Wednesday, July 11, 2012


The following entry comes from the original application to the Texas Historical Commission for an official Texas Historical Marker for what is now known as “The Groppe Building,” located at 130 North Main Street, West, Texas.  It is fortunate that this historical designation was sought as the extensive necessary research and documentation now provides a valuable record of accurate historical facts and their sources.  A similar process accomplished the same thing for the restored barn on the Groppe Farm (previously noted on this site).  The Groppe Building currently houses the Olde Czech Corner Antiques, Etc. as it has now for the past several decades.  The following document was submitted with an official application to the Texas Historical Commission on May 12, 1983.


                                                                                                   
THE GROPPE BUILDING
1892-1983

(The First Brick Building and the Oldest Business Building in West, Texas)

Author:  Mae Groppe Popp

The lot on which this structure was built was originally a part of what was designated as University Lands,1  pursuant to an act authorizing the disposition and sale of these lands.

On July 23, 1863 the State of Texas sold George R. Bennett 160 acres of these University Lands.The land was then sold on September 8, 1866 to Thomas M. West for the sum of $320.3

Thomas M. West sold a parcel of this land to the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway Company on October 29, 1881.The remaining tract of land was purchased by G. M. Dodge on December 7, 1881,5 except 3.1 acres heretofore deeded to Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway Company, and except 6.24 acres reserved for a dwelling house.  G. M. Dodge also deeded a small tract to M. K. and T. R. R. Co. on September 6, 1886.6  A plot showing the location of the Thomas M. West homestead and the M. K. and T. R. R. is recorded in the McLennan County Deeds Records.7  This plot was also considered as an official map of the City of West by a resolution passed by the City Council on March 8, 1901, signed by J. J. Holt, Mayor of West.8   The town was incorporated on June 30, 1892.Some of this land w
as divided or designated as lots and sold by lot and block number.  G. M. Dodge sold Lot 4 in Block 7, this having been a part of his original tract, in the town of West, to D. C. Carr on December 19, 1882, for $125.10  August Bernheim and Bauer purchased this lot (Lot 4, Block 7) from D. C. Carr on July 19, 1885.11  Ernest Bernheim and Bauer sold the lot back to D. C. Carr on August 18, 1885.12  D. C. Carr and wife, Hettie M. Carr, sold Lot 4 in Block 7 to McIleney Company for $700 on August 22, 1885.13  W. W. Glasgow ought the lot on January 14, 188 for $575.14  On January 18, 1886, Samuel Sanger bought the lot from W. W. Glasgow for $750 and subsequently deeded it to Sanger Bros. For a consideration of $1.15  This deed makes mention of a wooden storeroom situated on the lot.  Sanger Bros. sold the lot including the storeroom on December 31, 1889, to John Autrey for $700.16

On July 18, 1892, John Autrey and wife, D. A. Autrey, sold Lot 4 in Block 7 to August Groppe, Sr. for $1,000.17  The descendants of August Groppe, Sr. and his wife Elizabeth (Blume), have owned the property continuously to the present time.

August Groppe, Sr. tore down the above mentioned wooden storeroom and used the lumber for a buggy shed on the farm he owned.  After a time, no longer having a need for the buggy shed, it was torn down and the lumber was used for an extension built onto the main barn.  After a tornado damaged that extension to the barn, the lumber was them used to build a horse barn.  Some of that same lumber from the original old storeroom is presently used as paneling in the entrance hall at 820 Frandora Lane, Houston, Texas, the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Groppe, son of Henry Groppe, St. and grandson on August Groppe, Sr.

August Groppe, Sr. and his brother-in-law, Dietrich Blume, were the first German settlers to arrive in the West area and founded the German community there.

August Groppe, Sr. was born in Hanover, Germany on December 11, 1840, and came to America in 1867.  He arrived via New York and found his way to St. Louis where he lived for five years working for Buck’s Stove Company.  In 1872, he made a brief visit to German.  Upon his return to America he headed south landing in Waco, Texas.  He immediately made inquiries regarding work and was told that a Dr. McGregor needed a driver for his horse drawn buggy.  He worked for the doctor for two years.  During this time he learned of the availability of University Lands in McLennan County.  In 1874 he purchased 160 acres, being granted and original letter patent number 234, to the purchase of these 160 acres of University Lands.18  He later bought an additional adjoining 320 acres for a total of 480 acres located approximately three miles south of the town of West.  (The original farm is still owned by August Groppe’s descendants and has now been farmed continuously by the Groppe family for 109 years.)  This same year he married Elizabeth Blume.  Her, on this farm, he and his wife began their life together in a log cabin with an earthen floor, later building a comfortable two-story farm house were they reared their six children:  William, Annie, August Jr., Margaret, Lucy and Henry.  

Two-story farm house, barn which has been restored is visible behind

August Groppe was a prosperous pioneer cotton farmer, a stockholder and member of the Board of Directors of the West Cotton Mill, a stockholder in the West Water Company, a school trustee, and the owner of buiness properties in West.19  In 1882-1883, he and his brother-in-law, Dietrich Blume, founded and organized the St. Peter’s Evangelical Church20 which is located about two miles south of West,  The church building is no longer in existence but the site is now a recorded Texas landmark.











August Groppe, Sr. and his wife, Elizabeth, are buried in the St. Peter’s (Closner) Cemetery, located near the church site, as are many other of the Groppe descendants.

Headstone at grave of August and Elizabeth Groppe











In 1892-189321 shortly after purchasing the  aforementioned lot (Lot 4, Block 7), located on a corner in the center of the town of West, August Groppe, sr. constructed the first brick building in the business part of the town of West22 now referred to as the Groppe Building.  It is the oldest business building in the town.

He retained the services of Frank Soukup, the only known mason in the vicinity.23  The building was constructed of brick made in the kilns of a brickyard owned by E. D. Skinner.24  The original receipt for $1,747.50 for purchase of the brick is on display in the restored building.  The land on which the brickyard was located is about four miles south of West, on what is now called Wiggins Road.  Although the brickyard no longer exists, the land still yields many bricks buried in the earth.

The building was constructed of “solid three brick walls” with a flat roof.  The outside front and side of the building had curved galvanized metal awnings supported by iron brackets attached to the walls.25  The interior of the building had a wooden plank floor and a beaded ceiling.  A water well was located inside in the rear of the building.  The city of West had no water system until sometime after the completion of the building.26

Groppe Building located at corner of Oak and Main Streets, West, Texas


The Groppe Building, having been built to be used solely as rental property, has been occupied continuously by various businesses since its erection.  The first tenants were Mr. Groppe’s nephews, E. G. and Henry Blume.   They opened a general merchandise store in 1893 called E. G. Blume and Bro.  They carried a complete stock of dry goods, gentlemen’s and ladies’ furnishings, shoes, millinery and groceries.  Two years after the death of Henry Blume in 1905, the firm closed.  Zapalac’s Grocery then occupied the building followed by a drugstore.  The drugstore had a number of owners: first Mr. Skravanek, Mr. Coleman, later Mr. Coleman and Mr. Seat; and finally it was purchased by Wendel Montgomery who owned the drugstore for more than forty years.  The drugstore was well known in the area as The Old Corner Drugstore.

After the death of August Groppe, Sr. on December 3, 1919, the property was passed on to his widow, Elizabeth, and their six children.  After her death on February 14, 1922, it remained the undivided estate of their children until 1947.  On June 17, 194727 their son, Henry and his wife, Anna (Heitmiller), both the undivided interest in the building from the remaining five brothers and sisters.

Henry Groppe, Sr. and his wife, Anna, had four children; Violet (Mrs. J. B. Park), Ruby Mae (Mrs. Ben J. Popp), Henry and Ocee.  Since the death of Anna Groppe on February 17, 1967. and the death of Henry Groppe, Sr. on January 7, 1970, the property has remained the undivided estate of their four children who are all still living.

Since 1969 major portions of the building had been used for storage and the building was in need of repair.   Restoration was begun in May, 1982.

Paint covering the outside walls has been removed revealing various original signs and advertisements which had been painted directly on the solid three brick walls.  A clear sealant has been applied to the brick as a preservant.  The original iron brackets which supported the curved galvanized metal awnings have again been attached to the building after having been in storage.  The curved metal awnings have been duplicated and fastened to the original old brackets.

In the early times wooden sidewalks were used and later were replaced by concrete sidewalks which were in disrepair.  These were all replaced.

The original interior brick walls had been covered at some time with lime plaster which has been removed showing the old brick interior walls.  Here, too, a clear sealant has been applied.

A lowered ceiling has been taken down revealing the original beaded ceiling.  It has been repaired and painted and central air conditioning has been installed.

Interior of Groppe Building looking toward front door
Inside of Groppe Building in its early days as
The Olde Czech Corner Antiques






















Various coverings which had been placed on the original old wooden floor have been removed.  Repair was needed, especially in the area which had covered to old water well.  Apparently, after the development of the West Water Company, the city had an adequate supply of water and the well in the building was no longer needed.  Therefore, the above ground portion for the well was removed and the opening covered with wooden flooring.  After removing the rotten flooring directly above the well opening, the well was found to be in excellent condition, forty feet deep with twenty five feet of clear spring water.  The interior of the round well is in very good condition.  The well has been restored with brick curbing, a stanchion, a wooden cover and a rope with an old pulley and well bucket owned and originally used by Mrs. Henry Groppe, Sr.’s brother.  A light has been installed in the well.  It is one of the focal points of interest for visitors.

View inside well located inside Groppe Building


An antique shop owned by Cecil and Dianne Friend called “Olde Czech Corner Antiques Etc.” now occupies the building.  Memorabilia of the early times can be seen in the shop.  A large picture of Mr. and Mrs. August Groppe, Sr., Mrs. Groppe’s 1876 sewing machine, a cedar chest of drawers with bone escutcheons, all handmade by Mrs. Groppe’s brother, Dietrich Blume, an old memorial history book on early settlers titled “Pen Pictures from the Garden of the World,” and a number of advertising gifts the Blume store gave their customers, are a few of the items on display.

All visitors to the shop are given a tour with a description of the history of the memorabilia on display, the well and the building.

Three additional specialty shops are being developed in the rear sections of the building.

This was the first building to be restored to its original condition in the business district of West.  It has stimulated interest in further restoration and been a significant factor in attracting visitors.  A guest register maintained since the shop’s opening eight months ago includes visitors’ names from many states and a number of foreign countries.

It would seem appropriate that an official Texas Historical Marker be awarded by the Texas Historical Commission for the restored Groppe Building; the first brick building and oldest structure in the business district of West, Texas; built a hundred years ago by August Groppe, Sr., the founder of the German community there and one of the town’s pioneer business and farming leaders; and still owned by his descendants.







































Footnotes

1  An Act appropriating certain lands for the establishment of a General System of Education approved January 26, 1839, by order of the President.  Recorded in McLennnan Surveyors Records Vol. B, p. 48.
2  Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 92, p. 267
3  Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. K, p. 767
4  Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 38, p. 36
5  Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Book 38,  p. 55
6  Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 92, p. 267
7  Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 87,  p. 94
8 Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 276,  pp. 16-19
9 West Weekly Times 1902, p. 2
10 Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 48, p 529
11 Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. q,  p. 181
12 Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. q,  p. 227
13 Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 45,  p. 487
14 Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 50,  p. 558
15 Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 62,  p. 243
16 Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 87,  p. 68
17 Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol. 89,  p. 34
18 McLennan County Land Map published by General Land Office, State of Texas, showing original Letter Patent Number 234 granted to August Groppe.  Memorial and biographical History of McLennan Falls,, Bell and Coryell Counties – titled “Pen Pictures from the Garden of the World” (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1893)
19 The West Times, July 17, 1906, Second Section, page 1
20 The First One Hundred Years of the Blume Family – Beginning 1853, by Irwin H. Blume.  Copies filed with the following:
a.  The Texas State Library Geneology Library, Austin, Texas 78711
b.  The Texas Archives in University of Texas, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas, 78712
c.  National Archives and Records Service, Genealogy Division, General Services Division, General Service Administration, Washington, D.C. 20408
d.  Clayton Library Center for Geneological Research, 5300 Caroline Street, Houston, Texas
21  Warranty deed shows purchase of lot on July 18, 1892 (see footnote 17) and First One Hundred Years of Blume Family (see footnote 20) states the opening in 1893 of E. G. Blume & Bro.  Also see write-up and picture of grand opening of Blume Bros. store (picture number 1).
22  As related by Henry Groppe, Sr. to his four children, all now living.  Also see picture number 2 made in 1893 showing Main Street with all wooden frame business houses.
23  Interview, June 1982, with Mrs. Crockett Closner (Skinner).  Mrs. Closner’s grandfather and E. D. Skinner were brothers.  West Times 1902, page 16, article concerning ownership of brickyard by E. D. Skinner.  See attached item 4, copy of original receipt for $1, 747.50 for purchase of brick used for construction of building.
25  See picture number 3.
26  Henry Milton Apperson.  A History of West, Texas 1836-1920, pp 33-33.
27  Recorded in McLennan County Deeds Records, Vol. 590, p.387.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Thinking of my Dad on his birthday
OCEE KEATON GROPPE
June 7, 1928 - May 28, 2002

Sunday, June 3, 2012


The Old Country . . .
Thanks to the extensive research conducted by Mae (Groppe)  and Ben Popp, early Groppe history in Germany was uncovered.  Photographs convey a unique picture of time and place. . . 

This is the house near Verliehausen that August Groppe lived in with his father, mother, brothers and sisters.  It was built of fachwerk construction by earlier Groppes in 1773.

Fachwerk (German, literally: “framework”) refers to timber framing or half-timbering, also called in North America “post-and-beam” construction and post-frame construction.  It is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs (larger versions of the mortise and tenon joints in furniture).  The methodology comes from making things out of logs and tree trunks without modern high tech saws to cut lumber from the starting material stock.  Using axes, adzes and draw knives, hand powered auger drill bits (bit and brace) and laborious woodworking, artisans or farmers could gradually assemble a building capable of bearing heavy weight without excessive use of interior space given over to vertical support posts.




The inscription on the timber over the door on the side of the house reads:
“Oh God, give us your Blessing, so that we never lack nourishment in this newly built house.  Share whatever is brought in here, so that the work here is done joyfully with God. 1773”




This is the church in Verliehausen where the Groppes worshipped.  It was built before 1600. 

Wednesday, May 23, 2012















While still on the subject of the Groppe Barn it is appropriate to speak of my uncle, Henry Groppe (nicknamed “Bozo” within our family), and his wife, my Aunt Carol.  Both have been staunch keepers and stewards of the Groppe family legacy through the restoration and preservation of the Groppe Farm and associated memorabilia and the chronicling of early family history and memories.   An official dedication of the historical marker designating the Groppe Barn as a historical site was planned for the fall of 1992, but prior to that a “private” dedication was held at our family reunion in June of 1992.  Again, this document provides insight into the people and principles of an early Texas family  . . . .

GROPPE BARN TEXAS STATE HISTORICAL MARKER DEDICATION
Presented at Family Reunion, June 13, 1992
Henry Groppe

We plan an official marker dedication ceremony sometime later, perhaps this fall, but this private dedication being observed by all of our family is the important one.

The motivation for this whole barn restoration project was provided by Carol as she did for the restoration of the Old Corner building and which she does for so many fine things in our lives together.  She pushes to have thoughts converted into action.  Left to myself, I would probably still be planning it.

The next critical contribution to the project was made by Doyle (son of Mae Groppe Popp and Ben Popp) who introduced me to his good friend Louis Polley who brought to the project the right balance of a keen interest in the structure and its restoration combined with approaches that could be carried out at reasonable cost.

And then most of all, the enthusiasm, talent and dedication Mae and Bennie brought to preparing the Texas Historical Commission state marker application.  We think this is the first time this recognition has been given to a barn restoration project.

Grandpaw Groppe began homesteading here in 1874, one hundred eighteen years ago.  In 1886, one hundred and six years ago, he got Joe Huber, from Tours, to build this barn for him.  He was a bachelor and lived with Grandmaw and Grandpaw while he built the barn.  It has been in continuous use and relatively unchanged all of that time.

I underestimated the almost life of its own the barn would have after it was restored.  I never fail to derive real pleasure and happiness whenever I see it and know that it will be here for our children and our children’s children.  Louis told me that he had done the restoration in such a fashion that only two things need to be done for it to last forever.  One, is to be sure the foundation beams always stay dry and the other is that it should be painted from time to time.  These can easily be done.

It sure is fun to see history being reenacted and the fourth generation trying to figure out how to jump out of the hayloft without breaking a leg, shooting at attacking Indians from behind the bales of hay through the door at the end of the barn and pulling buckets of water out of the well and hearing that unique creaking of the pulley.  Restoring the Old Corner building has provided many of the same kinds of feelings of pleasure and so has getting the recognition by the State Land Commissioner as a farm that has been operated continuously by the same family for one hundred years or more.  Particularly in today’s mobile and rapidly changing world we all appreciate the rarity of being able to enjoy this stability and continuity.

But the most important and enduring tribute we pay today and celebrate is to my mother and father or “maw-maw” and “paw-paw” as Valanne christened them over 50 years ago, and their example of what it really means to be a member of a family.

Maw-Maw’s parents both came to Texas from the Hannover area of Germany through Galveston. She was born in 1895, ninety-seven years ago, grew up on a farm one mile west of here and died 25 years ago at the age of 72.  Paw-Paw was born in 1884, one hundred eight years ago on this very place and lived here a full 86 years until he died in 1970, twenty-two years ago.  His mother and father both came from the Hannover areas, his mother through Galveston and his father through New York.  Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw were married in 1912 when she was 17 and he was 27.

Paw-Paw always enjoyed having the fastest, flashiest buggy team in the area and would apparently cut up whenever he drove at full speed past the one-room school, a mile north of here on his way to West, knowing that she might be watching.  One day he said she was standing with her back to the window competing in a spelling match as he passed and she shyly waved her handkerchief behind her back as he flashed by.  He said he knew at that instant he had won her heart.  They had been married 55 years when she died in 1967.  Both loved this place and neither ever traveled farther than Galveston during all of their lives.

After they married they built their own house, just south of where the grapevine is now.  They helped care for Grandma and Grandpa Groppe who were living in the original house for which the cedar trees lined the front walk.  That house was torn down in 1929 to provide some of the lumber used in the construction of the 63 year old brick house which we moved into.  All of us were born in Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw’s original house.

The grapevine itself has somewhat romantic origins in that it grew from seeds from grapes Paw-Paw had brought Maw-Maw.  They were sitting on the front porch eating them and one of the seeds grew into this vine.

Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw were obviously meant for each other.  They each had extraordinary inner resources, creativity and sense of purpose. Together they built a life for themselves and their children quite different from that of their parents and all of their brothers and sisters and for that we are all forever indebted.

They had one of the first systems of running water and inside bathrooms in the vicinity, one of the first automobiles, were the first to engage in such diversified farming, livestock raising and dairy operations and gave each of us freedom unheard of among their relatives at the time.

They seemed to possess an almost innate wisdom, the extent of which I’m still learning to appreciate.  Their values and practice of sound family principles were outstanding models which we all still try to duplicate.  Some of these I only fully understood many years later, and some relatively recently.

Some of their practices which stand out so clearly in my memory are:
1.  Appreciating and accepting that each human being is unique and to be so treated and respected.  How many times they explained this to each of us.

2.  Practicing absolute fairness and equity in their dealings with each of us as children.  They would go to extraordinary lengths to be sure that whatever had been done for one of us was also done for the others.  There were times when I was almost perplexed by this dedication, only many years later and particularly in dealing with our own children did I come to realize what an important principle this is.

3.  Providing great freedom and responsibility and understanding the relationship between the two.  We got our driver’s licenses at age 12 and were added to the list of authorized signatures for the only bank account the family had at about that age.  But we also had absolutely unavoidable responsibilities.  We began milking on our sixth birthday and from then on never missed a milking until we left home unless we were sick.  We could go as far as we could get as long as we could return by the next milking.

4.  Letting us learn by doing and allowing us to make our own mistakes with complete patience and provision of space and materials for us to try to do or build anything we were interested in.  Whenever we had a wreck, or tore something up the primary concern was, “Are you all right?”  “Was anybody hurt?”  Beyond this there was always the assurance that everything else could and would be repaired with no reproaches.  This probably contributed to the development of the unstoppable “Groppe” determination in pursuing a project, a real trial to our spouses.

5.  They practiced an incredible degree of unconditional love for each of us and the continual emphasis that our family was and would always be an absolute sanctuary to which we could return no matter what had happened with no questions asked - a feeling that was always with you no matter where you went in the world.

6.  This is a hard one, on which I am still working: an amazing practice of never giving one shred of advice from the day we left home unless requested.  That was an absolute rule they practiced of which I wasn’t fully aware until many, many years later when I began wrestling with my own shortcomings in this area.

7.  This is an important one which is an extension of the other principles and that is the often stated and always practiced principle that they would love completely whomever we loved.  They would always point out that there was no way for them to know someone else even remotely as well as we did, but they had complete respect for and confidence in us and the fact that we loved someone was all they needed to fully embrace them with their unconditional love.

And finally . .
8.  And perhaps one of the most important of all, always expressing and practicing the principle that within our family if anybody had anything, everybody had something.  They wisely pointed out that none of us ever knows what the future holds.  There will be times when we will be riding high and other times when we are down and out.  That we would all always share whatever we had with whoever in the family needed it.  That, too, is a great security to carry around with you wherever you go in the world.  They extended this fully to anyone else around them in need.  We were accustomed to them taking someone in and nursing them back to health when there was no other ready place for them to go.

All of this instills in each of us as our primary lifelong ambition, the goal of being the best possible family member we can ever be to our spouses, our children, and all the other members of our extended family.  And that is what this family reunion weekend is all about – celebrating and enjoying this commitment to each other.

Historical marker with barn's original foundation footings

Grape arbor that began from a single seed

The Groppe children all had milking duties starting at age 6




Tuesday, May 1, 2012






The Groppe Barn . . . . located on the Groppe Farm just south of West, Texas, in McLennan County, the Groppe Barn is a fine example of late 19th century agrarian architecture.  Built in 1886, it served several generations as a functional and utilitarian structure central to the farm’s daily operations.  Over 100 years later a major restoration project was undertaken to restore the barn to its original condition, preserving a significant example of early Texas agricultural vernacular.  Subsequently, the Groppe family sought recognition of the structure by the Texas Historical Commission because of its representation of a significant span of Texas agricultural history and the people who persevered in making a successful living by farming the rich black lands of central Texas and creating and nurturing thriving community businesses.

The following document was developed and submitted to the Texas Historical Commission in 1990 by Mae Groppe Popp, granddaughter of August Groppe who established a farming operation on the property after emigrating from Germany.  In the process it provides some brief but concise historical facts about the Groppe Farm and early family history:

The Groppe Barn
1886-1990

            The land on which this structure is situated was originally a part of what was designated as University Lands1 in an act authorizing the disposition and sale of these lands.

            August Groppe, Sr. purchased the land on which he and his wife Eilizabeth built their home and barn from James Magness on January 1, 18832.  Mr. Magness had been issued a letter patent number 806 for the purchase of this land on May 18, 1876 from the state of Texas3.  The home of Mr. and Mrs. August Groppe, Sr. no longer exists but the barn has remained and has been in continuous use since it was built in 1886.

            August Groppe, Sr. and his brother-in-law Dietrich Blume, were the first German settlers to arrive in the West area and founded the German community there.

August Groppe, Sr. was born in the small village of Verliehausen, Germany on December 11, 184.  He came to America in 1867 landing in New York.  He made his way to St. Louis where he lived for five years working for the Buck and Wright Stove Company.  In 1872 he made a brief visit to Germany.  Upon his return to America he headed south and reached Waco, Texas.  There he made inquiries regarding work and was told that a Doctor McGregor, founder of the town of that name west of Waco, needed a driver for his horse drawn buggy.  He worked for the doctor for two years.  It was during this time that he learned of the availability of University Lands in McLennan County.  IN 1874 he purchased 160 acres, being granted an original letter patent number 234, for the purchase of these 160 acres of University Lands4.  He was so successful in growing wheat and marketing it for a good price that he was able to buy more land.  His next land purchase was for an adjoining tract of 80 acres which he bought in 1881 from W. S. Wood for $400.00.  In 1883 he paid the above mentioned James Magness $800.00 for a second 80 acre tract which also joined his original holdings and on which their home and barn were built.  He purchased a third 80 acre adjoining tract from J. W. Rice in 1886 for $500.00.  In 1894 August Groppe bought his final tract of land for $2,250.00, his total land holdings were now 480 acres of adjoining farmland.  The original farm three miles south of West is still owned by an August Groppe, Sr. descendant and has been farmed by the Groppe family for 116 years.

            In 1984 this farm on which the barn is situated was honored by the Texas Department of Agriculture and was included in the Texas Family Land Heritage Program for having been in continuous agricultural production at the hands of one family for one hundred years or more.

            In 1874, the same year that August Groppe made his first land purchase, he married Elizabeth Blume.  He and his wife began their life together in a log cabin.  Their children, William, Annie, August,Jr. Margaret, Lucy and Henry were born in this log cabin.  In 1886 August and Elizabeth built a two story frame home and a barn on the tract of land bought from James Magness.  August Groppe became a prosperous cotton farmer, a stockholder and member of the Board of Directors of the West Cotton Mill, a stockholder in the West Water Company, a school trustee, and the owner of several business properties in West5.  One of the properties, still belonging to his descendants, was the first brick business building in town and is the oldest business structure in West.  This building which August Groppe constructed in 1892 was restored and in 1983 it was awarded an official Texas Historical Marker by the Texas Historical Commission.

            In 1882-1883 August Groppe and his brother-in-law Dietrich Blume founded and organized the St. Peters Evangelical Church located about two miles south of West6.  The church building is no longer there but the site is now a recorded Texas Landmark.

            In 1886 August Groppe retained the services of Joseph Huber7, a skilled carpenter in the area, to building a barn on his property, now referred to as the Groppe Barn.  Joe Huber was born in Kenberg, Bavaria on December 29, 1853.  He came to America in 1884 and arrived in Tours, Texas the same year.  Tours is a small community about three miles southeast of West and not far from the Groppe farm.  Mr. Huber, being a bachelor at the time, lived with the Groppe family while he built their barn.   The barn was built using large beams with hand cut triple notched joints and wooden pegs throughout8.  Square cut nails were used where necessary.  Small heart shaped cutouts were used on doors, typical of German artisans9.

            This barn has been in continuous use for August Grope and his descendants for 104 years.  Mr. Huber died March 23, 1935.

            On January 6, 191710, prior to August Groppe’s death on December 3, 1919 and his wife Elizabeth’s death on February 14, 1922, August and Elizabeth deeded the 80 acre tract on which their home and barn is situated, to their youngest child, Henry and his wife Anna.  Henry Groppe and his wife Anna later purchased 100 acres from Henry’s brother, which was part of the original land holdings of August and Elizabeth, giving Henry and his wife Anna a total of 180 acres of the original land holdings of August Groppe, Jr.

            Henry Groppe, Sr. and his wife Anna had four children: Violet (Mrs. J. B. Park), Ruby Mae (Mrs. Ben J. Popp), Henry and Ocee.  Since the death of Anna Groppe on February 17, 1967 and death of Henry Groppe, Sr. on January 7, 1970, the property passed on to their four children who are all still living.

            On March 24, 197011 Henry Groppe, Jr. and his wife Carol bought the undivided interests in this property from the remaining two sisters and brother and it remains the property of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Groppe, Jr. to this day.  The barn was built and owned by August Groppe, Sr., then owned by his son Henry Groppe, Sr. and is now owned by his grandson, Henry Groppe, Jr.

            The Groppe Barn is rectangular, measuring thirty-two feet by fifty-five feet  The ground floor of the barn has two cribs and a granary.  A wagonway runs through the center between the two cribs, one a six hundred bushel crib, the other four hundred bushel capacity.  The wagonway or hall has a large door on the north or back end of the barn.  The south or front end is open. In front of one crib and the granary are horse feeding stalls.  The upper part of the barn consists of a large loft for the storage of hay extending the full width and length of the structure.  A fence-board corral extends outward from the south side of the barn.

            On the west side of the corral is a brick lined cistern which stores water gathered by gutters from the barn roof.  Water was drawn from this cistern by means of a bucket, rope and pulley for the livestock sheltered in the barn.

            Restoration of the Groppe barn was begun July 11, 1990.  Lewis Polly of L.P. Construction, Irene, Texas, experienced in restoration work, was retained to restore the old barn.  A combination of manure, hay, and soil which had accumulated over a period of many, many years had to be removed from within the barn, and from underneath the cribs and granary12.  This also exposed the chiseled stones supporting the main vertical supports on the south or front side.  Temporary supports were used while the barn was pulled together and leveled.  Only one of the original stones supporting the vertical beams on the south side remained unbroken.  These stones had been chiseled into a pyramid shape with a flat top and a cavity had been cut in the top into which the support beams were fitted13.  The decision was made to duplicate the stones out of concrete.  These duplicated pyramid concrete supports had to be increased in height so that the bottom rotted portion of the wooden vertical supports could be cut to good timber.  These were doweled on the bottom and tar applied prior to installation to prevent future rot.  Northside footings on foundations were redug and formed, concrete was poured and the horizontal beam doweled to the concrete.

            When built, the barn had a wood shingled roof.  In the early 1920s when the wooden shingles had begun to deteriorate, Henry Groppe, Sr. had a galvanized tin roof applied on top of the original shingle roof except for the gable on the south side14.  In the early 1970s a new galvanized tin roof was installed on the entire south front, including the gable.  This part of the roof is in very good condition at the present time.  During restoration the old galvanized tin roof on the north or back of the barn was removed, laths were renailed and tightened to the rafters and new tin installed.

            The original flat field stones which supported the cribs, granary and some of the partitions within the barn were placed in the same locations.  However, prior to placement holes were dug and filled with concrete and a steel rod was installed vertically in the center.  Holes were drilled in the center of the original flat field stones; these stones were placed on the steel dowel with concrete between each stone.  The dowel continues through the horizontal beam.  Doweling was for non separation of concrete, stones and beam timber.

            After the above work was completed the horse feeding troughs were rebuilt, missing crib slats were replaced, doors and openings were repaired and rotted timber was replaced.  A fence board corral with a wooden gate was installed in the front of the old barn as it had been originally.

            The cistern was repaired, gutters installed, the original pulley located and one of the original well buckets recovered from the bottom of the cistern with a grappling hook.  Livestock can now be watered again from the cistern.

            It would seem appropriate that an official Texas Historical Marker be awarded by the Texas Historical Commission for the restored Groppe Barn, built one hundred and four years ago by August Groppe, Sr., the founder of the German Community and one of the town’s pioneer business and farming leaders, and then owned by first his son and now his grandson.
                                                                                                                        Mae Popp
                                                                                                                        Willis, Texas

References:

1An act appropriating certain lands for the establishment of a General System ofEducation approved January 26, 1839, by the order of the President.  Recorded in McLennan Surveyors Records, Vol B, p.48.

2Recorded in McLennan County Deed Records, Vol 39, p.1237

3McLennan County Land Map, published by General Land Office, State of Texas

4McLennan County Land Map, published by General Land Office, State of Texas, showing original Letter Paten Number 234 granted to August Groppe.  Memorial and Biographical History of McLennan, Falls, Bell and Coryell Counties, titled “Pen Pictures from the Garden of the World” (Chicago; Lewis Publishing Co. 1893) Biography August Groppe, pp.510-511.

5The West Times, July 17, 1906,Second Section, p.1

6“The First One Hundred Years of the Blume Family – Beginning 1853,” by Irwin Blume.  Copies filed with the following:  (a) The Texas State Genealogy Library, Austin, Texas,  (b) The Texas Archives in University of Texas-Austin,  (c) Natinal Archives and Records Service, Washington, D.C.,  (d) Clayton Library for Genealogical Research, Houston, Texas.

7Sister Mary Elizabeth Jupe, “Tours, Texas,” pp 7, 415, 416, 586-588.  Interview August 1, 1990 with Lawrence Huber, youngest child of Joe Huber.  Lawrence lives in his father’s home in Tours, TexasLawrence was born September 21, 1910.  Tape recorded conversation Henry Groppe, Jr. had with his father, Henry Groppe, Sr. in 1968.  This conversation was about the building of the Groppe Barn and Joseph Huber who built it.  This tape and transcription in the possession of Henry Groppe, Jr.

8See picture showing notched beams
9See picture showing heart cutout

10Recorded in McLennan County Deeds Record recorded December 26, 1919.

11Recorded in McLennan County Deeds Record.  Recorded April, 1970.

12See picture showing exposed original field stone supports.

13See picture showing original chiseled support stone.

14See picture showing gable on front of barn.  (The building on the left of the photo was added to the barn by Henry Groppe, Sr. but remained only a few years.  After being damaged by a wind storm, it was removed.)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Memorial and Biographical History of McLennan, Falls, Bell and Coryell Counties – “Pen Pictures of the Garden of the World,” (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co. 1893)

Jupe, Sister Mary Elizabeth, Tours Texas, San Antonio, Texas, 1988

The West Times, West, Texas, July 17, 1906, Second Section

St. Peters Church, Seventy-Fifth Anniversary of St. Peters United Church of Christ, West, Texas

McLennan County Deeds Records

Sloane, Eric, An Age of Barns, Funk and Wagnalls, Henry Holt and Co., New York, New York



August Groppe (1840-1919) & Elizabeth Blume Groppe (1844-1922)