Brandt Family Cemetery

Eilert Gerhard Brandt was born 4 December 1838 to Dietrich and Anna (Cornelius) Brandt near Langwarden, Staat Oldenburg, Germany. Langwarden is on the shore of the North Sea. He married Sophie Friedrich Wilhelme Westing 2 May 1865. Sophie Wilhelmine was born 15 September 1844 in the German State of Oldenburg. She was a daughter of William and Margarether (Bruennig) Westing. . . .

Eilert and Wilhelmine had twelve children, six of whom were stillborn or died young and are buried in Germany. The children were: 1. Daughter, born about February 1866, buried in Germany. 2. Son, born about June 1867, buried Germany. 3. Son, born about October 1869, buried Germany. 4. Heinrich Emil, born in 1871. 5. Geroge Frederich, born in 1872. 6. Son, born about November 1873, buried Germany. 7. Minna Johanna, born in 1876. 8. Son, born about November 1877, buried in Germany. 9. Frederich Wilhelm, born in 1879. 10. Theodore Henry, born in 1880. 11. Son, born about March 1882, buried in Germany. 12. George Hugo, born in 1886. The information on the six children buried in Germany was obtained from a Church Book in Germany by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur H. Brandt.

Eilert planned to go to America because of the high taxes and because of the conscription laws. Heinrich Emil Brandt was the first to go to America arriving at Galveston 3 October 1885 perhaps with the Henry Laturnus, Henry Breithaupt of John Ehlers family. The Laturnus and Breithaupt families lived on John Ehler's land south of the Holman Store. Henry Breithaupt is buried on this land; Henry Laturnus is buried at Breslau, Lavaca County. Also Frida, child of Henry and Mary (Breithaupt) Laturnus is buried on the land. H. Emil lived with the host family two years. George Frederich Brandt, second oldest, arrived at Galveston 1 October 1886, age 14 1/2 years. He, too, stayed with the host family. Later, when Eilert and the rest of the family arrived, the two boys joined them.

Eilert sold his land, house, crops and farm equipment in early 1888 and he and Wilhelmine, along with four children, Minna, Frederich, Theodore and George Hugo, emigrated from Germany aboard the Steamship Zeiler and arrived in Galveston 1 October 1888.

Eilert purchased 380 acres of land, according to Fayette County Deed Book 34, Page 344, in the Spencer A. Pugh League from Mrs. C. A. Burford for $5500.00 28 December 1888 and the land is in the Brandt family to this day. It was on this land that Eilert established the Brandt Family Cemetery.

The tombstone inscriptions in the cemetery show that it was started 28 June 1888 upon burial of Meta Wienken. The first burial of a Brandt was that of George Hugo who died 5 June 1889; he had been in Texas only 1 year, 2 months and 5 days.

There is a special small stone between Eilert's and Wilhelmine's headstones which reads: "Begrabnis Statte Fur Familie" - Burial Place for the Family. It is said that when Eilert was erecting this stone to mark the beginning of the cemetery, it fell and severed on of his fingers. He remarked that we was putting up a monument to a finger and the story prevails to this day.

Eilert was naturalized 5 June 1893 which included his entire family.

Text from the Historic Texas Cemetery marker:

BRANDT FAMILY CEMETERY

Eilert Gerhard Brandt and his wife, Sophie Friedrich Wilhelmine Westing Brandt, immigrated from Oldenburg, Germany to this area in April 1888. They purchased nearly 400 acres of land near the community of Pecan [Holman]. Just months later, in June 1888, they established this cemetery with the burial of Meta Wienken, who had cared for their sons H. Emil and George F. before the couple had arrived with four more of their children. Six others had been stillborn or died young and were buried in Germany.

After her husband's death in 1919, Wilhelmine (d. 1924) sold the land to George and his wife, Julia, who built a home nearby. In the 1920s, George and Julia sold the property to their children.

In 1952, family members formed the Brandt Cemetery Association, which holds annual decoration days for the burial ground. The cemetery features curbed burial plots and slab grave covers. It remains a link to the Brandt Family and the many German immigrants who helped settled Fayette County.

Name	Birth	Death		Notes
Brandt, (Infant)	2 Sep 1929	2 Sep 1929		Infant daughter of Oscar & Tillie (Trefny) Brandt
Brandt, A. Friedrich	8 Sep 1905	5 Mar 1906		Twin of Frederich & Eva (Kahlden) Brandt
Brandt, Edgar	14 Dec 1914	14 Dec 1914		Son of Theodore H. & Selma (Benedict) Brandt
Brandt, Eilert Gerhand	4 Dec 1838	5 Jan 1919		Son of Dietrich & Anna (Cornelius) Brandt. Picture.
Brandt, Elsa W. G.	25 Jul 1908	22 Sep 1915		Daughter of Emil & Helene (Schmidt) Brandt
Brandt, Emil	29 Jan 1871	9 Jun 1931		Son of Eilert & Wiilhelmine (Westing) Brandt
Brandt, Emilie	2 Aug 1896	8 Jan 1901		Daughter of George & Julia ((Hickel) Brandt
Brandt, F. Wilhelm	8 Sep 1905	19 Apr 1906		Twin of Frederich & Eva (Kahlden) Brandt
Brandt, Geo. Hugo	10 Apr 1886	5 Jun 1889		Son of Eilert & Wiilhelmine (Westing) Brandt
Brandt, George F.	15 Feb 1872	2 Sep 1960		Son of Eilert & Wiilhelmine (Westing) Brandt
Brandt, Helene	2 Dec 1877	21 May 1953		Wife of Emil Brandt, daughter of John & Gesina (Bruns) Schmidt
Brandt, Herbert E.	22 Jan 1912	15 Aug 1915		Son of Emil & Helene (Schmidt) Brandt
Brandt, Hugo V.	12 Aug 1906	29 Apr 1979		Son of George and Julia (Hickel) Brandt
Brandt, Julia	13 Feb 1875	1 Sep 1955		Daughter of Kasper & Julia (Zimmer) Hickel
Brandt, Julia B.	12 Jan 1911	11 Jul 1911		Daughter of George & Julia ((Hickel) Brandt
Brandt, Otto E.	9 Jan 1903	9 Dec 1968		Son of Emil & Helene (Schmidt) Brandt
Brandt, Theo J.	13 May 1912	21 Jan 1936		Son of George & Julia ((Hickel) Brandt
Brandt, Wilhelmine	15 Sep 1844	10 Jul 1924		Daughter of William & Margarethe (Bruennig) Westing. Married Eilert Brandt 2 May 1865. Picture.
Breithaupt, Fritz	10 Dec 1910	26 Dec 1910		Son of William & Frieda (Wienken) Breithaupt. Both parents are buried in the Weimar City Cemetery.
Freis, Joseph Jr.	18 Jan 1908	15 Nov 1981
Freis, Lillie M.	27 Jun 1918
Frers, Eilert	1 Feb 1841	17 Nov 1894		Husband of Helene (Wilken) Frers
Frers, Helene	1 Feb 1843	12 Feb 1917		Nee Wilken, wife of Eilert Frers
Genzer, Ernest	12 Nov 1923	18 Nov 1923
Genzer, Joe	27 Sep 1922	2 Oct 1922		Probably son of Willie & Mathilda Genzer
Genzer, Mathilda B.	29 Oct 1898	11 Jan 1951		Daughter of George & Julia ((Hickel) Brandt
Genzer, William	1 Jul 1896	16 Dec 1972		Son of Joe & Agnes (Knapick) Genzer
Hartman, Anton	7 Mar 1852	29 May 1905		Father of Frida Vornsand
Hatterman, Otto	19 Jan 1889	31 Jan 1889
Hattermann, Frieda W. H.	30 Oct 1890	22 Aug 1900
Herbrich, Infant	16 Jun 1936	16 Jun 1936		Infant son of Charles & Ella (Selzer) Herbrich. Strangulation by cord around throat, FC death record 6/416
Herbrich, Infant	15 Dec 1937	15 Dec 1937		Infant son of Charles & Ella (Selzer) Herbrich. Stillborn, FC death record 7/35
Huepers, Edna	5 Jul 1932	5 Jul 1932		Daughter of Edward & Annie (Goodman) Huepers. Stillborn, FC death record 5/325
Huepers, Henry				No dates, son of William & Clara Huepers
Huepers, Leon Leroy	13 Jan 1934	22 Jan 1934		Son of Peter & Louise (Schneider) Huepers. Died of tetanus, FC death reord 6/66
Huepers, Marie	13 Oct 1890	11 Oct 1901		Daughter of William & Clara Huepers
Huepers, Martha Marie	1 Nov 1932	6 Nov 1932		Daughter of Peter & Louise (Schneider) Huepers. Cramp in stomach and baby was dead in a half hour.
Huepers, Rosie	14 Jan 1925	12 Mar 1932		Daughter of Edward & Annie Huepers. Died of toxemia following severe burns, FC death record 5/275
Huepers, William	23 Apr 1850	26 Jun 1928		Son of Peter & Sophie Huepers. Died of nephritis, FC death record 4A/291
Huepers, Wm. C. G.	28 Nov 1920	9 May 1922
Hueppers, Emma				No dates, daughter of William & Clara Huepers
Hupers, Clara	16 Jul 1854	21 Dec 1932		Died of Hodgkins disease, FC Death Record 5/332
Kahlden, Albert A.	22 Mar 19112	24 Mar 1912		Son of Charles & Minna (Brandt) Kahlden
Kahlden, Charlie	30 Sep 1876	17 Feb 1964		Son of Hans & Christina (Heine) Kahlden
Kahlden, Minna	18 Feb 1876	5 Apr 1974		Daughter of Eilert & Wilhelmine (Westing) Brandt, wife of Charles Kahlden
Kahlden, Robert W.	20 Jul 1908	13 Sep 1983		Son of Charles & Minna (Brandt) Kahlden
Kahlden, Wilma A.	27 Jun 1918	30 Oct 1918		Daughter of Charles & Minna (Brandt) Kahlden, twin to Lillie Freis [marker may give death year as 1919, but death certficate states 1918 and lists middle name as Wilhelmine]
Klimple, Gusta	1875	1924		Loving parents. Wife of Herman Klimple
Klimple, Herman	1858	1919		FC death record: Harmon Klimpel, born 6 Oct 1858, died 15 August 1919. Son of Earnest & Bettie Klimpel. Died of dysentery
Kunschick, Henry	17 Oct 1896	2 Aug 1967		Military stone: Henry Kunschick, Sr., Texas, Pvt, US ARMY, WWI
Kunschick, Sophie	13 Apr 1903	24 Jan 1973
Mehrens, Henry	8 Oct 1888	5 Dec 1888
Mehrens, Johanna	5 Feb 1856	24 Jun 1936		Nee Biasher, wife of William Mehrens. Died of pneumonia.
Mehrens, Lena	11 Dec 1899	8 Feb 1940		Daughter of Phillip & Josephine (Meissner) Drymalla, died in childbirth
Mehrens, Louise	7 Jul 1885	9 Oct 1888
Mehrens, Theodore	23 Dec 1889	24 May 1970		Military stone: US ARMY, WWI
Mehrens, Wilhelm	25 May 1857	23 Mar 1932
Mehrens, Willie	15 Dec 1930	8 Aug 1933
Meyer, Gesine	27 Dec 1929	2 Jun 1891		Nee Munstermann
Mueller, Willie	7 Apr 1892	9 Nov 1893
Oeltjendiers, Johanna	30 Jun 1873	13 Nov 1936		Wife of John Dietrich Oeltjendiers, daughter of John Warnken. Died of cerebral hemorrhage, FC death record 6/475
Oeltjendiers, John D.	19 Dec 1857	31 May 1937		Son of John O. & Johana Oeltjendiers. Died of pneumonia, FC death record 6/560
Oeltjendiers, Walter	1 Aug 1909	4 Feb 1937		Son of J. Diedrich & Johanna (Warnken) Oeltjendiers. Died of fracture of base of skull; tree fell on him, FC death record 6/513
Ripper, (Infant)	1 Oct 1942	1 Oct 1942		Infant duaghter of George & Leonora (Hoegemeyer) Ripper
Ripper, George F.	18 Jan 1918	3 Apr 1993		Son of Gus F. & Martha (Brandt) Ripper, Jr.
Ripper, Gus F. Jr.	10 Oct 1896	2 Feb 1970		Son of Gus & Anna (Witte) Ripper, Sr., husband of Martha Ripper
Ripper, Leonora E.	16 Nov 1922	1 Oct 1942		Nee Hoegemeyer, wife of George F. Ripper
Ripper, Martha	23 Jul 1900	7 Feb 1979		Daughter of George & Julia ((Hickel) Brandt
Rogge, J. Helene	15 Apr 1823	14 Aug 1889
Selzer, Annie	24 Jan 1914	6 Apr 1992
Selzer, Evealyn A.	2 May 1919	1 Apr 1919		[One of the dates was copied incorrectly from the marker.]
Selzer, Joe	8 Jan 1906	9 Jul 1993		Probably son of Joe & Anna (Blaschke) Selzer, Sr.
Selzer, Johnnie A.	1937	1993		Last burial in cemetery to date [1996]
Springer, Helene S. M.	28 Apr 1874	1 Oct 1910		Nee Vornsand
Springer, Johanne	15 Mar 1898	27 Mar 1898
Tengler, Hilda Helen	15 Jan 1914	20 Sep 2001		Daughter of Heinrich Emil and Helene Gerhardine (Schmidt) Brandt; married Howard Marcus Tengler 25 Sep 1932 [from obituary]
Tengler, Howard M.	1911	1970
Tengler, Howard Wayne	30 Nov 1933	1970
Tengler, Kenneth Duane	9 May 1962	28 Jun 1992		Beloved son of Carlton & Lanora Tengler
Trefny, Ignac	31 Jul 1867	28 Nov 1956		Died of heart attack.
Trefny, Louise	11 Jul 1872	19 Jun 1951		Wife of Ignac Trefny, daughter of Joe Klos, died of anemia
Vornsand [Genzer?], Alvin	17 Nov 1919	17 Nov 1919		Son of Willie & Mathilda Genzer, stillborn.
Vornsand, Emil	16 Aug 1888	28 May 1889		Son of W. G. & J. Vornsand
Vornsand, Erna A. J.	21 Apr 1904	16 Aug 1904		Daughter of William & Frida (Hartman) Vornsand.
Vornsand, Johann W. F.	11 Jun 1906	19 Sep 1906		Son of Ferd. & Frieda Vornsand
Vornsand, Johanna A.C.M.	12 Sep 1851	15 Dec 1930		Daughter of Henry Rooge. Died of endocarditis, FC death record 4A/378
Vornsand, Lillie B.W.	20 Aug 1907	1 Sep 1907		Daughter of William & Frida (Hartman) Vornsand. Frida was a daughter of Anton & Mollie (Racer) Hartman.
Vornsand, Lina H.	5 May 1893	16 Jun 1911		Nee Laturnus, daughter of Henry & Mary (Breithaupt) Laternus
Vornsand, Olga E. A.	11 Feb 1906	17 Jun 1906		Daughter of William & Frida (Hartman) Vornsand.
Vornsand, W. G.	20 Jul 1845	29 Oct 1889
Vornsand, Wilbert H. F.	27 Jun 1922	6 Apr 1924		Son of Willie & Frieda (Hartman) Vornsand. Died of pneumonia, FC death record 4/205
Westing, Margarethe	26 Nov 1821	2 Apr 1906		Nee Bruennig, mother of Wilhelmine Brandt. Died at Osage, Colorado County of water on the heart.
Wieland, Robert	1846	1902
Wienken, Ernest	1893	1893		Twin to Gustav Wienken
Wienken, Gustav	1893	1893
Wienken, Meta	7 Jul 1853	28 Jun 1888		Nee Dah, Mother of Frieda (Wienken) Breithaupt and grandmother of Fritz Breithaupt, her husband's first name was Herman
Wilks, Christine	7 Sep 1828	31 May 1916
Witt, Elo	23 Feb 1908	12 Jun 1983		Son of Fritz & Friedchen (Erdman) Witt

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