Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-29
REMARKABLE TEXAS FAMILIES.
The Schmidts Number Fifty-Six and
All Live Under One Roof.

All Live Under One Roof.
From the st. Louis Globe Democrat.
Two very remarkable prolific families re-
side in adjoining counties in southern
Texas. They are all frugal. Industrious
Germans, living on well-cultivated farms
Christian Pohel. who is not yet fifty years
of age, is the father of eighteen children.
They are all alive, and there has never
been death in the family. All were born
under the same roof. Not one of them ever
had bone broken, nor did ever one Of
them take dose of medicine prescribed by
a physician. They are all rosy-cheeked,
stout-looking boys and girls. The mother
of all these young Texans is a fina-looking
woman. possessing clear-cut, classic feat
ures. Her face looks as if it had been CHS
eled from Olive-colored marble. She is
nearly fifty wears of age. though she looks
twenty years younger. The boys and girls
have been reared to work in the fields, and
as result of such training they are very
robust and healthy
Mr.. Pohel owns large body of fine land,
greater portion of which under a high
state of cultivation. The children seem to
be very devoted to each other. and it is the
intention of their parents to giva each of
them a farm when they marry. and have
them settle near the old homestead. Should
they prove to be as prolific as their parents
it will not be long before he Pohei5 will
occupy much more than a corner of Bur-
Lesson county.
In Austin county there is another Ger
man family almost as prolific as the Po-
hels and equally interesting. There are
fffty-six people in the family. and they all
dwell in the utmost harmony and appar-
entity the greatest felicity under ore roof.
These people are Germans, and the family
ma me is Schmidt. Casper Schmidt the
founder of the family, is still alive. He
came to Texas and settled the league that
his descendants occupied in very early
ha ha1 hut
son. This son, however, whose name is
John Schmidt. has made ample reparation
for the failure on the part of his parents
to multiply and replenish the earth. He
married when he was twenty years of age
and he has reared fifteen boys and girls.
Five of these have married, but noI one has
yet left the parental roof. These five mar
ried sons and daughters have twenty-five
children, and there are six great-grand-
children of Casper Echmidt in the family.
1t is very remarkable sight, and one
that visitor Will never forget to see all
these people gathered in the great hall
of the house. or all seated at long table
In the big dining room. Mrs. Schmidt the
mother, is yet alive, and she occupies
seat of honor near daughter at the head
of the table, while the old grandfather pre-
fers to sit with the little children, down at
the other end.
They are very religious people, and when
they have all assembled about the table
the father calls on some one of the Younger
members of the family to ask a blessing
They are all very fond of music and since
there are several good musicians among
them, they are able to have a very good
band. They all assemble in the great hall
in the winter time every evening, and all
who are capable engage in singing or play
ing upon some instrument.
There is a beautiful, wel-shaded grove In
front of the large farmhouse, and here The
whole family assemble on Sunday, or when
they are at leisure during the summer
months and enjoy themselves in various
ways. They cultivate large body of land
in common, and the neghbors say that they
never heard of them having any trouble or
any quarreis or even disputes of any kind.
They are very devoted to each other, and
it is said that not one of the younger gen.
Grafton ever spent a night away from the
parental roof.
and girls seem at all times to be bubbling
over with fun. the older ones are ever
ready to tell or appreciate good story, and
it is seldom that a day passes without some
one is made the victim of a practical joke.
They have school room in the house, and
the older boys and girls act as teachers by
turns. No member of the family has ever
attended any other school. I'VE learn them
TO read. write and cipher" says the old
father land we feel that if they have got
the right kind of metal in them they will
get along and make a good living"
They seem to enjoy working in the fields,
and IL is certainly an astounding sight to
see them all men, women and children,
going to or returning from the fields laugh
ing and chattering and singing. 1t is not
an unusual occurrence for twenty-five or
thirty of them to be engaged at work in one
field They are celebrated for their hospi-
talty, and many travellers turn aside in
order to take q meal spend a night with
this extraordinary family-a family without
a counterpart either in Europe or America.