Amandus Stehling
Amandus Stehling, and his older brother George Franz Stehling, emigrated to Texas from the small village of Wallings, Germany. They departed in August 1845 and arrived in Galveston in December 1845. They arrived in Fredericksburg in January 1847, about eight months after the initial founding of Fredericksburg in May 1846. Amandus was 21 years old. Amandus and George Franz were both carpenters.
They helped build the first St. Mary’s Catholic Church, a wooden building, in 1848. Amandus married Barbara Vogel at the original St. Mary’s Catholic Church on March 20, 1852. They had nine children; two died in infancy.
Amandus and George Franz helped build the rafters in the Marienkirche, which was completed in 1863.
Amandus died on August 5, 1913. Barbara Vogel died on January 26, 1920.
Christian Stehling
Christian Stehling was the fourth child of Amandus Stehling and Barbara Vogel. Christian was born on January 9, 1856. Christian married Francesca Reinbach on April 14, 1891 in the Marienkirche. They had eight children.
Christian introduced electricity to Fredericksburg and owned a boiler just off Main Street that produced electricity. The boys would deliver the monthly invoices to customers for their electricity charges.
Christian and Francesca built their home on Crockett Street in 1899. Their home was the first place in Fredericksburg to have Christmas lights.
Christian contracted typhus while helping carry Father Roch, the pastor of St. Mary’s, who was sick with typhus. Christian died on July 17, 1907. Francesca Stehling died on August 22, 1959.
Hermann Lungkwitz Painting
Lottie Stehling, the fifth child of Christian and Francesca Stehling, won a Hermann Lungkwitz painting in a county fair raffle. (Paggi’s Mill ; Institute of Texan Cultures; picture at right)
Hermann Lungkwitz emigrated to the United States from Germany and arrived in Fredericksburg in 1852. A distinguished painter in Germany, he painted Texas Hill Country landscapes and German pioneers, providing a visual history of the life and times of the German pioneers. His paintings are featured in various museums in Texas.
Our family sold the painting back to the Lungkwitz family in the 1980s.
Helen Stehling Hohman
Helen Stehling was the seventh of eight children of Christian and Francesca Stehling. She was born on May 22, 1904. She married Alois J. Hohman on February 8, 1934 in the “new” St. Mary’s Catholic Church. They had five children.
Helen died on October 23, 1997.
Frances Hohman Meskill
Frances was the second child of Helen and Alois J. Hohman. Frances was instrumental in keeping the Christian Stehling home in the family. When Lottie Stehling passed away in the 1980s, the Christian and Francesca Stehling heirs decided to sell the 1899 family house. Frances and Bill Meskill purchased the house from the rest of the family. The house continues to be owned by the three children of Frances and Bill (Michael, Suzanne and Bill Jr.).
Frances’ philosophy towards the Christian Stehling home was originality and preservation, not remodeling and renovation. Michael, Suzanne and Bill Jr. continue that philosophy to this day.
Special thank you to Lucillle Stehling Pape for her meticulous research and travels to Wallings, Germany to uncover the Amandus (and George Franz) Stehling history! Her efforts are an invaluable contribution to family history, and the entire Stehling family is grateful!
