Philip Engelke - Riesel, TX
N 31° 29.143 W 096° 53.687
14R E 699970 N 3485352
A memorial to cemetery benefactor, Philip Engelke, stands in front of a small tabernacle near the gate into historic Friedens Cemetery, Riesel, TX.
Waymark Code: WM14GHD
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 07/05/2021
Views: 2
A 2009 Texas Historical Marker is just inside the cemetery gate, and it provides some background, noting Herr Engelke's generous donation:
In 1903, eight local families formed a German Lutheran Church, later known as Friedens Evangelical and Reformed United Church of Christ. Associated with the church, a burial ground was also established on this property, which was donated by Philip Engelke. Although the church moved to Riesel from this location in 1908, parishioners and others continued to use this cemetery. Grave marker epitaphs written in German reflect Riesel's heritage as a settlement established by German families. Other cemetery features include vertical stones and family plots. A cemetery committee cares for the burial ground, which chronicles the history of a congregation and of the pioneers who settled this area.
The memorial itself is a small steel plaque attached to a pole under the cemetery tabernacle. Interesting to note is a crude concrete base into which is scratched "WJE 96". That was probably the work of a descendent -- Herr Engelke's son and daughter-in-law are buried here, with a few of their children -- but there are no obvious candidates to be found; it's possible and likely that WJE is still with us. The plaque itself reads:
In Memory of
Philip Engelke
Donated this land to
Friedens E & R Church
1904