Schertz in Comal County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Saint Joseph Cemetery
Schertz Historic Site
Photographed by James Hulse, April 11, 2022
1. Saint Joseph Cemetery Marker
Inscription.
Saint Joseph Cemetery. Schertz Historic Site. This cemetery has been recorded as a historic Texas cemetery by the Texas Historical Commission. Its origins are traced to the burial of Peter Ignazwenzel on February 2, 1884. Ignaz was a German immigrant who was among the first founders of New Braunfels, Texas and Comal Village. Ignaz requested that he be buried on his land and that one acre surrounding his grave be set aside as a cemetery. On March 3, 1884, his widow Anna Maria (Friesenhahn) Wenzel donated land for the cemetery to the Catholic Bishop of San Antonio. In 1925, Ignaz' descendents sold one half acre to the Catholic Bishop to enlarge the cemetery. In 1948, Willie Wenzel donated .7 acre for the parking lot and driveway. Except for a small number of Hispanic laborers buried in the northwest corner, most of the early burials were either descendants of Ignaz and Anna Maria or of Anna's two brothers Andreas and Nicolas Friesenhahn, or of Anna's half-brother Heinrich Syring. The Wenzels and those other families resting on these sacred grounds possessed an unfaltering commitment to their religious beliefs as evidenced by the beautiful Saint Joseph's Chapel they erected nearby.
This cemetery has been recorded as a historic Texas cemetery by the Texas Historical Commission. Its origins are traced to the burial of Peter Ignazwenzel on February 2, 1884. Ignaz was a German immigrant who was among the first founders of New Braunfels, Texas and Comal Village. Ignaz requested that he be buried on his land and that one acre surrounding his grave be set aside as a cemetery. On March 3, 1884, his widow Anna Maria (Friesenhahn) Wenzel donated land for the cemetery to the Catholic Bishop of San Antonio. In 1925, Ignaz' descendents sold one half acre to the Catholic Bishop to enlarge the cemetery. In 1948, Willie Wenzel donated .7 acre for the parking lot and driveway. Except for a small number of Hispanic laborers buried in the northwest corner, most of the early burials were either descendants of Ignaz and Anna Maria or of Anna's two brothers Andreas and Nicolas Friesenhahn, or of Anna's half-brother Heinrich Syring. The Wenzels and those other families resting on these sacred grounds possessed an unfaltering commitment to their religious beliefs as evidenced by the beautiful Saint Joseph's Chapel they erected
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nearby.
Erected by Schertz Historical Preservation Committee.
Location. 29° 38.858′ N, 98° 13.268′ W. Marker is in Schertz, Texas, in Comal County. It is at the intersection of Wenzel Lane and Farm to Market Road 482, on the right when traveling north on Wenzel Lane. The marker is located at the entrance to the Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: New Braunfels TX 78132, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Hill Country and in the San Antonio Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, and one of the Confederate States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies:
Photographed by James Hulse, April 11, 2022
2. The Saint Joseph Cemetery Marker with a Texas Historic plaque
Another marker is no longer nearby. Schertz Historic Site (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been confirmed missing).
Photographed by James Hulse, April 11, 2022
3. The Saint Joseph Cemetery and Marker
Photographed by James Hulse, April 11, 2022
4. The Saint Joseph Cemetery
Credits. This page was last revised on April 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 13, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 794 times since then and 87 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 14, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
