August Denke
August Denke, b January 11, 1834 in Schoenbrun, Schlesia, Germany, d July 18, 1888 in Falls County, Texas, was married to Henrietta Pauline Hainke, b July 25,1839 in Germany, d there April 20, 1881.August had been owner of a water - powered grain mill that suffered severe financial losses. After the death of his wife, he was influenced by the German Chancellor, whose brother, Baron Max Yon Bethmann - Holweg, had purchased vast acres of land in the Perry area of Falls County, Texas, to sell as farms to German immigrants into Texas.
August sailed with four of his five children to America, arriving on March 18, 1886 at New Orleans, Louisiana, thence to Galveston, Texas on a French Steamer, and by train from Houston to Perry, Texas. Most of the family's belongings were either broken or left behind in Germany because of baggage charges, except for the feather beds, which helped keep the family from freezing.
The children of August and Henrietta Pauline (Hainke) Denke were:
Berthold Denke, b July 27, 1866 in Germany, d September 19, 1935 - married on October 26, 1890 to Matilda Klingberg, and moved to Ringold, Texas.
Richard Denke, b August 26, 1868 in Germany, was murdered in Columbia, Texas in 1894. He had been in the German Navy, and did not come to America until 1887 .
Emma Denke, b December 3, 1872 in Germany, d December 17, 1950 - married in 1894 to Robert Berndt, and lived near Mart, Texas.
Martha Denke, b May 23, 1872 in Germany, d June 30, 1946 - married in 1891 to Ernst Dreyer, and lived near Mart, Texas.
Paul G. Denke, b October 3.1,1876 in Germany, d October 21, 1958 - married Auguste Inselmann, and remained in Falls County.
August Denke bought land and built a east of Riesel, Texas, and affiliated with the Friedrichruh Evangelical Church which was about one - half mile from present-day Trinity Lutheran Church. It was here that August Denke, who died of a "slow fever" on July 19, 1886, was buried in the church graveyard. After the church burned in 1895, August was reburied in the cemetery of the Perry Methodist Church in 1910.
The children of August and Henrietta Pauline (Hainke) Denke each received $3,000 from their mother's estate in Germany, and were aided by Mr. Otto Rau and Baron Von Bethmann-Holweg in getting these funds transferred to Texas.
Some biographies from "Families of Falls County", compiled and edited by the Falls County Historical Commission.
Permission granted to Theresa Carhart by the Falls County Historical Commission, for use on this page.
