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 Heinrich Mordhorst Posted by:  WalksfarTX
N 29° 42.806 W 098° 06.574
14R E 586127 N 3287364
Marker is between the graves of Heinrich (Henry) Mordhorst and his wife in Comal Cemetery.
Waymark Code: WM16ZE3
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 11/05/2022
Views: 3
Marker gives us information on this German immigrant who designed and constructed many unique cemetery markers right here in this cemetery.
Marker Number: 17801
Marker Text:
Artisan and craftsman Heinrich (Henry) T. Mordhorst was born in 1864 to Heinrich and Louise Mordhorst in Rostock, Germany. The family immigrated to the U.S. in 1881, settling first in Pomeroy, Ohio, then later in New Braunfels. Learning the earthenware trade from his father, Mordhorst established the Comal Earthenware Company along the nearby Comal River with partner Emil Heinen in 1906. He soon shifted his focus, though, to a relatively new building material - cement. As a cement finisher, he contributed to the development of New Braunfels in the first decades of the twentieth century, and his works included the sidewalks, cellars, water troughs, curbing and cisterns, as well as the New Braunfels International and Great Northern Railroad Station and houses which were built of concrete blocks to look like shaped stone.
Mordhorst is perhaps most recognized for his distinctive grave covers and other funerary decoration. Working with cement and seashells, he created ornate and unusual designs, many adorned with large Atlantic cockleshells obtained from suppliers in Rockport and Galveston on the Texas coast. Seen throughout the region, his covers featured rectangular bases with rounded tops, with shells often in linear rows. His grave decorations have been identified in cemeteries throughout central Texas and as far away as Orange Grove (Jim Wells Co.) in South Texas. Many of the best examples of his artistry are located in the Comal Cemetery in New Braunfels.
Heinrich Mordhorst died on February 5, 1928, in New Braunfels. His lasting legacies as an artisan and craftsman are among his many contributions to the economic development and rich cultural heritage of his adopted hometown and country.
(2013)
Marker is property of the State of Texas
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