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A Union Veteran |
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Buried in the Zion Lutheran Church of Helotes Cemetery
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A Union Veteran |
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Cpl. Fritz Bormann (Photo from later in life) |
Fredrick "Fritz" Bormann was born in the province of Pommern, Prussia on 28 January 1835. He came to the United States in 1856 as a young man of 21 years. Nothing is known of his life in the United States prior to his joining the Union Army near the beginning of the Civil War. He enlisted in the
13th Conneticut Infantry Regiment on May 21, 1862 for a three year term while the 13th was garrisoned at New Orleans, Lousiana. He was assigned as a Private in Company I.
The Thirteenth remained in New Orleans for the summer months. It first saw action at the battle of Georgia Landing near Labadieville, La. on October 27, 1862. During the month of Novemnber until December 27th the Thirteenth was camped at Thibodeauxville, La. From there it moved to Baton Rouge |
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during the latter part of December and remained there during January and February 1863. While in Baton Rouge Fritz was promoted to Corporal on 21 February 1863. From April through July 1863 the Thirteenth Regiment participated in the operations in Western Louisiana. These operations included the Teche Campaign, the battles of Irish Bend and Bayou Vermilion, expeditions to Alexandria and Simsport and the siege and assaults on Port Hudson. Over the winter months from September 1863 until March 1864 the Thirteenth remained in camp at Thibodeauxville, La. At various times the muster reports had Fritz "on detached service in Mounted service." On March 19th 1864 the Thirteenth departed Thibodeauxville and participated in the Red River Campaign from March 25th until May 22nd. It was during this campaign on April 23, 1864 that Fritz was wounded twice in his left arm at the Battle of Cane River, Louisiana. He was treated in the military hospital at Baton Rouge for these wounds and then was again reported "on detached service in Mounted service" during May and June 1864. On July 14, 1864 the veteran troops of the 13th Connecticu Infantry Regiment proceeded to Hartford, Connecticut by ship arriving in New Haven on July 27, 1864. After the official welcome and parades the veterans dispersed on leave with orders to reassemble at the recruiting station in Fair Haven, Connecticut on the twenty-seventh of August 1864. On the twenty-ninth of August those of the Thirteenth who had assembled at the recruiting station in Fair Haven, were ordered immediately away. Fritz apparently was with this group. The Thirteenth participated in General Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign where they fought battles at Winchester, Va., Fisher's Hill, Va. and Cedar Creek, Va. It was on October 19, 1864 at the Battle of Cedar Creek that Fritz was wounded a second time, this time in the left thigh. He was hospitalized at the Jarvis U.S. Army General Hospital, Baltimore, Md. from October 19th thru October 31st for treatment of his wound followed by a furlough of 20 days. During November and December 1864 Fritz was again reported "on detached service to the Mounted service." In December the 13th Connecticut Infantry Regiment was reorganized into the 13th Veteran Battalion of Connecticut Volunteers consisting of 5 companies. The non-veterans returned to New Haven, Conn. to be mustered out of service. The consolidation was completed on the twenty-ninth of December. Fritz was transferd to Company B, 13th Battalion, Connecticut Veteran Infantry Volunteers as a result of the consolidation. The Thirteenth was on duty at Savannah, Ga. during January and March 1865. Fritz was again on detached service to the Mounted service during these months. In April 1865 Fritz was detached to General Birge's Division Headquarters where he served as an orderly. He was subsequently sent to New Haven, Connecticut where he was mustered out of service on June 26, 1865 for "expiration of term of service". The Civil War service records give us a glimpse of Fritz as he appeared at age 28. The service records describe him as 5 feet, 9 1/2 inches tall, of light complexion, with blue eyes and brown hair. His occupation was as "Harnessmaker". Fritz's federal pension applications give several accounts of his whereabouts after his discharge from the 13th Connecticut Infantry Regiment. One account has him living in New Orleans for a time and then moving to Fort Stockton, Texas for about two years before settling in Bexar County, Texas near San Antonio. A second version has him living in San Antonio until 1869 and then moving to Fort Stockton, Texas where he lived until 1871 when he returned to Bexar County. His occupation was given as "saddler" on the 1870 U.S. Census taken while Fritz was living in Fort Stockton. He established a farm in northwest Bexar county on what is now Poss Road after leaving Fort Stockton. While living in Bexar County he was active in the San Antonio Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) post. Fritz married Katherine Schoen who was born in New Braunfels, Texas on December 5, 1845. Katherine stated on her "Declaration For Widow's Pension" that she and Fritz were married "at San Antonio, Texas on the 5th day of April, 1869 by Lutheran Minister of San Antonio, Texas." Documentation to support this marriage date cannot be found. | |
Katherine Schoen |
Fritz and Katherine Schoen had the following children: (1) Dedloff, the oldest child, was born April 22, 1870 while the family was living in Fort Stockton, Texas. He married Katie Gass in San Antonio on August 29, 1896. Dedloff died on September 21, 1949; (2) Lena was born in Bexar county on July 17 1872. On April 28, 1894 she married Anton Braun. She died on June 13, 1970; (3) Franziska (Francis) Christine was born in Bexar county on July 12, 1874. She married Heinrich Steubing, Jr. on May 27, 1896. Francis died on May 25, 1945; (4) Fred R. "Fritz", Jr. was born in Bexar county on March 21, 1877. He married Lilly Braun on May 9, 1903. Fritz, Jr. died on January 19, 1951; (5) William "Willie" was born in Bexar county on August 8, 1879. He died at the age of 4 years on 23 June 1884; (6) Elisa Anna "Lizzie" was born in Bexar county on April 8, 1882 and was |
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baptized at St. John's Lutheran Church in San Antonio on October 17, 1891. She married August Tezel on March 3, 1921. Elisa died on April 27, 1950;
(7) Katharina was born in Bexar county, Texas on September 26, 1885 and died a few days later on October 1, 1885; (8) Dora Norma was born in Bexar county, Texas on December 14, 1886 and was baptized at St. John's Lutheran Church in San Antonio on October 17, 1891. She married Eduard Steubing on September 26, 1908. Dora died on January 18 1948; (9) Arthur John was born in Bexar county, Texas on May 6, 1891 and was baptized at St. John's Lutheran Church in San Antonio on October 17, 1891. He married Alvina Eckert on April 2, 1913. Arthur died on January 17 1940; (10) Heinrich Haus was born in Bexar county, Texas on February 18, 1894 and was baptized at St. John's Lutheran Church in San Antonio on April 28 1894. He died approximately a month and a half before his second birthday on January 10, 1896. All of the children and their spouses are buried at Zion Lutheran Cemetery with the exception of Arthur and his wife.
Fritz' initial application for a disability pension is dated "this 17th day of March A.D. one thousand eight hundred and eighty eight". He filed several forms over the years, in 1894, 1898, 1912 and 1915, all required by the Bureau of Pensions. He was a pensioner under certificate number 869.437, drawing a disability pension until his death in May 1916. The Bureau of Pensions certificate dropping Fritz from the pension rolls states, ".....above described pensioner who was last paid at $30, to Feb 4 1916 has this day been dropped from the roll because of death May 1 1916." Soon after Fritz' death, on July 15, 1916, Katherine filed a Declaration For Widow's Pension. This declaration listed her seven surviving children. The records of the 37th District Court in San Antonio, Texas show that Fritz was admitted as a citizen of the United States on October 8, 1892. The location of the filing of his initial Declaration of Intent to Become a Citizen is unknown. Fritz died on May 1, 1916 at the age of 81 years at his home ten miles from San Antonio on Bandera road. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Paul Hein, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church. He was buried on his farm and in later years reintered in Zion Lutheran Cemetery. Katherine is buried at his side. There is a G.A.R. emblem engraved on his tombstone along with several medals. The medals are an indication that Fritz held a high level position in the G.A.R. Post. There is also an inscription in German on Fritz' gravestone which reads, "Just gone from here. Will some day find rest." An inscription in German on Katherine's gravestone reads, "Good mother here. My tears are the flowers on your grave." In March 1999 there are only three survivors that carry on the Bormann surname: Vernon David Bormann, grandson of Arthur Bormann and Vernon's two children, Rose Anne Bormann and William David Bormann. There are also four surviving grandchildren of Fritz and Katherine Bormann. They are Henrietta Bormann Belzung, daughter of Dedloff Bormann; Ada Steubing Krueger and Dorothy Steubing Wright, daughters of Francis Bormann Steubing; and August Tezel, son of Elisa Bormann Tezel. The Bormann family tradition has some interesting stories about life in northwest Bexar county in the later part of the ninteenth century. The Indians were prevalent in this area during this time and caused many problems. Fritz gathered hay on the prairie to sell as a cash crop, selling it to the U.S. military forces in San Antonio. It is said that on one occasion, one of Fritz' helpers was scalped by the Indians while gathering hay. On another occasion, it is said that food cooking on the stove in the Bormann house was stolen by Indians. Tradition also has it that the farmers in the area had to keep their animals in the lower story of their houses at times for protection from marauding Indians. On March 27, 1999 the Historical Society of Leon Valley, Texas dedicated a U.S. Government gravemarker honoring Corporal Fritz Bormann's service with the Union Army during the Civil War. | |
(Research is continuing on Corporal Bormann's history. Further information will be added as it is uncovered - Last updated 10 April 1999).