Franziska Elisabeth SPENGLER

Notes:

Franciska Elisabeth was later anglicized to Frances Elizabeth.

Birth:
Elizabeth's Autobiography dated September 30, 1939;
Transcribed by Mary M. von Rosenberg (age 23) as her grandmother told the story of her life. Transcript typed by Jannie E. von Rosenberg (age 21).
Note: [Bracketed information for clarification]added by Elizabeth's great grandaughter, G. Miele.

I will try to make a sketch of my life. My parents [Adolph Spengler and Justina unknown-Spengler] came from Germany and settled in Bastrop, Texas-Father, Mother and four children, one sister [Eva/Eve] and two sons [Heinrich and Johann]. The oldest son [name unknown] died when they landed in this country [New Orleans-is not listed on ship manifest]. Father [Adolph] died in 1850 when I was born. So Mother [Justina unknown-Spengler] was left there alone, no friends, no relatives. She had no one to help her support the family so she married again[no record of this marriage has been found], a man by the name of [Stephen] Jones. He took the family and moved to a place by the name of Chisheu Grov [Chicken Grove at the eastern edge of James Winn League near Round Top, Fayette County, TX] where he had a little place of his own. The people there were all very nice to Mother, but Mother [Justina] also died a few years after father [Adolph] and left a two year old half sister [Eley/Ellie/Elise Jones]. So now we were five orphans that stepfather [Stephen Jones] didn’t care enough about to support us. So we were all divided between the neigh-bors. I was the only one who was adopted by an elderly german family, Mr. and Mrs. Earnst Soergel. Brother Henry and little sister [Eley/Ellie/Elise Jones] were taken by an old couple, by the name of Counsell Gait [Councilman Forrest Gaither (Sr.) & Lemira Lemish Caldwell-Gaither], sister Eve had a nice home with Dr. Rangkeus [Dr. Calvin & Mary Ran-kin] family. Only brother John did not like the people [Edward W. & Mary Marlow], he was staying with. So he went to Gonzales county where an old family [Elijah Randolph & Martha Runnels Hurt] took him in. These people were good to him. We all four [Eliza-beth, Eva, Henry and Eley/Ellie/Elise Jones] went to the same school, as we were all in the same neighborhood [Round Top].

My foster parents [Christian Ernst (Sörgel) Soergel and Frédérique Auguste Eléonore Fallier -Soergel] were very good to us. My own parents [Adolph Spengler and Justina inknown-Spengler-‘Jones’] could not have been better. When I was about 14 years old, Mother [Auguste F. Fallier-Soergel] took me to the Pastor G. Kilian. There I took bible lessons and was confirmed into the Evagu Luthern Church. That was in 1864. After that I went back home [Round Top] to school.

In 1868 I married a nephew of my foster mother, Mr. C. W. von Rosenberg [Carl August Walter vR], who had a farm joining ours [Soergel’s farm]. We were married [7 SEP 1868] at home [Soergel’s home] by a Squire Hinkle. We lived there [near Round Top] for 14 years. All of my older children [Alexander Ernst (1869), Eugen Carl (1871-1871), Louise Auguste (1873), Walter Albert (1875), Hugo Heinrich (1876)] were born there near Round Top, a small town where we did our trading.

Alex was the oldest one, who went to school there, as the others were still too small. We lived in a log house, two rooms with a large hall in between the rooms [known as a dog trot],. In 1875 my husband had a large two story house built so Grandpa and Grandma [Ernst and Auguste Soergel] could come to live with us. Grandpa was not with us more than 3 or 4 years. He was fond of children, as was Grandma, too, but she was more stern. She did not do everything like they wanted, like Grandpa did.

He [Ernst Soergel] went pecan hunting one day and they had to cross a little stream. He could not find a suitable place to cross so he had to walk thro the water back and foureth until he had all the pecans carried across. From this expoisoir he took penimonia, and soon after that he died in 1879.

In 1880 we moved to Ellenger [Ellinger, TX], where my husband became manager of a large farm for his nephue Mr. Elex Meecherditle [Alex Meerscheidt]. In 1881 Edgar [Ed-gar Reinhard] was born and son Frank [Frank Johannes] in 1884. Alex [Alexander Ernst] went to the high school in LaGrange, the other three older ones [Louise, Walter, and Hu-go] went to school in Ellenger. We only lived there 6 years. Then my husband had a bad fall from a horse and was sick for many months. He never regained his health. So he had to give up his post as manager. We sold out, and bought a farm in Milam County. That was in 1886.

There were two schools close to where we lived, for the two little ones and one about 8 miles away for the older ones. They had to go horseback. We lived there for a num-ber of years. I was so glad that Grandma [Auguste Soergel], my Mother, was still with us. She did all the [k]netting for the whole family. That was a great help to me.
The boys all grew up to be good men. When Alex [Alexander Ernst] was 18 years old, he went to Austin business college. Walter [Albert] and Hugo [Heinrich] only took post grated business course at home. Edgar [Reinhard] also went to business college in Wa-co. Frank [Johannes] still went to school at home.

As my husband’s health began to fail more and more The Dr. told him to quit work and move to town and take life easy. So he sold out in 1897 and we moved to La-Grange, Texas.

In 1900 the boys all left home, one after the other. Walter [Albert] and Hugo [Heinrich] liked farming best. Edgar [verb?] office work. He [Edgar Reinhard] got back from col-lege and took a position as clerk with the Rosenberg brothers in Hallstiville [Hal-letsville], Tex. After Alex [Alexander Ernst] came back home from Austin he went to work as a clerk in Rockdale for the Searbough and Hix Company [Scarbrough & Hicks Compa-ny, a merchantile]. He worked there for one year and 9 months. Took sick and had to quit. After he got well he worked in Sague [Seguin, TX] from there he went to LaGrange and got in with the Rosenberg company.

Edgar stayed with the Rosenberg brothers 2 years or more. Took typhoid fever and was sick for several months. After he got up He was so weak he could not gain his strength. So the Dr. advised him to go West which he did. He located in San Angelo in 1907. His brother Hugo came with him and bought a little farm near Wall. Hugo’s wife [Minna Pauline Urban] did not like it here. So he sold his farm out to his bro. Edgar and left. [Hugo] Stopped over in Temple. He liked it there so he bought a small farm of 40 acres. There he also worked out in a garage for some company. He had two sons, the oldest one Edgar [Edgar Hugo] worked in the garage with him for a number of years. The second son [Charles Walter] is with the air forces. [Lucille von Rosenberg, daughter, 1902-1902 not mentioned.]

My late son Walter [Albert] also had two sons [Alvin Walter and Arthur Julius].

They both live in around Sharp and Camron. Frank [Johannes] my youngest son was still with us when we moved to LaGrange in 1900. But he only stayed with us a short time after we moved to La Grange. He went to Bellville, Texas where he had a posi-tion as clerk for C. H. Hellmuth. Only a short time [? later he ] came home and bought some books and studied the carpenter trade. He worked with a carpenter to learn the trade for a year or so.

My only daughter Louise Auguste von Rosenberg married [7 Nov 1893, Lilac, TX] a man by the name of Adam George Becker (1857-1944) before we moved to LaGrange. They lived near Sharp [Lilac, TX] two years then moved to Wa-co[,] Texas [Hewitt, TX] where they lived for five years. After they moved to Waco the oldest child died [George John]. They had three more boys [Raymond John, Otto Hugo, Carl Walter] and one girl [Louise Elizabeth Margaret ‘Lizzie’] besides the one that died. And the other oldest [living] son [Raymond] died [Coblenz (now Koblenz)Germany]in the army of oceppation [occupation] on the 5 of June 1920.

Louise [Auguste] and her husband moved to west Texas in 1904. Located on a farm near San Angelo, at Wall, Texas. The youngest one [Charlie] owned a garage in Wall. The other one [Otto - after Raymond died] works on the farm. The daughter [Louise Eliza-beth Margaret ‘Lizzie’ (1896-1977] married [Eli Roberts (1896-1997)] and lives in Enid Oklahoma.

My husband passed away in 1903. I did not like town life, and after my husband left me it did not seem the same any more. Alex [Alexander Ernst] married Martha Kainer in Nov. 22. 1905 and lived with me until I left them. Louise and children stayed with me for weeks while her husband [George Adam Becker] and Frank were building their house on the farm he [Becker] bought at Wall. I felt so lonely after they [Louise and her chil-dren] left. So I planned to go out west to San Angelo to keep house for Frank and Ed-gar. I didn’t get to go as soon as I had planned. But when Edgar married Maggie Mae Clark on June.22, 1909 I went out there a week later. They had the house all fixed up, when I got there. So I was house keeper and they boarded with me.

Frank worked at Bellenger [Ballinger, TX] for a while. Edgar worked for a grocery man by the name of Proband[t], and later for Max Pantel. He went into pardering slipt [partnership] with Max Pantel in the grocery business. Maggie did the book work for them. Frank came back home and made his home with me. Later the boys bought the two lots and built a house here in parkhights on South Austin St., and I have lived here on this place ever since 1911.

I was housekeeper until the summer of 1915 when I took typhoid fever and was never very strong after that. So I had to turn my housework over to my daughter-in-law Maggie. Edgar and Maggie have 5 children two boys [Henry Clark, Marcus Alexander] and three girls [Julia Elizabeth, Mary Margaret, Jannie Eloise]. They were all born here in San Angelo.

After Max Pantel died Edgar bought the grocery business, finally had a store built on my lot. They did quite well until the depresation started. The business got so bad he [Edgar] sold out what he had [the grocery inventory, not the building or farm] and they [Edgar, Maggie Mae, Clark, Julia] moved to Austin [TX] and took in boarders [in order for Clark and Julia to attend UTA]. But ever thing was so high, they coulden hardly make expenses. My son Frank and a granddaughter May Margaret [Mary Margaret] with a girl to help was my standby while they [Edgar, Maggie Mae, Clark, Julia] lived in Austin. They [Edgar and Maggie Mae] came back in 1935. All have been very nice to me. Altho, I have been sick so much lately. My daughter-in-law Maggie had so much to do, but waited on me like my own daughter would. Edgar still had his farm to fall back on. He stayed out there by his self lots while Maggie had to stay here with me. My oldest son [Alexan-der Ernst] passed away in August 1937. It would have been much better if it had been me. But we has to sumit to the Lord will.






Name:
Franziska Elisabeth is the name on her 14 APR 1865 baptismal/confirmation record, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Serbin, Texas.

Also Known As:
Elizabeth's Spengler brother, Henry, and sister, Eva, Anglicized or Americanized their last name to Spangler during the mid-1860s. Elizabeth's brother John continued using Spengler the latter 1800s. Elizabeth continued to spell the name Spengler until the early 1900s.

All of the Spengler children, except Elizabeth and her younger step-sister, Elley, were born in Germany. It is doubtful any of the children were in possession of the Spengler family's immigration papers after their father died in 1850 and then their mother 'remarried*' and died soon after in c1853. Subsequently, all of the Spengler children, except Elizabeth, were then 'placed' in the homes of non-German families. And later, all, except Elizabeth, married into families of non-German heritage . . .
Eva Spengler aka Eve Spangler, spouses McGuire and Cox;
Heinrich Spengler aka Henry Spangler, spouse Dawson;
Johann Spengler aka John Spangler, spouses Hurt and Reese;
and Elley Jones, the stepsister, if married, unknown.

Baptism:
1850 First Adoption Law in Texas allowed one to “adopt” a legal heir by filing a written affidavit with the county clerk’s office. This is known as the civil laws in Texas that provided for adoption by deed (Cole, 1983; McCauliff, 1986). Individuals wanting formal recognition of an adoption obtained it by having the state legislature pass a private bill (Cole, 1983). It was possible district courts to decree adoptions.

No legal record of Sorgels' adoption of Elisabeth have been found by
--court decree of adoption in Fayette,
--adoption by written affidavit filed with county clerk in Bastrop, Fayette or Washington counties.
--adoption by deed Bastrop, Fayette or Washington counties, or by
--state legislature bill by search of state congressional records for 1852-1868.
confirmation
The *notations in Elisabeth's baptism record may have been Ernst Sorgels' way of documenting their foster relationship with Elisabeth rather than via any legal process. It is believed Ernst would have avoided any court involvement in his life after his previous experience with the court system.

Elisabeth was Anglicized to Elizabeth prior to her marriage with Walter in 1868. She continued to use the last name Spengler and/or Spengler Sorgel until she married Walter vR. Spengler Anglicized to Spangler is only recorded in 20th C documents/papers referencing Elizabeth.

Died:
at 11:55 p.m. at her residence, 1231 Austin St.

Franziska married Carl August Walter VON ROSENBERG on 7 Sep 1868 in Round Top, Fayette, Texas, USA. Carl (son of Peter Carl Johann VON ROSENBERG and Amanda Henriette Louise FALLIER) was born on 31 Aug 1839 in Memel, Memel, Preußen, Prussia; died on 15 Sep 1903 in La Grange, Fayette, Texas, USA; was buried on 17 Sep 1903 in La Grange City Cemetery, La Grange, Fayette, Texas, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Alexander Ernst VON ROSENBERG was born on 12 Sep 1869 in Round Top, Fayette, Texas, USA; died on 5 Sep 1937 in San Angelo, Tom Green, Texas, USA; was buried on 7 Sep 1937 in La Grange City Cemetery, La Grange, Fayette, Texas, USA.
2. Eugen Karl VON ROSENBERG was born on 22 Feb 1871 in Round Top, Fayette, Texas, USA; died on 25 Feb 1871 in Round Top, Fayette, Texas, USA.
3. Louise Auguste VON ROSENBERG was born on 13 Dec 1872 in Round Top, Fayette, Texas, USA; died on 28 Mar 1962 in San Angelo, Tom Green, Texas, USA; was buried on 29 Mar 1962 in Fairmount Cemetery, San Angelo, Tom Green, Texas, USA.
4. Walter Albert VON ROSENBERG was born on 26 Mar 1874 in Round Top, Fayette, Texas, USA; died on 19 Aug 1927 in Sharp, Milam, Texas, USA; was buried on 21 Aug 1927 in Urban Cemetery, Sharp, Milam, Texas, USA.
5. Hugo Heinrich VON ROSENBERG was born on 30 Sep 1876 in Round Top, Fayette, Texas, USA; died on 2 Jul 1972 in Temple, Bell, Texas, USA; was buried on 10 Jul 1972 in Bellwood Memorial Park, Temple, Bell, Texas, USA.
6. Edgar Reinhard VON ROSENBERG was born on 15 Sep 1881 in Ellinger, Fayette, Texas, USA; died on 10 Nov 1980 in San Angelo, Tom Green, Texas, USA.
7. Frank Johannes VON ROSENBERG was born on 27 Aug 1884 in Ellinger, Fayette, Texas, USA; died on 22 Jan 1976 in San Angelo, Tom Green, Texas, USA; was buried on 24 Jan 1976 in Belvedere Memorial Cemetery, San Angelo, Tom Green, Texas, USA.

Notes:

Birth:
* Based on descendant researchers' assumption the christening record in Burgsponheim for Adolph Spengler is the most probable one found for father of Franziska Elisabeth Spenger. Burgsponheim, as the birthplace of Adolph Spengler, is also descendant researchers' assumption and is based on two photographs found in Elizabeth Spengler's albums of individuals taken in the vicinity of Burgsponheim.

Christened:
* Based on descendant researchers' assumption the christening record in Burgsponheim for Adolph Spengler is the most probable one found for father of Franziska Elisabeth Spenger. Burgsponheim, as the birthplace of Adolph Spengler, is also descendant researchers' assumption and is based on two photographs found in Elizabeth Spengler's albums of individuals taken in the vicinity of Burgsponheim.

Emigration:
To date (2013), no German emigration documents found for the Spengler family. Not knowning where the Adolph Spengler family resided prior to departure from Coblenz has made finding their emigration records difficult.
Ship manifests destroyed in Antwerp destroyed during Nazi occupation included those for 1848.

Buried:
Burial location: researcher assumption

Died:
Elizabeth's autobiography states she was only a "few" months old when her father died. Elizabeth was born in 27 June 1850.
Bastrop County Court Records: No record of Adolph's death or probate; no guardianship records for minor children.

Adolph married Justina (unknown) in c 1840 ((unknown)) in (unknown) in Rhenish Prussia (Rheinpreußen or Rheinland). Justina was born in c 1814 in unknown, Rhenish Prussia/Rheinpreußen/Rhineland/Rheinland, Prussia (Rhineland-Palatinate or Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)) ; died in c 1853 in Round Top, Fayette, Texas, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
? Possible father, if the record below is the correct record for Adolph Spengler who was the father of Franziska Elisabeth Spengler Soergel vR:

Adolph Spengler
Germany Births and Baptisms, 1558-1898
birth: 6 October 1797
christening: 8 October 1797 EVANGELISCH,BURGSPONHEIM,RHEINLAND,PRUSSIA
father: Conrad Spengler
mother: Dorothea Elisabetha Stastin

"Deutschland, Geburten und Taufen 1558-1898," index, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N6WV-TBW : accessed 10 Mar 2014), Adolph Spengler, 08 Oct 1797; citing [REFERENCE-ERROR]; FHL microfilm 493229.



Birth:
It is believed by researchers the Adolph Spengler baptized in Burgsponheim is Elizabeth's father. Conrad Spengler and Dorthea Elisabetha Stastin are listed as the parents on the baptism record.

(possibly) married (possibly) Dorothea Elisabetha STASTIN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
? Possible mother, if the record below is the correct Adolph Spengler who was the father of Franciska Elisabeth Spengler Soergel vR:

Adolph Spengler
Germany Births and Baptisms, 1558-1898
birth: 6 October 1797
christening: 8 October 1797 EVANGELISCH,BURGSPONHEIM,RHEINLAND,PRUSSIA
father: Conrad Spengler
mother: Dorothea Elisabetha Stastin

"Deutschland, Geburten und Taufen 1558-1898," index, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N6WV-TBW : accessed 10 Mar 2014), Adolph Spengler, 08 Oct 1797; citing [REFERENCE-ERROR]; FHL microfilm 493229.