The Joseph Nolte family was in
Matagorda, Texas by 1854, as in
that year Joseph’s wife, Christina
Berghardt Nolte, age 33, and his little
son, Joseph, Jr. age 3 died. They share
a common tombstone in Matagorda
Cemetery. They came from Germany, but as
of this date (1984), no record of their
immigration has been found.
The family consisted
of the father, Joseph, born in Germany
on June 19, 1816, and his wife Christina
born about 1821 in Germany and their
five children. The children were:
1. Caroline Amelia
born 1845, Wereshausen, Germany married
February 28, 1860 Sebastian Dietrich.
She died May 12, 1906 and is buried in
Matagorda Cemetery.
2. Ellen born in
Germany married September 9, 1865,
Charles Wm. Pope. This family moved to
South Dakota.
3. Carl (Charles)
Nolte born April 16, 1848 in Germany
married May 8, 1873 Hannah Elizabeth
Sterry. His death occurred December 7,
1928 and he is buried in Matagorda
Cemetery.
4. Bertha Frances
born in Germany married March 4, 1869,
Martin J. Funk in Matagorda, Texas. She
died March 7, 1875 in Indianola, Texas.
5. Joseph, Jr. born
1851 in Germany, died and buried 1854 in
Matagorda, Texas.
The Nolte family were
Catholics and there being no Roman
Church in Matagorda, they became members
of Christ Episcopal Church. The name of
Joseph Nolte on a nameplate marked his
family’s pew in this historic church.
October 4, 1861
Joseph Nolte enlisted in Co. D., 6th
Reg, Texas Infantry, Capt. E. A.
Person’s [Peareson's] Co., at Victoria,
Texas. He was captured January 11, 1863
at Arkansas Post, and transferred to
Camp Butler, Illinois prisoner of war
camp. April 21, 1863 he was admitted to
the General Hospital, Petersburg,
Virginia suffering from rheumatoid
arthritis. He received a 60 day furlough
May 5, 1863. He signed the Parole of
Honor, July 14, 1865 at Matagorda,
Texas.
Joseph Nolte became a
naturalized citizen, August 6, 1867 when
a “Letter of Citizenship” was issued to
him at the Matagorda County.
Business Directory
for 1879-80 lists him under Justices of
Peace, Ex-Officio Notaries Public of
Matagorda County. Family tradition is he
was elected County Judge the day he
died, November 9, 1880. He is buried in
Matagorda Cemetery.
Carl Nolte was 6
years old when he came to Matagorda from
Germany with his family. Tradition is he
was already trained in the shoemaker
trade. Although not proven, he is said
to have been captured by the Yankees
during the Civil War and taken to New
Orleans. He was educated in the local
school, and was a carpenter by trade.
The two homes he built for his family
have withstood hurricanes and are still
occupied today.
May 8, 1873 he
married Hannah Elizabeth Sterry,
daughter of James and Nancy Wright
Sterling Sterry. They were the parents
of eight children.
1. Annie Mabel b.
August 20, 1874, died September 8, 1961
married first Oscar George, second
Weston Bailey.
2. Caroline Amelia b.
October 4, 1876 married August 15, 1901
Clarence Dietrich, her first cousin. She
died February 4, 1956.
3. Emma Louisa b.
July 31, 1879, d. July 31, 1881.
4. Arthur Pelton,
named for Matagorda physician Dr. Pelton,
b. July 14, 1881, d. February 27, 1884.
5. Lorena May, b.
March 21, 1883, married James Arthur
Bruce, January 4, 1906. She died
September 17, 1959.
6. Fannie Elizabeth,
b. April 9, 1887, married January 6,
1927, Frank Duffy. She died March 13,
1975.
7. Carl Albert, b.
June 25, 1891, d. November 8, 1954.
Married Ben Brookshire, June 12, 1935.
8. Bertha Lee, b.
February 3, 1894, married L. M. Blair
October 16, 1912. She married second, C.
P. Barry, September 17, 1934. She died
July 9, 1966.
Following the death
of Carl Nolte’s sister, Bertha Funk in
Indianola in 1875, he and Hannah reared
his nephew, Martin Jacob Funk. February
20, 1907 he married Nora Bruce, daughter
of Arthur and Mary Smith Bruce. They
lived in San Marcos where he was
owner-pharmacist for over fifty years of
Funk Drug Store. He died January 10,
1958, and he, Dora, and his sister,
Bertha Barbara Funk are all buried in
the San Marcos Cemetery.
Carl “Charles” and
Hannah Nolte both died of the flu in
December, 1927. He died on the 7th
and she died on the 20th.
Both are buried in Matagorda Cemetery.