A Legacy of Love and Resilience: The Story of Henry Sievers and Mary Ann Englert

 

   From the author’s personal collection; taken circa 1905

Both Henry Sievers and Mary Ann Englert were born in Germany, but their paths to America unfolded separately. Each family immigrated through the Port of Galveston, arriving on different dates and ships. The Sievers family reached Texas on 26 October 1884, aboard the SS Ohio, eventually settling in Gonzales County. The Englert family arrived later, on 1 October 1886, aboard the SS Weser, making their home in DeWitt County before migrating to Olfen in Runnels County.

Mary Ann was the eldest of six children, deeply cherished by her father, Michael Joseph Englert. In 1889, Mary Ann had a son, Frank Alois Englert, though it remains unclear whether she was married to Frank’s father. Michael sought to find a suitable husband for his daughter and chose Henry Sievers Jr. as a promising match. Henry came from a respectable German family and was known for being hardworking, ambitious, and polite. Although the Sievers family did not share the Catholic faith of the Englert’s, both families agreed that Henry would meet Mary Ann, and if they developed a mutual affection, they would have the families' blessing. What began as an arranged relationship blossomed into true love. On November 21, 1893, Henry and Mary Ann were married in DeWitt County, and Henry wholeheartedly embraced Frank as his own son.

Henry and Mary Ann’s first biological child, John Heinrich Sievers, was born on 10 September 1894, but tragically passed away just five months later. The loss devastated both families, and it would be a decade before Mary Ann gave birth again. Their second child, Klara Theresa Sievers, was born on 4 May 1905, in Gonzales County, but heartbreak struck again when Klara passed away on 15 May 1906, at only one year old. The couple’s third child, a baby girl, was stillborn on 14 March 1907. On 2 September 1909, Mary Ann gave birth to their fourth child, Michael Sievers, in Gonzales County. However, joy was once again overshadowed by sorrow, as Mary Ann passed away shortly after giving birth to him.

Henry was left to grapple with the overwhelming loss of his wife. The grief strained relationships between the Sievers and Englert families, particularly with Mary Ann’s firstborn, Frank, who blamed Henry for his mother’s death. Both families wanted to care for the infant Michael, leading to intense disagreements. Ultimately, Henry decided to entrust Michael to his sister, Minna Sievers Meyer, and her husband, Rheinhardt Meyer.

In 1900, nine-year-old Michael was legally adopted by Minna and Rheinhardt, who gave him the new name Herbert Meyer. Henry visited Herbert only a few times as he grew up. Each visit was bittersweet, as young Herbert longed to return home with his father. This made the visits emotionally difficult for both of them, and over time, they grew less frequent.

Minna instilled in Herbert a deep love for their German heritage, as well as a devotion to faith and family values. These principles became the foundation of Herbert’s life and were passed down to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Despite the tragedies he endured, Henry never remarried, choosing instead to focus on the memory of Mary Ann and the legacy of their family. He lived quietly in Gonzales County and later in Atascosa County until his death in 1927.

Henry and Mary Ann shared just sixteen years together, marked by true love, heartbreaking loss, and resilience. Despite the many tragedies they endured while trying to grow their family, their legacy lives on through their descendants, a testament to the enduring strength of their bond.