BASTROP COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION
Rosanky Cemetery
Galynn Fogle stands at the front gate of the Rosanky Cemetery.
The Rosanky Cemetery to be acknowledged with a historical marker
Just west of Texas State Highway 304 on FM 535, below thick, towering pine trees, is the meticulously manicured Rosanky Cemetery. Galynn Fogle, manager of the Rosanky Cemetery Association, contacted the Bastrop County Historical Commission (BCHC) to ask for help in securing a historical marker to acknowledge its history.
In January, 2018, the Texas Historical Commission (THC) designated the Rosanky Cemetery as a Historic Texas Cemetery. Its first known burial was that of Katy Schubert, an infant who was born and died in 1908. Unmarked graves may date back to earlier times. Today there are about 125 gravesites.
The land for the cemetery was originally owned by George Meuth and Mary Eichorn Meuth. George Meuth's son, Andy Meuth, and his brother-in-law, August Grohman, husband of Andy Meuth's sister, Catherine, each committed that one acre of the land would be used as a cemetery. The cemetery came about formally in 1938 when Walter C. Grohman, son of August Grohman and Catherine Meuth Grohman, officially deeded a one-acre tract of land to the public for a cemetery.
Fogle said, “An official Texas Historical Marker would provide important historical information regarding the early settlers of the Rosanky community. Military veterans from the Rosanky area are also buried here. A marker would help to educate both young and old about the history of the Rosanky community and would help to foster an appreciation for military veterans' dedication and service to their community and country.”
She added, “Headstones in the Rosanky Cemetery reflect familiar names in the community – Behrens, Darnell, Echols, Meuth, Ringer, Stall, Ross, Schubert and Wendt. Many with these same surnames, having family ties by marriage or blood, currently live in the area.”
According to the THC, cemeteries are among the most valuable of historic resources. They are reminders of various settlement patterns – rural communities, urban centers and ghost towns. Cemeteries can reveal information about historic events, religions, lifestyles and genealogy.
Names on grave markers serve as a directory of early residents and reflect the ethnic diversity and unique population of an area. Cultural influence in grave marker design, cemetery decoration and landscaping contribute to the complete narrative of Texas history. Established in large part for the benefit of the living, cemeteries perpetuate the memories of the deceased, giving a place character and definition.
The Rosanky Cemetery is still in use today and maintained with great care by annual contributions from family members of the deceased who are interned there and is awaiting its approved historical marker.
ROSANKY CEMETERY
ORIGINALLY A LOOSELY-ORGANIZED COMMUNITY KNOWN AS SNAKE PRAIRIE AND LATER AS EAGLE BRANCH, THE TOWN WAS SETTLED AND DEVELOPED BY GERMAN IMMIGRANTS IN THE MID-19TH CENTURY TO SERVE AS A TRADING POST FOR LIVESTOCK OPERATIONS. IT WAS RENAMED IN 1893 FOR EDWARD “ED” ROSANKY (1851-1906), A PROMINENT PRUSSIAN IMMIGRANT WHO SETTLED HERE IN 1854 IN APPRECIATION FOR LAND HE HAD DONATED FOR A RAILROAD DEPOT.
LOCATED IN A RURAL AREA ABOUT A MILE FROM THE TOWN CENTER, THE ROSANKY CEMETERY IS THE BURIAL SITE OF MORE THAN 125 LOCAL RESIDENTS AND MILITARY VETERANS. THE EARLIEST KNOWN GRAVE IS THAT OF KATY SCHUBERT, AN INFANT WHO PASSED AWAY IN 1908.
GEORGE MEUTH (1815-1894) AND HIS WIFE, MARY EICHORN MEUTH (1828-1894) ORIGINALLY OWNED THIS LAND. GEORGE AND MARY’S SON, ANDREAS “ANDY” MEUTH (1821-1886), AND HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW, AUGUST ADOLPH GROHMAN (1854-1940), HUSBAND OF ANDY’S SISTER, CATHERINE MEUTH GROHMAN (1857-1939), EACH VERBALLY COMMITTED THAT ONE ACRE OF THE LAND WOULD BE ALLOCATED FOR A CEMETERY. THE CEMETERY CAME ABOUT FORMALLY IN 1938 WHEN WALTER C. GROHMAN (1895-1961), SON OF AUGUST AND CATHERINE, OFFICIALLY DEEDED A ONE-ACRE TRACT OF LAND TO THE COMMUNITY.
HEADSTONES IN THE ROSANKY CEMETERY REFLECT FAMILIAR NAMES IN THE COMMUNITY SUCH AS BEHRENS, DARNELL, ECHOLS, FOGLE, MEUTH, RINGER, STALL, ROSS, SCHUBERT AND WENDT. MANY WITH THESE SAME SURNAMES, HAVING FAMILY TIES BY MARRIAGE OR BLOOD, CURRENTLY LIVE IN THE AREA. THE CEMETERY IS STILL IN USE AND IS MAINTAINED BY THE ROSANKY CEMETERY ASSOCIATION, AN ORGANIZATION COMPRISED OF DESCENDANTS OF THOSE INTERRED HERE.
HISTORIC TEXAS CEMETERY – 2018 MARKER IS PROPERTY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS