Edward Degener

Unlike Ottomar von Behr whose life was cut short after only a few years in Texas, Edward Degener had a long and distinguished career. Born in Brunswick, Germany, on 20 October 1809, Mr. Degener served as a member of the Anhalt-Dessau legislature and the first National Assembly at Frankfurt-am-Main in 1848, prior to emigrating to the United States. Arriving in Texas in 1850 he settled in Sisterdale as a farmer. When he arrived he purchased the original house built by Nicolaus Zink, the first building in the Latin community of Sisterdale. Zink, the surveyor of New Braunfels, left that town in an ox wagon on his way to Fredericksburg early in 1847. One night he camped at such a wonderful spot at the mouth of Sister Creek that he decided to stay there.

During the Civil War Degener, as a Union supporter, was arrested by Confederates for sedition. Although he pleaded innocent, he was found guilty and had to post a bond of $5,000. His sons Hilmar and Hugo died during the Battle of Nueces in October 1862. Later Degener, Edward Steves, and William Heuermann purchased land for the Treue der Union Monument. Degener had been on the advisory board of the Union Loyal League in Sisterdale. After the death of his two sons he and others began to leave Sisterdale. He went to San Antonio.

After the Civil War Mr. Degener served in Texas' constitutional conventions of 1866 and 1868-1869. One of his greatest efforts was to see universal suffrage in Texas. However, it would be many years before this happened.

After Texas was re-admitted to full statehood, Degener was elected to the Forty-first United States Congress, 31 March 1870-3 March 1871. He failed to secure  re-election.

Mr. Degener's business concerns included the San Antonio National Bank which opened in 1866 in the French Building on Main Plaza. In November 1873 he purchased an interest in the San Antonio Express for $500.00.

From 1872 to 1878 Edward Degener served on the San Antonio City Council.

In 1878 his son Hans, a lumber dealer, was living with him and his wife. He retired in 1885. His home was at the corner of Avenue C and Travis Street.

Mr. Degener died on 11 September 1890 and is buried in Plot 6, Lot B of City Cemetery # 1. His wife Marie was born in 1815 and died in 1891 and is buried beside him.

Who were the Lateiners--Freethinkers?

Who were the Lateiners--Texas' Freethinkers?

Simply put, they were a group of nineteenth-century German intellectuals. We must remember that Germany until 1871 was a confederation of independent states, similar to the American colonies prior to the current constitution.

These intellectuals, among whom were scientists, nobles, physicians, engineers, astronomers, and others, began to resent the authority and restrictions of organized religion and political absolutism they faced in Germany. Individually and in groups these "Freethinkers" began to flee their homeland for what they hoped would be freedom and democracy in America. They settled in various parts of the United States, but our primary concern here is with those who came to Texas.

The first group arrived in Texas in early 1847, led by Dr. Ferdinand Herff and settled  at what became known as Betina, at the union of the Llano River and Elm Creek. Other settlements soon followed: Millheim in Austin County, Latium in Washington County, Sisterdale and Tusculum (Boerne) in Kendall County. These are collectively known as the Latin Colonies since their inhabitants, German intellectuals, were said to hold discussions in Latin from time to time. The name Lateiners ("Latin ones") referred to these men.

The German revolution of 1848 hastened the flight of these individuals and their families to the United States. Edwin Scharf (see his essay in the right-side column) estimates one thousand Freethinkers, with about two hundred-fifty surnames, came to the Texas Hill Country. Unfortunately, many of these families are unknown to us. The list in the left column is a composite from several sources. They were among several thousand other Germans to make their homes here. It is these Lateiners with whom we are especially interested in this blog.

If you have information or family stories about those listed, or others, please send us your comments.

Ottomar von Behr

Ottomar von Behr, born in Anhalt-Cothen, Germany, moved to Sisterdale in 1847. Near Sisterdale, some thirteen miles north of Boerne, Behr raised a mixed breed of sheep of German and Mexican strains. Among his neighbors were Ernst Kapp, Adolph Douai, August Siemering, Julius Dresel, and others.

When Frederick Law Olmsted toured Texas prior to the Civil War he visited with Behr.
Von Behr's "castle" is described as a new log house without a roof. The family occupied a lean-to in the rear. The house was "...the very picture of good-nature, science, and back-woods. Romances and philosophies were piled in heaps in a corner of the logs. A dozen guns and rifles, and a Madonna, in oil, after Murillo, filled a blank on the wall. Deer-skins covered the bed, clothes hung about upon antlers, snake-skins were streched to dry upon the bedstead, barometer, whisky, powder-horns, and specimens of Saxony wool occupied the table."

Baron von Behr was described thusly, "He was partly bald, but seemed to have an imperturbable and happy good-nature that gave him eternal youth. A genial cultivation beamed from his face."

They ate a Texas supper of corn-bread, frijoles, with coffee, as they discussed sheep raising.

About a year after the visit with Ottomar von Behr, the Baron returned to Germany to collect rent on property he still owned there. He died on the return trip.

(Source: A Journey Through Texas...by Frederick Law Olmsted, New York: Dix, Edwards & Co., 1857, pages 191-193)

This blog was originally the idea of Dr. Scott Baird, Professor Emeritus of Applied Linguistics at San Antonio's Trinity University. A number of years ago Scott became interested in gravemarkers and, more importantly, what they said about the community that created them. Eventually, he began investigating cemeteries of German communities in the Texas Hill Country. Finally, in April 2011, at the annual meeting of the American Culture Association, Scott presented a paper entitled "The Lateiners at Rest: Gravemarkers of the Lionized Texas German Intellectuals." (http://www.scottbairdphd.com/) At the same time he announced the creation of this blog as a co-operative venture with the Texana/Genealogy department of the San Antonio Public Library. For various reasons it was decided to create the blog here.

The Lateiner blog has several purposes:
1. Present the history of the Texas Lateiners (German Freethinkers)
2. Present biographical sketches of known Lateiners
3. Try to identify a number of unknown Lateiners
4. Share family stories about your Lateiner ancestors.