Simon Carl Zettner (1851-1916)
He was born on November 3, 1851 at Wunsiedel, Bavaria. His father was Thomas Zettner, a saddlemaster and his mother’s name was Barbara. No indication is made as to her family name. His mother died when he was three years old.
In 1857, at the age of six, he was sent to a choral and music school in Wunsiedel which he attended until 1866. He was organist at this institute at the age of 14. Reports of his work indicate that he was at Wunsiedel as late as 1869 (the year he came to America). His reports bear the signature of Johann Zettner(?). In the article he wrote about himself, he said that he had an opportunity to study for the ministry in Church School and seminar(y) at Altdorf, Mittlefranken, attending from the years 1866 to 1869, graduating as a pastor.
In 1869, he went to Baltimore, Md. His first job was as teacher and organist at P. H. Grandlinieard church school. He met Kathe Wenzel soon after arriving in Baltimore. She was born in Hersfeld, Hessen, Germany. They were married in Baltimore Evangelical Lutheran church on July 10, 1870 by Pastor Fur A. Merz. In 1870 he took the position as teacher and organist in Sr. Matthaus Lutheran church. From 1872 until 1876 he was Principal at St. Matthaus, overseeing the school's five teachers. On March 19, 1872 a son, Karl was born to Simon and Kathe. Four children, Karl, Marie, Lydia and Emilie were born to the couple while they were in Baltimore.
He studied theology in his leisure and in 1873 at the age of 22 years, under Dr. Schwarz, Dr. Maier and Dr. Ebeling, and with two other students, he passed examinations in the Synod. L. D. Maier and Jacob Pister ordained him on August 7, 1877 in the Evangelical Lutheran Church and shortly after, he received his first call as minister for the three churches- - Stemmers Run, Magnolis and Bell Aire in Baltimore Co., Md. He served these churches over five years and worked hard. It was during this time that their fifth child, Johanna was born.
Rev. Zettner’s father and sister and her husband came to America during this time settling in the Baltimore area. There is a clipping in his old papers which tells about the Golden Wedding Anniversary of his sister and her husband (Mr. and Mrs. John Nier) which states that they were married in Bavaria and came to this country in 1880. This article says that four generations celebrated and four members of the fourth generation were christened. One of the little ones christened was Florence Nier. From information on the reverse side of the clipping, this event happened about June 1914.
In 1882 Rev. Zettner was called to the Evangelical Lutheran church in Hyde Park, Pa. He was there 4 years and during this period organized another Lutheran church in Hyde Park, Pa.
His wife became sick at this time and the doctor told him to take her to a milder climate. He accepted a call to Walhalla, South Carolina, to the St. Johannes Lutheran church. He took Pastor Miller’s place beginning in the summer of 1886 and was at this parish four years. While there he conducted services in both the German and English languages. Their sixth child, Henrietta was born in South Carolina. Two of their children had died in infancy leaving four daughters.
He was then transferred to the St. Johannes Lutheran church in Prairie Hill, Washington county, Texas sometime during the year 1893, where he stayed three years doing mission work in Fort Bend county. He organized a church in Fort Bend county which he served along with teaching school at New Wehdem, Texas. This church was destroyed at the time of the Galveston flood in the year 1900. Because the congregation was small and poor, the church was rebuilt temporarily. Pastor Zettner and other pastors in the Galveston area worked to alleviate the suffering of the flood survivors and buried the victims. Pastor Zettner worked hard at this task and as a result suffered a stroke. He later made a P. S. to a report of his activities in which he thanked God for his recovery.
He shortly thereafter was called to be Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran church of Fredericksburg, Gillespie county, Texas. His wife Kathe died in the year 1904 at Fredericksburg. She is buried in the Fredericksburg Lutheran cemetery. Mayme Lowe, Katherine, Emilie Muery and Johanna Zuercher are the four daughters that survived their mother, all young adults at the time of her death, living in Brenham and San Antonio.
Rev. Zettner and Henrietta Louise Crenwelge were married at Fredericksburg on September 19, 1905. Shortly thereafter he was called to Williamson county where he was pastor at churches at Hutto, Round Rock and Thorndale; all in the Taylor, Texas area. He also taught German and music at Turkey Creek public school at Taylor while in this area.
In the year 1914 he and his family, which now consisted of wife Henrietta and four children ranging in age from four to nine years moved to an area about 12 miles Northwest of San Antonio, near Helotes, Texas where he taught in the area public school and conducted services at Zion Lutheran church performing baptisms, weddings and burials.
Rev. S. C. Zettner died from a stroke April 3, 1916 at his home and was laid to rest in the Lutheran cemetery at San Antonio. Pastor Zettner left no worldly goods, but his unselfish devotion to God, church, the fine arts and alleviation of suffering among his fellow men is appreciated by his friends and all others that came in contact with this man.
From biographical material compiled by Walter F. Zettner, 1976.
REV S. C. ZETTNER DIES AT HELOTES
Educated at Heidelberg and Munich --Taught in Public Schools
Rev. S. C. Zettner, 63 years old, died at his home in Helotes at 9:05 o'clock Monday night. At the time of his death he was a teacher in the public schools of that city. Rev. Mr. Zettner was born in Bavria, Germany, November 3, 1852, and studied in the universities of Heidelberg and Munich. He came to America 41 years ago, settling at Baltimore, Md., where he was ordained pastor of St. Matthews's Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1876. He later had charges in Scranton, Pa.; Walhalla, S.C., and Brenham, Tex.
Rev. Mr. Zettner came to San Antonio about two years ago and soon after moved to Helotes, where he has been ever since.
He is survived by a sister, Mrs. John Nice, of Jersey City; five daughters, Mrs. Robert Muery of Beaumont, and Mrs. W. G. Lowe, Mrs. Fred Zuercher, Miss Kate Zettner and Miss Elizabeth Zettner of San Antonio; three sons, Carl, Theodore and Walter Zettner, also of this city, and five grandchildren.
The funeral will be held from the home at Helotes at 3:30 o'clock Wednesday afternoon. Rev. Paul Hein, pastor of the Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church will conduct the services and burial will be made in the Helotes cemetery. (grd-correction: Rev. Zettner was buried in the Lutheran Cemetery in San Antonio)