Robertson County - TXGenWeb

Resources

Descriptions

New Baden
Map

Map showing New Baden, which is about 4 miles northeast of Franklin on Highway 79.

New Baden
Historical Marker

31 03 03 N / -96 25 46 W,
"Founded by German, Prussian, & Swiss immigrants in 1881, New Baden was named for the German town of Baden-Baden. The immigrants built a central building known as the Colony House to provide lodging for families while homes were under construction. Located on the route of the International & Great Northern Railroad, the town soon boasted stores, churches, a school, and a railroad station. Most of the residents were farmers and the economy was based on agriculture. Population declined in the 1940s, but New Baden remains a viable rural community." (1997)

Deutsch Colony
Of New Baden

By John George Meyer, 1882, New Baden, TX, 16-page booklet (with large fold-out map), The Center For American History Collection, The University of Texas at Austin, TZ976.411 N4225M, Center For American History TXC-Z Collection. A copy of this booklet promoting New Baden to potential European settlers has been translated by a volunteer from its original old-style German into English. Booklet is available at Deutsch Colony Of New Baden.

History Of New Baden Essay

History Of New Baden By Kyle Schultz

Colony House Sketch

Sketch Of Colony House from John George Meyer booklet.

Handbook Of Texas
Online Articles

also check out TEXAS STATE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

A History Of
Robertson County

John Walter Baker has a chapter on New Baden in his book.

Early Development Of
Robertson County

Ivory Freeman Carson has a couple of paragraphs on New Baden in her master's thesis.

New Baden
Cemeteries

There are at least four cemeteries that were primarily associated with New Baden's early immigrant settlers. These include: Original New Baden Cemetery (lost), Brown Cemetery (tombstones remain but inactive for past 100 years), Koch-Adlof (tombstones remain but inactive for past 100 years), & New Baden Cemetery (burials from the late 1800s to the present). The New Baden Cemetery Plat shows lot ownerships (including those of many of new Baden's original European settlers).

New Baden
Immigrants Grid

The New Baden Immigrants Grid identifies what is known about New Baden's early European immigrants and where important information about them can be found.

New Baden
Naturalizations Index

An index to immigration and naturalization records held in the county clerk's or district clerk's office at the Robertson County courthouse in Franklin can be found at New Baden-Related Naturalizations Index.

New Baden U.S. Census
Record Transcripts

Typed transcripts of the following U.S. Census records have been created on the surnames of New Baden's early European settler families and their descendants for the 1900, 1910, 1920, & 1930 U.S. Census records.

1892 - 1893
Franklin
Store Ledger

A list of early New Baden immigrant settler names that appear in an 1892 - 1893 ledger from a general store in Franklin is online at New Baden Names In Franklin Store Ledger.

World War I
Servicemen

Summary military service records of the twelve sons of New Baden European immigrants who served in the United States military during World War I are available at New Baden Servicemen.

New Baden Plat,
Maps, & Roads

Original New Baden landowners plat;
New Baden streets & lots on 1883 County Clerk map;
April 1922 map of Eastern Robertson County property owners;
Map Of downtown New Baden in the 1930s;
March 1927 Sanborn Digital Fire Insurance Map of downtown New Baden;
August 1940 Sanborn Digital Fire Insurance Map of downtown New Baden;
Map of roads near New Baden;

New Baden
Landowner Maps

The Map Collection at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC has four maps showing New Baden-area landownership in 1899, 1922, 1941, & 1962. These need to be photocopied, reproduced as color transparencies, & digitized for online display.

Schultz Store

Information relating to the Schultz General Store (in continuous operation since 1884) includes: History Of Schultz Store In New Baden Essay By Kevin Schultz, Schultz Store Trade Tokens, & Schultz Store Pictures.

Evangelishe Ebenezer
Gemeinde Church
in New Baden

Information about the Evangelische Ebenezer Gemeinde Church, its members and its records, is being sought. This Lutheran church was organized in New Baden in 1881 and dissolved about 1939. Early ministers included Reverends Volbrecht, Hagenstein, Vooge (served ~8.1893 - ~1902), and Randolph.

Family History, Bible,
& Church Records

Minette Peter's Birthday Book is the first family record submitted. If you have family history, bible, church, or other records of New Baden's early immigrant settler families, please submit them for online display.

New Baden
School Yearbooks

No yearbooks from the New Baden school are in local libraries or online. Records from this school are needed to complete the Franklin High School Library's yearbook collection and for placement online at this site.

New Baden
Pictures

Photographs of early New Baden public buildings, businesses, houses, settlers, and their families are being sought. An artist's rendition of the old Dieckmann home, complete with its central "dog trot," is being prepared. These pictures will be posted online at New Baden Pictures (includes an 1896 New Baden Group Photograph).

New Baden
Life

Information about how one family came to New Baden is available at In Search Of Our German Roots. A sample of what life in New Baden was like for the same family early in the 20th century can be found at Dieckmanns In America. Additional information can be found at Ellis Island.

Baden-Baden,
Germany

Planning a trip to New Baden's namesake or just interested in what it looks like? Take a tour of present day Baden-Baden at Baden-Baden English Tourism Site. If you can read German, lots more information is available at Baden-Baden Deutsch News Site.

Ira Hobart Evans
Papers

Ira Hobart Evans was a major player in the International & Great Northern Railroad as well as the New York & Texas Land Company. He was instrumental in establishing New Baden. His papers are in a special Ira Hobart Evans Collection at the University of Tulsa, in Tulsa, OK.

Railroads That Have Operated Over The Years
Over The Line That Runs Through New Baden

International Railroad, a predecessor railroad to the International & Great Northern, merged with the Houston & Great Northern Railroad in September 1873;
International & Great Northern Railroad crossed Robertson County in an east-west direction. Local places along the I&GN route included: (in Milam County) Gause & Nashville (where it crosses Brazos River); (in Robertson County) Valley Junction (where it crosses CW&BV Railroad), Hearne (where it crosses H&TC Railway), Elliott, Franklin, Englewood, New Baden, Easterly, Lake, & Ridge; (in Leon County) Marquez;
Missouri Pacific Railroad; &
Union Pacific Railroad.

International Railroad
12.1870 - work begins
(building eastward from Hearne)
12.1871 - 1st 50 miles completed
7.1872 - reaches Palestine
1.1873 - reaches Longview
(building westward from Hearne)
1873 - crosses Brazos River
9.1873 - merges with Houston & Great Northern Railroad to become International & Great Northern Railroad
1874 - reaches Rockdale
1876 - reaches Austin
1881 - reaches San Antonio & Laredo
1901 - acquires Calvert, Waco, & Brazos Valley Railroad
1925 - acquired by Missouri Pacific Railroad
1982 - Union Pacific, Missouri Pacific, & Western Pacific Railroads merge

Model
Trains &
International &
Great
Northern
Railroad
Memorabilia

International & Great Northern Railroad Operating Stockcar
Marx Model No. 54099

International & Great Northern Railroad stamped on hilt of brass switch key. Serif letters and tapered barrel single ring key.

If anyone has International & Great Northern Railroad model trains or memorabilia from this railroad, please contact
Jane Keppler.

Cemetery Names & Burial Lists	Latitude/Longitude (deg min sec)	Closest Towns & Communities
Camp Creek	31 02 13 N / - 96 21 18 W	Camp Creek
Easterly or Acorn	31 06 33 N / - 96 22 16 W	Easterly
Elm Grove	31 03 21 N / - 96 21 51 W	New Baden East
Hoxie Chapel	31 06 20 N / - 96 21 00 W	Easterly
McNeill	31 03 13 N / - 96 24 01 W	New Baden East
Mount Pleasant	31 01 22 N / - 96 25 23 W	Franklin Southeast

Finding and scanning old photographs of New Baden's historic commercial buildings, homes, farm buildings, other structures (like the old water tower & remains of the gin), & cemeteries.	Taking new photographs of New Baden's historic commercial buildings, homes, farm buildings, other structures, & cemeteries.
Locating copies of newspaper articles that have been written about New Baden (including the recent compilation of essays written by local school children).	Getting someone with access to and knowledge of a computer mapping software program to professionally reproduce the 1930s Downtown New Baden Map.
Locating anything else that has been written or produced on New Baden (maps, unpublished books, bible & school records, histories written by local residents, information prepared for reunions).	Locating the records of the Evangelische Ebenezer Gemeinde Church that used to exist in New Baden.
Recording audio interviews with older family members about their recollections of New Baden in the early days.	Sharing family history research that has been conducted on families with connections to New Baden for inclusion under Family Histories.
Contributing towards bringing maps online that show property owners in New Baden & surrounding areas.	Locating materials of relevance to New Baden at the Robertson County courthouse and county library; copying them for inclusion on this site.
Scanning or typing the church records of the New Baden Baptist Church (which have recently been located).	Gracia Thibodeaux at the Hearne Democrat reports that several years ago some gentleman gave her an unpublished history of New Baden & its families. Her copy is lost in her attic. Does anyone else know anything about such a book or have a copy of it?