Wolf Cemetery Dedication

The dedication of the Wolf Cemetery located on the property of Barbara Seidel, near Rockne, Texas, took place on Sunday, May 16th. This cemetery contains the graves of John Wolf, Sr. (1811 � 1868) and his wife Catherine (1809 � 1869) and several family members.

Descendents of Henry Martin Wolf, the son of John & Catherine Wolf II, who settled in Muenster Texas in 1895, attended the dedication and are listed as follows:  Ernest & Bea Wolf, Gainesville, Texas; Dale Wolf, Argyle, Texas; Regina Wolf, Flora Mae Sims, Bill & Lana Wolf, all of Muenster, Texas; Roger & Carol Wolf, Clearwater, Florida; Mitchell Wolf, Houston, Texas; Chris & Lou Rena Hammond, New York, New York; Will & Julie Klement, Mission, Texas; Michael, Christina & Melody Klement, Frisco, Texas; Laura & Christen Klement, College Station, Texas; Ginger Kupper, Rockwall, Texas; Tim & Lynn Kupper, San Antonio, Texas; James & Carolyn Wolf, Decatur, Texas; Robert Wolf, Newark, Texas; Truman & Pat Wolf, Dallas, Texas; Sherri Wolf Price & Sharice Price, Nocona, Texas.

Rev. Kris Bugno and Deacon Roger Muehr of Sacred Heart Parish, Rockne, conducted a beautiful ceremony and blessed the graves.

President of the Rockne Historical Association, Marian Nelson gave a short history beginning with the arrival of John and Catherine Wolf, Sr. in Bastrop County in January 1856. John and two other early settlers, Philip Goertz and John Hartman, purchased 515 acres on Walnut Creek, in March of that same year. This burial site is on what was the Wolf portion of that land.

In 1877, Mitchel Wolf and Philip Goertz each donated five acres of their land on Walnut Creek for the purpose of building the first Catholic Church in this area. That church burned to the ground in 1891 and John T. Lehman donated land where the present Sacred Heart Church is located.

Mrs. Nelson praised the Rockne Historical Association (RHA) and the community for the preservation work they accomplish. She said, "Today is an example of the community working together to preserve family history." She recognized and thanked the Wolf Family, especially Ernest and Bea Wolf and the great-great grandchildren of John and Catherine Wolf Sr. who worked to preserve the family burial place with a monument and fence around the graves.

Mitchel Wolf talked about his early ancestors and gave a short history about the family and the descendents. He thanked the grandchildren of Henry Martin Wolf who participated in funding the improvement project.

He also thanked Minnie Bartsch, Barbara Seidel and Claude Wilhelm for their contributions in making the project possible.

Mitchel Wolf himself was responsible for doing all the research in selecting the marker and getting it installed along with arranging for the fence around the grave site.

Minnie Bartsch told a story that Barbara Seidel related to her. When Barbara and her brother Claude were young, their mother took them to the grave site to pray the Rosary every year on All Souls Day. Barbara said her mother, Margaret Wilhelm, did not want the people buried there to be forgotten.

After the dedication ceremony, everyone was invited to Hilbig Park for refreshments. About 60 people attended the Ceremony and visited the Rockne Museum and Philip Goertz Log Cabin.