Texas Historical Marker #11680
Samuel Knight Lewis. (January 20, 1807 - November 14, 1867) South Carolina native Samuel K. Lewis married Marshall Ann Moore in 1830 and they settled on his Mississippi plantation. In 1838 the Lewis family was drawn to Texas. Originally a surveyor, Lewis served Austin County in the Republic of Texas House of Representatives in 1844-1845. In 1848 he learned of plans for a stage line to run through this area. He bought 145 acres near this site and settled his family there. The Lewis home became a stopping place for travelers later known as the Winedale Inn. Given to the University of Texas in the 1960s, it became a focal point of the nearby Winedale Historical Center. Recorded - 2000 #11680
?, Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #05863
Winedale Stagecoach Inn. Built by William S. Townsend about 1834. Of cedar timbers-- one large room, fireplace and loft for sleeping quarters. Purchased in 1848 by Samuel k. Lewis; enlarged to present form. Became known as "Sam Lewis' stopping place" for many years. Restored by Miss Ima Hogg, 1964. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1967. #5863
?, Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #05714
Wandke House. Johann Traugott Wandke (1808-1870) immigrated from Prussia to nearby La Grange with his wife Christiane and two daughters, Karoline and Christiane, in 1855. About 1860 Johann and Christiane came to Round Top to live in the home of their daughter Karoline and her husband Zoellistin Pochmann. They built their own native stone home/workshop at this site about 1863. Johann was a skilled mechanic and cabinetmaker but is best known for the high-quality organs he crafted from native cedar for several churches in the area including Round Top's Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Sesquicentennial of Texas Statehood 1845-1995 #5714
?, Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #05261
Early Texas Hotels & Inns. Two miles east, at Winedale, is the Old "Sam Lewis Stopping Place" of the 1850s--a typical early Texas inn, now a University of Texas Research Center. Built 1834, as a settler's 2-room log cabin of hand-hewn cedar; then enlarged twice and (with work of local German craftsmen) improved in style, it was home after 1848 to Lewis, his wife, eight children; also entertained guests from passing stagecoaches. It was near roads connecting major Texas cities. Many roadside homes in early Texas were inns. The horseback traveler would shelter his pony in the barn, share family meals, get a room for the night. All stage lines depended on such accommodations-- for changes of horses, for passengers' meals, and for overnight stops. With travel difficult at best, such inns rendered a service of great public necessity. A frontier inn might even be a dugout, where the guests rolled up in blankets and slept on the floor. (Travelers sometimes had to sleep under a tree, so any sort of sheltering house was usually welcomed.) Most stage stops dispatched and received U.S. mail for the community. Towns originated at many stops. In early Texas, famous hotels included the Tremont, Galveston;The Old Capitol, Houston; several in Austin. #5261
?, Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #04677
Schiege Cigar Factory Manager's House. Charles Schiege employed mainly single men to manufacture cigars in his factory. The workers were provided with sleeping quarters in the attic area of the factory building. The factory manager, however, was often a family man, and to house these employees Schiege built a cottage of German vernacular design at this site about the time the factory was opened in 1882. Early cigar factory manager Paul Herman Helmecke (1864-1894) and his wife Martha Mary Neuthard, daughter of prominent local Pastor Adam Neuthard, lived here with their five children in the 1880s and 1890s. Sesquicentennial of Texas Statehood 1845-1995 #4677
?, Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #04605
Schueddemagen Home. This home, built in 1852 by Carl Siegismunde Bauer, is of Teutonic architecture, a replica of the family home in Wiesa, Kingdom of Saxony. Built for his daughter and her husband, Wilhelmine and Conrad Schueddemagen (later changed to Shudde). #4605
?, Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #04600
Schiege House. Prussian immigrants Carl Johann Rudolph (Charles Henry) (b. 1815) and Caroline (Schubert) Schiege acquired land here in 1861. Only one of their four children, Charles Henry, Jr., (1858-1935), survived to adulthood. Charles Henry, Jr., built a 2-story home at this site abut 1885, the year he married Emma Frenzel. Emma died in 1892. In 1893 Schiege married Marie Becker; together they reared ten children. Charles and Marie Schiege are buried in nearby Florida Chapel Cemetery. Sesquicentennial of Texas Statehood 1845-1995. #4600
?, Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #04599
Schiege Cigar Factory. By 1859 the U.S. was importing 900 million cigars yearly, mainly from Germany. Tariffs, levied on imported cigars beginning 1862, resulted in a dramatic increase in domestic cigar manufacturing. Tobacco was still an important cash crop when Charles Schiege, Jr., erected a one-room frame cigar factory here in 1882. The factory's roadside facade bore a sign reading "cigars & tobaccos." Factory workers made the cigars by hand and mainly from U.S. domestic tobaccos. Schiege marketed his cigars under a variety of labels, including "Texas Star," until 1932 when he closed the factory. Sesquicentennial of Texas Statehood 1845-1995 #4599
?, Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #04330
Rocky Creek Farm. Original one-story house was built about 1854 for settler James Wade; situated then on the former Nassau Farm, a vast tract intended for settlement by German immigrants. Count Boos-Waldeck, an agent for the Adelsverein (German Emigration Society), purchased the land but another area was colonized instead. In 1894 Rudolph Weigelt of Germany bought the farm and in 1913 erected present house, which encloses the original one. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-- 1970. #4330
?, Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #04060
Pochmann House. German immigrant Zoellistin (Cellestin) Pochmann (1835-1862) came to Texas about 1856-57. He worked as a cabinetmaker in La Grange and married Karoline Wandke (1837-1910) in 1857. They moved to a 3-room house about three miles northwest of here in 1860. After making improvements to the house they relocated the structure to this site about 1861. Zoellistin died from a snakebite in 1862. His son, Heinrich (Hy) Pochmann (1860-1926) also became a skilled cabinetmaker and served as mayor of Round Top for four years. Heinrich and Clara (Ebner) Pochmann reared their four sons here. Sesquicentennial of Texas Statehood 1845-1995. #4060
?, Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #03550
Nassau Plantation. An extensive tract of land purchased in 1843 for colonization by German emigrants. Named for Duke Adolf of Nassau, protector of the emigration society, it was once one of the show places of Texas. Although the 4,428 acres could have been a good half-way station for German colonists on the long journey to western lands, this use was rejected by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels, the commissioner general of the "Adelsverein", or German Emigration Society. He feared that the site, which was close to non-German settlements, would cause his people to lose their distinctive national culture. Though never colonized, Nassau became a welcome place for relaxation during trying periods of the emigration movement. Here the prince enjoyed horse racing and held feasts costing thousands of dollars. His successor as commissioner, John O. Meusebach, came to Nassau for less extravagant entertainment. The main dwelling on the plantation was built of oak, two stories high. Even in frontier days it had two glass windows. Cotton was grown on the lands. In 1848 the bankrupt Adelsverein sold Nassau. It was later divided into small farms, cultivated by descendants of the original German pioneers. #3550
?, Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #03337
The Menn House. Built near Winedale (4.5 Miles NE), probably by landowner Samuel K. Lewis (1807-67), ex-congressman, Texas Republic. Occupied 1860s by William and Carolina Menn and their 12 children, bought 1880 by Menn, this was home of their descendants until 1931. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1973 #3337
?, Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #03061
Hamilton Ledbetter House. North Carolina native Hamilton Ledbetter (1808-1888) and his wife Jane Amanda ( Peacock) (1813-1884) settled in Victoria County in 1839. Ledbetter moved to Fayette County in 1845. Soon he built this home for his large family. Ledbetter's plantation was the location of Round Top Academy which operated 1854-67. A prominent citizen, he served as Round Top marshall and State Senator, 1872-74. The house was moved about one mile to this site in 1959. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1979. #3061
229 Hackemack Rd., Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #02763
Konrad Joh Log Cabin. According to tradition, this cabin was erected about 1848 near the main Galveston to Bastrop Rd. The hand-hewn live oak logs were chinked with a mixture of mud, straw, and sand. Konrad (1830-1912) and Elisa (Zwernemann) Joh (1839-1901), who migrated to Texas from Germany, occupied the structure for many years. In 1875 they used oxen to move the cabin about 300 feet uphill from its original location. Later members of the Paetzold family lived here. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1987 #2763
?, Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #02485
Isaac Lafayette Hill. Born in Jasper County, Georgia. Moved to Texas in 1835. Taught school at Coles settlement. In Texas revolution served as 3rd corporal, Co. D, 1st regiment. Piloted ferry for Texas army at San Felipe during General San Houston's retreat, in 1836. Fought under Houston at the victorious Battle of San Jacinto same year. Later lived in San Felipe and on his land grant near Round Top. Was senator from Fayette County in State Legislature, 1853-1857. #2485
?, Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00396
Bethlehem Lutheran Church. A center of Lutheran faith in Fayette County. Dedicated 10-28-66 with Rev. Adam. Neuthard as first pastor. Unique pipe organ of cedar built by Traugott Wantke. Stone construction shows German architectural style. #396
?, Round Top, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #00379
Bernard Scherrer. (1807 -1892) Bernard Scherrer left his native Switzerland at the age of 22 for extended travels before reaching Texas in 1833. After serving in Burleson's regiment during the Texas Revolution, he received a land grant in Colorado County but settled in Biegel settlement (Fayette County) about 1838. Here he served as justice of the peace, county commissioner, and in 1845 he married Gesine Eliza Margarete Koch. He left his civic, farming and freighting duties to serve in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. This cabin, Scherrer's first residence in Texas, was moved to this location in 1975. #379
?, Round Top, TX, United States