VALENTIN FUHRMANN
(January 1821-December 1906)
KATHERINE BEIERLE FUHRMANN
(1830-February 1898)
Valentin Fuhrmann was born in Eltville, Nassau in Germany in 1821. While in Germany he became a blacksmith apprentice. After seven years of study and travel he became a fully trained blacksmith. In 1852, he came to America. He left family behind and traveled to a new land with Nicolaus Holz, a blacksmith friend, and his brother.
Nicolaus Holz and Valentin Fuhrmann opened a blacksmith shop on the corner of Academy and San Antonio Streets in New Braunfels and they worked together for several years.
At this time, Valentin met and married Katherine Beierle, who had come to America along with some friends from Baden, Germany. At the time of their meeting she was working as a house servant for some people in Marion.
Katherine's mother had died at the age of 28, leaving two very young children to be raised by a widowed father. The father had remarried and had raised a second, very large family. The brother, Sabastian, and Katherine had remained very close.
While she was very young, Katherine's stepmother and father arranged for her to marry an older man. Feeling that she could not go through with this marriage, she left home. She then went to work as a house servant and made enough money to accompany two other friends to America.
After arriving in America, she managed to save enough money and send for her brother, Sabastian, who arrived in 1854.
After living in New Braunfels for eight months, the brother homesteaded a place near Spring Branch on the North bank of the Guadalupe and Valentin and Katherine worked a place in the same area.
It was on this place that the Fuhrmann's only surviving child, Minna, was born on November 21, 1857. Minna was delivered by Dr. Charles Porter who was not only the doctor, but also the Spring Branch postmaster. The Fuhrmann's had lost their first child, a boy, at nine months of age.
Realizing that there was no land to be bought in the area of his present homestead Valentin Fuhrmann began to look for land that would offer more opportunity "to spread out". It was then that he heard about the Anderson survey. This survey of land had been given to a Mr. Anderson for guarding the governor's luggage. Mr. Anderson had never lived on the land and after he died, his children had failed to pay the taxes. For this reason the land was being auctioned off to pay the back taxes. Fuhrmann attended the auction and bought the survey for about $29.00.
Valentin and his wife moved to the Anderson Survey. They built a crude log house containing two room living quarters, a storage room, and places for animals. Nearby a blacksmith shop was erected. Long hours were spent building rock fences and shelter for animals. Fields were plowed and water had to be carried from the nearby spring and when it was dry from the river. When Valentin was kept busy in the blacksmith shop, Katherine did the plowing or worked on the fences.
The Indians often roamed this area and although most of their acts wore not hostile, they were a nuisance with their stealing and begging. On one occasion two Indians came to the horse stable which was attached to the long, log house with the intention of stealing the horses but were frightened away when they heard a loud whistle.
The whistle had come from Sabastian Beierle who knew that Katherine was alone in the house with Minna.
Being the only blacksmith in the area Valentin Fuhrmann was kept busy making horseshoes, nails, cattle brands, and wagon wheels. Evidently, profits were good and for safe keeping Valentin hid his money under the heavy stump which supported the anvil. He was small of stature but strong. He often said that his money was safe for no one could move the stump. (Though many have tried no one has been able to do so unaided.)
One of the items made in the blacksmith shop at this time that is still being used today is a chest, which was made for the Sabastian Beierles. Carmen Rittiman says that this chest has been a long time treasure in their home.
When the Germania Farmer Verein was organized, Valentin Fuhrmann became a charter member. The original purpose of this organization was to protect members against rustlers. Fuhrmann was made the Verein's blacksmith and it became his duty to make cattle brands for the members. As he made these brands, he tested them on the wall of his shop. Those brands can still be seen on the walls of the blacksmith shop today.
The Fuhrmann’s were soon able to add many acres to the original Anderson Survey and to build a small but sturdy home near the old log house.
It took great stamina and strength to make a go of it in these pioneer days. Mrs. Henry Dietz relates a story told to her by her husband’s grandparents which leaves no doubts as to the stamina and endurance of Valentin Fuhrmann. It seems that the Adam's family had decided to visit their long time friends, the Fuhrmanns. Mr. Adams fondly remembers traveling up to the Fuhrmann ranch via wagon from his ranch located between New Braunfels and Smithson Valley to spend the day with the Fuhrmanns. When they got to the ranch they found that Valentin had just fallen and broken his arm and was in a great deal or pain. They wanted to take him in their wagon back to New Braunfels and the doctor right away. Valentin and Katherine insisted that before they could begin the long trip back, they, the Adams, had to sit down and eat a large meal prepared for them by Katherine.
When Minna was married to Herman Pfeuffer in 1879 the Fuhrmanns lived on in the home with them for a few years but soon built a frame house on the hill overlooking the original homesite. For some years the Fuhrmanns lived here. Valentin Fuhrmann continued with his blacksmith shop and his son-in-law, Herman Pfeuffer, doing the ranching. There was a gentle side to this hard working early pioneer, which is pointed out by the stories his grandchildren tell. They tell of seeing Opa Fuhrmann sitting in his favorite spot in front of his house on the hill enjoying the quiet evening hours. (The plank he sat on is still there.)
They tell of sitting many hours on the front steps of the big house on summer evenings while he told them about the stars and constellations in the dark evening skies.
They tell of how he would entertain Hulda Pfeuffer by the hour by turning a small foot stool upside down, attaching a rope to it, placing Hulda in it and pulling her up and down the hill much to the delight of both grandparent and grandchild.
As the years passed, the Fuhrmanns, realizing they were getting along in years decided to return to New Braunfels. Again Valentin Fuhrmann attended a Sheriff's Auction and this time bought a home and a large lot on Mill Street in New Braunfels. The Fuhrmanns moved into this home. Here, they had a large garden and some stock and continued to be active.
One cold day in February of 1898 Katherine Fuhrmann went to visit a sick friend. She became very chilled as she walked to the neighbors' house. Soon she became ill, the illness went into pneumonia and she passed away.
Soon after Katherine's death Valentin decided to build a rent house on the lot behind his home. So, a brick house was erected on the vacant lot on Bridge Street. The Ludwigs moved into this house soon after their marriage.
Valentin Fuhrmann lived eight years after his wife's death. He became ill and suffered much pain during his last years. His daughter and son-in-law took him into their home on the ranch and it was here that he died at the age of 85 in December of 1906. Both he and his wife are buried in the Comal Cemetery in New Braunfels.