Adolphus Primean Plentl

"MUSIC FOR AN EMPEROR" A brief history of Adolphus Primean Plentl, submitted to his decendants. By: Alvin Emil Naumann and Gene Calvin Plentl - April 1975

INTRODUCTION: The Purpose: The purpose is to enrich the lives of those who are the off-spring of Adolphus Preimean Plentl by gaining a better understanding and appreciation for the rich heritage he left to each of us. A prophet of old once said, "Listen to me, consider the quarry from shich you were mined, the rock from which you were out! Yes, think about your ancestors .. from whom you came." (Isaiah 51:1, The Living Bible) Are we not all debtors?

Most of us have lived long enought to become increasingly aware of the psychological value of the continuity of life. For us to know that the family line continues on through our children is a deeply satisfying thing.

The Objective: The objective, however, as important as it is to know about what our grandfather WAS, it is not near as important as to know what his grand children ARE. (Abraham Lincoln) It is our hope and prayer that in all of our getting that we major on getting a manifest understanding. "With all thy getting get understanding." (Proverbs 4:7, KJV)

The Occasion: The occasion is the annual family reunions held each year during the month of April at the La Grange Fair Grounds, Texas. It is at this time that blood ties are strengthened, that compassion and encouragement are extended, and that lasting values are reaffirmed.

The Plan: The plan is to present in simple narrative form some of the high lights from the humble life of our grandfather. As we have been so greatly blessed in preparing this writing, we hope that God would bless you likewise.

MUSIC FOR AN EMPEROR

Adolphus Primean Plentl was born February 10, 1843, in Regensburg, Upper Bavaria, Germany, to our great-grandparents, Primean and Johanna Plentl. It was their hope that their son, Adolphus, would follow in the footsteps of his father and become a physician and surgeon, but they never had the faintest imagination of his destiny.

Adolphus was one of six children: two girls, Anna and Rosa, and four boys, Edward, Julius, Adolphus and Alois. He was propertly educated and tutuored to become a physician along with all the social graces of the day which inccluded an appreciation for music. All the evidence of his accomplishments leans heavily toward music, mastering skilfully basic instruments, stringed and brass. His own compositions were to be played at public gathering.

Rebelling against the very thought of becoming a doctor and in following the footsteps of his father, he left home at the age of 20 during the early part of 1862. The story that has been passed down to us is that granfather's strong will and determination, along with his shortness of temper, were inherited from his mother's side of the family. Her maiden name was Johanna Heilmeyer of Gratz, Austria.

Now with the dream of studying and making music a career, we have all wondered why granfather didn't make his way to Vienna, but instead we find him working his way while living with relatives in Gratz to assume the role of an apprentice, perhaps studying under Rector Berlios while in France. We know that he arrived in France to celebrate his twenty-first birthday at the Port of Marseille. It was there that he was overcome either by alcohol or drugged and abducted into the French Foreign Legion which was one of the known methods of recruitment during those days.

In later years when grandfather would reminisce and tell of his early experiences of being Shang-haid along with others bound for Algiers which had been occupied by the French for more than 30 years, he would say how that he convinced his superiours that his strength did not lie in carrying a musket, but rather in his musical ability. He apparently was successful. After four months of training he embarked with a lorge number of troops. Two ships embarked for Mexico with troops of the 1st Foreigh Legion Regiment from Mers el Kebir, Algeria in February 1863. The ships were called the St. Louis and the Wagram. It is believed that our grandfather was aboard one of these ships. France was committed to support Maximillian's regime with 6,000 troops of the Foreign Legion for at least another six years, giving Emperor Maximillian time enough to build up his own military strength from the population.

On several occasions during the next three years, Adolphus would write his sister, Rosa, mentioning periods of great elation and in contrast, great despair. There would naturally be hardships, a complet change of life style. At first his arrival in Mexico and the status enjoyed as musician was no doubt satisfying and exciting. The opportunity to study and develop his musical abilities must have been a pleasing challenge. The prospecct of having a part in establishing the glory of an empire under a German dynasty in a new land with such a bright future was thrilling. But suddenly the yhouthful dream began to crumble. The Republicans under Juarez along with their guerrilla allies were soon to outnumber the forces of Maximillian two to one. Their probing tactics could not be countered successfully. The outlook was increasingly becoming cloudy. War in the homeland and his family sufferings bore heavy on his mind. While he considered going to the United States, the Civil War there offered even less stability than the one he was in. As the months passed, the situation grew worse, food became increasingly scarce. Even though rationing was ordered, many times officers abused their authority and mishandled the rations. Often times the military band would travel to outlying villages, in hopes of winning support for the Emperor. Poverty was so great that even the band had to forage to survive. Stealing was commonplace and grandfather recalls the time that drummers would hide stolen chickens in their drums while they continued to play and march down the street of the village.

Finally, during the Spring of 1866, Adolphus made up his mind to resign his position in teh military band. Locally, the opposing force became effectively hostile, Europe was still at war, but the United States had ended its civil war. He, along with another dissident, decided they would leave Mexico and withdraw their services to Emperor Maximillian. Records reveal that he arrived at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, August 8, 1866. Brownsville was an open or "free" port of entry, and travelers could come and go, either by land or sea, without any controls as late as 1901. Other parts of Texas required records of entry by the Immigration and Naturalization Department.

Grandfather Plentl worked his way to Austin County, Texas, where he settled in the small town of Shelby. There was a German settlement here so we can only conclude that he felt more comfortable making his home with them. He adapted himself rapidly in Shelby for during his first year in Texas, he met and married Henriette Seibel on August 17, 1867. She was born in St. Petersburg (now Leningrad), Russia, on September 21, 1849, and arrived in the United States with her parents, Mr. & Mrs. Charles Seibel, in October 1851.

In the next few years our grandfather engaged in an occupation for which he had never been trained, the life of a farmer. He was very active in the formation of the Harmony Hall at Shelby. Adolphus taught music, not only to his own children, but to others in the community as well. By these means he was able to sustain a livelihood for his growing family.

Today we have the original filing of his Declaration of Intention to Become a Citizen in Fayette County, Texas, on September 2, 1871. He was awarded his citizenship on November 22, 1890, in Fayette County, Texas, renouncing all allegiance to the Emperor of Germany, and affirming his loyalty to the United States.

Having fathered eight children in Shelby, Texas, he and his Grandmother Plentl moved to Fayette County in 1884. They settled on a farm between Waelder nd Cistern. Again he became involved in the community by forming the Plentl Band which played at various social functions. Each of his children was taught all aspects of music and they learned well. The brass instrument, the stringed instrument, the organ or piano, whatever the interest and whatever the need. He especially loved to compose and play marching music. Until recently this collection was available, but to our disappointment it has been either lost or stolen.

One of the highlights of his musical career took place when the Plentl Band went to Praha, Texas on August 155, 1897 to compete at an area-wide music festival. The Band was awarded First Place and to record this honored occasion, a photograp was taken. Also a phonograph cylinder was made at this time. Unfortunately, the cylindrs were sold as a part of the estate belonging to the Mensings of La Grange. Our grandfather led a very thrifty life as a farmer and musician, as evidenced by purchases made by him and charged at the Marburger Grocery Store in Cistern, Texas, the only living member of the Plentl Band.

Four more children were born to our grandparents while living in Cistern. So this old patriarch of the Plentl Family fathered a total of twelve children (six boys and six girls). The seventh child was Adolph Hugo Plentl, named after our grandfather. The eleventh child was a son named after Emperor Maximillian, Maximillian Emil Plentl.

Grandfather's dearest condident was his sister Rosa, with whom he continued to correspond until her sight failed her. These letters were carefully preserved by ganfather which he kept in his desk until his death on September 27, 1901. Until just a few years ago, these letters were saved by a great grand child who failing to recognize their vale to the family, let them escape his control.

However, one of the most cherished personal items of Adolphus Plentl was his violin which he brought with him from Mexico. The violin is in the safe keeping of a grandson, Perry Plentl of Angleton, Texas. It has been told that the reason that the violin is damaged is the result of a bystander making a slanderous remark to our grandfather, that he responded by crowning the man over the head with it. Grandfather Plentl was not only short in statue, but also short in temper.

Grandfather raised a fine musical family with close blood-ties down through the years. His decendants have held annual reunions ever since. We are determined to make them even more meaniful. He is survived by one daughter-in-law, Mrs. Olga Zittlemann Plentl of Angelton, Texas and by well over a hundred grand children, great grand children and great great grandchildren. "MAY HIS TRIBE INCREASE"

Our grandmother, Henreitte Seibel Plentl, joined her husband in death on September 30, 1926, twenty five years later. Both are laid to rest side by side in Cistern Cemetary, Fayette County, Texas.

THE END