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 Nicolaus Zink
N 29° 53.400 W 098° 47.236
14R E 520540 N 3306614
Texas Historical Marker commemorating the outstanding contributions of German engineer, Nicolaus Zink, to German immigration and other pursuits in Texas, in front of a gate at the Don Strange Ranch, south of Welfare, TX on the Waring-Welfare Road.
Waymark Code: WMM1QB
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 07/04/2014
Views: 2
Zink gets some coverage in Bronson Malsch's "Indianola," the doomed port in South Texas that served as the gateway for the colony referenced on the historical marker.
Marker Number: 3595
Marker Text:
In 1844, Bavarian-born civil engineer Nicolaus Zink (1812-1887) was selected to lead a group of German immigrants overseas to establish settlements on a Texas land grant. This colonization effort was headed by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels and financed by a German corporation known as the Mainzer Adelsverein.
Upon arrival in Texas in late 1844, Zink realized that the grant to be settled by the colonists was in the heart of Comanche Indian territory. He persuaded Prince Solms to settle at an alternate site, which became the town of New Braunfels. Zink's leadership in the face of unrest, disease, starvation, and monetary problems was vital to the survival of the colony. He eventually was responsible for the supervision of about one-half of the German immigrants bound for New Braunfels.
After 1847, Zink built homes in a variety of places, including Sisterdale, Comfort, and an area south of Fredericksburg. In 1868, he acquired this property and built the central portion of the limestone house southeast of this site. He later gave land for and helped engineer the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad bed to Kerrville. Zink lived here until his death and is buried in an unmarked grave near this site. (1984)
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