List of German Texans
Encyclopedia
German Texan
s have historically played a role in Texas history. This page is an effort to document some of the notable individuals within the Central Texas German communities.
Texans of German birth or descent have, since the mid-19th century, made up one of the largest ethnic groups in the state. By 1850 they numbered five percent of the total population—a conservative count. The 1990 census listed more than 17 percent of the population, nearly three million individuals, claiming German heritage.
German Texan
German Texan is an ethnic category that includes residents of the state of Texas with German ancestry who identify with the term. This identification may include cultural agreements—German language, German cuisine, feasts, music, hard work, frugality, and close family ties. From their first...
s have historically played a role in Texas history. This page is an effort to document some of the notable individuals within the Central Texas German communities.
Texans of German birth or descent have, since the mid-19th century, made up one of the largest ethnic groups in the state. By 1850 they numbered five percent of the total population—a conservative count. The 1990 census listed more than 17 percent of the population, nearly three million individuals, claiming German heritage.
Notable German Texans
- Prince Carl of Solms-BraunfelsPrince Carl of Solms-BraunfelsPrince Carl of Solms-Braunfels , was a German prince and military officer in both the Austrian army and in the cavalry of the Grand Duchy of Hesse. As Commissioner General of the Adelsverein, he spearheaded the establishment of colonies of German immigrants in Texas...
- Edward DegenerEdward DegenerEdward Degener was a Republican U.S. Representative from Texas during Reconstruction.-Biography:Born in Brunswick, Germany, Degener pursued an academic course in Germany and in England...
- Friedrich DiercksFriedrich DiercksFriedrich Diercks was born on June 18, 1796, at Burg Gödens near the village of Neustadtgödens. In February 1814 he joined the Oldenburg Regiment of the Duke of Oldenburg, and he remained a soldier until June 1819. In 1831, Friedrich Diercks received land at Mill Creek in Austin County and began...
(or Johann Friedrich Ernst) - Dr. Carl Adolph Douai
- Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
- Henry Francis FisherHenry Francis FisherHenry Francis Fisher , a notable German Texan, was born in Kassel, Hesse. In 1837 or early 1838 he came to Houston, Texas, where he was consul for the Hanseatic League...
- John FrelsJohn FrelsJohn Frels co-founded the town of Frelsburg, Texas, around 1837 with his brother Capt. William Frels. He immigrated to Texas from Germany in 1834, when it was a Mexican state. He spoke German and additional languages Spanish and English when Texas came under Mexican and U.S. rules...
- William FrelsWilliam FrelsWilliam Frels co-founded the town of Frelsburg, Texas around 1837 with his brother John Frels. He immigrated to Texas from Germany in 1834. He spoke German and additional languages Spanish and English when Texas came under Mexican and U.S. rules...
- Justin FurstenfeldJustin FurstenfeldJustin Steward Furstenfeld is a record producer, artist, author, and the lead singer, guitarist, lyricist and frontman of the American rock band Blue October.-Personal life:...
- Summer GlauSummer GlauSummer Lyn Glau is an American actress, known for playing River Tam in the science fiction series Firefly and follow-up film Serenity, and for playing Cameron in the series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.-Early life:...
- Phil HardbergerPhil HardbergerPhil Hardberger is a former mayor of San Antonio, Texas. He took office in June 2005. He is a Democrat; however, as with all mayoral, city council, and school board positions in Texas, Hardberger was elected on a non-partisan ballot....
- Laura HarringLaura HarringLaura Harring is a Mexican-American actress and former Miss USA . She is known for her role as Rita in Mulholland Drive.-Early life:...
- Betty HolekampBetty HolekampBetty Holekamp was a German colonist and pioneer in Texas. She is recognized for several "firsts" as a Texas pioneer, such as being the first to sew an American flag upon Texas's acceptance into the Union, and thus is known as the Betsy Ross of Texas...
- Pastor John Kilian
- Ralph KirshbaumRalph KirshbaumRalph Henry Kirshbaum is an American cellist currently living in Los Angeles. During his career he has performed solos with major orchestras worldwide, won prizes in several international competitions, and recorded extensively....
- Louis KlebergLouis KlebergLouis Kleberg was a German Texan soldier in the Texas Revolution and a member of the frontier forces.-Biography:...
- Robert J. KlebergRobert J. KlebergRobert Justus Kleberg , christened Johan Christian Justus Robert Kleberg, was a German Texan from Herstelle, Westphalia, then part of the Kingdom of Prussia. He was a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto and the brother of Louis Kleberg...
- Ferdinand LindheimerFerdinand LindheimerFerdinand Jacob Lindheimer was a German Texan botanist who spent his working life on the American frontier. In 1936, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark number 1590 was placed on Lindheimer's grave.-Early life:...
- Tom LoefflerTom LoefflerThomas Gilbert Loeffler is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from central Texas. He was an advisor and fundraiser to the 2008 presidential campaign of U.S...
- Charles W. Machemehl
- Chuck MachemehlChuck MachemehlChuck Machemehl is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. A rancher and businessman in Central Texas, he was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 1967, and played for them during the 1971 season. .-External links:...
- Johann Machemehl
- Louis A. Machemehl
- Paul Machemehl
- John O. MeusebachJohn O. MeusebachJohn O. Meusebach , born Baron Otfried Hans von Meusebach, was at first a Prussian bureaucrat, later an American farmer and politician who served in the Texas Senate, District 22.-Early years:John O...
(or Baron Ottfried Hans Freiherr von Meusebach) - Bill MeierBill MeierWilliam Carl "Bill" Meier is an attorney and a former member of the Texas State Senate from Hurst in Tarrant County, who holds the world filibuster record in a legislative body. Meier currently serves as a Justice to the Texas Second Court of Appeals.-Biography:Bill Meier was reared in Waco,...
- Burchard MillerBurchard MillerBurchard Miller, was one of the many persons interested in the 1840s in securing land grants from the Republic of Texas for colonization enterprises...
- Gus Franklin MutscherGus Franklin MutscherGus Franklin Mutscher is a former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, having served from 1969-1972. He was one of several Texas politicians indicted in the Sharpstown bank stock fraud scandal...
- Randy NeugebauerRandy NeugebauerRobert Randolph "Randy" Neugebauer is the U.S. Representative for , serving since a special election in 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes a large swath of West Texas, including Lubbock and Abilene...
- Chester W. Nimitz
- Robert RauschenbergRobert RauschenbergRobert Rauschenberg was an American artist who came to prominence in the 1950s transition from Abstract Expressionism to Pop Art. Rauschenberg is well-known for his "Combines" of the 1950s, in which non-traditional materials and objects were employed in innovative combinations...
- Bob SchiefferBob SchiefferBob Lloyd Schieffer is an American television journalist who has been with CBS News since 1969, serving 23 years as anchor on the Saturday edition of CBS Evening News from 1973 to 1996; chief Washington correspondent since 1982, moderator of the Sunday public affairs show Face the Nation since...
- Gustav SchleicherGustav SchleicherGustav Schleicher was a German-born Democratic United States Representative from Texas. He was an engineer who served briefly in the Texas legislature, and was a veteran of the Confederate Army.-Early life:Schleicher was born in Darmstadt in the German principality of Hesse in 1823...
- Zachary SeligZachary SeligZachary Selig is an American artist, author, interior designer and spiritist.-Biography:His first publication as author and illustrator was the bestselling Kundalini Awakening - A Gentle Guide to Chakra Activation and Spiritual Growth.Selig is a magic realist painter...
- Kel SeligerKel SeligerKelton Gray “Kel” Seliger is a Republican member of the Texas State Senate representing District 31 in the Panhandle and the Permian Basin....
- August SiemeringAugust SiemeringAugust Siemering , was a notable German Texan educator, writer, publisher and political leader.-Forty-Eighters and Freethinkers:...
- Nick StahlNick StahlNicolas Kent "Nick" Stahl is an American actor. Starting out as a child actor, he gained recognition for his performance in the 1993 film The Man Without a Face and then embarked on a successful career as a child actor...
- Johann Ludwig Karl Heinrich von StruveJohann Ludwig Karl Heinrich von StruveJohann Ludwig Karl Heinrich von Struve was the youngest son of the large brood of children of Johann Christoph Gustav von Struve and Sibilla Christiane Friederike von Hochstetter; part of the Struve family and brother to Gustav Struve...
- Count Ludwig Joseph von Boos-WaldeckCount Ludwig Joseph von Boos-WaldeckCount Ludwig Joseph von Boos-Waldeck was a German noble who promoted the settling of Texas by Germans....
- Ferdinand von RoemerFerdinand von RoemerCarl Ferdinand von Roemer , German geologist, had originally been educated for the legal profession at Göttingen, but became interested in geology, and abandoning law in 1840, studied science at the University of Berlin, where he graduated Ph.D...
- Arlene WohlgemuthArlene WohlgemuthArlene Wohlgemuth, U.S. politician, was the Republican nominee for the 17th Congressional District of Texas in 2004. She lost 51% to 48% to Chet Edwards....
- Harry M. WurzbachHarry M. WurzbachHarry McLeary Wurzbach was the first Republican since Reconstruction to represent Texas for more than two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Robert B. Hawley had previously served as a Republican for a Galveston based congressional district from 1897-1901...
- Elisabet NeyElisabet NeyFranzisca Bernadina Wilhelmina Elisabeth Ney was a celebrated German-born sculptor who spent the first half of her life and career in Europe, producing sculpted works of famous leaders such as Otto von Bismarck, Giuseppe Garibaldi and King George V of Hanover...