Obituary of John Herzing Sr.--Kinney County, Texas

Contributed by: Donnel Shaw (JShaw3412@aol.com)
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Bracketville, 1903
     A Pioneer resident has departed our midst, a good citizen gone, and the
true debt of life has been paid by one who served his days well and lived to
see the life for which he labored strengthened by age untill the call to
reward came.
      Bohemia, Germany was the birthplace of this subject of this sketch, 
John Herzing,Sr.,and not many years had elapsed before he and his brother,
while yet boys left their home and turned their eyes to the land whose 
freedom lured them to the western horizon  for a new life. The United States
received them with welocme hands, and ere many a day had passed Mr. Herzing 
moved into Canada, and in the flush of youthful vigor and fire by the martial
spirit which afterward dominated him, cast his lot and became a British 
soldier.
       Being discharged there he again crossed the line into the United States
and set foot on Texas soi, landing finally at Camp Verde in 1857. Here the
lure of the adventurous and the martial again assumed the ascendencey and  he
enlisted in the 2nd. calvary. He was stationed at Belnap, Camp Cooper, and
Fort Mason, at which latter place he met and in 1858 was married, on May 27,
to Miss Therisa Spiker,(on tomestone it said Switzer)who was his life long
companion until death called him home.
          So he remained in Texas until the war between the States broke out
and then, feeling the call of the north, made his way there and joined the
soldiers of the union as a musician. He became separated throughout the war,
from his wife, and did not again meet untill after the war, at Washington, D.
C. Mr. Herzing fouught through the strife and was in many battles between the
boys in blue and those brave defenders of the Southland, and he saw many acts
of courage, death in many forms, yet escaped almost unscathed.  He saw the
Southern soldiers win at Antietam. He saw the battle of Bull Run and the
disaster to the Union army. He saw Gettysburg, was present at the last great
battle, Appomatox and many minor engagements hew was in.  Mr. William Kitsh
our fellow townsman, too, was his soldier in arms for they were of the same
regiment, and both engaged in the sameconflicts.
     The war, being over, he rejoined his wife at Washington, and there being
discharged, turned his eyes and steps to Texas landing in San Antonio where,
after remaining a short time, he went to Fort Concho and worked in the tailor
trade.  After a ftime there the call came again and he joined the 4th Calvary
at Austin and when the organization came to Kinney County he came with it, and
when he was discharged in 1875 moved his wife to Brackett and engaged here in
the tailor and butcher business. Then he moved to the Pinto on what is now
known as the old Herzing homestead, and hving lived there several years, 
moved to Brackettville again, and he remained here until he paid his debt in 
death.
     Mr. Herzing in the year 1876 made his application to the local Mosonic
Lodge, Las Moras No. 44, was accepted and received the three degrees;  he was
tiller of the lodge for 25 years, until he could no longer act in the
capacityon account of his declining physical capacity. On April 20, 1903 he
was made a life member. 
      The end came Tuesday June 19th at 6:40 p.m. and the funeral service was
takenin charge of by his bro. masons, the services being conducted at the home
by Chaplain C.  C. Bateman, Then the Masons taking charge.  Burial was had in
the Masonic Cemetary, the pall bearers being from his fellow Masonic members.
       At  a request which had once been expressed by Mr. Herzing, Judge I. L.
Martin of Uvalde, a former member of Las Moras Lodge No. 444, read the burial
service; a firing squad from a Machine Gun at the Fort fired volleys over the
grave, and then taps, that last beautiful rite was blown. The grave was
beautifully decorated with flowers, the tribute of many. Mr. Herzing leaaves
six children, four sons, August of Del Rio, John, George, Henry of Brackett.
Two daughters, Mrs. Emil Eckenroth of San Antonio and Mrs. Williams Homes of
Brackett.
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