Until about twenty years ago the gravel roads in Burton had simple names. The Jaegers lived on County Road 12. The Mayers lived on County Road 12. The Dubes did as well. But everyone knew where everyone else lived. My mother Jeanette Zemanek shared how she and a friend would write letters during the summer …
Category: History
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: New Beginnings
One of my resolutions this year is to participate in 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. This activity, instituted by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow, is designed to give amateur genealogists like myself a way to share their research. Each week, participants are provided with a prompt to guide them in writing a biography or short story …
Annual Genealogy Lock In
Hi friends, I attended this event last year and loved it! If you like genealogy, make plans to attend! --George The Nancy Carol Roberts Memorial Library in Brenham will be hosting the annual Genealogy Lock In on Friday, October 18th. This is one of the best genealogy events in the state. We have eight live-streamed …
Documenting History
The JWHCA is currently working on creating biographies for all of the individuals buried in the lower Witte section. If you are a descendant of or have information about the Witte, Hagedorn, or von Bieberstein families, please contact us at g.zemanek.1@gmail.com. You may also comment on this post with whatever information you have. Thanks!
Rest in Peace, or, The Funeral That Never Was
Henry and his sister Mede, circa 1912 Life on a farm allows one to share completely in the fullness of life. Crops grow, animals are born, and families increase. But along with life comes loss. Crops wither, animals die, and family members pass away. Children, along with their parents, attend funerals and witness the rites …
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The Cemetery Lilies
During a routine cleanup a few weeks ago, I was spraying the Johnson grass yet again when I noticed that the lilies in the Lower Section were making their annual appearance. Like the Hagerdorn Rosebush, these centuries old day-lilies are not watered or maintained. But every year, they bloom and give us beautiful, natural …
Buxtehude, where the dog barks with its tail
Buxtehude, wo der Hund mit dem Schwanz bellt Buxtehude, where the dog barks with its tail by Jerry W. Jaeger Buxtehude is world-famous not only for the fairy tale of the race between the rabbit and the hedgehog, but also for the proverbial saying that Buxtehude is the town "where the dogs bark with their …
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Annual Genealogy Lock-In
Are you interested in genealogy? Brenham Library is there to help! 18TH ANNUAL GENEALOGY LOCK-IN Sponsored by the Texas State Genealogical Society AT THE NANCY CAROL ROBERTS MEMORIAL LIBRARY OCTOBER 19, 2018 10:00 AM TO 8:30 PM 100 Martin Luther King, Jr. Pkwy Brenham, TX 77833 8 LIVE Virtual Programs Genealogy Beginner's Class at noon Door …
History of the Jaeger Witte Cemetery
In May 1984, following a major cleanup and restoration effort, Henry Jaeger Jr. sat down to write the history of the Jaeger-Witte Cemetery. He began with the statement “Just when and in what year the first death and burial and beginning of this cemetery (occurred) remains a hidden question.” What we do know with certainty …
Upcoming Presentation
George Zemanek, JWHCA Secretary, will be presenting "From Germany to Texas: the History of the Jaeger Witte Cemetery" at the September meeting of the Washington County Genealogical Society. The meeting will be September 10, 2018, 7:00pm, in rooms 2 & 3 of the Blinn Student Center. The Blinn College address is 902 College Ave, Brenham, TX …