Schulenburg in Fayette County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Jacob Wolters Log Cabin
Photographed By James Hulse, December 20, 2020
1. Jacob Wolters Log Cabin Marker
Inscription.
Jacob Wolters Log Cabin. . , This log cabin erected at Industry, Austin Co. Texas in 1835 by Jacob Wolters., Moved to Wolters Park in Schulenburg, Texas, by the Wolters-Herder Family Ass'n. in August 1941. Dedicated on June 14, 1942 to the memory of past generations, to the enjoyment of the present and to the care and preservation of the generations to come.
This log cabin erected at Industry, Austin Co. Texas in 1835 by Jacob Wolters.
Moved to Wolters Park in Schulenburg, Texas, by the Wolters-Herder Family Ass'n. in August 1941. Dedicated on June 14, 1942 to the memory of past generations, to the enjoyment of the present and to the care and preservation of the generations to come.
Erected 1942 by The Wolters-Herder Family Association.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical date for this entry is June 14, 1942.
Location. 29° 40.532′ N, 96° 54.758′ W. Marker is in Schulenburg, Texas, in Fayette County. Marker is at the intersection of Bohlman Avenue and Black Street, on the right when traveling south on Bohlman Avenue. The marker is located on the cabin which is in the Wolters Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Schulenburg TX 78956, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regarding Jacob Wolters Log Cabin. Historic Wolters Cabin moved to Wolters Park - The article printed below was published in the Schulenburg Sticker of last week and will be of interest to many readers: Recently, there has been moved to and rebuilt at Wolters Park in our city, a log cabin which for one hundred and six years stood on its original tract of land near Industry, in Austin County. This cabin was the first Texas home of the Wolters-Herder family, now numbering between four and five hundred descendants in our state and other states in the Union. They have made places for themselves in all walks of life -from farmer and merchant to the banker, lawyer, doctors and teacher, and executive of large industries. In 1834, two pioneer emigrated from Germany to Frelsburg, Colorado County - Jacob Wolters, the first, and George Herder, the first. After the death of his first wife in the same year Jacob Wolters began construction of his log house a few miles away in the Industry community. The huge oak logs were hewn by Jacob,
Photographed By James Hulse, December 20, 2020
2. The Jacob Wolters Log Cabin Marker is located to the left of the front on the cabin
his young sons, and neighbors. The singles, too, were wrought by hand from cedars growing nearby. The rocks for the foundation and for "chinking" the log walls were hauled by ox-teams from neighboring districts. The walls, laboriously plastered by a mixture of clay and hay, which withstood a century of time, were stripped by the hard Bois d' Arc wood. Upon its completion, Jacob, with his four sons, Robert, August, Ferdinand and Herman, and, his only daughter, Minna, removed to the new home. The housekeeper, a good woman whose name has been lost in the passing of time, but who later made her home in Schulenburg with a daughter, catered to the needs of Jacob's young family. Before Jacob established himself in the culture of tobacco, the manufacture of cigars and rawhide bottom chairs (some of which are still in existence) the war between Texas and Mexico broke out. From his home Jacob left to join Sam Houston and did not return until Texas had gained her independence. In 1841, from this home, sixteen year-old Minna stepped as a bride into the home of her husband, George Herder, the first, thus uniting the two pioneer families. From this union sprang the three hundred Herder descendants now living in various parts of Texas. In 1842, in a wagon drawn by oxen, Jacob drove to Houston to claim his second wife Louise Meyerbrink, the young daughter of a Dutch Lutheran minister. Three sons
Photographed By James Hulse, December 20, 2020
3. Jacob Wolters Log Cabin is located at the entrance to the Wolters Park.
were born to Jacob and Louise, namely, Edward, Theodore and Franklin. Louise brought much life into the old log house. She held within its four walls, the first Lutheran Sunday School of the community. She extended to all new colonists the warm hand of hospitality and gave generously of what ever her larder contained. The regret of the descendants, who in August, 1941, moved the old structure was voiced that the old well, which had quenched the thirst of weary new-comers and their beasts could not be moved. From this old home, August, the second son, joined Zachery Taylor in 1845, in the war between the United States and Mexico, which decided the annexation of Texas to the Union. In 1863, Edward and Theodore marched from the old home to join the Confederate Army. About two years before that, in 1861, Louise valiantly died from the effects of illness contracted through caring for sick, incoming settlers. The door of the old house, which had seen so much coming and going, was darkened as she was carried through it to her last resting place. In 1865, Jacob, and a companion, were both fatally injured when a team, which he was driving, ran away, died in the old log house which he had built. Then the farm passed into the hands of the Franke family, who later built a new home but kept the old one intact. In 1935, under the leadership of the late General Jacob F. Wolters, of Houston, grandson
and namesake of Jacob, the first family reunion was held at Industy and the Wolters-Herder Association formed. The log house was visited by more than four hundred descendants on that occasion. Annual reunions have been held since. In June of this year it was decided to make Wolters Park, dedicated a few years ago by the late R. A Wolters and his sons, A. B. and O. H. Wolters, to the city of Schulenburg, the permanent gathering place of future reunions. It was at this meeting, at the suggestion of Mr. O. H. Wolters that the plan to move the log cabin to Schulenburg was completed. And now the house that has seen a "heap 'o living" in it will stand, as a memorial to the intrepid ancestors for many future generations, under the great old oaks of beautiful Wolters Park in a town which became the home of many of the descendants of the pioneers, Jacob Wolters and George Herder. This cabin was moved and rebuilt by Contractor Frank Bohlmann. Source: Shiner Gazette, Oct 19th, 1941
Credits. This page was last revised on December 25, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 23, 2020, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 293 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on December 23, 2020, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
