Weesatche in Goliad County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

St. Andrew's Lutheran Church

Photographed By James Hulse, October 23, 2023

1. St. Andrew's Lutheran Church Marker

Inscription. The community of Weesatche began in the late 1840s and 1850s as Middletown. Most early settlers were farmers, ranchers, laborers and of professional occupations, many of them German immigrants or of German descent. When the Methodist church moved to the south side of Coleto Creek, the community organized St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in 1891 with Reverend Theodore Ander. Gottlieb Friedrichs donated land for a church, cemetery and pastor's house. A church building was dedicated in May 1893 with services conducted entirely in the German language until the 1940s.

In 1929, a new church with German architectural influences was built to accommodate growing membership. After World War II, a parish hall was added to the church facilities. Both are still in use and reflect continuity through changing times. Adjacent to the church is the St. Andrew's Lutheran Cemetery with more than 500 burials, dutifully maintained by the congregation.

The church, comprised of many members of the community, also participated in the local band and choir. In times of need, especially during wartime, church members organized service projects and donated aid, in addition to financial support overseas. The decades-old youth program and Ladies Aid Society, bible studies and ministries, and commitment to family and community honor the hope and intention

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of those who settled this area. The congregation of St. Andrew's continues to bless their community and preserve their church, cemetery and heritage.

Erected 2019 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 22508.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Churches & Religion. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1893.

Location. 28° 50.409′ N, 97° 26.567′ W. Marker is in Weesatche, Texas, in Goliad County. Marker is on Church Road, 0.1 miles south of State Highway 119, on the right when traveling south. The marker is located at the front of the church. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1286 Church Rd, Goliad TX 77963, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Weser (approx. 5 miles away); Lithuanians in Texas (approx. 7 miles away); Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery (approx. 10.1 miles away); Holy Cross Catholic Church (approx. 10.2 miles away); De Witt County (approx. 10.3 miles away); DeWitt County Veterans Memorial (approx. 10.4 miles away); C. Eckhardt & Sons Building (approx. 10.4 miles away); John York and Charles Eckhardt (approx. 10.4 miles away).

Also see . . . Weesatche, TX. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA)

Weesatche (Wesatch,
Photographed By James Hulse, October 23, 2023

2. The front of the St. Andrew's Lutheran Church and Marker
Wesatche), on State Highway 119 thirteen miles north of Goliad in northern Goliad County, was established in the late 1840s or early 1850s. It was originally named Middletown, since it was midway between Goliad and Clinton on the Old Goliad Road. Early census information is inaccurate, but school rolls indicate that of ten county schools, two were in the Weesatche area and enrolled fifty-one children. The Middletown post office was established on November 22, 1855. The name, however, generated confusion with another Middletown, Texas (in Comal County), prompting residents to rename their town after the huisache, or sweet acacia tree, common in the area. The new post office was named in May 1860, but its designation was misspelled, "a monument to the bold, independent phonetic way that Texans often spell their place names," according to Texas journalist Frank X. (Francis) Tolbert. Oldtimers persisted in calling their town Middletown into the twentieth century; local stories tell that Main Street divided the designations, with Weesatche on the north side and Middletown on the south.

(Submitted on October 26, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

The St. Andrew's Lutheran Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, October 23, 2023

3. The St. Andrew's Lutheran Church

Credits. This page was last revised on October 26, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 25, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 85 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 26, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.