Histories

Carl Schaefer - Texas First Families 

TX000069 is a life member of The Sons of the Republic of Texas as a descendant from Carl Schaefer.

Carl Schaefer's ancestors can be found in the Schadeck, Germany, records as far back as the 1600s. Carl Schaefer was a butcher and a farmer. The Carl Schaefer family left the port of Bremen, Germany, on 16 September 1844 under contract with the Society for the Protection of the German Immigrants in Texas (aka the Verein).  They transferred to the ship "Johann Dethardt" which sailed for Texas and landed at Galveston on 21 November 1844. The ship then sailed south and landed at Indianola on 29 November 1844. The family spent all of December 1844 on the Texas Coast with the rest of the German immigrants. They then made the inland trek and were among the settlers who founded New Braunfels on 21 March 1845. 

Carl Schaefer was custodian of the two church bells which were brought from Germany and were used in the First Protestant Church in New Braunfels until 1894. These bells were used on 4 April 1845 during the dedication ceremonies of the founding of New Braunfels. The Carl Schaefer family was enrolled in Rev. Ervendberg's congregation listing of the German Protestant Church as numbers 154 through 164. 

The Schaefer family also received lots in the new town. Carl received Town Lot 35, son Carl received Town Lot 103, and son Philipp received Town Lot 99. Carl also received Acre Lot 99. 

Tragedy struck the family as the mother Elisabeth died 29 June 1845, followed by Carl on 11 August 1845, and daughter Christiane later in 1845. The surviving children were among the first orphans of the new town.

The known children of Carl Schaefer and Elisabeth Ackermann were 

(1) Friedericke Schaefer, b. 24 Jan 1824, spouse Heinrich Schoene(r) 

(2) Johann Carl Schaefer, b. 10 Feb 1826, spouse Maria Elisabeth Kimpel 

(3) Philipp Schaefer, born 01 Jul 1828, spouse Caroline Friederike Rueckle 

(4) Friedrich "Fritz" Schaefer, born 30 Oct 1830, spouse Marianna Hof 

(5) Christina Schaefer, born 07 Apr 1833, died Sep 1845, no spouse 

(6) Conrad Schaefer, born 03 Aug 1835, died 11 Apr 1836, no spouse 

(7) Elisabeth Schaefer, born 11 Feb 1837, spouse unknown 

(8) Anna Sophie Schaefer, born 01 Oct 1842, spouse Leo Mutchler 

(9) Heinrich "Henry" Schaefer, born 1842, spouses Catharine Wetz & Fanny Braun

Rev. Ervendberg's Church Membership List, April 1845, First Protestant Church Records (English Typed version).

Fey, Everett Anthony, New Braunfels: The First Founders, Vol. I (Austin, Texas: Eakin Press, 1994), ISBN 0-89015-987-4. Vol. I The History, pp. 47, 111, 117, 126, 129, 132, 139, 150, 152, 254, 260, 265, 267, 286, 518, 519.

Hass, Oscar, History Of New Braunfels And Comal County, Texas 1844-1946 (Austin, Texas: Hart Graphics, 1968), Library of Congress Catalog Card 68-27693.