Isabella Maas

Isabella Offenbach Maas, opera singer, was born in Cologne, Germany, on March 11, 1817, the daughter of cantor Isaac Judah and Marianne Offenbach. Isabella was the older sister of composer Jacques Offenbach. She toured Europe with young Jakob (Jacques) and another brother, Julius, giving operatic performances. Samuel Maas first saw her performing in a cathedral that he visited on one of his many trips to Europe from Texas. They were married in the spring of 1844 in Cologne. Isabella had an attack of yellow fever eight days after she and Samuel arrived in Galveston, where, out of a population of 2,500, 200 had already died in the current epidemic. She lived to have four children. To Galveston she brought the civilizing influence of opera by continuing her singing, mainly among family and friends, and often at her son Max's home on a special stage he built for her in the attic. She also conducted concerts for the German Ladies Benevolent Society and the French Benevolent Society. Eventually, the Maases separated and Isabella moved into her daughter's home, across the street from Samuel's house. She died on February 19, 1891, leaving sixteen grandchildren. Harry Levy, Jr., president of E. S. Levy and Company department store, was a great-grandson of Samuel and Isabella.