DeWitt Historical Commission hosts book reveal this weekend

The DeWitt County Historical Commission is hosting an event this Sunday, March 23, about a new book of DeWitt County that has been published.

The event will begin at 2 p.m. at the English German School located at 205 North Terrell on the Chisholm Trail Museum grounds in Cuero.

“This will be a book reveal and reception,” DeWitt County Historical Commission member Glenn Rea said. “The public is invited. We will have the book there which people can purchase.”

The book is titled “History of DeWitt County” and was translated from the German language.

“We’re going to have James Kearney there as a speaker and he is the one that translated the book from German to English,” Rea said. “When he got in that process, he added about two or three pages of introduction giving the history of that period of time. He also added about 100 footnotes to show the accuracy of the book.”

One of the Historical Commission’s members, Beverly Bruns, found this book in her attic.

“It belonged to her grandmother and all she saw was ‘DeWitt County, 1899,’” Rea said. “Although she could speak a little German, she couldn’t translate the book. So, two members, Peggy Ledbetter and her assistant Mary Gayle Brindley, knew Dr. Kearney and that’s how we got the translation. If folks get a chance to come over, they’ll get some good insight into the book.”

The book details the history of DeWitt County prior to 1900 and was written by C.H. Waltersdorf.

“He had a newspaper in Hallettsville, and he created this book as a supplement,” Rea said. “He grew up around Cuero and he knew all the people here in DeWitt County. His book covers the people that lived here before 1900 and the communities that were around here in DeWitt County. He sold the book for 25 cents apiece. It’s significant because it’s the history of this County in 1899. I counted over 600 names in it of the primary settlers here before the turn of the century.”

The book also includes essays written by Rudolph Kleburg whose family established a German colony in Texas in 1835. The family built log cabins in this county in 1848. Kearney also provides a background essay on the Kleburg family and their influence in DeWitt County.

The Historical Commission’s primary focus is the history of DeWitt County.

“Right off the bat, this book goes into detail,” Rea said. “You recognize the last names and the locations and the buildings and trade. At that particular time, around 1860, the residents were German in over half of DeWitt County. They were the most dominant group that settled in this part of Texas. They helped to form the counties and the cities and government. That’s why Waltersdorf wrote it in German, his newspaper was in German. That’s the history behind the book.”

There’s special parts of this book that will appeal to historians according to Rea.

“One of them involves the Sutton-Taylor feud,” Rea said. “That was probably the most historical feud in Texas. It happened before the turn of the century, and it involved two families and a lot of rebels and hellraisers. Eventually, the Texas Rangers had to come in. It started here in DeWitt County and a special part of the book is dedicated to that feud.”

Rea said this book will help residents understand the community’s past.

“DeWitt County was started around 1846,” Rea said. “This book is devoted entirely to that history. A lot of folks will be able to get a better understanding of how this county came together and resulted in what we have now. While there’s been several books written about DeWitt County, this is a real personal look at it.”

The book will be available to purchase at the event. The DeWitt County Historical Commission also plans to have German-themed snacks and wine at the event.