Genealogy Data Page 108 (Notes Pages)

Note: �Black Beans of Death�
(From The American-Statesman)

It is a cold, gloomy day in March of 1843. A dismal wind startles weird echoes in the trees and canons of mountainous country near Salado, Mexico � rising in the mountains and sweeping with vicious insistence down to the little settlement where one hundred and seventy-six men are doomed to die. In their hearts there is little hope of release. They sit in the stifling air of a rude shed, converted into a death chamber from a barn, and wait orders to march before a firing line and surrender their lives for Texas. Awaiting the surrender of their all � these who had scorned all other surrender as not befitting men who had sworn themselves to win freedom for their state. Their clothes were worn threadbare, their feet were sore and lacerated from those long days and nights on the mountains without food or shelter while they sought the way back to Texas. Bodies were weak and helpless from the long exposure and in their minds was no thought but the release death would bring. In the hands of the Mexican general Santa Anna they hoped for no mercy. Guards enter the room and silently place the men in heavy iron chains, ordering each to stand in line as he was bound. No word is said � then one of the Mexicans holds an official looking document to the light and reads orders that chill the blood of every man who heard them. They had expected death � death for them all according to the will of Santa Anna. Their capturer, General Mexia, had written his relentless commander, asking freedom for the prisoners, and Santa Anna had granted that only one man out of every ten would be shot and that the others might be spared. In the history of Texas is written many chapters of dramatic happenings, but none more powerful in ironic twists of fate than the scene that followed the reading of the cruel orders. An officer, holding an earthen mug in his hand, comes into the shed where the Texans were confined and bound in chains. In the mug were one hundred and seventy-six beans, the number of the prisoners. One hundred and fifty-nine beans were white and seventeen were black. The prisoners were each to draw a bean from the mug. The black beans meant death. To tell the rest would be only to repeat a story known to all Texans, for the destiny of the Mier prisoners � men who dared to enter the enemy�s country out-numbered many times, to save their comrades captured by General Woll at San Antonio � will be re-told and remembered through many generations. It is from the lips of Mrs. Franciska Vogt of La Grange that the story was recently recounted with a new and gripping angle on the well known incidents � for Mrs. Vogt is the one person living who was present and remembers when the bones of these seventeen men were brought back to Texas soil and buried on the bluff overlooking her home in La Grange. And it was on her 93rd birthday that she recalled that solemn ceremony of 1848, when as a child of 13 she rode bareback to the site where the Mier prisoners were re-buried with honor and praise. �Ah, I shall never forget how it looked � that procession of men riding mules and leading others with the bones of the Texans slung in gunny-sacks across the backs of the animals,� she said, her eyes once more glowing with the amazement she must have felt as a child. �They came right into town, and when I heard what was going to be done, I remember I ran and jumped on my pony and raced to the top of the hill for the ceremony.� �I do not remember much of what happened, except that it was all very solemn and quiet as the bones were carefully and tenderly buried up there on the hill. Then the monument was put up � the big limestone tomb under which are the remains of those seventeen men who drew the black beans of death.� Mrs. Vogt recalled that she was unable to get astride her horse after it was all over � remembering, as she says, more of the smaller details that made an impression on a young mind. �I know it was some man from Austin who helped me � some nice man who held my horse and helped me swing up to ride back home again, but I do not know who, though I still remember how he looked that day,� she said. The little old lady who will soon reach the century mark also told the story of the man who took the black bean drawn by a comrade away from him and died in his stead. The incident may be legend or true, but Mrs. Vogt states that she has heard it all her life and believes its veracity. It is told that the first to draw the fatal lot was a man with a wife and children back at home, and that his friend forced him to exchange the beans so that he might live. Though the names of this Damon and Pythias of Texas history may be lost in the maze of years, what a monument to friendships that face life and death with equal unselfishness! The burial of the Mier prisoners is only one of the incidents of early Texas history that can be told in the first person by the gray-haired and smiling grandmother and great-grandmother of La Grange. She came to Fayette county from Germany in 1847 with her mother and brothers and sisters, following the father George Willrich, who had come the previous year and located a home. Mrs. Vogt tells that the state gave 300 acres of land to every man with a family who settled in that country then � land as wild as if it had never been touched by man. �These hills were thick with wild animals and rattle snakes, but I got used to them and remember riding all over the country by myself as a child,� she relates. �I will always remember one time when I was going after the horses for my mother and came up on a lot of commotion in the woods. When I got to a clearing, I saw six wolves tearing at the body of a deer they had killed.� Mrs. Vogt�s father was a prominent judge in the �old country,� and came to America with many other immigrants during those years who sought freedom and prosperity in the new land. He had a large family of children whose children and children�s children are numbered among the settlers of the state. Mrs. Vogt�s own children are Mrs. Ernest Knigge of La Grange, with whom she makes her home; E. R. Vogt of Schulenburg, Julius Vogt of O�Quinn, Mrs. Fritz Nollkamper, Fritz Vogt, La Grange. The story of the Mier prisoners will again be placed before the people of Texas during the next legislature, it was recently learned, as the senator and representative from that part of the state, Senator Gus. Rusek of Schulenburg and Rep. James Pavlica of Flatonia, are to ask that 50 acres of land along the top of the bluff where the men are buried, be purchased by the state for a state park and a memorial to their heroism. The land is available for purchase at this time, and as the location is ideal scenically for a beautiful recreation resort, they will use all their power to pass the bill creating the Mier park for Texas. A monument already stands on the court house square at La Grange, erected several years ago by the state �to the memory of the men who drew the black beans and were shot at Salado, Mexico, on March 24th, 1843,� and to Capt. N. H. Dawson and his men who were massacred at Salado, Texas, in September of 1842. The remains of some of these men are also said to rest with the Mier prisoners in the tomb at La Grange, brought back by the group who went by mule train on their errand of such grim homage. To follow the trail of these one hundred and fifty-six men who were spared in the fatal lottery at the haciendo of Salado would be to wonder whether or not the man who saved his friend did not leave him the worse fate. Dying of unbearable hardships on their march into Mexico City, wasting away in dungeons, shot while trying to escape and a few finally winning their way back to Texas, the group one by one went the way of their comrades who drew death from the glass of chance that day. But no matter what followed for them, it would surely be safe to imagine that none experienced deeper agony of suspence, or grief for his comrades, than when they plunged their hands into the little grains of matter, colored black and white, that meant a promised freedom or a black doom. [The La Grange Journal, November 15, 1928]

FRANZISKA VOGT
"Grandmother Vogt Passes Away"

Reaching the age of 95 years, 5 months and 7 days, Grandmother Franziska Vogt, one of our most interesting and esteemed citizens closes the last chapter of her life 24 April 1931. She was born 17 October 1835 in Germany and came to Fayette County with her mother, Mrs. Geo. Willrich, and sisters and brothers in the year 1847. Her father, a prominent judge in the old country, had come over the year before to locate a home for the family. Texas gave three hundred acres of land to every man with family who settled upon its soil, land seemingly untouched by man, with wild beasts and snakes roaming at will. They went through many trials during these days, and to hear grandmother recite some of the history of her younger days was interesting. In 1928 the Journal reproduced an account entitled: "Black Beans of Death", a story told by the subject of this sketch on her 93rd birthday anniversary, which had been published in the Austin American. She recalled the solemn ceremony of 1848, when a child of thirteen she rode horseback to the site where the Mier prisoners of war were reburied with honor and praise, on Kreische's Bluff. After the death of her husband, John Vogt, 22 years ago, she continued to live at the old home near O'Quinn, where her youngest son, Julius, now resides. About ten years ago she came to live in her declining years with her daughter Mrs. E. Knigge of this city. It may truly be said of her, she won the love of all with whom she came in contact, and will be greatly missed. Mrs. Vogt was the mother of eight children, five sons and three daughters, of whom three preceded her in death: Mrs. H. Schroeder of this city and Geo. Vogt of Schulenburg; Hans died at the age of 8 years. The living are: E.R. Vogt of Schulenburg, Mrs. Fritz Nollkamper, Mrs. E. Knigge and Fritz Vogt of this city and Julius Vogt of O'Quinn. Twenty-three grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, besides two step sisters, Mrs. Anna Gross of San Antonio and Mrs. Louise Koehler of this city are among the sorrowing relatives. Interment took place at the Cedar Cemetery Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock, Rev. C.O. Boatman officiating. [La Grange Journal, April 30, 1931]

Fayette�s Oldest Citizen Dies

Franziska Vogt, nee Willrich, was born in Ulzen, Hanover, Germany on October 17, 1835, the youngest daughter of the first marriage of her father, George C. Willrich, or Judge in his native town. In the year 1846 she came to Texas, together with her stepmother, following her father who came here two years previous, settling on the Bluff, about four miles South of La Grange. The old house she grew to womanhood is still standing. She married John R. Vogt on January 13th, 1857. Eight children were born to this union, of whom three died, Margartha, wife of Herman Schraeder of La Grange; George Vogt of Schulenburg and John, who died at the age of seven years. Her husband, John R. Vogt, preceded her in death 22 years ago. Surviving are five children: E. R. of Schulenburg; Charlotte, wife of Fritz Nollkamper of La Grange; Anna, wife of Emil Knigge of La Grange; and Julius of O�Quin, he is living on the old homestead, the house was build in 1856 and was occupied by the couple for 53 years or until the death of her husband on Sept. 14, 1909. Grandmother Vogt, as she was known to the entire community, was at the time of her death the oldest citizen in Fayette County and the only survivor of those who were present when the bones of the Dawson Company, who were killed near Goliad in 1846 by the Mexican Army were buried on Monument Hill in the year 1848. She was blessed with remarkable memory, she at the time was 12 years of age and could remember the principal speech on that occasion by Lubbock, almost every word, he was afterwards Governor of Texas. She died at the home of her youngest daughter, Anna Knigge of La Grange, on April 24th, and was laid to rest in the family burial ground at Cedar Cemetery on April 25th., beside her beloved husband, with whom she shared rainy days and sunshine for 53 years. Surviving to mourn her death are five children, nineteen grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. To them, the Sticker tenders its most sincere sympathy. [The Schulenburg Sticker, Friday, May 1, 1931]

Source: (Name)
Author: National Archives and Records Administration
Title: 1850 United States Federal CensusSource Medium: Electronic
Source Quality: good
Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database online]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004. Original data: United States. 19850 United States Federal Census. M432, 1009 rolls. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.Repository:
Name: www.ancestry.com
Data:
Text: Texas, Fayette County, Page 66

Source: (Name)
Author: National Archives and Records Administration
Title: 1930 United States Federal Census
Call number: www.ancestry.comSource Medium: Electronic
Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census. [database on-line] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2001-. Indexed by Ancestry.com from microfilmed schedules of the 1930 U.S. Federal Decennial Census. 1930 United States Federal Census. ;database on-line] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2001. Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration. 1930 Federal Population Census. T626, 2,667 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.Repository:
Name: www.ancestry.com
Data:
Text: Texas, Fayette County, La Grange, E. D. 75, Page 9B.

Source: (Name)
Author: National Archives and Records Administration
Title: 1870 United States Federal Census
Call number: www.ancestry.comSource Medium: Electronic
Source Quality: Good
Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census. [database on-line] Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2003-. Indexed by Ancestry.com from microfilmed schedules of the 1870 U.S. Federal Decennial Census. 1870 United States Federal Census. [database on-line] Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2003. Original data: Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration. 1870 Federal Population Census. M593, 1,761 rolls; part of Minnesota T132, 13 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.Repository:
Name: www.ancestry.com
Data:
Text: Texas, Fayette County, Cedar Post Office, Between Halletsville Road and Buckner's Creek, Page 6.

Source: (Name)
Author: National Archives and Records Administration
Title: 1880 United States Federal Census
Call number: www.ancestry.comSource Medium: Electronic
Source Quality: Good
Ancestry.com. 1880 United States Federal Census. [database on-line] Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc. 2003-.Repository:
Name: www.ancestry.com
Data:
Text: Texas, Fayette County, E. D. 58, Page 13.

Source: (Name)
Author: National Archives and Records Administration
Title: 1910 United States Federal Census
Call number: www.ancestry.comSource Medium: Electronic
Source Quality: Good
Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004. Indexed by ProQuest from microfilmed schedules of the 1910 U.S. Federal Decennial Census. Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration. 1910 Federal Population Census. T624, 1,784 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.Repository:
Name: www.ancestry.com
Data:
Text: Texas, Fayette County, Precinct 5, E. D. 62, Page 13B.

Source: (Name)
Author: National Archives and Records Administration
Title: 1900 United States Federal Census
Call number: www.ancestry.comSource Medium: Electronic
Source Quality: Good
Ancestry.com. 1900 U.S. Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004. Original data: United States. 1900 United States Federal Census. T623, 1854 rolls. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.Repository:
Name: www.ancestry.com
Data:
Text: Texas, Fayette County, Black Jack Springs 1, E. D. 41, Page 12A.

Source: (Name)
Author: National Archives and Records Administration
Title: 1860 United States Federal Census
Call number: www.ancestry.comSource Medium: Electronic
Source Quality: good
Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database online]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004. Origianal data: United States. 1860 United States Federal Census. M432, 1009 rolls. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.Repository:
Name: www.ancestry.com
Data:
Text: Texas, Fayette County, Lyonsville Post Office, Page 131.

Source: (Name)
Title: Death Certificate
Data:
Text: Texas, Fayette County, State File Number 18277, May 1931

Source: (Birth)
Title: Schulenburg Sticker, Schulenburg, Texas
Publication: Name: Newspaper;Source Medium: Microfilm
Source Quality: GoodRepository:
Name: Fayette County Library, La Grange, Texas
Data:
Text: Friday, May 1, 1931.

Source: (Birth)
Author: National Archives and Records Administration
Title: 1860 United States Federal Census
Call number: www.ancestry.comSource Medium: Electronic
Source Quality: good
Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database online]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004. Origianal data: United States. 1860 United States Federal Census. M432, 1009 rolls. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.Repository:
Name: www.ancestry.com
Data:
Text: Texas, Fayette County, Lyonsville Post Office, Page 131

Source: (Death)
Title: Texas Deaths, 1903-1998Source Medium: Ancestry.com
Texas Department of Health. Texas Death Index, 1903-1998. [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2000-. Original data from: Texas Department of Health Indexes, 1903-1998. Austin, TX. Texas department of Health. State Vital Statistics Unit, 19xx-.
Data:
Text: Certificate 18277, Fayette Co., TX.