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
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.
(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.
A little information about Antonio Miexner Reid, my grandmother. She was married to Abraham Reid, Jr. who was a blacksmith by trade. Not sure what her education might have been but she was a devout Christian. One thing that I always remember about her is she was had her hair done up on her head. She and Abraham Reid lived not far from what is now Southwest Elementry School in Belton, Texas. They lived next door to their son Dock Reid. As memory serves me they owned the whole block together (block on Saunders between Avenue C & B). Dock's son, Donnie may still own the small home built for a rent house after Dock passed away.). Donnie is a retired Temple Police Officer still living in Belton.
ReplyDeleteMa Reid's home was unpainted pier and beam porch across the front with an out door toilet with the forever Sears catalogue inside. The front porch was so high off the ground we kids sometimes played under the porch. Her home was simply furnished, but I remember a large wardrobe in the bedroom which always fascinated me ( I understand homes built back then did not have closets because they were taxed as a room if you had one.)
Also a memory is visiting there when the iceman came around and dropped a big block for ice on the porch and it had to be taken in and placed in the "Ice box" for refrigeration. I often walked from school to visit with here after school. The 50's weren't so bad even in regards to racial tension because, I remember passing several home in the neighborhood which were occupied by blacks. She would always be sitting in her chair near the front door when I came reading her bible. One time she gave me a "chocolate" square for a snack, only to find out that it was "exlax". She probably knew something I did not...
She always had me read from Pa Reid's Blue Back Speller, which I still possess. There were not many other books in her home. Of Course the Bible and she always suggested that I read Revelations 21, stressing if I lived a good life and loved God this would be my reward and we would all be together soon. I loved her kisses even though, she must have shaved because I always remember the prickly upper lip.