Notes for Ruth Seele: From tape "Reflections" of Ruth Seele Aniol, recorded by Sophienberg Museum in New Braunfels:
Ruth is a native Texan, who lived in San Antonio, grandaughter of Hermann Seele. She didn't know this grandfather, did know his wife Mathilda Seele, until she died in 1925. She loved her dearly. She called them Opa and Oma. She learned her grandfather was a marvelous man.
Hermann Seele left his homeland in his early twenties, from Hildesheim in Hannover, a German state governed by a king. He kept a diary filled with thoughts and prayers. He landed in Galveston on Dec. 12, 1843. He stayed with the Karl Rossi family. He took many walking tours of the country, looking for work, with his napsack, heavy boots, and walking stick. He couldn't find work, so he went back to Galveston. Hermann Seele came on a wagon train on May 5, 1845 to New Braunfels. Prince Solms came on March 31 and left the colony on May 15. At Indianola, he decided wanted a teacher for the colony of New Braunfels who could teach both boys and girls in both German and English, and asked Hermann Seele to do this. (This was unusual to educate the girls.) He became the first German school teacher west of the Colorado River. Hermann's friend Herbst had came from Hildesheim with him. Hermann Seele kept an extensive diary.
Hulda Eiban, wife of George Eiban helped start the museum in New Braunfels.
In the new country, there was extensive work to be done. There were fewer women who came than men. Women's jobs were largely in the home. Young unmarried men from New Braunfels would go to meet the boats hoping to find a single woman he could ask to marry. Hermann travelled extensively through the country on his horse. Hermann Seele married when he was almost 39 and the young woman was about age 17.
Hermann Seele was always busy. Facts: April 27, 1855 appointed to the bar. Census of 1850: listed as school teacher. (They were most proud of the fact that he taught school.) Census of 1860: listed as attorney. Helped to organize New Braunfels target club, and Germanic singing club. Supported journalism and helped start New Braunfels paper, and several times had editorial control of the paper. Organized first state song festival: built a hall on his property for the singing society: Saenger Hall Helped organized dramatic society, took part in the plays, and suggested money be contributed to school fund. Led German settlers in opposition to Nona party. Secretary of the county body which considered secession from the union. Delegate to state democratic convention. Organized teachers convention. Civil War: adjutant in state confederate army in the Texas brigade. Served for 56 years as secretary of church, introduced 9 new ministers, served as lay minister in between ministers. Poet. Hermann wrote a very sweet poem to her grandmother. He married Mathilda in 1862, and they were married until he died in 1902. They first lived in the house that he built on north San Antonio Stree Later they lived in what became the John Faust house. Organized school district in 1872, used as pattern in Texas. Wrote book the Cypress and Other Stories. Translated by A&M. Christmas story, first Christmas in Galveston. Diaries (1843- 1860's) translated by Ted Gish at University of Texas. Wrote Texas Travels, set to music. 12 sections with songs and dialogs. Dr. Gish also translated this.
Blum was a tanner by profession but also a musician. Several times he was in charge of the band. Aunt Emmie Seele Faust played the organ in the Protestant Church.
Notes on Mathilde Blumm from recording by Ruth Seele Aniol: Transportation: very different than today -- by foot, horse, or wagon. Railroad came later. Hermann and Mathilde were travelling by wagon, when train came tooting down the track, caused horse to rear up, she fell out and broke her leg in 1880. She developed gangreen. While she was treated with chloroform to knock her out, her leg was cut off below the knee. She cried and cried. She was fitted with an artificial leg. She lived with this artificial leg for 45 years, including in the latter part of her life when she lived in a two-story house and went up and down stairs. You would never have suspected if you didn't know. She was always a very cheerful person. In later life, on warm nights, the house was cooled only by palm fan. Burro at night would say "eyee-haw" and she would say, "do you hear the nightingale?". She took care of her family for many years. She attended church.
Ruth's mother was from Tennessee. Had lived in Florida. Had an older half sister. Grandfather Ownby lived with half sister. He was a builder in Orlando, Florida. Mother graduated at age of 16 from "Carnal Institute", a ladies finishing school. They moved to San Antonio. She went to Drawn's business college, to become a secretary. Grandfather Ownby and mother (Emma) came to New Braunfels, for her to be court reporter and work in the office of the Landa group. Played cards (Her father called it a den of iniquity, played cards, drank beer.)
Fritz Seele a handsome man, with blue eyes and curly hair. Married in the methodist church in San Antonio, June 28, 1893. Never lived in New Braunfels. Fausts had twins a few months older than George (her brother). The little boy died, and Stella lived to be 14. Stella, Harry, Sarene, George, Mildred all confirmed or baptised. Cousins were very close. Iban's were cousins by marriage. They would get their bathing suits and go down to ride the rapids, and come over for the dances. Grandmother and aunts wouldn't let her go to the New Year's ball, when she was under 16.
Blumm family: Casper Blumm was tanner and musician, was in charge of the bands.
Emmie Faust played the organ in church for many years. Twinkling blue eyes. Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf brought from Germany, was on stairs in her house, now in Sophienburg Museum. One of founders of museu
Aunt Hulda Eiband worked with civic improvement club, working to gather information for the museum in New Braunfels. _________________________________________ Express-News, San Antonio, Texas, April 12, 1998
Aniol, 83, made NIOSA a reality
Ruth Seele Aniol, 83, the widow of Claude B. Aniol, was one whose ideas evolved into Night in Old San Antonio, the event sponsored by the San Antonio Conservation Society each Fiesta. Greatly interested in Texas history and preservation, she was the granddaughter of a pioneer German, Hermann Seele, who settled in New Braunfels and founded its first newspaper, which was printed in German. Aniol died in Dallas Sunday, where she had moved more than a year ago to be near her daughters. She had cancer diagnosed a few weeks ag Her contributions to San Antonio are monumental. She was a member of the San Antonio School District board from 1956 to 1968. Her efforts caused San Antonio to be the first school district in the United States to integrated schools after the 1954 Supreme Court decision ordering desegregation. "She was a leader in keeping integration peaceful and successful," said her daughter, Elaine Wilson of Dallas. "Her positive educational approach was very important. With her gentleness, she stood her ground in spite of getting a lot of flack. Mother's qualification for running for the school board stemmed from being Parent-Teacher Association president of Woodlawn Elementary, Horace Mann Junior High and Jefferson High School, as we grew up." Aniol was secretary of the San Antonio Motion Picture Review Board back when women were not asked to be on city commissions. This board screened all movies that came to San Antonio and tried to rate them. Her daughters were teenagers during that time. In 1931, she was involved in early theater, radio and drama groups and had her own radio show on KTSA called "The Woman's Hour with Winifred Wilson." She used this pseudonym as she felt it would be too daring to use her own name. In the early days of San Antonio Little Theater, she worked behind the scenes and also appeared in the production and promotion for the Civic Opera group that sang in the Japanese Sunken Garden Theater. Some of her greatest efforts were in behalf of the Conservation Society, which she served as vice-president and treasurer, and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, which she served as president of Alamo Chapter and as a member of the state committee. As chairman of the DRT Library Committee, her goal was to upgrade the facilities at the library and make it easier for researchers to study historic preservation there. This was accomplished in part by computerizing the records. Even after she moved to Dallas, she returned twice to complete the obligation of her office, which was finished last May. While she was Conservation Society treasurer, she set up what was at that time an extremely daring method of purchasing property. With her guidance, the Conservation Society purchased "Conservation Corner," where Little Rhein Steak House is today. "She suggested using the proceeds from Night in Old San Antonio to buy historic property," said her daughter. "The success of the third NIOSA was very crucial to this project. At the time, she worried if anyone would come to the festival, which is now attended by 40,000 people each year. "The society used her ideas as a role model to buy other properties. One of these was land adjoining San Jose Mission, which the Conservation Society purchased and donated as part of the mission grounds In her latter years, Aniol became more interested in the German-Texas Heritage Society. Writings of her grandfather Seele cocerning the early perils of immigrating into Texas are being studied in Germany. In a few weeks, a course will be taught in Germany at the University of Mainz based on his writings. His observations are considered a valuable link with Germany. A musical written by Seele was performed several times during the Texas Sesquicentennial in New Braunfels, Houston and Fort Worth. Other of his writings are being currently translated from German into English. Aniol was involved with preserving her grandfather's perspective of Texas. "My mother's verstility was remarkable," said her daugher. "She tried to do everything she did well and then would move on and let her life grow. She continued this after coming to Dallas. Although her heart was still in San Antonio, her new activity was getting to know Dallas. She was involved until the very end. I feel she did so many things because of the infuence of her grandfather, who was honored in the Hall of State in Dallas for being the first public school teacher in Texas to open his school to anybody in the community." Survivors are two other daughters, Claudi Aniol of Dallas and Eve Finn, of Wichita Falls, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday in St. Mark's Episcopal Church with the Rev. Dr. Sudduth Cummings officiating. A private burial for family members will be in Mission Burial Park South with Porter Loring Mortuary in charge of arrangements.
More About Ruth Seele: Burial: Unknown, Mission Burial Park, San Antonio, TX. Occupation: Homemaker, mother of 3 daughters . Residence: San Antonio, TX .
More About Ruth Seele and Claude Bernard Aniol: Marriage: 25 Jun 1928, San Antonio, Bexar Cty, TX.
Children of Ruth Seele and Claude Bernard Aniol are:
Ruth Seele (b. 04 Dec 1904, d. 10 Apr 1988)
Notes for Ruth Seele: