Thaddeus William HORNBERGER

Notes:

Died:
at 1:55 a.m.

Notes:

“As a boy Ernest worked hard on a dairy farm. As a young man he became interested in making his fortune in the oil business and invested money and bought and sold oil leases on potential oil properties. He became general manager and secretary of the Ohio Red River Oil Company. When the company was dissolved in the 1920’s, he and Emma with their four children moved to Akron, Ohio.

“It was at this time that he discovered his true calling in life; his interest in dietetics and massage led him to the discovery of his gift of healing. During his life with God’s direction Ernest has helped many people toward a more healthy and worthwhile life. This background in the art of healing influenced his son Otho and his grandson Evan to become osteopathic physicians.

“Ernest’s pleasing personality and mischievous brown eyes are enhanced by his sense of humor. The telling of jokes, stories and parables is part of his ability to reach people. He always seems to top one story with another.

“His hobby has always been fishing. After Emma’s death and later upon retirement he and his second wife, Dorothy, emigrated to Lanark, Ontario, Canada, where they bought a farm on the Little Mississippi River. There they built cabins in a beautiful cedar grove and operated a fishing camp.

“He and Dorothy now have returned to the United States and are living in San Diego, California.”

Ernest married Emma Aurelia SAUNDERS on 28 Sep 1910 in Austin, Travis, Texas, USA. Emma (daughter of Thaddeus Sobiski SAUNDERS and Aurelia Caroline SHERMAN) was born on 27 Aug 1883 in Austin, Travis, Texas, USA; died on 7 Sep 1947 in Akron, Summit, Ohio, USA; was buried on 9 Sep 1947 in Mount Peace Cemetery, Akron, Summit, Ohio, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

“Emma Aurelia Saunders Hornberger was a descendant of Thomas Sherman, who lived in Diss County, Norfolk, England, and died in the year 1493. The arms and crest of the Sherman family were conferred by Oliver Crombwell. Philip Sherman came to America in 1633 and settled in Roxbury, Massachusetts. One of her ancestors, James Sherman, was married to Ruth Brewster, a direct descendant of the Elder William Brewster who came to this country on the Mayflower.

“Emma enjoyed music and as a young woman taught the piano. Her special talent was as a homemaker and devoted wife and mother, but her love of people and willingness to help others was also an important part of her life.

“She spent many hours at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Akron, Ohio. Among her responsibilities were teaching Sunday School and serving as secretary of the parish and regional Woman’s Guilds. A favorite hobby was quilting, and in the Quilting Circle it was said that her stitches were the tiniest of all.

“Emma was honored as a worker for Christ when following her death her name was inscribed in the ‘Book of Remembrances’ at Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland, Ohio.”

Died:
at 9:30 a.m. at her residence, 1067 N. Main St.

Notes:

Buried:
Section G

William married Anna VON ROSENBERG on 9 Oct 1881 in Austin, Travis, Texas, USA. Anna (daughter of Carl Wilhelm VON ROSENBERG and Auguste Franziska ANDERS) was born on 10 Oct 1860 in Austin, Travis, Texas, USA; died on 8 Jul 1932 in Austin, Travis, Texas, USA; was buried on 9 Jul 1932 in Oakwood Cemetery Annex, Austin, Travis, Texas, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
at 5 a.m. at 1401 1/2 Lavaca

Buried:
Section G

Thaddeus married Aurelia Caroline SHERMAN on 17 Jan 1869 in Travis County, Texas, USA. Aurelia was born on 13 Dec 1852 in Missouri, USA; died on 13 Feb 1913 in Waco, McLennan, Texas, USA; was buried on 14 Feb 1913 in Fiskville Cemetery, Austin, Travis, Texas, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
at 12:30 a.m. at 1214 N. 18th

Notes:

Jacob became a citizen of the United States in November 1855, one month before marrying Dorothy Bengener. His citizenship papers and confirmation certificate show his date and place of birth as well as the names of his parents.

His name first appears on the 1853 tax rolls for Travis County,Texas. He had no real property, but paid a state tax of 50 cents and a county tax of 25 cents. He did not appear on the 1854 tax roll, but appeared again on the 1855 list with property valued at $200 in Austin, and by 1856 vallued at $1000.

He appears on the 1860 census for Travis County listing his occupation as a tailor. Ads for his shop appeared in the local newspapers.
Research suggests that Jacob came from Germany with his mother Catherine and a brother named Christian, but the details are still sketchy. What became of his father and whether or not he had any other siblings is still not known.

In 1884 Dorothy received a divorce from Jacob. The papers accuse him of excessive drinking and physical abuse. He contested the divorce and stated that he did not want one. The decree was granted and lists a fair amount of personal and real property to be divided. William Sr. and Emma were full grown. Jacob G. went originally to live with his father and Lena went with her mother. It has been said that Jacob G. went back and forth between his mother and father.

After the divorce it appears that Jacob lost most everything, although it is not clear exactly how. He was listed on various censuses as living in several different locations, usually as a boarder. He seemed to have distanced himself from the rest of the family. He is not listed in the 1887 City Directory of Austin nor is he listed in the 1900 City Directory. In 1905 he is living with his son Jacob G., and he is not listed in the 1910 City Directory. On the 1900 census he is listed as living with a Luther Holt, a bachelor.

He died in 1911 after a lingering illness, according to his obituary. He is supposed to be buried in Austin Oakwood Cemetery. His name is listed in the log book, but the lot and plot were never recorded. An extensive search through the cemetery both through the books and by walking through the plots have never been successful in finding his grave. He mother Catherine is buried in the same cemetery, but he is not anywhere around her.


Died:
at Seton Infirmary

Jacob married Dorothy BENGENER on 6 Dec 1855 in Travis County, Texas, USA, and was divorced. Dorothy was born on 2 Apr 1836 in Germany; died on 16 Aug 1913 in Laredo, Webb, Texas, USA; was buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Austin, Travis, Texas, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Dorothy and her family arrived from Peine, Hanover aboard the “Hercules” in November 1845. They landed in Galveston. She was the only daughter, having 4 brothers. In less than 6 months after arriving in Texas both her parents and two of her brothers died of either cholera or yellow fever. Their deaths are listed in the New Braunfels church records. Dorothy was 10 at the time. Her oldest brother Heinrich was 19 and the youngest, Wilhelm, was 5. Evidently Heinrich struck out on his own. Dorothy went to live with the Scholzburg family and Wilhelm with the Willcox family.
 
Her family was accompanied by four other families by the name of Pape, which is the surname of Dorothy\'s mother. In 1855 she married Jacob Hornberger. She was 20 years old. It is not known how they met or when she came to Travis County. Evidently according to court records they had some property in Austin. Dorothy inherited 640 acres, but it is not known from whom as yet.
 
In 1884 she filed for divorce from Jacob and requested that she be given their homestead. After the divorce was granted and after her daughter Lena was married she lived alone. She lived for many years at 1203 Cotton in Austin.

Died:
at 8 p.m. at 1814 Victoria

Buried:
Section 3 Lot 929

Notes:

Carl Wilhelm, son of Peter Carl and Johanna von Rosenberg, was born on his father's estate, Eckitten, near Memel, East Prussia. He was tall, with piercing brown eyes and dark or brown hair.

Upon completing the course at the Memel high school, Wilhelm served as a government surveyor's apprentice. In 1838 he was employed as private secretary to an administrative land official and accompanied him to Saxony. He held this position until 1841. Wilhelm then entered the army and served his time as a soldier until 1844, when he was appointed lieutenant in the reserves.

Upon completing that assignment in June 1849, he was promptly discharged, proscribed because of outspoken democratic ideas and barred from further employment with the Royal Prussian government. This was during the time of political upheaval in Germany leaned toward despotism. Rather than have him receive a dishonorable discharge, Wilhelm's major allowed him to resign his commission as lieutenant in the Prussian Reserve Army.

Wilhelm realized that he would always be opposed by governmental influences because of his liberal ideas, so, like many other cultured Germans of that period, he chose a career in America. At that, his father tried to dissuade him, believing that the princely despotism would surely not last long. Therein he erred. Being liberal and democratic father Peter Carl himself may well have been having difficulties and, with his family, suffering unpleasantness. At any rate, they were all deeply attached to one another and concluded that all should emigrate together and seek happiness under freer institutions.

Wilhelm married Auguste Anders near Berlin shortly before sailing. The group of eleven landed in Galveston, Texas, in December, 1849.

Early in 1850 William purchased a small farm, part of Nassau Plantation, owned by his father, near Round Top, Fayette County. He farmed for six years, learned the English language and in 1855 became a citizen of the United States. Being a skilled draftsman, he was called upon to draw a design for the Fayette County Courthouse in La Grange. This work gave such general satisfaction that he was recommended by American friends to the Commissioner of the General Land Office of Texas. In consequence, William sold his farm and moved to Austin in April, 1856. He was appointed draftsman at the first vacancy in October.

In the meantime he made drawings of homes and buildings. His drawing of the Harrell home, one of the earliest in Austin, had hung in the Memorial Museum. He also made a drawing of the old Capitol, copies of which were in possession of several members of this family. It is his pencil drawings of Eckitten that we reproduced in the first von Rosenberg book (blue).

The land office then occupied a small frame building in the Capitol yard. In 1861 he was appointed chief draftsman, which position he held until 1863, when he left to serve as topographical engineer under General J. Bankhead Magruder in the Confederate Army. His rank was Captain, in Hood's Brigade.

Having known of slavery here before coming, William felt it his duty, upon the outbreak of war, to stand with the people of his adopted state. He participated in East Texas skirmishes near Sabine Pass. After the war ended, he resumed his position as Chief Draftsman in the General Land Office until the trying "Reconstruction" period.

Starting from scratch after the war, in order to buy a home for his large family, William borrowed $800 in gold from Jacob de Cardova, a friend in Marlin. In 1871 he built a substantial stone residence on the corner of Sixteenth and Guadalupe Streets, where he resided the remainder of his life. In about 1867 he entered partnership with Major C. R. Johns, J. C. Kirby, and F. Everett in a profitable land agency business, which lasted about ten years. When banking was combined with the land agency, however, the business failed. Broke again through no fault of his, William then opened a land agency of his own in 1877 and did very well. He knew sound engineering principles and advised correctly against the location of a proposed Colorado River dam site.

Once, when a newly arrived German immigrant came to his office, bowing and scraping with "Herr Baron" this and "Herr Baron" that, William declared emphatically, "This is America, where we don't have that." Though politically a Democrat, William ever reserved the right to follow the dictates of his conscience. He never sought nor desired public office. He was solicited to run for the legislature on the Horace Greeley ticket, but opposing Greeley's nomination, declined to enter the race. William von Rosenberg at all times manifested a deep interest in the prosperity and general welfare of Austin and Texas. He took a leading part in establishing the first free school in Austin.

He was tall, erect, and dignified in appearance and of a composed and gentle manner, which his piercing eyes seemed to belie.

He passed away at his home in December, 1901, and was buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Austin.

Buried:
Sec 1, Lot 141

Carl married Auguste Franziska ANDERS on 5 Sep 1849 in Herzberg, Schweinitz, Sachsen, Prussia. Auguste was born on 6 Nov 1825 in Herzberg, Schweinitz, Sachsen, Prussia; died on 6 Oct 1897 in Austin, Travis, Texas, USA; was buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Austin, Travis, Texas, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The Anders family made fine cloth, like fine linens. Father Anders was a dashing officer in the Prussian Army, and a heavy bettor on horses. After his marriage he is said to have bet away much of his wife's money, and finally disappeared. It is thought that he came to the United States, but that was never established.

Auguste's mother's people were flour millers in Herzberg, Saxony, and very wealthy. Auguste had two very handsome sisters, one of whom married a Koenig, of Koenig u. Verlag, publishers.

Of medium stature, Auguste herself was beautiful, with brown hair, and liquid blue eyes. A serious, devout girl, she doubtless inherited some typical Prussian sternness of cold countries, where life is hard. Or did the trials of her dear mother make her so earnest and conscientious? It is agreed, however, by all who knew her, that she was genuinely kind, sweet, and generous. Perhaps, too, she chose to share William's feeling of at least partial responsibility for bringing the family to Texas, and therefore a determination to help him make good here.

Aged twenty-four, she was newly married and en route to a strange, rough land, with a life mainly of hardships and pioneering ahead, after probably some affluence and elegance. This must have required courage and determination, and great love and faith. She never saw her beloved mother or sisters, or her homeland again.

A good thing, perhaps, that the next twenty years were far too busy for vain regrets. She bore twelve children during years of pioneering, Civil War, and "Reconstruction" days. And she raised them well; lost but one—little Marie at the age of one and a half years.

She and her dear William helped found St. Martin's Lutheran Church of Austin. She never forgot the prospective positions apparently in store for them in the fatherland at the time of their betrothal. If one considers it a fault, then she was certainly partly responsible for the William von Rosenbergs sometimes being called "those proud, aristocratic von Rosenbergs." Yet with their accomplishments, they surely had a right to hold their heads high. Sweet, patient Grandmother Auguste richly deserved the affluence that came their way in later life.

Her death was caused by apoplexy at the age of seventy-two, and she is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Austin, Texas.

Buried:
Sec 1, Lot 151