (father, mother, and son) located in Landa Park. The lengthy inscriptions on four of the five plaques were transcribed for this waymark.
Waymark Code: WMKPQ7
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 05/12/2014
Views: 15
Official Description: Three figures dressed in pioneer clothing of the 1800s placed atop a boulder. A man is standing with his hand outstretched, a woman is seated holding a book on her lap, and a young boy stands next to her.
Inscriptions: F. GARGANH AND SONS FDRY and HUGO VILLA
The front plaque of the five reads:
"The first German settlements in Texas were industry in Austin County, founded by Friedrich Ernst in 1831, Beigel in Fayette County, founded by Joseph Biegel in 1832, Cat Spring in Austin County, founded by the Von Roeder, Kleberg, and Amsler families in 1834, and Frelsburg in Colorado County founded by Wlliam Frels about 1837.
From 1840 to 1860, settlements were made at Blumenthal and San Bernard in Colorado County, at Millheim, Shelby, New Ulm, and Welcome in Austin County at Nassau Farm, Ross Prairie, O’Quinn, High Hill, and Round Top in Fayette County, at Latium and Berlin in Washington County, at Coletoville in Victoria County, at Yorktown, Meyersville, and Hochheim in DeWitt County, and at Indianola in Calhoun County. Some of the immigrants settled in Galveston and Harris County. Most of the German settlers in these counties came from Holstein, Oldenburg, and Westphalia."
The one on the left side:
"On the western frontier of Texas the “Verein Zum Schutze Deutscher Einwanderer in Texas” founded seven settlements from 1845 to 1847 – New Braunfels, Fredericksburg, Castell, Leiningen, Schoenburg, Meerholz, and Bettina, under the direction of Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels, Baron John O. Meusebach, Jean J. Von Coll, Hermann Spiess, Louis Bene, and Gustav Schleicher.
Other settlements were made in pioneer days at Comaltown, Hortontown, Neighborsville, Comal Creek, Cibolo, Mission Hill, Smithsons Valley, Waco Springs, Buffalo Springs, and Upper Blanco in Comal County. Yorks Creek, Schumannsville, Santa Clara, and Marion in Guadalupe County. Live Oak, Pedernales, Grape Creek, Caldwellshill, and Cherry Spring in Gillespie County. Sisterdale and Boerne in Kendall County. Comfort in Kerr County, and Cypress Mill in Blanco County. Many of the early immigrants settled in the cities of Sand Antonio and Austin, as also other places. The settlers came mostly from Nassau, Hess-Darmstadt, Hesse-Cassel, and Hanover."
And on the right:
"This monument is dedicated to the memory of the German pioneers who helped convert a wilderness into the great state of Texas. Voll Sehnsucht nach dem vielgelobten lande der dutsche schiffte himzum fernen strand zerriss mit starkem sinn die teuren bande. Die fest ihn knuepften an sein heimatland. Als frier mann betrat en diesen boden, zu weihem ihm die ungeteilte krage. Zu ihm begeisterungvoll die gluten lohten. Durch dfe allein der mensch das grosse schafft. Zum garten schuf der deutsche jene wildnis. Zu allen guen legte er den keim. Er offenbarte seiner seele bildnis im schoenen, selbst geschaffenen, trauten heim. Ferd. Lohmann
Second to the right:
"The German pioneers aided the economic life of Texas. They improved the methods of agriculture and animal husbandry and organized agricultural and horticultural societies. They worked at many crafts in their shops, and their products were widely known along the frontier. They harnessed the water power of the streams for sawmills and grist mills.
They favored education and organized schools in many of the settlements. Hermann Seele under the elm trees below the Sophienburg taught the first school in New Braunfels. In 1856, New Braunfels levied the first special school tax in the state. They founded Hermann’s University in Fayette County in 1844 and the West Texas University at Neu Wied near New Braunfels in 1850. They supported religion and founded Catholic, Lutheran, and Methodist congregations in the communities.
They appreciated music and the drama and promoted them with their dramatic, literary, and singing societies. In 1854 they organized the “Deutsch-Texanischer Staats-Saengerbund” and later the “Texas Gebirgs Saengerbund”. They saw painting develop under Rohrdorf, Lungkwitz, Petri, and Iwonski, and sculpture under Elisabet Ney. They learned through the work of Lindheimer, Ervendberg, Roemer, and Meusebach. They enjoyed and fostered social life in many ways."
The missing plaque is the reverse side, which begins "Among the political interests and acheivements of the German...".
Erected A.D. 1838 by the “Monument Association for the German Pioneers of Texas, Inc.”
John R. Fuchs President
Carl Biebers Vice-President
Henry B. Dielmann Secretary
Paul J. Hertting Treasurer
Trustees: Geo. Haeusler, G.F. Neuhaeuser, Paul W. Jahn, Robt. H. Wagenfeuhr, Alex Brinkmann, Dr. Max Freund, Ferd. Ohlendorf, C.A. Goeth, and W.M Trenckmann. Leo M.J. Dielmann, architect. Hugo Villa, sculptor."
TITLE: German Pioneers of Texas Monument
ARTIST(S): Hugo Villa, Leo M. J. Dielmann, F. Garganh and Sons Foundry
DATE: 1938
MEDIUM: Copper on a pink granite base
CONTROL NUMBER: IAS TX000167
Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link]
PHYSICAL LOCATION:
Landa Park - near the Founders Oak
DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH:
Further plaque information captured in Long Description.
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