TOMBSTONE TUESDAY: John Roemer

TOMBSTONE TUESDAY (May 6, 2025): When it comes to building a community, few treasures are greater than finding a family as devoted and impactful as the Roemers. With so many family members actively involved in shaping the history of our county, it was difficult to pick out which member to feature in this week’s Tombstone Tuesday. Ultimately, I chose to begin at the foundation – with the family’s patriarch, Adolph Roemer, who was born on February 23, 1853 – the second son of John and Anna Maria Braeutegam Roemer. 

John Roemer was born of influential German parents, who were part of nobility in Frankfurt, Germany in April 1818. Due to monarchical government, religious suppression, and military controversies, he wanted to make his home in a land of freedom. He came to Galveston, Texas in 1844 with the leaders of the German Immigration Company, or the Mainzer Adelsverein of German princes and nobles. The first 150 German families arrived in Indianola, then called Karlshafen, around Christmas of that same year. Well educated and with the ability to speak several languages, John helped lay out the town of New Braunfels. Upon the arrival of the second troop of immigrants, trouble began to plague those coming to Texas. There was a lack of shelter and resources that was not what the immigrants expected. Continuous rains had caused rivers to swell, and roads became impassable for months. More ship loads of immigrants continued to arrive only to find no shelter, no food and only brackish water. They found only a hard struggle to just survive - as malaria and dysentery swept the coast with illness and death. On the coast one thousand died, with many more on the road to New Braunfels and upon arriving some three hundred more died. Part of the grant bought for the immigrants was within the hunting grounds of the fierce Comanche Indians. Herr Von Meusebach, successor of the prince, led an expedition into this territory and John is believed to have been a member of this group. The men were successful in making a friendship treaty with the Comanche allowing for another four settlements within the original grant. John then served as a State Ranger and patrolled along the Rio Grande. In 1848 he made his home at Indian Point (now Old Town Indianola) and that same year he married Anna Maria Braeutegam who also came to Indianola as a German immigrant. They moved to Long Mott where he served as Justice of the Peace for many years. He was a farmer and a rancher. The second child born to them was Adolph, who was born on February 23, 1853. Adolph married Josephine Wilmers whose parents were likewise immigrants of Germany on March 30,1855. Adolph served as sheriff for about 12 years while working as a farmer and stock rancher. Adolph and Josephine brought into this life five sons and one daughter and Adolph moved his family to Green Lake and started farming and ranching on his own. In 1890 Adolph moved his family to Port Lavaca to give his children a better education, only to return to their farm in Green Lake the next year. In 1896 he rented out the farming part of his land and once again moved his family to Port Lavaca, allowing all his children to have a better education. This time he stayed in Port Lavaca where Adolph proved himself to be a prominent member of the city. He served as tax collector and sheriff for many years. While he had some rough characters to deal with, he was known for his dislike of violence and never had to resort to using it while in office. His family loved trees and had many around their homes, many of which were fruit trees including grapefruit, oranges, lemons, plums, peaches, figs, and pecans. The family enjoyed jams, jellies, preserves, pies, wines, and juices from them. In a time before supermarkets fruit bearing trees were well worth protecting. Especially from a group of boys known as “little rascals” who liked them as much as the family did. Adolph fixed the problem by tying a rope to a heavy-laden tree and attaching a bell to the other end that was in his second story bedroom window. The bell would ring when the tree was being tampered with. Problem solved. The entire family liked the cattle business, and Adolph owned over 3,000 acres of land on which he ran them. The family would get together with the the rest of the Roemer tribe to rope, brand, and work the cattle. The women would make coffee and food while the men worked the herds, and the children had fun running and playing. The cooler weather brought butchering time which was also a big family affair. This took place in town and involved killing hogs, hanging them from a tree, and scraping them. They put the fat in a big iron wash pot, and it was mixed with lye to make soap. The meat was cut, ground, and mixed into sausage, stuffed, then hung in the smoke house along with slabs of bacon and hams. Strips of meat were hung over the clothesline to dry for jerky. Adolph was known as a man who was true to himself, his community, and his country. He was also a very astute businessman and along with some financial support from his longtime friend Dr. David Lewis of Indianola, was able to build many successful ventures. He was the the Vice President of the First National Bank and was a stockholder and director of the First State Bank and the Port Lavaca Fish and Oyster Company. Adolph also owned a good amount of rental property. He was a civic leader he had profound influence in building Port Lavaca. He built and owned about half of the businesses on the southwest side of North Street (now known as Main Street). His home, a large two story, was located on the corner of North and Colorado Streets. To build more businesses on North Street he later had it moved three blocks to the corner of North and Benavides. The Roemer’s were staunch members of the Methodist church, and Adolph was a 32nd degree Mason and a Shriner. He was also a member of the Woodmen of the World, and the Knights of Pythias. One of Adolf’s greatest contributions to this community were the children that were born to him and Josephine. They grew up to be just as prominent and active as their father raised them to be. Fred was a doctor; Oscar owned a meat market and served as Tax Collector and Sheriff like his father was. Dolph had City Drug Store; Charlie was associated with a bakery, had a furniture business, and a tailor shop. Preston was a pharmacist. 

Josephine died on May 29, 1926, and Adolph joined her on November 20, 1931. They are buried among the the other members of the family in Port Lavaca Cemetery. 

“Shifting Sands of Calhoun County” pg.231

“Port Lavaca, Texas 1840-1990” pg. 308-309

“Indianola Scrap Book” pg.137

www.tshaonline.org https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/meusebach-john-o

Tombstone Tuesday is written and compiled each week by Jody Weaver and Sheryl Cuellar of the Calhoun County Historical Commission, sharing the people and stories behind Calhoun County's history.