On October 1, 1841 in Waldenburg, Germany William T. Eichholz was born. William Theodore Max Rhinehart Eichholz, which he changed to W.T. Eichholz in the United States.
Private Texas LT Artillery in the Confederate States Army
Married on April 13, 1868 to Friedricka Louis Dreier
Died in Cuero, Texas on February 13, 1916.
Wm. T. Eichholz was born at Waldenburg, Schlessen, Prussia, October 1, 1841 and died February 13, 1916 in Cuero, DeWitt County, Texas at the age of 74 years. His parents Carl Johann Eichholz and Charlotte Louise von Geisler Eichholz sent him to America when he was nineteen years of age. They did not want him conscripted into the German army. He had an older brother already living in Ohio or Tenessee. However I do not think it was the plan for him to go to the older brother. He landed in Galveston, Texas. He knew of a German family living in the Meyersville community. So he and several other young men walked from Galveston to Meyersville. This was a long and hard journey. The only thing he really knew about them was that they raised chickens. One morning when they thought they were in the right area, they heard a rooster crow. He headed in the direction of that sound and fortunately found the family he was seeking. He came to America in October 1860 and the next year joined the Confederate Army and served as a company clerk until the war was over in 1865. He was well educated. In Germany he went to school twelve months each year. He could speak, read and write five languages, play the violin and was knowledgable in all subjects to make a fine school teacher. It was the custom in Germany to give a child the names of all uncles and sponsors. He was given seven names: William Theodore Max Rhinehart. He said he forgot the other three. Great Great Grandfather was Carl Johann Eichholz and Great Great Grand Mother was CHarlotte Louise von Geisler Eichholz. I have little information on these two. I do know that he was an accountant in the government of the Kaiser. There were several children. A brother had come to American before he came. Another brother was an artist and painted the blue cups about which you know. There was also a sister named Anna. The children were well educated. To my knowledge the brother in Ohio/Tennessee never saw him, however they did correspond. Once when I was young his daughter Kate and her daughter Helen visited Tanta Paula. Kate was elderly at the time. I had a picture of the relatives in Germany but it was destroyed in the fire along with a lot of other information.
The editor of the Deutsche Rundschau, was born in Waldenburg, Province of Silesia, kingdom of Prussian, Germany in 1841. He came to Texas in 1860 landing at Galveston after a voyage of seventy-one days. He proceeded to Bastrop, Texas where his brother was located and entered the employ of the leading merchant as clerk and bookeeper. In July 1861, he removed to Austin and soon after joined the Confederate Army, enlisting in the Battery of Light Artillery under Captain H. Wilke’s command, remaining with this company until the close of the war, when he located at Yroktown in 1865 and began to teach school. For the following fourteen years Professor Eichholz was principal of the Yorktown School. He taught also at VIctoria and Indianola with the same success. After ten years he was recalled to take charge of Yorktown Normal School and superintended it for ten years. After a career of twenty-six years as an educator he came to Cuero and established the Deutsche Rundschau (German Observer) on July 3, 1891. His paper is the only German newspaper of DeWitt county, is rapidly gaining in circulation and prestige. It is independent in its politics, but supported the democratic ticket at the last election. It has done much to unite the Germans in closer social bonds. Professor Eichholz took a prominent part in the organization of the Germania society, being their first secretary. His is alos leader of the singing choir.
Ferdinand, brother in Bastrop, will move to galveston. 15 january 1860 birthday,unsure of age
Stepmother 12 dec 1859 birthday
