Comfort Heritage Foundation

640 High St., Comfort, Texas 830-995-2641

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Treue Der Union (Loyalty to the Union) - Marker in/near Comfort

Photo Credit: Dietert Historical Archives -
Patrick Heath Public Library (Boerne)

Treue Der Union (Loyalty to the Union)

Marker #15 - 1968 This German language monument, erected 1866, honors the memory of 68 men (mostly Germans) from this region who were loyal to the Union during the Civil War. Trying desperately to reach U.S. Federal troops by way of Mexico, about 40 of the men were killed by vengeful Confederates bent on annihilating them, in the Battle of the Nueces (on Aug. 10, 1862) and a later fight (Oct. 18). The bodies of the slain and those who drowned swimming the Rio Grande were left unburied. A group of Germans gathered the bones of their friends and buried them at this site in 1865.(between 2nd and 3rd Streets, High Street, between 2nd and 3rd, Comfort) This monument in Comfort, Texas honors the memory of the sixty-eight men from this region who were loyal to the Union during the Civil War. They tried to escape into Mexico so that they could join the Union Army. They were ambushed and killed near the Nueces River. Their bones were recovered, except for those who drowned in the Rio Grande River, and buried at this site in 1865. KILLED 18 October 1862 at the RIO GRANDE RIVER: Joseph Elstner Edward Felsing H Herrmann V. Hohmann Moritz Weiss Peter Bonnet, Comfort Frank Weiss Fritz Lange, Comfort KILLED 10 August 1862 at the NUECES RIVER: Ludwig Bauer F. Behrens Ernst Beseler Louis Boerner, Comfort Albert Bruns Hugo Degener Hilmar Degener Pablo Diaz F. Vater Emil Schreiner, Kerrville J.H.Kallenberg, Fredericksburg H. Markwardt, Sisterdale C. Schaefer Louis Schierholz Heinrich Steves, Comfort Wilhelm Telgmann M Weyrich H. Weyershausen A. Vater CAPTURED AND MURDERED H. Flick C. Bock F. Tays Theo. Bruckisch Wilhelm Boerner, Comfort A. Luckenbach, Fredericksburg A. Ruebsamen L. Ruebsamen Heinrich Stieler, Comfort

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August Faltin Building - Marker in/near Comfort

Marker #237 - 1982   Prussian native Friedrich August Faltin (1830-1905) moved to Comfort in 1856 and purchased the general merchandise business of Theodor Goldbeck, located at this site. Trained in his father's store, which had been established about 1818 in Danzig, Prussia, now Gdansk, Poland, Faltin became a leading merchant of the Texas Hill Country. In addition, his 1869 partnership with Capt. Charles Schreiner of Kerrville became the nucleus of the vast Schreiner enterprises. By the late 1870s Faltin's business, which included banking and post office services, had outgrown the structure at this site and he had architect Alfred Giles of San Antonio design a new building. Constructed by the noted builder J. H. Kampmann, the Victorian Italian edifice was completed in 1879. Later run by Faltin's sons Richard and August S., the business was sold in 1907 to their brother-in-law Dan Holekamp and his sons Otto and Edgar. That same year an addition to the building was completed. Also designed by Giles, it included second floor space for meetings and fraternal and civic groups. In 1968 the property was sold back to the Faltin family. The August Faltin Building remains as a symbol of the area's early commercial growth. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1982 (Main and Seventh, Comfort)

Original structure was two stories above a full basement. The main level served as a general store, the basement was the warehouse (with freight elevator), and the family lived on the second floor. A small 3 bay store designed by Alfred Giles in 1879. Tall segmented arched openings on first floor; two story gallery topped by pressed tin cornice & arched parapet. In 1907 Giles designed a long two story addition

 Prussian native, Frederick August Faltin, moved to Comfort in 1856 and purchased the general merchandise business from Theodore Goldbeck. By the late 1870s Faltin's business, which included banking and post office services, had outgrown the structure and he had architect Alfred Giles of San Antonio design a new building. Constructed by the noted builder J. H. Kampmann, the Victorian Italian edifice was completed in 1879.

Later run by Faltin's sons, Richard and August S., the business was sold in 1907 to their brother-in-law, Dan Holekamp, and his sons, Otto and Edgar. That same year an addition to the building was completed. Also designed by Giles, it included second floor space for meetings of fraternal and civic groups, school dances and receptions. In 1968 the property was sold back to the Faltin family.

In 1974, great grandson August restored the upstairs area into two aparments. Ray and Jan Weeks moved to Comfort in 1993 and live in one of the apartments and use the other apartment as a Bed and Breakfast.
The August Faltin building was designated Texas Historical Landmark in 1982.

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Ludwig Hein Home - Marker in/near Comfort

Photo Credit: Bryden Moon

Marker #3145 - 1987   Ludwig Hein (1855-1933) came to Texas from Germany in 1877. He married Rosa Treiber of Waring and built this home for his family before 1900. Hein operated a blacksmith shop next door until the family moved to San Antonio in 1914. The home was known as the "nerve center" of Comfort when the local telephone switchboard was housed here from 1923 to 1955. Features of the Victorian house include its front bay window and bracketed porch supports.

Ludwig Hein was born in Steinhoefel Kreise Friedeberg, Berlin on October 9, 1955. In 1877, at age 22 he immigrated to the United States via the Port of New Orleans, and crossed country until he reached Waring, Texas.
Ludwig, from a family of 11 children, was joined in this country five years later by the passage of his parents, Henry and Ottilie Hein to Waring, Texas. In Waring, Ludwig met and married Rosa Treiber. Rosa was born August 19, 1867 in Burgenland, Austria. She, too, had immigrated to this country. On January 8, 1890, Ludwig Hein purchased Lot 93 in the township of Comfort from Achese Auguste for the sum of $150.
The Hein house, built before 1900, served as the home for the Hein's when Ludwig had a blacksmith shop next door. Six children were born to Ludwig and Rosa.
Son, Frederick, remembers how hard his father, Ludwig, worked in the tin blacksmith shop which adjoined their home directly on the southside. There were many horses to shoe as well as difficult wheel rims to mend.
In 1914, Ludwig moved his family to San Antonio so that his younger children might attend school there.
On April 19, 1923, Southwestern Bell moved the local switchboard from the Koblin Building to 727 High Street. Miss Augusta Allerkamp was in charge with 340 local and rural lines coming into the Comfort switchboard.
In 1925 Mrs. Grace Martin assumed management of the switchboard. The main switchboard was located in the front room while the remainder of the home served as Mrs. Martin's living quarters. The dining room of the home also served as one of the first lending libraries of the town, when in January, 1941, Mrs. Martin begin keeping the library books.

In 1947 Zahn Green purchased the Comfort and Center Point Exchanges which operated as Hill Country Telephone Company. With the advent of the dial system, Green sold out in 1955 to Hill Country Telephone, ending a 32 year era of Comfort's History.

The simple frame home was typical of those built in Comfort at the Turn of the Century as indicated by the porch columns, brackets and exposed rafter. The back portion of the house was added to the original structure before 1936.
The house was given a Historic Marker in 1987.

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1860 Temporary Headquarters of Gen. Robert E. Lee - Marker in/near Boerne

Photo Credit: Dietert Historical Archives -
Patrick Heath Public Library (Boerne)

Marker #23 - 1963    John G. O'Grady came from Westport,Ireland and settled on the south bank of the Cibolo Creek on the fringe of the settlement of Boerne, Texas. The land was bought on May 10, 1859. The old government trail between San Antonio and the Forts of McKavitt, Concho and Mason passed by his front door. This building is all that is left of the original buildings. Robert E. Lee is said to have stayed here when on trips between Camp Verde and Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio. Merrill Bishop and Joseph Roemer writing in "The Gentleman Commander" quote him at dinner here in the 1860s.
O'Grady was a government contractor,supplying feed for the government teams which plied the old trail. He was an Indian fighter and participated in the last Indian fights in the neighborhood of Boerne and Sisterdale. During the years of 1866 to 1869 he was Postmaster of Boerne.
The O'Grady's opened a stage station here where travelers could dine or stay overnight. (Main and Evergreen Street, Boerne)

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Stotts Home (Robert E. Lee House) - Marker in/near Boerne
Photo Credit: Janis and Ted Maxymof	Marker #14280 - 1963 More info and Map Link

Julius A. and Anna Phillip House - Marker in/near Boerne

Photo Credit: Dietert Historical Archives -
Patrick Heath Public Library (Boerne)

Marker #2888 - 1993   Built about 1900, this was the home of Kendall County Justice of the Peace and County Judge Julius A. Philip (1867-1935), his wife Anna (Meckel) (1867-1961), and their eight children. Originally built as a 4-room house, it was enlarged in the 1920s to accommodate the growing family, and the front porch was added in the 1930s. Prominent features of the house include board-and-batten siding, a gable roof, jigsawn porch brackets and turned wood frieze.

The one story house is typical "turn of the century," rural, framed board and batten; original L shaped with a gable at each end of the roof. The roof is composition shingle to the original fron section. The foundation is on cedar post, pier and beam construction. The windows are wood, single hung, 6 x 6 sash.

The house began as a four room house with a separate room in rear. Later two rooms and porch were added. 
The front porch is three sections wide with sawn wood brackets supporting spindles, with a unique gingerbread design of wooden stars framed in wooden hoops. The floor remains wooden.

At the time of purchase of the property, many postoak trees were on the land; however, little time was wasted putting in a field and garden. Hackerry trees were planted and still stand, giving lovely shade in the summer. A complete orchard of pear, plum, figs, apricots and grapes was planted and some still bear fruit.

This house was the home of Julius Phillip, pioneer and county judge of Kendall County and his wife, Anna (Meckel) Phillip also from a pioneer family. The house has been the residence of family members since it was built in 1900. Ella (Phillip) Massey lived here rearing her four children and until her death, then her grand- daughter, Cary Crea became the owner.

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Fabra Smokehouse - Marker in/near Boerne

Photo Credit: Dietert Historical Archives -
Patrick Heath Public Library (Boerne)

Marker #1546 - 1980   A native of Germany, Julius Fabra (1827-1910) migrated to this area in 1854. After working as a freight hauler, he opened a meat market to serve the local farms. His son Ludwig (1858-1929) joined the business at the age of eighteen and constructed this smokehouse for the store in 1887. Originally a one-story structure, it was built of native limestone. A second story was added in 1904. Following Ludwig's death, his son Henry operated the market until he retired in 1962. The smokehouse is all that remains of the Fabra family business which spanned three generations. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1980 (smokehouse on S side of 194 Main Street building - Boerne)

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Kendall Masonic Lodge No. 897 - Marker in/near Boerne
	Marker #15599 - 2005 Kendall Masonic Lodge No. 897 More info and Map Link