Overview / Summary

August Fredrich Ernst was the grandson of the early immigrant Ernst family who initially settled in New Braunfels, Comal County, TX. His grandparents, John Peter Ernst (born about 1803) and his grandmother, Katherine, (born about 1804) arrived in the U.S. in 1852 from Nassau, Germany.[i]  The Ernst’s initially establish residency in Comal County where they were purchased property and established a farm. After several years August and his parents along with other family members moved to Bexar County.  Here they again bought property and established their home in a small community that was thriving at the time, but unfortunately no longer exists.

August Ernst became a grocery salesman and soon established a grocery store.  He was also appointed as postmaster until the post office closed.  He and his wife, Katie L. Chapman, had five children: Lillian Faye, Alfred, Laura May, Milton and Irving.  After a few years, the Ernst’s were able to purchase a large parcel of property with a substantial two-story house a few miles away from their initial settlement.  That home remains in good condition today and is pictured on this website.

August went into a mercantile business with two other men in the community.  He also established a successful farm on which he grew a variety of crops as well as raising cattle.  He was very active in the community and well-respected. He was elected as school trustee during one period of time[ii] and he participated in a three man committee of the Produce and Marketing Administration which made recommendations as to policies and practices on the distribution of crop allotments. He was also appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to chair a committee to select tenant farms to obtain financial assistance through the FSA. One primary crop that was grown was dewberries.  The county agent held a “demonstration” on the Ernst property for 100 fruit growers to learn best practices in raising dewberries.[iii] The previous year he had been recognized by the Chamber of Commerce as being “one of the most experienced berry growers in the district.[iv]

Meanwhile, Katie Ernst, was also actively involved in the community. She was chosen as one of five Master Homemakers in Texas at an annual course held at College Station by the Agricultural Extensive Department of Texas A & M.[v]  Apparently she retained this title for a number of years as five years later she gave a “short talk at a meeting held by the Bexar County Council of Parent-Teacher Association.[vi]

The two youngest Ernst boys were active in raising chickens and were members of the community’s Boys Poultry Club.  A demonstration was held on the Ernst farm in which poultry culling, selecting breeding pens, building of houses, breeding of flocks and feeding for egg production was held.  The boys, Milton and Irving were recognized as having made $600 in poultry activities during the prior year and they had just purchased two New Hampshire bred gilts.[vii]

When August Ernst died in in August 1960, he was described as being a retired merchant, farmer and stockman.[viii]  Katie Ernest continued to live for another nine years and was said to continue her activities in mending fences and looking after her cattle.[ix] She died at the age of 82.

NOTE: Documentation is minimal to protect the privacy of the current property owner.

 

Pat Ezell

May 2006, Revised March 2017

San Antonio Conservation Society

Historic Farms & Ranches Committee



[i] John Peter Ernst filed a petition on Comal County in 1853 to become a naturalized citizen followed six years later by his oldest son, Jacob Christian, who petitioned for naturalization in the spring of 1859.

[ii] San Antonio Express, April 13,1923, p.14.

[iii] “100 Fruit Growers Attend Demonstration,” San Antonio Express, Jan. 12, 1927.

[iv] “Berry Crops Yield Big Profits; Chamber of Commerce Encourages Culture Throughout Bexar.” San, August 8, 1926, part 7, p.2.

[v] San Antonio Express, August 11, 1929, p.12.

[vi] San Antonio Express, February 12, 1934, p.6

[vii] “Three Poultry Demonstrations Held by Rollins,” San Antonio Express, January 19, 1927

[viii][viii] San Antonio Light, August 22, 1960.  Obituary for August Ernst.

[ix] San Antonio Light, March 8, 1969. “Texas Trails – ‘It’s Hard to Bexar, But They Called the Place ‘Beckser’!”

Overview / Summary