Moritz & Marie Beier: Settling in Their New Homeland




US Flag with 43 stars.  In use 4 July 1890–
3 July 1891.  Created by jacobolus using
 Adobe Illustrator, and released into the public
domain.

At Noack, Texas, Moritz and Marie Beier and their daughter Olga first lived at Ernest Poldrack's farm.

On November 1, 1890, in the Bastrop County, Texas, courthouse, along with his brother Carl Lewis Beier, E. Moritz Beier became a citizen of the United States of America.  By extension of law, their wives and children became entitled to the benefits of citizenship as well. 

In 1891, the Beier family move a short distance from the Ernest Poldrack farm to the Peter Zieschang farm near Noack, Texas. 

Ella Beyer Hardi wrote:  After moving to Zieschang’s in a little house, not far from Zieschang’s Gin my Dad worked in the Gin for Mr. Zieschang and got Paid good.  Mother got her first sewing machine.  They had no money left after they had spend it all just for the trip to America and Mother could sew our clothes.  The Zieschangs were a big family and kind.  They helped my Parents a lot. 

On February 12, 1892, Marie gave birth to another daughter, Ella Beier.

In 1969, Rudolph Ernest Beyer wrote:  Also Moritz & Marie had joined the Lutheran Church at Noack & were happy about it, as it was the same Lutheran Church as what they attended before leaving Germany.  Father & Mother were beginning to like the U.S.A.  So he applied for Citizenship papers and soon became a Citizen of the U.S.A

Early records from around 1894, of Christ Lutheran Church of Noack, Texas, (also known at the time as Hochkirk) list the following people among the charter members of the church:

1. Peter Zieschang, born in Sachsen (Saxony) 
2. August Zieschang,              “
3. Johann Zieschang, born in Victoria, Australia
4. Karl Zieschang,                   “
5. Hermann Zieschang, born in Bautzen, Sachsen
6. Ernest Poldrack
7. Ernest Noack, born in Kortnitz, Sachsen
8. Moritz Beier, born in Waldkirchen, Sachsen
9. Johann Schletze, born in Sachsen
10. Johann Zenkner
11. H. E. Umlang

Marie Hardi Gillett wrote regarding Ella Beyer Hardi:  Baptized at Hochkirk, Noack, Texas. The church was built by Mr. Zieschang of Noack, for his children.  School was held there.  Ella began schooling here.  The minister was from New York and boarded and roomed at Zieschangs.  He also taught at the school.  The church collapsed during a heavy storm, and Grandmother saw, when she went up the stairs at their Log house and looked out a window.

Moritz & Maria Beyer at the Zieschang farm showing
relatives in Germany how cotton (German: Baumwolle) grows. 
From L to R: Olga, Moritz Beyer, Ella, Maria Beyer,
holding Rudolph.

Ella Beyer Hardi notes:

When we moved to the Poltrack farm I was born in a Log house near (1892) Brushy Creek, below Noack.  The log cabin was on North side of Brushy.  My parents had just moved to Williamson County, coming from Paige, Texas, in Bastrop County.  One morning before my parent could get out of bed they had to shake the snow off their covers.  It was the begin of better living in black land.

… the flood the field below our house, and the big Tank next the Cotton Gin north of us the Dam broke, we had water behind our house and in front the Mustang Creek came up.  Mr. Zieschang came with a Wagon to move us out if necessary, but nothing happened I guess the rains quit and we moved to north of Zieschangs' home for 1 year, before we lived just south of the Zieschangs just a short distance. 

On April 18, 1895, Marie gave birth to another son, Rudolph Ernest Beier (my grandfather).  On August 2, 1898, Emil Hermann Beier was born.  Both sons and daughter Ella were baptized at Hochkirk.

The 1900 U.S. Census schedule for Williamson County, Texas, Justice Precinct 6, dated June 7, 1900, lists the following family members, just as the census enumerator spelled their names:

• Buyer, M.   Head of family.  Born Nov. 1852.  Married 20 years. Born in Germany.  Immigrated 1884 (16 years in the U.S.). Not naturalized.  Farmer. Can read & write.  Can speak English.  Renter.
• ____, Mary.    Wife.  Born Sept 1859.  Mother of 9 children, 4 living.  Born in Germany.  Can read & write.  Can speak English.
• ____, Olga.    Daughter.  Born July 1887.  Born in Texas.  Occupation:  at school, 6 months/year.  Can read & write.  Can speak English.
• ____, Ella.    Daughter.  Born Feb 1892.  Born in Texas. 
• ____, Adolph.  Son.  Born April 1895.  Born in Texas.
• ____, Amill.   Son.  Born Aug. 1898.  Born in Texas.

In a 1969 interview with Rudolph Beyer, Lucille Beyer Harwell wrote:  While living on the Zieschang farm Rudolph remembers how they drove to Church in a wagon, and the mules were tied to a mesquite tree a little south of the Church.  Father usually had a bundle or 2 of corn tops he took along to feed them to the mules while we attended church, as he felt sorry for the team.  He said they have to pull the plow all week till dark & want to treat them good.  Also the same wagon was used to go to funerals or weddings.  It was the only way a coffin and the body was carried at funerals.  Wagon or a buck board of some kind.  It was an honor for some one to be selected to haul the coffin & body.  The Noack Lutheran Church had most of the members buried in a cemetery located about ½ of a mile South West of Noack, Texas.

Soon Moritz and Marie would move again - this time to their own farm.

Grace and peace,

Kevin