According to the The Bay City Breeze of January 16, 1895, Bay City, Texas owes its existence to N. M. Vogelsang, and in particular his wife Myrtle Collins Vogelsang. Upon their wedding day, January 15, 1895, The Houston Post published an article that was reprinted in the Bay City Breeze:

A rather romantic feature of the wedding is that Bay City owes her existence to Mrs. Vogelsang, nee Collins. Coming down from Goliad to see Miss Collins, his sweetheart, Mr. Vogelsang discovered what a fine country was included in Matagorda County and that the old county seat was entirely on one side of the county, so he organized a company at once and removed the county seat to Bay City and now has a lovely home to preside over his Mascot bride in Bay City and everyone is happy.

Nicholas M. Vogelsang was born in Alsac, Indiana, in 1870. His parents were from Germany. He left home when he was about twelve, went to Kansas, then on to Seymour, Texas, as a newspaperman. From there, he went to Goliad, Texas, and became the editor of the Goliad Guard. There, he met his soon to be wife, Myrtle Collins. While traveling from Goliad to Matagorda County in order to court his wife, Mr. Vogelsang realized the benefits of moving the county seat to a more centralized location in Matagorda County. He, along with three other investors, G. A. Magill, David Swickheimer and Nicholas King, created the Bay City Town Company.

Mr. Vogelsang began a small newspaper, the Bay City Breeze, with Mr. Magill. They began to campaign, through their newspaper, to have the county seat moved from Matagorda to Bay Prairie. It was a more centralized location, and seemed the logical site for a new town. On September 20, 1894, the Bay City Breeze headlines announced "Victory!! Bay City wins by 637 Majority." Mr. Vogelsang had his new town site.

The Bay City Town Company had an agreement that they would build a courthouse for the new county seat in Bay City. It was to be a plain frame building, with no vault. However, the citizens of the area, the Matagorda County Commissioner's Court and the Town Company itself recognized the need for a solid, permanent structure for the courthouse. The Town Company donated the $5000 that it was to use to build the frame courthouse to the court. The court then used the money towards building a modern two-story brick courthouse. The lumber that was originally ordered for the new courthouse is said to be the wood that was used in the construction of Mr. and Mrs. Vogelsang's house located at 2416 Avenue G.

Vogelsang House in 2016

The city grew rapidly and Mr. Vogelsang was a prominent member of the community. He was the editor of the Bay City Breeze, a builder, banker, miller and involved in other civic affairs. He managed the Bay City Rice Milling Company "...with such signal success that its stockholders bestowed upon him many honors as their expression of confidence." Later, he was also the president of the First National Bank. He passed away on December 12, 1934 and is buried in Matagorda County's Cedarvale Cemetery.

Before his death, the house was sold to the LeTulle family in 1927. Victor L. LeTulle bought the house and sold it to his nephew and his wife, Sam V. and Clara M. Tennis LeTulle a year later. The LeTulle family was very active in rice farming and cattle ranching in Matagorda County. Mr. LeTulle purchased land on Palacios Bay, south of Collegeport. The land is known as the Sam V. LeTulle Ranch. After his untimely death at the young age of 44, in 1938, the house remained in his widow's ownership. Mrs. LeTulle, along with her two children, Samuel Victor, Jr. and Clara Louise, lived in the house for many years. In December of 1980, Mrs. LeTulle gave the house to her grandson, William F. Green III, son of William and Clara Louis LeTulle Green. The house was empty off and on for periods until it was purchased by Sergio Reyes, Jr. in June of 1998. Mr. Reyes renovated the house to its former grandeur with new coats of paint inside and out, along with small repairs to the woodwork, and with a much needed new roof.

Location: Physical - 2416 Avenue G.   Legal-Block 88, Lots 18-24

Construction History: Constructed in 1895 by Nicholas M. Vogelsang of late Victorian architecture and wooden construction. The wood was initially to be used in construction of the Matagorda County Courthouse. It originally cost $2500 to build. It has nine rooms and was constructed for N. M. Vogelsang's wife, Myrtle, as a wedding present.

Description: One-story wood frame late Victorian cottage with hipped and gabled roof sections, bay end, attached front porch and limited detail centering upon windows and gable corners.

Date and author unknown
 

N. M. Vogelsang & Myrtle Vogelsang
Photo courtesy of Suzy & Rob Find A Grave Volunteers #46950534

N. M. Vogelsang Dies in Austin
Will Be Buried in Bay City Cemetery This Afternoon
July 14, 1870 – December 12, 1934

N. M. Vogelsang, a former citizen of Bay City, died at his home in Austin Wednesday. The remains will arrive here this afternoon and the funeral will be held immediately after in Cedarvale. Mr. Vogelsang had been in ill health for the past several years and while his death was not altogether unexpected, it was something of a surprise as he was thought to be in his usual condition.

This former citizen, friend and neighbor had a most interesting career. In 1894 he, in company with G. M. Magill, now of Houston, came to Matagorda County, started a little newspaper in the vicinity of this new beautiful little city and began a county-wide campaign for the removal of the county seat from Matagorda to Bay City. This campaign was highly successful, whereupon Vogelsang, Magill and Klipstein bought, of D. P. Moore 300 acres more or less west of Avenue G, and approximately 500 acres from the Bay Prairie Cattle Company, and laid out the town of Bay City, giving the place the name it has after its location, Bay Prairie.

Soon after the founding of the town, the rice industry was launched, Mr. Vogelsang becoming one of the moving spirits in its development. The city grew rapidly and Mr. Vogelsang became prominent in banking, milling, town building and all other civic affairs and was connected for many years with every enterprise and development.

At one time he managed the Bay City Rice Milling Company with such signal success that its stockholders bestowed upon him many honors as their expression of confidence. At the time a very expensive and specially made and designed watch was given him. Later he was active president of the First National Bank.

Early in life as well as in the early life of the city he founded, Mr. Vogelsang married Miss Myrtle Collins, a sister of our fellow townsman, A. S. Collins. This life companion and their two sons survive him, and accompanied the remains from Austin to this place for the burial, which was under the direction of Walker-Matchett, the religious services being conducted by the Rev. E. G. Cooke, pastor of the Methodist Church.

A proper tribute to the usefulness of this far-seeing man from the birth of the city, now looked upon as one of the most attractive and best in the state, up to the time the illness which finally triumphed began, would fill many columns and still be incomplete.

Many of his former associates, those who pioneered with him in the greatest adventure of his life, have passed on and are lying peacefully out there to be joined by him in “the rest eternal.”

The Tribune joins all of Bay City in sympathy for the family.

The Daily Tribune, December 20, 1934                   Obituary courtesy of Susie Adkins
 

Daughter of W. O. Collins and Martha Swift Collins
 

Merlin A. Vogelsang

VOGELSANG, Merlin A., 72, passed away in Herman Hospital Wednesday night. Vogelsang's parents, Mr. and Mrs. N. M. Vogelsang, were Bay City pioneers and Merlin was the first baby born in incorporated Bay City. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday morning in the Taylor Brothers Funeral Chapel with Rev. Conrad Winborn officiating. Interment will be in Cedarvale Cemetery. Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Merle Goodrich of Midland; one brother, Nick W. Vogelsang of Bay City; three granddaughters and one grandson. Pallbearers will be P. R. Hamill, James Castleton, T. A. Castleton, Claud Hamill, O. R. Hagaman and Ernest Laswell. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Taylor Brothers Funeral Home.

The Daily Tribune, November 10, 1967
 

Nicholas and Myrtle lived at 3803 Duval Street in Austin at the time of the 1930 census. Myrtle was still living there in 1940.