The Junior Historian, Volume 19, Number 4, January 1959 Page: 1
32 p. : ill. ; 25 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
* THE JUNIOR HISTORIAN *
Vol.. XIX, No. 4
AUSTIN, TEXAS
JAN-A<v R, 19()59
GOTTFRIED OTTMERS, PIONEER
by IATIIILYN OTTar rmirs
Fredericksburg High SchoolO NE DAY in early September,
1852, Gottfried Ottmers and his
family stood on board the sail-
ing ship )ianna looking for the last
time at their homeland, Germany. Like
so many of the people who came to
America in the middle of the nine-
teenth century. Gottfried and his fam-
ily were fleeing from oppression in
Europe. This oppression and the glow-
ing letters from relatives in Texas had
led Gottfried and his wife. Wilhelmi-
na, to decide to leave the home of their
ancestors and travel to the wilderness
of a new country.
The O)ttmerses were filled with mis-
givings and were much saddened byh
the fact that they would probably never
again see their relatives and old friends
in Hanover, but the prospect of free-
dom strengthened the hope in theirhearts. For eight weeks the family
sailed across the Atlantic. Weak from
the long voyage and seasickness, they
landed at Indianola, where they hired
ox-teams to transport them and several
other German families and their pos-
sessions to Iredericksburg. Traveling
through cold weather and heavy rains.
and weakened by fever, the family was
depressed and disheartened when the
till Country was finally reached. The
money they had intended to use to start
their new home had been spent for
transportation and medicine, and, to
deepen their distress, winter began to
set in soon after they arrived.
Fredericksburg in 1852 was just a
small village consisting of a few scat-
tered houses, and visits from the In-
dians were not infrequent. When the
Ottmerses arrived in Fredericksburg~'
-4six~ . ~?It
The Ottmers family landed at Indianola after a voyage of eight weeks
rpg~g o
Yaar z
VOWi 1
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Junior Historian, Volume 19, Number 4, January 1959, periodical, January 1959; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth391475/m1/3/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.