Victoria in Victoria County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Coletoville Cemetery
When an epidemic of diphtheria hit the German settlement of Steinerville, established in 1849, two of August and Thekla Spitzer's children died. Ten-year-old Henry and six-year-old Robert were buried by their parents in 1872 on this site. In May of 1872, the Spitzer's deeded the land to the trustees of the new school and evangelic German church of the German community of Steinerville. The community was later renamed Coletoville for the nearby Coleto Creek.
Both Thekla and August Spitzer are buried in the cemetery. The oldest birth dates are those of Eva Voigt and Joseph Weiser, both born in 1812. Several veterans of major American and international conflicts are interred here.
In 1970, the church, now called Martin Luther Lutheran Church, deeded the cemetery land to the Coletoville Cemetery Association. The church and cemetery became two separate institutions for the first time, though community members of all faiths have traditionally been buried here. Burial sites are marked in rows and spaces rather than in plots, and graves are arranged in consecutive order by date. Many of the oldest markers were originally made of sandstone. A 1997 count revealed 623 marked and 78 unmarked graves.
Erected 1997 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 12272.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1849.
Location. 28° 45.619′ N, 97° 8.8′ W. Marker is in Victoria, Texas, in Victoria County. Marker is on Coletoville Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2583 Coletoville Rd, Victoria TX 77905, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Cologne Community (approx. 4.2 miles away); Site of Battle of El Perdido (approx. 6.3 miles away); Murphy Ranch (approx. 6.6 miles away); Union Missionary Baptist Church (approx. 7.1 miles away); From Battlefield to Picnic Grounds (approx. 7.3 miles away); People Make a Park (approx. 7.3 miles away); Battle of Coleto and Goliad Massacre (approx. 7.3 miles away); The Centennial (approx. 7.3 miles away).
Credits. This page was last revised on September 28, 2022. It was originally submitted on September 27, 2022, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. This page has been viewed 81 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 27, 2022, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.