2010-5 (Revised) Remembrances Special EditionCity of Schertz
Remembrances Publication Special Edition 2010 ®5 (Revised)
Presented by: Schertz Historical Preservation Committee
The history of New Braunfels, Texas begins on Easter Sunday 1845, when the first founding settlers
arrived at the spot where the Comal and Guadalupe Rivers flow side by side. Among the founding families
of New Braunfels were families that eventually migrated outside the then town limits to establish
homesteads and farms in what were to become neighboring communities. One such group selected a
nearby area to reestablish themselves some time after their initial arrival. The area where this latter group
settled became know as Comal Settlement and is situated about seven miles south of New Braunfels along
Highway 482. This area has recently been annexed into the city limits of Schertz and much of the territory
where the family farms of the community were is now a part of the extra territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of
Schertz.
Among the families in this group who migrated to Comal were the Schwabs, the Friesenhahns, the
Schaefers, the Wenzels, the Hubertus's, the Syrings and the Kneuppers. Each of these families established
farming operations, some of which still operate today (Friesenhahn/Schaefer). The Friesenhahn family
established a cotton gin operation on their property. The Kneupper family built the first grocery store that
served the community. The Wenzel family operated the blacksmith business which was later taken over by
Bruno Zipp. In 1881, the Wenzel's sold two acres of their land to the Reverend Anthony Dominic Pellicer,
first Catholic bishop of the diocese of San Antonio, for the construction of a community school. The
school remained public until 1903 when it was made a private school. This school was later demolished
after it was found too costly to maintain and staffing became a problem.
In 1905, Saint Joseph's Chapel was constructed next to the school. The Chapel became the center of
religious and social activity for the mostly Catholic community of Comal. The priest who served the chapel
would arrive a day before mass was to be held and would minister to the parishioners. A bed was kept in
one of the chapel sanctuaries for the priest to stay the night. As a rural farming community heavily
dependent on good weather for prosperous harvests, the chapel was a place where special prayer services
were conducted asking the Almighty to bless the community with needed rain. The Chapel still stands and
weekly services are held during the school year for the Catholic high school students at nearby John Paul 11
School. The Chapel has just undergone extensive interior renovations. The significance of Saint Joseph's
Chapel to the Catholic Archdiocese is seen in the remarkable numbers of priests and nuns that originated
from the families of Comal Settlement. It is estimated that no less than six priests and nine nuns originated
from the families of the small community.
Another school established in Comal Settlement was the Danville School. The original school building
was constructed in 1863 and a second building was added in 1897. A portion of the original school
building structure still stands and is now occupied by the Hendrix family who, after some renovations, have
made the building their home at 7031 FM 482.
Another significant feature of the community is that it's situated along the historic Camino Real de los
TeJas Trail. That trail served as a single transport artery for Spanish missionaries, soldiers, explorers in the
17th and 1 8th centuries and later in the 19th century for migration routes of Anglo settlers arriving from the
United States northeastern areas.
Features of the community that still remain standing as reminders of its very active and productive past are:
(1) the school house where early teaching took place (2) remnants of the old cotton gin that served farmers
throughout the area from the late 19th century through the early 20th century (3) remnants of the general
store, the blacksmith shop and the garage that served the community in its earliest days (4) Saint Joseph's
Cemetery that is the resting place of first settlers and their subsequent ancestors (5) the schutzenverein
shooting range used for competition events (6) the over 100 year old farms that are still productive and
belong to original settler families (Friesenhahn & Schaefer).
Comal Settlement
bchutzenverein (shooting range) at CoMal Settlement
8--mile Creelk at end of C-chv b Rd near St
Joseph"s Catholic Church in Settfe-n.----rlt of Cornal,
Gornal, C-Ounty, Texas, Photo cio-urtesy of )ean
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Comal la
Bcksmith Shop
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Cemetery, Comal., TeVI.S.
Besides the geographic and historical architectural elements that the community possesses, the Comal
Settlement is situated along two important geological positions. It fronts the Balconies Escarpment fault
area that runs from Del Rio in the south to Red River in the northeast. As the Escarpment passes through
the Schertz EJT area it is about 300 feet high but as high as 1,000 feet in Del Rio. The escarpment separates
the Edwards Plateau in the west from the Costal Plains. Artesian wells spring up at different points along
the escarpment area as underground water reservoirs pass between the plateau to the plains. The Edwards
Aquifer Recharge Zone also serves as the source of water for the Comal Settlement area.
In conclusion, the Comal Settlement area adds valuable historic real estate to the City of Schertz. Its history
parallels that of our earliest settler's arrival and purpose. Its settlers experienced the same hardships, the
same family losses to disease and illness, the same back breaking labor, the same community collective
efforts, and the same striving for good education for its children as did the original Schertz founders. This
is an important addition to Schertz's historical landscape.
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