M U E N S T E R ?
What is the meaning of Muenster?
I found the town of
Muenster
Texas had Koelzer connections in the 1800. Why?
See the Story of Wildcat (St. Benedict --1883)
The "Story of St. Benedict" deals
with the early settler at Wildcat before it was re-named St. Benedict in
1993.. The story tells of these early settlers meeting on Sunday
at Johnn Koelzer's home for religious prayers before there was a
church or pastern at Wildcat. It is written they had said they longed to see
the, "the Muenster and the stately churches of Germany. I did
not know or understand for many years what the Munster referred to.
What did this term referred to or if it was a German term or just what it
meaning was. Many years later I learned that some of the second
generation Koelzer families (my wife's family) settled at Munster Texas.
First settling at Wildcat, now St. Benedict, in 1859, this being three
families, Johnn, Joseph and their sister Maria who married Ludwig Rettele.
They raised their families in the Wildcat (St Benedict) however many of the
second generations left or other parts of the country. Some settled in
Perry Okalahoma and others went to Muenster, Texas. This was the first
I had heard of the name Munster and wondered what this name
meant to the ones that named the that town.
This what it was all about
| The pictures
to below are from that web sight of Ulmer, Germany and may be enlarged
by clinking on them. This website is not on line at this time or I
can not locate it at present. I did get to picture copied to my Computer
before this web site ceased to exist. There were several more I
now wish I had downloaded. There
were picture on this web sight from various heights as this group
climbed the steeple and I do wish I had downloaded them also. |
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Following taken From the story of St. Benedict by Ledrine Bernsten a short quote from the story and then an explanation. Click Here to open
Written in German and translated to English.
| "On Sunday there
scattered living settlers usually met somewhere since this more or less
was near the creek usually at John Koelzer’s near the center of the
settlement. Sunday was always a happy day and since all the people had
come from Germany, soon the conversation centered on the home land. Oh
how homesick and sad it made us when we called the rich fertile land and
vineyard covered hills of the Rhine valley. How different it was here
not to hear the sound of the Church bells from hill to hill, back and
forth as on the Rhine. Not to see the
Muenster, and the
stately churches and the lively swallows around the fields, shrines and.
crosses." "Then we looked at torn clothes and remembered those festive clothes in which we so proudly went to the village feast. These were the holy day apparel in which we made a pilgrimage to the holy towers of Trier, or the Mother of God shrine at Keveler, or the Shrine of St. Wendelin at Sachteen. How powerful home sickness had a grip on us and silence our songs and our tears mixed with the silence surrounding of Wild Cat Creek". |
This Question was placed on my Koelzer Family web page along with the Story of St. Benedict by Ledrine Bernsten
What did the early settlers mean by "the Muenster"?
It was not long before the question was answered
by Janice Browning explaining she was the
great granddaughter of Peter Joseph and Sophia Koblitz Koelzer.
Her Grandmother Sophia had went to Texas live with her son John and Mary
Huls Koelzer after the death her husband, Peter Joseph and took the
three youngest children, Michael, Mary and Elizabeth, Elizabeth being her
Grandmother. This was her reply in answer to this question.
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In "the Early History of Wildcat or St. Benedict", the "Muenster" is most likely a reference the Muenster Cathedral of St. Paul in the settlers homeland. It was built in the 13th century (took 80 years to build). Made of sandstone with a copper roof, it was considered a architectural wonder. Muenster, Texas was named for the capital of Westphalia, Germany. The Flusche Brothers, Anton, Emil and August, established the colony in Texas in 1889 and had chosen the name, Westphalia, but learned a town by that name already existed in Texas. The son of an older brother, Joseph (also named Joseph) married Mary Koelzer, daughter of Peter Joseph Koelzer and Sophia Kibitz .Born at St. Benedict. |
This is a church to behold, and was it any wonder the early settlers longed to see it again. Perhaps this is what drove them of to build the church of St. Mary's at St Benedict which attracts so many tourist ever year. These early settlers had come from a area of much culture and refinement to a area of log cabins and hard work where life was not easy. It is little wonder they longed to see the Munster, and I would not be surprised that many sometimes wonder why they had ventured so far into the wilderness. Some did not survive and some did leave and look for better places but some remained and built a home and community for the future generations. "The Ulmer Muenster located in Ulm, a small city in southern Germany which as described as having one of the tallest steeple. Every year thousands of tourist come to climb the tower.
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Anyone having more information Please send to Ken Stallbaumer at kestall@yahoo.com