Compiled by Carol Sue Gibbs
Matagorda County TXGenWeb
The members of the Francis W. Waldman family were some of the earliest Matagorda residents.
Hope for starting a life of freedom in the new land of the Republic of Texas was bright at the onset, but the family would suffer many heartaches along with joys.
Francis/Franz W. Waldman was born about 1811 in Germany and immigrated to the Republic of Texas in January 1838 at the age of 27.
He applied for conditional land grant No. 32 for 640 acres of land on April 30, 1839. He surrendered his conditional certificate on June 7, 1841, for an unconditional one, for he found getting a clear title for a conditional certificate was difficult.
The land he received was in Medina County.
Francis married Louisa Engelke who was born in Germany about 1819.
The family had settled in Matagorda by 1839, when the first daughter, Julia, was born on September 11.
Three more children soon followed: Josephine, December 13, 1841, Charles, November 28, 1843 and Louisa Henrietta November 15 in 1846.
The three oldest children were baptized at Christ Episcopal Church on May 29, 1845 and Louisa Henrietta on August 29, 1847. They were living in a house near Christ Church when disaster struck.
Violent Storm-Fatal Effects of the Lightning – Louisa Engelke Waldman
On Friday last. 18th inst., about 10 o’clock, a. m., our town was visited by a very violent storm, accompanied with more severe lightning and thunder than we have ever experienced.
The effects, we regret to say, have been uncommonly fatal and destructive.
The direction of the clouds was from the East, which were swept on from the Gulf before a heavy wind, discharging a torrent of rain in their passage.
Two vivid flashes attended with startling peals of thunder followed each other in quick succession; and every one felt satisfied that the flash must have struck in or near the town.
This turned out to be unfortunately the case.
A small dwelling house at the upper end of the town, nearly opposite the church, owned by Mr. F. Waldeman, and occupied at that time by himself and family, was struck and almost entirely demolished. The gable end towards the northeast, was burst entirely open; the partition between the rooms torn in pieces: and Mrs. Waldeman shockingly mutilated by the timbers and splinters, which were strewn in a pile over the floor.
The unfortunate lady had her skull terribly fractured; her right breast punctured; her jaw shattered, and her face severely cut and injured, besides receiving other painful wounds in her hand and on other parts of her body. - She lingered under the sufferings thus produced, until Sunday morning, when she expired.
Mrs. W. at the time was seated in a rocking chair, and four young children - one of them an infant - were on the floor around her.
Three of them were more or less injured; but we are happy to say all of them now out of danger.
The rocking chair was splintered to pieces. Mr. W. was in the back room.
The fluid passed close before him and was plainly visible, going out of the south end of the house, and cutting a hole scarcely large enough for one to insert a finger.
The house and furniture were very much damaged.
The dwelling house of W. W. Stewart, Esq., in the same part of the town, about 300 yards from that of Mr. Waldeman, was also struck and partially burnt.
Mr. Stewart’s eldest son, a young man, was up stairs at the time, and was quite seriously injured. He was knocked down senseless, and remained for a day or two in quite a critical situation; but we are glad to say is now recovering.
This is the second or third time, that this building has been struck with lighting. The church, also in the same neighborhood, was struck and slightly injured.
The Rev. Mr. Ives was at the time in the Vestry-room, which is in the rear and attached to the Church - and could not have been more than five feet from the course of the fluid.
The scantling running up by the pulpit seems to have formed a conductor to the lightning. - This is slightly splintered, and the facing of the pulpit somewhat injured; but no further damage was done here.
About a mile from town in the same direction, four cows were struck dead. They are all lying close together, and were doubtlessly killed at the shock.
Many of our citizens were very sensibly affected by the shock, and we hear of three or four who were even staggered and stunned.
On Sunday, 20th inst., about 2 o’clock, p. m., we had another heavy rain and storm. The lightning again struck, in the close vicinity of Mr. Waldeman’s house; but this time without injury, hitting the ground nearly in the middle of the street, and scattering a cloud of dust around.
Can it be, that there is any metallic substance buried in that region? The idea has been suggested, and really the frequency of these occurrences (almost all confined to a small space,) seems to lead plausibility to the supposition.
It may be that a vein of ore, or perhaps the hidden treasure of some free-booter of former days is there inhumed.
Quien sabe?—The Matagorda Herald, June 23, 1947
The interment records of Christ Church include the following entry:
Mrs. Louisa Waldmann, June 21, 1847. Mrs. Louisa Waldmann – On Friday the 18th, she was struck down in her house and dreadfully mangled by a broken timber.
Her skull was fractured 5 or 6 inches, one eye ruptured, one jaw broken and a sliver thrust through to her lungs, and otherwise much injured. She died Sunday the 20th. She became sensible, and I gave her the Holy Communion before she died.
Francis was left with four children ages 7, 5, 3 and 7 months.
On November 17, 1847, in Victoria, Texas, he married Julia Catherine Breaning/Brening/Braunig.
Catherine was born about 1829 in Germany.
In 1849 Francis served as a County Commissioner. On February 18, 1850 he was appointed one of the commissioners from Precinct 2, along with Abram Sheppard, Henry Jones, Isaac Vandorn and Pickney S. McNeel to review the land for the best possible road, beginning at the town of Matagorda, running eastwardly so as to cross at the mouth of Cedar Lake.
The 1850 Federal Census records him as a butcher. He was also a large rancher, owning land near Caney, Peyton Creek, Matagorda Peninsula, the Colorado River and Wharton and Medina counties. He owned approximately 4,300 head of cattle.
Francis and Catherine had two children: Isabel Wilhelmina born June 22, 1849, Annie Forrester born December 21, 1850 before disaster struck again.
On November 2, 1851, Francis was killed in an altercation with Matagorda County Sheriff, James F. Martin.
Francis Waldeman was killed by James F. Martin, near Matagorda, on the 2d inst. Martin used a knife. The parties quarreled and fought about the ownership of cattle.—South-Western American, Austin, Travis County, Texas, Saturday, November 22, 1851
We learn from the Matagorda Tribune “that on Sunday, the 2nd inst., a difficulty occurred between James F. Martin, Sheriff of Colorado [Matagorda] county and Francis Waldeman, which resulted in the death of the latter.
They had gone with a party to Peyton’s creek, about 12 miles from Matagorda, to brand cattle.
A dispute arose about cattle claims, during which Martin accused Waldeman of cattle stealing, and manifested a disposition to quarrel.
Waldeman picked up a stick and advanced towards Martin, and demanded a retraction of the charge.
The latter refused. A scuffle ensued, and Waldeman was heard to fall. On examination it was found that he had been wounded in the back of the head with a knife, which caused his death in a few hours.
He is spoken of as an industrious, respectable citizen, which is not said of the other. Martin was held to bail in the amount of $5,000, which he had been unable to secure at the last accounts.”—Telegraph & Texas Register, Houston, Texas, November 28, 1851
Sheriff Martin was indicted for murdering Waldman and the case was transferred to Brazoria County so he could receive a fair trial. On May 6, 1852, he was found not guilty and served as sheriff until 1853.
It is believed that both Louisa Breaning and Francis W. Waldmann were both buried in
Next week, the Waldman Family