About
The history of Spring Branch is another great American story of
multicultural immigration and hard work that leads to individual
success and a growth of a special community.
In 1845, the new state of Texas needed people and advertised land to Americans in other states and to people in other countries. At the time, Germany was suffering from overcrowding and political strife. The chance to build a new life of freedom, own land, and provide a safer future for their families, influenced thousands of Germans to leave their homeland for Texas. A group of German noblemen and Texas land developers formed a German Society (Adelsverin) to oversee this immigration. The society promised to help the Germans settle in special areas and help to build homes, businesses, and communities. Unfortunately, these promises were not kept. The money ran out quickly and the Germans were left to make their own way in this new and rugged state. The freedoms in America outweighed the hardships and any need to return to Germany. Their ability to work together helped them build many small towns and communities throughout Texas. Spring Branch is one of these areas. Karl Kolbe came from Gotha, Germany to settle on a branch of the Buffalo Bayou and named it Spring Branch. In 1848, five families (Kolbe, 2 Hillendahl families, Bauer family, Ahrenbeck family) held the first service for St. Peter Church…reading from a Bauer family prayer book they brought from Germany.
Many of the descendants of these original families still live in Spring Branch and remain members of the church. Many of those first pioneers are buried in the cemetery behind the church and we honor their legacy. The community and the church have changed through the years but one outstanding trait remains…this is a multicultural American community that has survived and grown through hard work, determination, cooperation, fun, and faith in God.
