Meixner Family History #18 - Epilogue - Part 1

My first project was to write about Frank and Theresia Meixner and their journey from Bohemia in the Austrian Empire to Texas in the United States.  That journey was brought to a close with the death of Theresia.  But before I move on to chronicle other lines of my family tree I want to spend a few weeks writing about my grandfather Harmon Meixner.  I will end all my lines at the grandparent level because I do not want to get into talking about anyone that is still living.  At some point I also want to write about my father, maybe in conjunction with quoting from his book about his life.  That will be down the line however.

I'm going to back track a little with Harmon.  I've already talked about his early years but I'm going to go back and add some stories from that time.

You read about Harmon's battle with the big catfish at the age of 7 or 8 in an earlier post.  Another story dad remembered about granddad at around this age was as follows:  "My Dad occasionally visited in the little town of Belton.  I am sure that he went for haircuts, on errands and for other reasons.  He said that there was a large boy that made it a practice to shove any young boy off the sidewalk that came down his way.  Dad said that he was walking down the sidewalk and the big boy gave him a terrific shove and he went sailing out into the street.  He said that his hand happened to fall on a right smooth rock about the size of a hen egg.  He said that he grasped the rock in this hand, rose up, and hurled the rock at the big boy.  He hit him right square between the eyes and knocked him cold.  Pa said that it broke the young rascal from shoving people off the sidewalk."

In my post on Oct 22nd I mentioned Harmon worked for a wealthy family that lived near Little River, TX by the name of Wallace.  Harmon had to work for other people to help contribute to the livelihood of the family.    Most likely he was 10 or 11.  Joseph and Eliza Wallace had a daughter, Miriam, born in 1875.  In his book Dad said that granddad rocked Miriam on his knee when she was little and granddad worked for the Wallaces.  However, it turns out Miriam was actually older than Harmon so that probably didn't happen.  I don't know what work Harmon preformed but probably worked helping do odd jobs around the house.  Eventually Miriam would go on to Salado College and Baylor Female College.  A future husband, fame and prestige in the state of Texas were in her future. (1)(2)

Several years later, after Harmon and the family had moved to Salado, Harmon met a man named Jim Ferguson.  My dad stated in his book that Harmon "palled with Jim. They often went hunting together.  Jim was a rough and tumble type of fellow.  I guess that is the reason my Dad liked him."  Jim was several years older than Harmon having been born in 1871 near Salado, TX.  He left home at 16 and traveled around several states in the far west before returning to Bell County to farm and work with a railroad-bridge gang.  He also studied law and was admitted to the Bar in 1897.  Around this same time Jim Ferguson and Miriam Wallace's paths crossed in Bell County.  It is said that it took a couple of years of pursuit by Jim, before they were finally married in 1899.  (Their first child was born in 1900.  Dad remembered in his book that Harmon rocked little Miriam on his knee but I think it was probably Miriam's baby that Harmon rocked.)

After a number of successful years in banking, Jim Ferguson became involved in politics.  He was elected governor of Texas in 1914.  He won a second term but was impeached in 1917, well before his second term was completed.  Several years of near poverty followed before they decided Miriam should run for governor.  In 1925 she became the second female governor but the first woman to actually be elected as governor in the United States and the first female governor of Texas.  They became known as "Ma" and "Pa" Ferguson.  Miriam would serve a second terms as governor from 1933-1935.  My dad said in his book that granddad Harmon was "a staunch supporter of the Fergusons during their campaigns an during their terms in office."  It is interesting to think of granddad hanging out with two future governors of Texas. (3)

"Ma" and "Pa" Ferguson.  Former Governors of Texas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriam_A._Ferguson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_E._Ferguson

I posted this family picture once before of the Meixner-Schleede family.  It was probably taken at the end of 1896.  Standing in the center of the family, between his mom and step-dad, is Harmon Meixner.  Probably at the age of 17.  Certainly a grown man in those days.  This would also be about the time he was "palling around" with Jim Ferguson.

My dad remembered another story about granddad from around the late 1890s.  It goes like this:  "Dad told me of an incident that was rather funny.  He was plowing with a double shovel hooked behind a mule.  Every time that Dad went to turn the mule around on the turn row the old mule would come right back down the row that they had come up on.  That means he came back over the row that my Dad was standing on.  Dad finally got mad and when the mule came back over him he hit the mule up beside the head with his fist.  The mule fell to the ground as though he were dead.  The step-dad was watching, so he came running to give my Dad a dressing down.  He accused Dad of hitting the mule with a club.  The fact was that no sticks, clubs or anything of that kind could be found in the area."  Strong enough to stun a mule!  That's pretty strong.

Double Shovel Plow
http://n5tjt.tripod.com/yesteryear.html

Granddad Harmon Meixner made a couple of trips from his home in Bell County west out to Concho County to work on ranches in the area.  He returned home each time and was listed as living with the family in the census of 1900.  But by 1901 it was time for Harmon to strike out on his own for good.

Next time:  Harmon moves west to Concho County.

References:
(1)  http://www.bellcountytx.com/about_us/county_history/index.php

(2)  John D. Huddleston, "FERGUSON, MIRIAM AMANDA WALLACE [MA]," Handbook of Texas Online(http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ffe06), accessed December 17, 2012. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.

(3)  Ralph W. Steen, "FERGUSON, JAMES EDWARD," Handbook of Texas Online(http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ffe05), accessed December 17, 2012. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.

Meixner Family History #17 - The Meixner - Schleede Family in the 20th Centruy

The year 1900 closed out the 19th Century (or began the 20th if you prefer), but the year of 1900 also made it's mark in a very tragic way. A massive hurricane slammed Galveston, Texas on Sep 8, 1900 with winds of 145 miles an hour and a storm surge that measured 15 feet. Galveston, which only had an elevation of 8.7 feet at it's highest point, was devastated.  Over 3600 homes were destroyed and between 6,000 and 12,000 people were killed. (1)

Photographs from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1900_Galveston_hurricane

In 1901 the country suffered another tragedy when president William McKinley was assassinated.  This was the second assassination of a United States president in 20 years.  Vice President Theodore Roosevelt became the 26th president.

Photographs of President McKinley and President Roosevelt from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_McKinley and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt

At the Meixner - Schleede household in 1901 the oldest child remaining at home, Harmon Meixner, decided to move out for good and go further west.  My dad said Harmon had gone out west several times before relocating permanently.  He worked for ranchers located in Concho County and Tom Green County which are located in what I would consider the western edge of Central Texas.

Map image from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concho_County,_Texas

In November of 1902 the remaining daughter living at home, Minnie Meixner, was married to William Penn Wheeler and in October 1904 the youngest Meixner, Henry, was married to Mable Ditto.  This left only William Rudolph Schleede still at home.

I mentioned in an earlier post that the Armistead family settled in Bell County.  Robert Stewart Armistead arrived in Bell County in 1872.  He married Virginia Texas Whiteley in 1878 and they had a daughter, Alice, in 1881.  The Armistead family moved to near Paint Rock in Concho County in 1904.  (Paint Rock and Concho County are located about 180 miles north west of Salado.)  Shortly after the move Alice started teaching at a little school located at what is present day Lowake, Texas.  Harmon was working on a nearby ranch.  The story goes that they had not met when they were in Bell County but were introduced at a mutual friend's home in Concho County.  Harmon Meixner and Alice Armistead (my grandparents) were married on Dec 25, 1905.

In July of 1911, after nearly 21 years of marriage to Theresia, Rudolph Schleede died in Bell County.  Theresia's last child, William Rudolph Schleede, married Maye Porter in January 1916.

There are stories within the family about some of Theresia's grandchildredn being teased in school as being "German Slackers" because they didn't have much money.  When Theresia heard this she said "We are just as American as they are: we have our papers.  We left Germany behind to come to America and we left behind our German ways."  My dad also tells of an encounter during World War I (1914-1918).  He said Theresia was in downtown Belton doing her shopping and was speaking German (it was said she never learned to speak English).  Dad continued:  "Some of the authorities there heard her speaking German.  They went to her and told her that if they ever heard her speaking German on the streets of Belton again they would put her so far back into prison that she would never get out."

In the 1920 US Census for Bell County Texas Theresia was listed living next to her son William Rudolph Schleede.  I'm sure this had been the arrangement since William's marriage in 1916.  In the 1930 census William and his family were living with Thereisia.  She is listed as owning the property and William Rudolph Schleede was renting from her.

Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database online].  Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.  Original data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920.  (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA. Note:  Enumeration Districts 819-839 are on roll 323 (Chicago City)  (2)

Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA:  Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.  Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls. (3)

The 1920 and 1930 US Censuses for Bell County are shown above.  If you click on any of the pictures in my posts they will be enlarged so you can see them better.

Maria Theresia (Eigel) (Meixner) Schleede lived to be 84 years old, survived two husbands that she was married to for 18 years and almost 21 years respectivley, gave birth to 10 children (possibly more), had the last child at the age of 42, and buried two husbands, and four children.  I'm sure Theresia participated in the decision to leave their homeland to come to the United States, and she was shrewd enough to stash away $40 so they didn't lose every penny to a swindler at Castle Garden.  She endured at least four moves and difficult living conditions including the events described above.  I can't think of Theresia without thinking toughness, strength, and perseverance.

On Sep 1, 1932 Theresia died in Bell County and was buried in the Salado cemetery next to her second husband.

Photographs taken by Moody Meixner May 5, 2008 at the Salado Cemetery.

Theresia's death brings to an end the Meixner Family History story from the perspective of Frank and Theresia Meixner.

I will talk a little bit about my grandfather Harmon Meixner in my next post in a couple weeks and then move on to other lines of my family tree.  Stay tuned.

References:
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1900_Galveston_hurricane
(2) Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database online].  Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com
Operations Inc, 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.  Original data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920.  (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA. Note:  Enumeration Districts 819-839 are on roll 323 (Chicago City)
(3) Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA:  Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.  Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.