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History in
a Pecan Shell
Cherry Spring was
a stop along the San Antonio-El
Paso road and had a moderate success taking care of the needs
of travelers. The community dates from the late 1840s / early 1850s
when German settlers left the safety of Fredericksburg
to strike out on their own. Dietrich Rode and William Kothe are credited
with being town founders. A Lutheran church was built there in 1849.
A post office was opened by 1858, and within two years there were
over 200 people - three quarters of them German immigrants who farmed
and/or kept sheep. Famed German colonist and Indian negotiator John
O. Meusebach was buried at Cherry Spring in 1897.
Without a railroad and far from large cities, Cherry Spring never
grew past it's initial growth spurt - and by 1912 there still weren't
enough people to warrant a post office. In 1933 the population was
reportedly 40 - but in the 1960s it fell to less than 10. It increased
to 75 about the time Fredericksburg
was being "discovered" in the late 1960s and the same figure is given
in 2004.
Detailed TXDoT maps of Gillespie
County show no fewer than twelve cemeteries within eight miles
of Cherry Springs. |
Cherry Spring,
Texas Landmarks
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Christ Evangelical
Lutheran Church
Photo courtesy Justin
Parson, April 2006 |
Historical marker:
Christ Evangelical
Lutheran Church
German Lutherans
in the community of Cherry Spring began meeting together for worship
in the 1850s. Diedrich Rode (1828-1925), a licensed lay minister,
provided space in his home for worship services and Sunday School.
Christ Church congregation was officially organized in 1905. John
and Mary Rode Wendel gave land for a church building in December 1905,
and a rock sanctuary was completed in 1906. Services were conducted
in the German language until 1922, when occasional English services
were added. In the 1950s English became the principal language.
1988 |
Christ Evangelical
Lutheran Church Historical Marker
Photo courtesy Justin
Parson, April 2006 |
The Old Cherry
Spring School
Photo courtesy Justin
Parson, April 2006 |
Historical marker:
Old Cherry
Spring School
Das Alte Schulhaus
The Cherry Spring
community was founded by German immigrants about 1850. Classes for
schoolchildren originally were held in private homes. In 1859 German
nobleman Wilhelm Marschall Von Bieberstein deeded ten acres of land
to L. Schneider, H. Bradhering, W. Kothe, C. Ahrens, C. Kothe, and
F. Doering for construction of a schoolhouse. Classes were held in
the original part of this building from 1860 through 1878. The schoolhouse
later was used for church services and was the site of the formal
organization of Christ Lutheran Church in 1905.
1985 |
Old Cherry Spring
School and marker
Photo courtesy Justin
Parson, April 2006 |
Old Cherry Spring
School Historical Marker
Photo courtesy Justin
Parson, April 2006 |
"A cool
little cemetery surrounded by a stone wall" -
Photo courtesy Justin
Parson, April 2006 |
Marschall-Meusebach
Cemetery Historical Marker
Photo courtesy Justin
Parson, April 2006 |
Historical marker:
The Marschall-Meusebach
Cemetery
Members of the
families of two former German noblemen, related by marriage, are buried
in this cemetery. John
O. Meusebach (1812-97), who came to the Republic of Texas in 1845
as leader of the German Emigration Company, established (1846) the
town of Fredericksburg and
signed (1847) an historic
peace treaty with the Comanche Indians. Wilhelm Marschall Von
Bierberstein (1822-1902) settled in this community in 1848. First
burial here was that of Marschall's sister-in-law, Mathilda Weiss
(1824-91).
1976 |
The Marschall-Meusebach
Cemetery
Photo courtesy Justin
Parson, April 2006 |
"What looked
like the oldest stone was carved in German."
Photo courtesy Justin
Parson, April 2006 |
German Gravestone
The German grave stone on this page is easily translated to:
Louise von Marschall
GEB short for "gebuertig" or "born as"
Weiss GEB short for "geboren" or "born on" November 18, 1827
GEST short for "gestorben" or "died on" January 23, 1901
Enjoy and hope it helps someone,
- CODY WAITS
Camp Speicher
Tikrit, Iraq,
October 30, 2006 |
| March
2016 photo © Michael Barr |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and vintage/historic photos, please contact
us. |
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