-
Chasing Ghosts – from the Gulf of Mexico back to Austin
This is officially in the Small World Department. I finally got in touch with the grandson of Thomas F. Jackson, the fellow who was Concho County Surveyor in the very early 20th century and then a Licensed State Land Surveyor until his death in 1940. The grandson described the box of his grandfather’s papers that he has in a way that suggests he has some survey records. I’ll have to drive down to the coast this next week to see them to know for sure.
In talking to him, I mentioned some of the things I’d discovered about his grandfather and grandmother. What got me, though, was that he mentioned that both of his grandfathers had been surveyors. I knew from the census records that both of his mother’s parents had been born in Germany, but she in Texas.
Who was his maternal grandfather, then? Why it was none other than former Travis County Surveyor Max Von Homeyer, an Austin resident! That has to take the cake for pedigrees.
-
5 Replies
-
> That has to take the cake for pedigrees.
Wow! No kidding about a small world! That definitely does take the “cake” and it has been a very interesting story to follow. Can’t wait to see what you have to say about the records they have. Are you going to take pics of it for us too? I’d enjoy seeing the old maps, etc…
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Admins Wife -
>Are you going to take pics of it for us too? I’d enjoy seeing the old maps, etc…
Well, the elderly grandson wasn’t able to describe the contents of the box sufficiently well for me to know for certain what it contains. He said they were related to land dealings, so who knows? I like the odds and in for a penny, in for a pound. Actually, it will be my client’s pound, but you get the idea. :>
-
> Who was his maternal grandfather, then? Why it was none other than former Travis County Surveyor Max Von Homeyer, an Austin resident! That has to take the cake for pedigrees.
Point of Clarification: Actually, after examining the census and other records availble on line, I see that there were two Max Von Homeyers. There was the grandfather who was born in Germany in 1858, immigrated to the U.S. and worked as a draftsman and surveyor for the New York & Texas Land Co. in Austin for at least a decade and there was the uncle who was Max Paul Von Homeyer (b. 27 Oct 1895, d. 14 Aug 1957) who was Travis County Surveyor in the 1920’s.
-
Where on the coast?
-
> Where on the coast?
I’ll post a photo when I get back from a day trip there. :>
Log in to reply.