Carl Heinrich Theodore Johann Otte
"Henry" was born August 20, 1856 in Gillespie County. His father
was Cord Heinrich Fredrich Otte [Theodor Heinrich], born October 20,
1806 in Bissendorf, Hanover, Germany, the son of Johann Friedrich
Otte [Otto] and Wilhelmine Caroline Margaretha Immelman, and the
grandson of Cord Otto of Offen near Bergen, Germany. His mother was
Johanne Louise Henrietta Wiesemeyer, born March 30, 1817 in Zellerfeld,
Hanover Germany the daughter of Heinrich Zacharias Karl Wiesemeyer and
Johanne Sophie Henietta Muller.
The Bethany Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg
listed him as Carl Heinrich Johann born August 20, 1856 and baptized
February 17, 1857. Those present at his baptism were Karl Kramer,
Heinrich Langenhennig, and Charlotte Otte. In the book
Kirchen-Buch Church Record Book of the Vereins-Kirche 1849-1870 it
shows: Tho. Heinrich Otte was born by his wife Luise nee Wiesemeier, on
August 20, 1856, a son who on the 17th February 1857 was baptized and
received the name Carl Heinrich Theodor. Present were Karl
Kramer, Heinrich Langenhennig, and Charlotte Otte. He was named Carl
for Karl Kramer and the name Heinrich for Heinrich Langenhennig. The
name Theodore was after his father.
Heinrich Otto was confirmed according to the book
Kirchen-Buch of the Verins-Kirche on Sunday 1869 with 28 other boys and
27 girls. Henry was 13 years old when he was confirmed.
Henry was 15 when his father died, June 2, 1870.
Since Henry was the oldest son at home he had to help his mother manage
the farm. In the 1870 census his younger brother Wilhelm was living
with his sister Johanna Jacoby. This left Henry the only child at home
with his mother. 1860 census of Gillespie Co., Texas taken July
11, 1860 by George Max in Princint # 2
Family # 400-900
Henry Otte 54 m farmer
400-900 Hanover
Louise
43
f
Hanover
Freidrick
19 m
wagoner
Hanover
Fritz Bange 17
m
Hanover
Anna Otte 11
f
TX
Mary
9
f
TX
Henry
4
m
TX
William
1
m
TX
August Cameron 2
m
TX
1870 Census of Gillespie Co, TX Post Office Palo Alto
Family # 517-581
Louisa Otto 53 f keeping house Germany
Henry
16
m
TX
(Wilhelm was 11 years old and living in the house with his sister
Johanna and Heinrich Jacoby)
1880 Census of Gillespie Co. TX
Family # 252/259
Louisa Otte w f 63 widow keepinghouse
William w m 21 single farmer
A story Henry Otte told his children, Alfred, Mada, and Izora, was told
to me. Henry had gone to get the oxen when some Indians started chasing
him. He was riding a horse named Bill. He ran his horse about two miles
until he came to a canyon. He rode deeper into the canyon until he came
to a gully that was deeply washed out by rains. The gully ran toward
the house. He got down and crawled as he lead his horse through the
gully until he got to the end. He had started home when the Indians cut
him off from the house. He returned to the canyon where he turned left
into a smaller bushy canyon. The smaller canyon had a cow trail running
through it and he followed that trail until he got to within a half
mile from home. The Indians were on the hill looking for him. They
spotted him and he had to race them for the house. He finally made it
home safely.
Another story passed down to me is that the Otte
family had a mule that was afraid of or just didn't like Indians.
Anytime Indians would come around the place the mule would head for the
barn. If the mule was out in the field and Indians were near, he would
jump the rail fences and go to the barn. I am sure he would try to take
the plow and anything else hooked to him over the fence too.
Each month, during the light of
the moon, the farmers in the county were harassed by Indians, who
frequently raided for horses. Many raids were made and horrible deeds
were committed. The Companies of Minute-Men were formed by the settlers
and the different passes or crossings of the Indians was guarded, but
the wily savages managed to elude these men and came down into the
valleys and killed and stole as they had before. When the trouble
broke out, Henry, became a member of an association of home guard known
as Rangers or Minute Men from Gillespie County during the Civil War and
later. They were a group of men who aligned themselves against Indians
and outlaws during the Civil War and afterwards.
From book :" A Vaquero of the Brush Country " by J. Frank Dobie
By a Texas Ranger: As minutemen- we furnished our own
horses and ourselves, without thought of any sort of pay. all active
men, and we stood ready to respond to any summons, day or night. We
were scattered over a wide region and living in the saddle as most of
us lived, we were frequently away from home. These Minutemen were never
enrolled by the state, but if rangers deserve a pension some of the
minute men deserve it also.
Henry was considered a very good shot and was taken into
the group three days before his eighteenth birthday on August 17, 1874.
He got homesick and missed his mother. When they were stationed near
Stonewall he swam the Pedernales River that was on a bad rise. He lost
all of his papers from his pocket trying to get across. He nearly
drowned in the swollen river.
He went into Mexico with a group of three rangers
chasing four men who were posing as Indians. They had been killing
people in the Indian manner or style. The rangers followed their trail
and found a woman split open and a baby spiked to a tree and they were
both still alive. One man stay to see what he could do to help
them and Henry and the other two rangers went after the four men. They
caught up with them and killed two of the men and captured the other
two men.
A story, my great-great step aunt Izora told
me about her father. Henry told her that they were on a trip into
Mexico trailing two
outlaws. The captured the outlaws and they were searched for weapons.
One of the outlaws had a gun hidden in his boot and they didn't find
it. Henry was bent over getting water when the prisoner pulled
out the hidden gun and shot Henry. The shot went right down the middle
of Henry's head. His friends carried him to the home of a Mexican
family. The family took care of him for awhile until his friends
could come back to get him. Henry couldn't remember anything, he
couldn't even remember who he was at first. He was left with a
permanent disability from the wound. He regained most of his memory
except he had trouble remembering how to read, figure math, and had
trouble remembering little things. His friends returned for him in
about two weeks and carried him back to his
mother so he could get completely well.
Mada, his daughter, told me her father, Henry stayed
with the Ranger group until about 1900. They would just show up and say
they needed him. Shortly after the death of his wife, Marie, they
came to get him again. He tried to get out of going but he
couldn't. He left the children with Mrs. Koock, "Granny Koock", while
he was gone. Ben Hey of Mason tried to help him get a pension from the
group but Henry couldn't remember his captain or company name.
When Henry was 18 he was a partner with Willie (Wilhelm) Kramer worked
in a butcher shop in Fredericksburg. [Izora still has his meat cleaver
that he used in the shop.]
Henry Otte married Marie "Mary" Kruse
Henry married Marie Kruse "Mary" August 4, 1879 at
the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Fredericksburg. Henry was
Lutheran and had to promise Marie that he would allow their children to
be raised in the Catholic Church before she would marry him.
They got their
licenses July 23, 1879 in Fredericksburg, Gillespie County,
Texas. The license is located in Book C page 395 at
the courthouse in Fredericksburg. They were married Aug. 4, 1879
at St Mary 's Catholic Church in Fredericksburg. Standing up for them
at the wedding was Cristina Farrettea and Augusta Kraus.
Fredericksburg, Gillespie Co., Texas Marriage Records, Book C page 395
# 995.
Henry Otte and Maria Kruse
Marriage License issued July 23, 1879
State of
Texas
Gillespie Co.
To any judge of the County in District Court, ordained
minister of
the Gospel, or justice of the peace in and for said county Greetings.
You are hereby authorized to Solemnize the Rites of
Marriage between
Mr. Henry Otte and Miss Maria Kruse and make due reform to the clerk of
the county court of said county within sixty days hereafter,
certifying
your action under the license.
Witness my official signature and seal of office in
Fredericksburg
this 23 day ;of July A.D. 1879
LS
W. Bierschwale
Clk. C C. GC.
Marie was born April 6, 1959 at
Elm Creek in Gillespie County to Heinrich Kruse and his wife Franziska
Diegmann.. The Heinrich and Franziska (nee Diegmann) Kruse family
has its roots in the tiny village of Heuthen (pronounced Hoit'n) in
East Germany. It is
located some eight miles from the West German border and is five miles
southeast of Heiligenstadt. It is also 150 miles due south of Hamburg
or 150 miles west-southwest of Berlin. The coutry around Heuthen is
scenic, rolling farmland. Heuthen's population is 900.
The Heinrich Kruse family left Heuthen bound for the
seaport of Bremen. It is most likely that they boarded a reiver vessel
at Munden, a lovely town where the Werra and Fulda Rivers join to form
the Wesser River which flows to Bremen. Munden is some 25 miles west of
Heuthen. They sailed from Bremen on the ship, Reform, on April
17, 1851, and landed June 25, 1851, on Galveston Island, Texas. Frank
was just shy of three months when they landed. He had to be a strong
baby with an even stronger mother to have survived the ocean trip.
Henry and Franziska were among the 35,000 immigrants from Germany to
Texas between 1845 and 1855.
The family settled in Gillespie Co., Texas near the town
of Fredericksburg. Heinrich (Henry) Kruse made a Declaration of Intent
to
become a naturalized citizen of the Unites States of America on March
2, 1854 when he was 33 years old. He got Grant of
Citizenship May 19, 1858 after he had lived in America for 5
years. In the 1860 census of Gillespie County it shows the family lived
in the Coldwellshill Settlement and Henry was a farmer. The family was
shown in Palo Alto Settlement in the 1870 census and he was listed as a
farmer. Henry was also a carpenter and a stonemason and he helped build
houses and the original St. Mary's Catholic Church in Fredericksburg in
1861, where his family were members.
Heinrich died on June 21, 1886 and was buried in the
Catholic cemetery at Fredericksburg. His tombstone reads "H.Kruse, Geb.
im Jahre 1821, Gest. Jun. 21, 1886. Setig sind alt Tadren die in dem
iterrn sterben demi itire Werke folyen ihven lieti" which translates
"Blessed are those that die in the Lord for their good works follow
them". Franziska died on May 8, 1898. She is buried in the Catholic
cemetery at Fredericksburg some 40 feet from Heinrich. It was not the
custom at that time and place to have family plots. Her marker reads
"Hier ruht in Frieden unsere liebe Mutter Franziska Kruse, Geb. Apr 15,
1823, Gest. Mai 8, 1898," which translates "Here rest in Peace
our dear Mother".
1860 Gillespie Co., TX in Coldwellshill Settlement Pri.# II Taken July
11, 1860
Family 199- 187
Henry Kruse 39 m farmer Owned real estate
valued at $250, and a
personal estate of $350 and
was born in Prussia
Franziska 38
f Prussia
William
11 m Prussia
Franz
9 m Prussia
Minna
7 f TX
Magdalene 5
f TX
Catharine 3
f TX
Mary
1 f TX
(Henry and Louisa Otte family was family # 195-183 with Henry
Otte aged
1 male page 21)
1870 Census Gillespie Co., Texas taken Aug. 26, 1870 page 95 Pala Alto
Settlement(351)
Family # 581-591 (
Heinrich Kruse 48 m
farmer Prussia
Francisca 47 f
keepshouse Prussia
Franz
19
m
Prussia
Mina
17
f
TX
Catherine 14
f
TX
Marie
12
f
TX
Jacob
6
m
TX
Margary
4
f
TX
Anna
2
f
TX
1880 Census Gillespie Co., TX # 241/254
Henry Kruze w m 60 farmer
Francisco w f 57 wife
Jacob w m
16 son teamster
Matha w
f 14 daug
Anna
w f 11 daug.
Henry and Mary made their home in Gillespie County.
They were living in Gillespie County when a daughter Rosa Catherine
"Rosie", their first child was born April 5, 1880 in Gillespie
County. They moved to Brady, McColloch County after the
birth of Rosie.(according to Uncle Jake , their son).
They moved to Mason County
to 320 acres that was about 5 miles north-west of Mason in the old Rank
pasture near Kooksville, Mason County and set up housekeeping before
February 5, 1884 when their second child, Jacob, was born in Mason
County. They bought land from Frederick Kensing in 1887 in Mason
County, (Survey # 87 F.M.Kensing recorded Deed Volume Bk. O, page 10.)
Alfred Francis was born Oct. 16, 1888 near Koocksville, Mason
County. Mada Annie was born four years later on Nov. 2, 1892 near
Koockville, Mason County. Minnie Lillie was born April 28,
1900, were born near Kooksville, Mason County.
Marie never got over the birth of Minnie and died
May 12, 1900 (May 7, 1900) when Minnie was 15 days old. She probably
had what was called childbirth fever. Marie was buried in Crosby
Cemetery in Mason. Henry was left with four children to raise. Rosie
the oldest child came from near San Angelo with her baby, Walter for
the funeral. Walter got sick and it turned out to be Scarlet
Fever. Alfred and Mada caught Scarlet Fever from Walter. Alfred's fever
settled in his ears and caused a hearing loss. Mada's fever settled in
her neck and she had to have her neck lanced four times. She had a scar
on the right of her neck the rest of her life.
Marie's sister, Katherine Kruse Ischar, came
and took the baby, Minnie home with her. She took care of her for
several years. Marie and Katie had made an agreement. Their agreement
was that, if either of the sisters died and she had children, the other
sister would raise the dead sister's children. Henry was Lutheran but
he kept his promise to Marie and raised the children in the Catholic
religion.
Rosa and Jake had already left home but
Alfred, age 13, and Mada, age 8, stayed with their dad and then with
Granny Cook when Henry had to go with the Ranger group shortly after
Marie died. They stayed with their Aunt Katie for about a
year and went to school. Mada went to first grade in Simmonsville
and her teacher was Miss Streigler. The next year they stay in Mason
with the Henry Reugner family and went to school in Mason. Henry paid
for their room and board.
1880 Census of McColloch Co., Texas
page #5; Supervisor's Dist. #5; enumeration Dist #107; Justice Precinct
#1 Date June 4, 1880 by B. Campbell
#2936
Henry Ote w m 25 yrs. Married 1 time stock raiser TX
Mary C. w f 22 wife married 1 time
keeping house TX
Rosa
w f 2/12 April daughter TX
1900 Census # 1658 Mason Co., TX page 267 B Prct. #7 ;Family # 240-240
Henry Otte head w m Feb. 1853 47 w. md 21
TX Germany Germany
Jacob
son w m Feb. 1884 16
s
TX TX TX
Alfred
son w m May 1888 12
s
TX TX TX
Meta
dau. w f April 1893 7
s
TX TX TX
Minnie L. dau. w f May 1900
0/12s
TX TX TX
[Minnie/Mina was also listed in the household of Bernhard and Catharine
Ischar in 1900 Mason Co. Census as a niece born 4/1900.]
Need to check the 1910 and 1920 census to find them.
Henry remarried on Jan. 29, 1904 to Virgina
Alice Banner. They married at the home of Henry Reuger in Mason Co.,
Texas. After the wedding they went to Katie Ischar's house and got
Minnie, age 4, and carried her home with them. This was very hard on
Katie since she had had Minnie since she was a newborn. The children
were all brought home to live with their father and stepmother.
Mada said, her Aunt Katie Ischar said, it was the hardest thing she had
ever done to give up Minnie. Stories that Alfred and Jake told were
that Alice was very mean to them, and Henry let her get away with it
because of his gentle nature. The year Mada was in third grade she
stayed with Mrs. Hasper at Cooksville and Mrs. Hasper's daughter and
Mada walked to school together. Then Mada stayed with her brother Jacob
and his wife Annie at Long Mountain and went to the 4th grade. Her
teacher was Miss Valley Leslie. She only had two dresses to wear to
school and when she needed some new shoes, Alice made her come back
home instead of getting her new shoes since the kids didn't need shoes
at home.
The family worked oxen
in the fields on the farm. The kids used to work in the fields with
bare feet. There were lots of grassburrs and they would stick into
their feet and hands. They didn't bother the kids because their feet
were so tough from going barefooted like most children did at that time.
Henry Otte, who was Lutheran, had made a promise to
Marie to raise the children in the Catholic faith when they married. He
kept his
promise and raised the children in the Catholic religion. Alice was
Church of Christ and the children attended her church sometimes and the
Lutheran church sometimes as well as the Catholic church. Mada and
Alfred were confirmed and received their First Holy Communion at St.
Joseph's Catholic Church in Mason on Nov. 10, 1907. Mada was 15.
Mrs. Cook gave Alice white material and lace to make Mada's dress and
helped Alice to make it. According to Mada it was one of the prettiest
dresses there. After the confirmation the family went to Henry
Reugner's house for dinner.
Alfred left home because he didn't get along with Alice. He lived
with Jake and Annie. After he left Mada helped do his job. She
said she planted, plowed, picked corn, and helped with the crops, since
there was no one else to help. Minnie had gone to stay with their Aunt
Katie Ischar so she could go to school at Simmonsville. She became sick
with Dropsy and died May 5, 1909 at the age of almost 9.
Henry and Alice had a son Robert June 12, 1905 and he died
after living twelve hours. He was called a blue baby because of a lack
of
oxygen. In November 23, 1906 they had another son, Rome and he was also
called a blue baby. The boys were buried in Crosby Cemetery near his
wife Marie. . Minnie had gone to stay with their Aunt Katie Ischar so
she could go to school at Simmonsville. She became sick with Dropsy
(kidney problem) and died May 5, 1909 at the age of about eight and
one-half. Minnie was buried in the Crosby Cemetery in Mason. She
is buried by her mother, Marie.
Alice and Henry had a daughter, Izora
Pearl, Jan. 25, 1912 after the other children were all married and left
home.
Alfred, a son, told me of the adventures
of Henry Otte on June 1963 while visiting my grandparents at their home
near London, Texas. Alfred and his father, Henry Otte, and
another man went to Blue Hole on the Llano River, in Mason County. (It
was called this because it was deep and looked blue, and therewas so
many geese there.) They were going fishing at Blue Hole. Three
Spaniards, very nicely dressed, drove up and asked them were the Blue
Hole was and Henry told them they were going so they could follow them
there. Then the Spaniards asked them which was perfect north, south,
east, and west. Henry showed them and pointed out a fence row up ahead
and told them it ran perfectly north ad south according to the surveys.
They all camped together that night. The Spaniards had some kind of
paper. The next day the Spaniards were gone all day until that night.
That night it rained very hard and the Spaniards left that night whille
it was raining. Alfred said, they found a hugh rock and it had been
rolled over and was standing on its edge. There was a big hole
under where the rock had been underneath the rock was all kinds of
writing and maps. Uncle Alfred said that the rock is still there and
also the map and that he could take us to it now. He said he is almost
sure thay had found and taken some kind of treasure,
especially since they left in the middle of the night in a bad rain
storm.
Hugo Reichenau, my grandfather, and son- in
-law of Henry Otte, added to Alfred's story. He said the Dead Man's
Hole is right down the Llano River from Blue Hole. A man and his horse
tried to swim the river and he was never seen again. Pa said there was
a whirlpool there and a cave under it and that the suction pulled him
down. He said there is another Blue Hole on the San Saba River near
Hext, Texas. The pool of water is over 30 feet deep and they claim
there is an old Spanish mine under it, but they can't get to it. The
Jim Bowie mine is also supposed to be on the San Saba River.
Jake, Henry's oldest son, told this story to Norman.
Henry Otte and his son, Jake Otte were going into Mason one day in the
wagon when they came upon a fence across the road. There was three or
four cowboys standing there with their guns ready. Henry told them to
cut the wire or he was going to cut it. They didn't move but just stood
with their guns ready. Henry reached down behind the wagon seat and got
his Winchester and cocked it ad said I told you to cut that fence. The
cowboys cut a gate in the fence large enough for the wagon to go
through. Henry and Jake went on to town, Mason. The fence was never put
back up across the road.
Alice and Henry bought a farm from J. Brehens in
1919. After awhile they rented out the farm and moved to Kerrville,
then San Antonio, then Fredericksburg, and then back to Mason. The
house on the farm was still rented so they moved into the small one
room house used for the Mexican help. Henry got sick before they ever
moved into the big house. Henry died in the little house on June 8,
1927, at the age of 70 years, 9 months, and 14 days. He was buried in
the Crosby Cemetery next to his first wife, Marie, and children Minnie,
Rome and Robert. Alice was later buried there too.
Mason County, Texas
Newspaper dated June 30, 1927
"Looking Back"
"Just before closing our forms for press Wednesday afternoon, we learn
of the death of Henry Otte. Mr. Otte has been a resident of Mason
County for many years, and the News hopes to sevure a life history for
the next issue."
Mason County, Texas Newspaper
Mr. Henry Otte was born August 20, 1856 in Gillespie County, and
died at his home, 7 miles North of Mason June 8, 1927, at the age of 70
years, 9 months and 14 days. Mr. Otte lived most of his life in Mason
County, and was one of the early esttlers in the county.
Mason County Newspaper July 5, 1962:
The article read: July 5, 1962 it happened 35 years ago; June
30, 1927 Mr. Henry Otte was born August 20, 1856 in Gillespie County,
and died at his home, 7 miles North of Mason June 8, 1927, at the age
of 70 years, 9 months, and 14 days. Mr. Otte lived most of his life in
Mason County, and was one of the early settlers in the county.
Mason County, TX Courthouse page
36 # 9 filed 6/9/1927:
Carl Henry Otte male married born 8/20/1856 age 71 years 9 months and
19 days born in Gillespie County., TX farmer son of Henry Otte born
Germany , mother's maiden name unknown from Germany. Reported by Mr.
Henry Otte (Jake)died 6/8/1927 of Interstitise Nephsetis, buried Crosby
Cemetery 6/10/1927 by H. J. Hofman and Brothers.
Alice continued raising Ixora after Henry
died. She remarried two times. She died Dec. 1972 and was buried in the
Crosby Cemetery.
Deeds Gillespie Co., TX L to Z
Mrs Mary Otte it vir Jacob Kruse Clb. Cl
D 7 -188
65
acres
Survey # 572 Peter Alberthal Jan. 3, 1900
Mada Reichenau (el vir et al) to Jacob Kruse St. Cl Dd B 25
page 388
July 21, 1917 160 acres Survey # 334 H. Kruse
June 11, 1918 65 acres Survey # 572 P. Alberthal
Mason Co., Texas Deed Records
Henry Otte bought land from Frederich Kensing Nov. 26, 1887 Book O page
10, Survey # 87 F.M. Kensing
Henry Otte bought from Herman Ischar Book 6, page 222 Survey # 75 P Birk
in 1911
H. Otto from Texas State Book K page 65, 147 acres Survey # 88 H. Otto
Alfred Otte from H. Otte Book 6 page 222, 1911
Henry Otte from Jim Behrens Jan. 14, 1919 246 acres Survey # 118
J. W.
Kolb
Henry Otte from J. Behrens Book 15, page 390, 1919
Henry Otte from Alfred Otte Book 16 page 170, 1920
Alfred Otte from Henry Otte Book 16, page 169, 1920
Henry Otte from Wm. Behrens Book 17, page 283, 1920
Henry Otte from Jim Behrens Book 17 page 305, 1920
H. Otte from Lillie Wheeler Book 17 page 581, 1920
Alfred Otte from Henry Otte Book 18 page 127, 1922
Henry Otte from Jim Behrens Book 18 page 127 1922
Henry Otte from Louis J. Kettner Book 12 page 170, 1924
Alice Otte from C D Polk Easement Book 26, page 1 , 1935
Alice Otte from Alfred Otte book 16 page 169