Family of
Gus L. Gottschalk
 

Gus L. Gottschalk
 

The basic industry is agriculture, and the world over those who are engaged in it are rendering their kind a service none can dispute. In Texas the ranching interests are among the heaviest, and some of the most substantial men of the commonwealth have given their lives to the work of tilling the soil and raising cattle, and one of them worthy of special mention is Gus. L. Gottschalk, of Matagorda, a man of marked efficiency and high standing with his neighbors. He was born in his present county, October 20, 1856, a son of Conrad and Forona (Drylam) Gottschalk, natives of Germany, who came to the United States in 1840, landing in New Orleans, Louisiana, from whence they came to Texas. Four children were born to them, of whom Gus L. was the eldest, the others being: Mary, who married C. F. Baker of Bay City, had seven children; and Minnie, who married W. A. Franz, a carpenter and builder, had four children.
 

During his boyhood Gus L. Gottschalk attended the public schools of his home country, such as they were at the time, and his first work was performed on a stock ranch. So congenial was the work that he continued it actively to within the past few years, when he began to take life a little easier. However, he still owned all of his land, which adjoined that of the Gulf Sulphur Company, and he had his mineral rights leased for $5,500 annually. Here was a time in his career when things went hard with him, and it took courage and constant work to keep his head above the financial waters, but his industry and far sighted vision were justified and  he became a man of wealth and influence.
 

Mr. Gottschalk married Miss Katherine Zipprian, a daughter of John and Katherine (Sheppard) Zipprian, and they became the parents of ten children, namely:

Emma B., who was born March 9, 1880, married Philip Yeamans, a fish and oyster merchant of Matagorda, and they had thirteen children;

Gustave, born Aug. 20, 1883, who was a stock man of Matagorda County, unmarried;

Lela who was born March 9, 1885, married William Waltham, an employee of the Gulf Sulphur Company, and they had two children;

Arthur, who was born Sept. 15, 1886, married Vera Burke of Matagorda and was employed by the Gulf Sulphur Co.; Minnie, who was born May 14, 1888, married Clarence Gilmore, a rice farmer and stock man and they had one child;

Henry, who was born Sept. 21, 1890, employed by the Gulf Sulphur Co.;

Bertha, who was born Aug. 1, 1891;

Johnnie, who was born May 21, 1892, was employed by the Culver Shell Co., Matagorda;

Herbert, who was born Apr. 7, 1894, married Jewell Kelly and they had one child; and

Willie, who was born April 27, 1900, was unmarried and postmaster at Gulf.
 

In political faith Mr. Gottschalk was a Republican, but he did not seek public office. He was an Episcopalian. His ranch of 930 acres was not his only property; he also owned a very desirable town residence in Matagorda. Both he and his wife were very proud of their children, all of whom did well and were a credit to their parents and community in which they were born and reared.

Texas Under Many Flags, Clarence W. Wharton, American Historical Society, 1930

Matagorda County Genealogical Society Publication, Oak Leaves, Vol. 8 #4, August 1989
 

Copyright 2007 - Present by Carol Sue Gibbs
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