Loyal Valley, Texas

Coordinates: 30°34′33″N 99°00′28″W / 30.57583°N 99.00778°W / 30.57583; -99.00778
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Loyal Valley, Texas
FIPS code
48-44320[2]
GNIS feature ID1380113[1]

Loyal Valley is an unincorporated farming and ranching community, established in 1858, and is 6 miles (9.7 km) north of Cherry Spring in the southeastern corner of Mason County, in the U.S. state of Texas. The community is located near Cold Spring Creek,[3] which runs east for 7.5 miles (12.1 km) to its mouth on Marschall Creek in Llano County, just east of Loyal Valley. The community is located on the old Pinta Trail.[4][5]

The year 2000 population was 50. Elevation 1,522 feet (464 m).[6]

Settlers and Community

Loyal Valley was settled in 1858 by

German immigrants from Fredericksburg, including Henry and Christian Keyser, John Kidd, and a Mr. Gertsdorff (most likely Von Gersdorff or Gersdorff, as it was spelled in that era).[7]
It was also a stagecoach stop on the route between San Antonio and the western forts.

The community received a post office in 1868, and Solomon Wright was the first postmaster.[8]

John O. Meusebach[9] moved to Loyal Valley after the New Braunfels tornado of September 12, 1869 destroyed his home there.[10][11] According to Meusebach's granddaughter Irene Marschall King, he named the area for his personal loyalty to the Union that he had maintained during the American Civil War. He operated a general store and stage stop. Meusebach was appointed justice of the peace, notary public and served as the community's second postmaster in 1873. His daughter Lucy Meusebach Marschall was postmaster in January 1887, and his wife Agnes became postmaster in August 1887.[12]

The

Penateka Comanche Tribe 1847,[13] making area settlers safe from Penataka raids. However, Kiowa, Apache and other Comanche tribes still committed depredations against the settlers. During the 1870s, settlers from neighboring communities relocated to Loyal Valley for safety. Herman Lehmann, son of Augusta and Moritz Lehmann, became the most famous captive of the Apache depredations. He escaped the Apache, to be later rescued by the Comanche and adopted by chief Quanah Parker.[14][15] Philip Buchmeyer (or Buchmeier) was the second husband of the widowed Augusta Lehmann, and stepfather to her sons Herman and Willie.[16]
The Buchmeyers ran a hotel and saloon, which later was owned by Charlie Metcalf. Philip Buchmeyer built a one-room stone structure school-church, which was still standing as of 1980.

Mason County Hoo Doo War

In 1875, the

Texas Ranger Scott Cooley[17] sought revenge. Cooley and his desperadoes, which included Johnny Ringo,[18] created a reign of terror over the area. It was during this episode that Ringo committed his first murder, that of James Cheyney.[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Loyal Valley, Texas
  2. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 27, 1996. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  3. ^ Cold Spring Creek from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 30 April 2010. Texas State Historical Association
  4. ^ Nixon, Nina L.: Pinta Trail (El Camino Pinta) from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 30 April 2010. Texas State Historical Association
  5. ^ "El Camino Pinta" (PDF). City of San Antonio. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2010.City of San Antonio
  6. ^ "Geographical Names Information System, Loyal Valley". U.S. Dept of the Interior. Archived from the original on August 28, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2010. U.S. Dept of the Interior
  7. ^ Rhoades, Alice .: Loyal Valley from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 30 April 2010. Texas State Historical Association
  8. ^ "Loyal Valley Postmasters". Jim Wheat. Archived from the original on 19 October 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2010.Jim Wheat
  9. ^ Kennedy, Ira. "German Intellectuals on the Texas Frontier". TexFiles. Archived from the original on 11 May 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2010. TexFiles
  10. .
  11. ^ "George F Toll 320 acres land grant April 30, 1873 to John O Meusebach" (PDF). Texas General Land Office. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  12. ^ .
  13. ^ Tetzlaff, Otto W: Meusebach-Comanche Treaty from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 30 April 2010. Texas State Historical Association
  14. .
  15. ^ Hudspeth, Brewster. "The Savage Life Of Herman Lehmann". Texas Escapes – Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Archived from the original on 13 May 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2010. Texas Escapes – Blueprints For Travel, LLC.
  16. ^ "Loyal Valley Cemetery". Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  17. ^ from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  18. .
  19. ^ Hadeler, Glenn. "The Mason County Hoo Doo Wars". TexFiles. Archived from the original on 12 May 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2010. TexFiles

External links