Christian Schoppa (1864-1928)
Christian Schoppa (1864-1928)
Christian Schoppa was born February 24, 1864 to Michael and Maria Schoppa. He was born in Spreewitz, Prussia, Germany. At the age of four, he came with his family to Texas, landing at Galveston on October 19, 1868, on the three mast sailing ship Bark Texas, and settled in Fayette County.
Christian married Anna Emilie Hentschel on February 18, 1887. Anna was the daughter of Heinrich Hentschel and Magdalena Krakowsky. Anna was born in Dauban, Prussia, Germany on October 5, 1866 and lived there until 1871 when she and her family immigrated to Texas.
Christian Schoppa drove cattle in 1898 and 1899. Driving cattle, he became acquainted with Wilbarger County, and decided to get out of the cattle business and into farming. He brought his family to Wilbarger County arriving by train on September 26, 1900. He bought 320 acres at $4 an acre. He wrote a letter to the Giddings Deutsches Volksblatt(a newspaper in Fayette County, TX.) enticing friends and relatives to move to Wilbarger County and soon others joined him.
Christian and Anna settled in the Five-in-One community. Christian was a successful farmer and acquired many farms during his lifetime. Christian and Anna had thirteen children: Alvene Emma, Edd Anton, Alvin Karl, Karl August, Herman John, Emma Clara, Zelma Ida, Ella Emily, Albert August, Lydia Anna, Louis August, Paul B., and Anna E. Anna died October 4, 1904 during childbirth. Anna was buried at Paradise Cemetery in Wilbarger County. In 1964 Anna, her daughter Anna E., her mother Magdalena, and her sister Anne Christiane were reinterred to Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Vernon, Texas.
Christian married Maria Reinhardt on August 2, 1905. Maria was born on November 23, 1879. Christian and Maria had the following children: Marvin Christian, Blandine Marie, Walter Michael, Esther Theresia, Adele, and Edgar. Maria died April 26, 1921.
During his lifetime, Christian was a staunch member of the Lutheran Church and a charter member of Zion Lutheran Church in Vernon, Texas. He was injured in an automobile accident in Wilbarger County, Texas, this causing his death on August 16, 1928. He is buried next to Maria at Zion Lutheran Cemetery.
Source: Michael Schoppa Family Album published in 2000 by Mary Schultz Guggisberg and Kenneth W. Schoppa, and The Otto and Alvene Obenhaus Family History written by their children in April, 1977.
Compiled by Angie Collier March 2002