The document shown above is the German Immigration Contract of Daniel Lehman who arrived in November 1856.
Many Germans were drawn to Texas by stories of abundant land and personal freedom. This likely influenced Goertz, Hartmann, Wolf, and Lehman. In 1842, the "Verein zum Schutze Deutscher Einwanderer in Texas" ("Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas") was formed in Biebrich on the Rhine to establish a German colony in Texas through organized mass emigration. The Verein was based near Wurges, a village from which several Rockne settlers came, including Phillip Goertz, Andreas Meuth, John Wilhelm, and John Wolf. All contracts required the settler to complete the following within three consecutive years:
Once these conditions were met, the temporary title would be exchanged for a permanent deed granted by the Texas government.
Fr. Victor Goertz, Richard & Anna Goertz, Regina Beck, Flora Mae Beck, Edith Ayers, Celestine Matocha, Alice Beck, James Beck, Francis Goertz, John Beck, Fr. Bernard Goertz, Sr. Mechtilde Goertz, Anita Sanders, Alberta Goertz, Marian Nelson, Elmer Goertz, James Fiebrich, Marianne Schubar, Maria Schubar Thomas Goertz, Luella Cathchings (not pictured, JoAnn Johnson, Anni Balthaus
Rockne, Texas Folks Cross the Pond to Wurges, Germany!
Annie Balthaus played a crucial role in fostering the relationship between Rockne, Texas and Wurges, Germany. She read the Rockne Book and became interested in finding out about her relatives in Texas, making several visits. For many years, Anni diligently worked to connect the descendants of German immigrants to their ancestors from Wurges to Silesia and beyond. She organized tours and graciously welcomed people into her home, providing them with knowledge about their forefathers. She was a beloved friend to many. Anni's extensive research resulted in the publication of a book in 1998: Rockne Region Germans IMMIGRANTS FROM WÜRGES, 1846 - 1883 & THEIR DESTINY IN TEXAS Translated from German to English by Donald C. Goertz, Ph.D.
Map of Germany showing the two areas from which the early settlers originated.
A.) Silesia, Prussia (now a state of Poland)
Daniel and Johanna Erduth Lehman, John T. Carolina, and Pauline, brother Mortiz, leave Silesia, Prussia for the emigration Port of Bremen, Germany, departing on October 12, 1846.
They arrived at Indianola, Texas on November 9, 1846, departing for what would become the Rockne area.
B.) Wurges, Germany - Andreas, Frank and Peter Meuth left Wurges, Germany for the Port of Antwerp, Belgium where they emigrated on September 18, 1846. They arrived at Galveston, Texas on November 18, 1846. They then departed for the Sandy Creek area of Bastrop County.
Interesting Facts
Meuth home in Germany
Wurges in the region of Hesse is located in Germany - some 270 mi or ( 434 km ) South-West of Berlin, the country's capital city.
Rockne and String Prairie, Texas, situated about 10 miles apart in the Southern part of Bastrop County, have their roots in Meuth Hill where the Meuth brothers settled and built a chapel on the second floor of their home. Meuth Hill, the name given to the settlement on Sandy Creek, is located about halfway between String Prairie and Rockne.
The early settlers bought land and became farmers raising their food and then crops like cotton and corn. Chickens, cows, and horses became a part of the farm as the families prospered. The pioneers depended on each other for help and support in everything from barn raising to delivering babies and caring for the sick.
Resources:
ROCKNE, Sacred Heart Parish, Bastrop County, Texas, 1876 - 1976, Updated 1996, by Reverend Alois A. Goertz.
Rockne Region Germans, IMMIGRANTS FROM WÜRGES, 1846-1883 & THEIR DESTINY IN TEXAS BY ANNI BALTHAUS, TRANSLATED FROM GERMAN BY Donald C. Goertz, Ph.D.
Watterson Folk OF BASTROP COUNTY TEXAS by D.L. Vest
The community became known as Walnut Creek for the nearby creek that the first church had been named after, being located one mile north of present-day Rockne.
The Lehman Post Office was in operation between the years 1900–1904 at which time the community became known as Lehmanville
Will Hilbig opened a general store and the community became known as Hilbigville.
It is now known as Leon's Country Store.
The image above is a painting by Joseph M Boer.
Bust of Knute Rockne donated by Jerry McKenna, sculptor from Boerne, TX
Rockne was named by the students of Sacred Heart school after the famous football coach, Knute Rockne, at Notre Dame University during the 1920’s, was killed in a plane crash in 1931.
The Class that named the town Rockne
Top: Annie Louise Frerich & Dora Waneck
Second row: Berta Hoffman Smith, Freda Beck, Elizabeth Bartsch, Alma Bartsch Probst, Lucy Barton Meuth, Christina Seidel Fey, Emma Wolf Bartsch, Josephine Lehman Staudt.
Third Row: Hilda Bartsch Wolf, Lillian Hoffman Grohman, Katie Seidel Waneck, Dora Bartsch Goertz, Ada Lehman, Josephine Beck Frerich, Edith Goertz Ayers, Irene Goertz, Edward Bartsch, Anton Goertz, Michael Bartsch, Gerard Bartsch, Walter Goertz, Anton Boer, Herman Wilhelm, Robert Klaus, Max Barton.
On May 28, 1988, the "Rockne" historical marker was unveiled in a ceremony attended by many from Rockne and beyond. The marker reads as follows:
"Rockne began as a small farming community, Phillip Goertz (1825-1900), considered to be the first German Catholic Settler of the area, arrived from Germany is 1856 and purchased land along Walnut Creek. He was soon joined by more German Catholic Immigrants who established family farms.
The first church built by the settlers, Ascension of Christ Church, was erected on Walnut Creek in 1876 but was destroyed by an arsonist's fire in 1891. A new structure was completed in 1892 and named Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Rockne has been known by several names. First called Walnut Creek because of its proximity to the stream, it was known as Lehmanville when the Lehman Post Office was established in 1900, and as Hilbigville after William Hilbig opened a store here.
In 1931 the children of Sacred Heart School were given the opportunity to permanently name their town. A vote was taken, with the children electing to name the community Rockne in honor of Knute Rockne, the famous Notre Dame University football player and Head Coach who had died in a plane crash in 1931."
Rockne continues to be a rural community, with Sacred Heart Catholic Church at its center.
The Annual RHA Fundraiser is on
Sunday, February 23, 2025
Come meet up with old friends and make some new ones!
The Rockne Historical Association Fundraiser features
Thank you for your support and help in preserving and promoting the community's cultural heritage.
Herman Fest is an annual event launched in 2017 to celebrate the legacy of the beloved Herman Goertz, former owner of Leon's Country Store. This exciting event features a full day of fantastic live music from talented local artists, paying homage to Herman's passion for music. Moreover, Herman Fest serves as a fundraiser to support a community member facing a financial health hardship, and making a positive impact in our community.
Join the Rockne, Texas, community for the 33rd annual Rockne Parade on Aug. 31, 2024. Expect horses, marchers, floats, firetrucks, and more to delight the entire family. King’s Shaved Ice will be there, too! Bring a lawn chair and the kiddos for a great time.
Or you could choose to be in the parade. The parade starts at 10 a.m., with a lineup at Red Rock Grocery next to the fire station at 9 a.m. and judging at 9:30 a.m.
How it Began...
In the summer of 1990, a Rockne tradition was born with the first Rockne Homecoming Parade.
The idea began with Herman Goertz and Henrietta Meuth, proprietors of Leon’s Country Store and Pat’s Corner Cash and Carry, respectively. Bastrop was growing and changing, including the annual Bastrop Homecoming festivities. Goertz felt like it was time for the citizens of Rockne to start a parade for themselves, and Meuth offered to help organize the event, which would begin with everyone lining up at Pat’s and “making the block” around Texas 20 to FM 535 and through the “downtown” area of Rockne. The Saturday before Labor Day was chosen for the event, which is the day before the Sacred Heart Parish Homecoming Bazaar, also known as the Rockne Bazaar. Each year, the tradition has continued. Anyone who has participated knows it’s a day with an “anything goes” mindset, with locals celebrating their heritage while welcoming anyone who wants to join in the fun.
The Rockne Historical Association meets quarterly on the second Saturday at 10 am in March, June, September, and December.
Flag Day is celebrated each year at Hilbig Park.
Rockne Market Day in Rockne, Texas is a delightful event to support local vendors who offer crafts, woodworking, leather, clothing, jewelry, art, holiday items, baked goods, honey, and more.
Join us on the Saturday after Thanksgiving!
The Texas Wendish Heritage Society, Inc., is a non-profit organization formed in 1972 to preserve and tell the story of the Wends who came to Texas.
https://thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/monument-hill
Monument Hill State Park
The monument marks the tomb of the men who died during the Dawson Massacre of September 1842 and the ill-fated Mier expedition of November 1842, which resulted in the March 1843 “black bean” incident. Nearby citizens reinterred their remains here in a common tomb so that they could be honored for their sacrifice. The site is now marked by a 1936 Centennial monument.
https://thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/kreische-breweryKreische BreweryIn 1849, German immigrant Heinrich Ludwig Kreische purchased 172 acres of land including the Dawson/Mier tomb, now known as Monument Hill State Historic Site. Master stonemason Kreische built a three-story house for his family. In the 1860s, he utilized the spring water from the ravine below his house and started one of the first commercial breweries in Texas. Walk the ruins of this once-bustling brewery and envision how Fayette County citizens would come and enjoy a pint of Kreische’s Bluff Beer while looking out toward the beautiful Texas landscape. The Kreische Brewery and home are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Take the journey with Prince Carl and his group of German colonists as they cross the ocean and make their way into central Texas. Admire their courage and determination to establish a new colony at the edge of Indian Territory. Exhibits, rich in local artifacts, photographic images, maps and documents, take visitors through the history and cultural heritage of New Braunfels and Comal County. The Sophienburg Museum offers public lectures, school programs and community events that promote the area’s unique history.
The Texas General Land Office, Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D.
Established by the Republic of Texas immediately after the Texas Revolution in 1836, the position of Land Commissioner predates the position of Governor and other state offices established by annexation in 1845.
The Texas General Land Office primarily serves the schoolchildren, veterans, and the environment of Texas. The agency does so by preserving our history, maximizing state revenue through innovative administration, and the prudent stewardship of state lands and natural resources.
Home | German Texan Heritage Society | Austin Texas (germantexans.org)
We are committed to the preservation of the history and heritage of German Texans.
The Portal to Texas History is a gateway to rare, historical, and primary source materials from or about Texas. Created and maintained by the University of North Texas Libraries, the Portal leverages the power of hundreds of content partners across the state to provide a vibrant, growing collection of resources. .
Find a Grave is a website that allows the public to search and add to an online database of human and pet cemetery records. It is owned by Ancestry.com. Its stated mission is "to help people from all over the world work together to find, record and present final disposition information as a virtual cemetery experience." Volunteers can create memorials, upload photos of grave markers or deceased persons, transcribe photos of headstones, and more. As of 2024, the site claimed more than 238 million memorials.[1]
https://www.ortwein-barbara.de/
Texas Saga - A historical novel trilogy set starting with Between Two Worlds - Never to Return that follows the Engelbach family from Hesse and their many compatriots who emigrate from Germany to Texas: Starting in 1844 with the difficult journey through a divided Germany, whose impoverished population lacks individual and political freedom, and finally reaching the wilderness of Southwest Texas on the other side of the world.
2nd Book - In The Heart Of Texas But Not Yet At Home - In her sequel Barbara Ortwein tells about their difficult struggle for survival in the Texas Hill Country in the first years, threatened by their failure to find acceptance during the Civil War years from 1861 to 1865.
3rd Book - At Journey‘s End: Texans Forever! - In her third volume Barbara Ortwein tells about their new challenges after the war during the lawless times of the Wild West from 1865 to 1898 and their social and economic success in a tamed Texas at the end of the century.
Help us preserve the rich history of Rockne, Texas!
Share it with others and make a real difference with your support.
Do you want to get involved?
You can become a Docent by volunteering on Saturdays once a month
or joining the Collections Committee.
As part of the committee, you will assist with:
We would also greatly appreciate your participation in our annual fundraiser.
Join us in preserving our heritage!
Call now to get involved at 512-581-2625 or 512-304-8379.
Thank you for your support!
