Johanna Mary Jane PEARCE

Person Sheet


Name Johanna Mary Jane PEARCE 352, GGG Grandmother, F
Birth 11 Aug 1848, Jackson County, Texas544
Birth abt 1849, Texas532
Death 26 Jul 1921, Chalet Fairlee, Pau, Basses Prov., France533,516 Age: 72
Burial Oakwood Cemetery, Austin, Travis Co., Texas516
Burial Austin, Travis Co., Texas352
Father Benjamin Byram PEARCE Sr., M (1818-1874)
Mother Louisa HORNUNG, F (1825-1867)
Spouses
1 Walter E. TIPS 352, GGG Grandfather, M
Birth 23 Jul 1841, Elberfeld, Germany544
Birth abt 1842, Europe532
Naturalization bef 5 Jun 1900544
Naturalization Memo According to the 1900 U. S. Census, Walter was a naturalaized citizen.
Death 20 Apr 1911, Austin, Travis Co., Texas516 Age: 69
Burial Oakwood Cemetery, Austin, Travis Co., Texas516
Occupation Founder of Walter Tips Co. and Engine Works. Texas State Senator70,529
Height 6'352
Social Organization Mason545
Hobbies Cellist and conducter of the Austin Saengerrunde546
Father Johann Conrad TIPS, M (1797-1850)
Mother Anna Caroline BRAUN, F (1800-1885)
Family ID 6714
Marriage 6 Feb 1867, New Braunfels, Texas148
Children Julia, F (1867-1950)
Walter, M (1868-1885)
Clara, F (~1869-~1869)
Laura G., F (1872-1950)
Eugene, M (1874-1939)
Mary Elizabeth, F (1887-)
Notes for Johanna Mary Jane PEARCE
"In New Braunfels a very enthusiastic social life developed, especially with the Runge family and their beautiful niece Mary Pierce (sic). Aunt Helene and I loved the l7-year-old so much that we ardently hoped that she and our good Uncle Walter would get engaged. This wish did come to pass, in the very same year, and in later years we often saw the dear couple Walter Tips and wife Mary in Germany, in Düsseldorf and Darmstadt. You all of course knew them, too."519 Julia HORNUNG was Mary Jane's Aunt Julia Runge. Julia Tips was likely named for her.
1880 United States Census
2nd Ward, Austin, Travis Co., Texas (Film # T9-1329, Page # 188D)532
In the Walter TIPPS household
Mary TIPPS, Wife, 31 years old, b. Texas, married, Keeps House, father born in Illinois, mother born in Europe
Records
Jackson Co., Texas, Deed Record, Vol. C, 1846-1849, p. 54, State of Texas, to heirs of James PIERCE, Decd. [not named], patent Vol. 5, No. 40?, a Labor of land in Jackson Co. on Mustang Creek, a branch of the Rio Navidad abt. 20 mi. from Texana, adj.: B. B. PIERCE
signed: J. Pinckney HENDERSON, Governor
Thos. Wm. WARD, Commissioner Genl. Lanf Off.
issued 20 May 1846
recorded: 6 Jul 1846.248

Jackson Co., Texas, Deed Record, Vol. H, 1874-1879, p. 436, Walter TIPS, Travis Co., Texas, Jane A. PEARCE, Jackson Co. and Henry HENSLEY, Calhoun Co., Texas acting in behalf of the Heirs of Thos. B. PEARCE, dec'd [Jane MOSS, Mary TIPS, Lizzie FROMME, Sophie PEARCE and B. B. PEARCE, Jr.] to A. H. (Shanghai) PIERCE and B. Q. WARD, both of Jackson Co., cattle ranging in Jackson, Calhoun and adjoining counties branded TP, TParcunder, and 171, in consideration of $6345.50
signed: Walter TIPS 21 June 1876
Henry HENSLEY, admr. Est. T. B. PEARCE
acknowledged: Walter TIPS 22 Jun 1876, Austin, Travis Co., Texas
witness: James R. Johnson, Notary Public, Travis Co., Texas
filed: 24 Jan 1877
recorded: 26 Jan 1877.547
1900 United States Census
305 West Seventh St., Austin, Travis Co., Texas (E. D. # 86, p. 4A, family # 73)544
Walter E. TIPS household, wife; see Walter E. TIPS card for census abstract.
1910 United States Census
305 West Seventh St., Austin, Travis Co., Texas (E. D. # 69, p. 1B-2A, family # 21)548
Walter E. TIPS, wife; see Walter E. TIPS for census abstract.
1880 United States Census Notes for Walter E. (Spouse 1)
2nd Ward, Austin, Travis Co., Texas (Film # T9-1329, Page # 188D)532
Walter TIPPS, Head, 38 years old, b. Europe, married, Merchant, father and mother born in Europe
Mary TIPPS, Wife, 31 years old, b. Texas, married, Keeps House, father born in Illinois, mother born in Europe
Julia TIPPS, Daughter, 12 years old, b. Texas, single, At School, father born in Europe, mother born in Texas
Walter TIPPS, Son, 11 years old, b. Texas, single, At School, father born in Europe, mother born in Texas
Laura TIPPS, Daughter, 7 years old, b. Texas, single, At School, father born in Europe, mother born in Texas
Eugene TIPPS, Son, 6 years old, b. Texas, single, father born in Europe, mother born in Texas
Alma TIPPS, Niece, 20 years old, b. Texas, single, Visiting, father born in Texas, mother born in Texas
Sophy PEARCE, Niece, 18 years old, b. Texas, single, Visiting, father born in Texas, mother born in Texas
Anna SMITH, white female, 38 years old, b. Europe, widowed, Cook, father and mother born in Europe
1900 United States Census
305 West Seventh St., Austin, Travis Co., Texas (E. D. # 86, p. 4A, family # 73)
Walter E. TIPS, Head, b. Jul 1841, Germany, married 33 y., immigrated 1850, Natururalized,
Hardware Merch., owns home
Mary J. TIPS, Wife, b. Aug 1848, Texas, married 33 y. 4 of 6 children living
Laura G. SCHERDING, Daughter, b. Aug 1872, Texas widowed, 2 of 2 children living
Walter T. SCHERDING, G. Son, b. Apr 1897, Texas
Mary C. SCHERDING, G. Daughter, b. Apr 1895, Texas
Eugene W. TIPS, Son, b. Feb 1874, Texas, divorced, Hardware Salesman
Mary E. TIPS, Daughter, b. Aug 1887, Texas, at school
Hennricke? MUELLER, Servant, b. Nov 1871, Germany, Single, Immigrated 1893, Alien, Housemaid
Anton LUTHER, Servant, b. Oct 1873, Switzerland, Single, Immigrated 1892, Alien, Carrriage
driver544
Misc. Notes
Nine years old at the time of his father's death, Walter was sent to New Braunfels to live with his elder sister Hermine and family. There, in Johann Staehely's store, Walter was introduced to the world of merchandising while helping out in the store. His own chance of going into business was interrupted for a time by the Civil War, in which conflict he volunteered as a Confederatesoldier in 1861.

After the war's end, Walter entered into a partnership agreement on October 1, 1865 at New Braunfels with Wilhelm Clemens, Jr. to operate a firm under the name of Tips & Clemens which would engage in the buying, selling, and vending of all sorts of goods, wares and merchandise, each man furnishing $4,000 in gold. Joseph was admitted into the firm on January 1, 1872, the name at that time being changed to Tips, Clemens & Faust. The new partner furnished $3,000 in gold while the two old partners each furnished $15,000. In 1857, Walter's brother Eduard had established in Austin a store on Congress Avenue, with tin, ironware, pig iron, leather goods, general merchandising and commission business. Upon Eduard's death in 1872, the three partners purchased his operation, which was then run under the name Walter Tips & Company, Eduard's heirs being paid in gold and silver, because currency had not yet established values after the Civil War. On August 1, 1881, the three partners dissolved their operations in New Braunfels and Austin by mutual consent. Messrs. Clemens and Faust taking over the assets and liabilities in New Braunfels and Walter those of the Walter Tips & Company in Austin.

The Walter Tips Company has been continuously operated since its founding in 1857. After Walter's death in 1911, the business was incorporated, many of his descendants still very active in the multi-million dollar operation. In 1957, the following descendants and in-laws were in the corporation: Mrs. Mary E. Tips von Kramer (director), Mrs. Eugene Tips (director), Robert Tips (director and purchaser), George C. Schultze (director and executive vice president), Mrs. Carl von Merz (director), Carl D. von Merz (director and sales). Walter von Merz (sales), Joe A. Goeth (director) and Ralph C. Goeth (director and vice president). Those descendants and in-laws connected with a former company subsidiary, Tips Iron & Steel Company were: Ralph C. Goeth (director, president and treasurer), Joe A. Goeth (vice president and assistant treasurer) and Mrs. Ralph Goeth (director and assistant treasurer). In 1957, Walter's grandson, Ralph Conrad Goeth, wrote a short pamphlet about The Walter Tips Company, entitled One Hundred Years of Tips in Texas, for its centennial and much of the material in this discussion is drawn from that source.

By 1899 the Tips business had developed into machinery (especially steam-powered cotton gins), as well as wholesale and retail hardware. Another corporation, organized by Walter Tips, Eugene Tips. Adolph C. Goeth and several employees to service machinery, was named the Tips Foundry & Machine Company. Ralph Goeth later became the president and principal owner of this latter corporation, today known as the Tips Iron & Steel Company, which sells structural steel and related products and operates foundries in gray iron, brass and aluminum, maintaining a machine shop at its Austin location to finish such products. For many years The Walter Tips Company produced engines, from small to large sizes, but was forced to discontinue by competition from the larger manufacturers and by other factors. It later began to specialize in wholesale hardware and automotive parts. The Walter Tips Company of Austin today continues to be a very healthy and growing business!

In 1867, the same year in which he became an American citizen, Walter married Johanna Mary Jane Pearce, who was related to the Runge family of Galveston and whose younger sister later married the son of his sister Hermine. On December 21, 1879, Walter, along with his wife's aunt, Mrs. Julia Runge, and her two cousins, Henry J. and Louis H. Runge, founded the Las Moras Ranche Company, Walter and Mrs. Runge each having a 1-6 interest and the two brothers each 1-3. They obtained the 106,000 acre Las Moras Ranch in Menard County, which had been established by the eccentric Ernest Carlin, a native of France.[53] Walter and his relatives were not, however, as successful at ranching as in their other business pursuits, Forest Runge describing in an article, entitled "Las Moras Ranch," in the May and June 1956 issue of Sheep and Goat Raisers Magazine, how (beginning in 1896) a combination of factors -- trouble with the govenunent, free-silverism, drought and scab, among other things--caused the venture to be a financial disaster. The matter laid heavy enough on Walter's mind that he was forced to go to Europe for a year to recuperate, and he began liquidating the property after the turn of the century, the last piece being sold the year after his death.

Walter, who was a dignified six feet, made an impressive figure in his usual black suit, swallow-tail-cutaway coat and black string bow tie. In later years, after he had accumulated sufficient wealth, he became active in politics. Governor Ireland (1883-87) appointed him to the Board of Commissioners of the State Penitentiaries, Governor Colquitt (1911-15) appointed him as a member of the State Library & Historical Commission, and he served for a number of years on Austin Public School Board of Trustees. In 1892, he ran for and was elected to the Texas State Senate. When attacked by his opponent on the grounds that he was a foreigner, he published a dignified rebuttal, its close directed to his German friends and fellow citizens stating: "It is not my wish that you cast your vote for me because I am a German. If you believe my opponent can better serve in the Senate, it is your duty to vote for him. "

On April 16, 1890, Walter was among those men who organized the Austin National Bank and who were members of its first board of directors.[54] Tbe son of his first cousin, Louis Nicholas Goldbeck, later became a director of the same banking institution.

The Walter Tips home was one in which the family enjoyed the best advantages. The home possessed a good library, both literary and musical, and Walter was a good cello player, his friends such as Messrs. Schoch and Widen and others often on hand for a piano and string quintet. At one time, he served as conductor of Austin's Saengerunde. The children all had either voice or musical instrument training, or both.

The Tips home, built by Walter in 1877 for his family, was designed in the traditional Victorian style with a strong Italian influence, having a gallery which curved around the north and east sides of the house. The interior had parquet floors, hand-carved patterned wood brought from St. Louis, and the halls and stairs were lined with dado molding, a Victorian molded wood of intricate patterns. All ceilings were twelve feet high and the plentiful windows extended from the floor to within four feet of the ceiling. Five firepiaces were locatsd in the home, two downstairs and three upstairs. A wine cellar, as well as an apartment, was located in the basement. This impressive old home, located at 315 West Seventh Street near downtown Austin, was in danger of being razed in the name of progress in the mid-1970's. Efforts, however, by many interested parties were successful in saving the structure. It was obtained by the Franklin Savings Association and moved to the corner of South Congress and Oltorf. After extensive rennovation, the home was formally dedicated on January 20, 1976 as the Association's South Austin Branch, honored guests at the activities being the Walter Tips' youngest daughter, Mrs. Mamie von Kramer, and other family members.

There were numerous trips to visit relatives in Germany and to visit European sights, the family, according to Walter Eugene Tips, always staying at New YorkCity's Chamberlain Hotel, dining at Lüchow's Restaurant and attending a Wagnerian Opera while en route.

Mrs. Tips, and most of the women in the family, attended the Episcopal Church in Austin. In 1911, following her husband's death, she purchased a large Rambler which was called the Greyhound. Her death occurred at the Chalet Fairlee in the Basses Pyranee Province town Pau, France in 1921. Her son Eugene and grandson Walter Eugene were in Europe and arranged to have the body shipped back to America aboard the Nieu Amsterdam of the Holland American Line, her burial taking place in Austin beside Walter.

Enlisted 6 Apr 1862 in 6th Texas Field Battery. Absent, sick in Clinton, Texas 20 Oct 1863; sick in hospital in Houston, Texas 30 Nov 1863-Jan 1864; sick at La Grange, Texas Sep 1864-Oct 1864. Elected 2nd Lieutenant 18 Feb 1865 by his company. His name appears on Returns of the 7th Battery Light Artillery Trans-Mississippi for March 1865. Paroled at Houston, Texas Aug 1865.

1/6 Partner in the Las Moras Ranch Company, formed 21 Dec 1879, with his wife's Aunt Julia Horning RUNGE and Julia's husband's cousins Louis and Henry RUNGE.

Played the cello in a string quartet.

National Register Districts deftly interweave modern skyscrapers with more ornate 19th century buildings such as the Old Bakery (1876), Millett Opera House (1878), Driskill Hotel (1886), Walter Tips Building (1876) and Robinson-Rosner Building (1856). Historically significant places of worship, such as St. Mary's Cathedral (1874) and St. David's Church (1854) reflect Old World architecture.


The 10-block Congress Avenue and nine-block Sixth Street (Pecan Street)Bremond Block
Bounded by Seventh, Eighth, San Antonio and Guadalupe streets.

Residential enclave dating 1854-1877. A National Register Historic District, includes 12 registered landmarks. Private homes and offices. The Convention and Visitors Bureau offers tours Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m., March through November. Meet at the south steps of the Capitol. Free. The tour covers more than the Bremond Block. You'll see 20 structures, starting with the Governor's Mansion. Call 478-0098 and punch 3.

Across the street from the Bremond Block was the Walter Tips House which was moved to South Austin across the Colorado River in 1975.

"Walter Tips House, South Congress at Oltdorf, Austin. State Historical Marker erected in 1976.

This two-story Victorian house was built in 1876 for the family of Walter Tips (1841-1911), a prosperous hardware merchant. A native of Germany and a Confederate veteran, Tips served in the State Senate, (1893-1896). The home was remodeled in 1909 to its present appearance. Another prominent businessman, Theo. P. Meyer (1878-1966), occupied the residence from 1925-1966. The structure was originally scheduled for demolition in 1975, it was rescued by Franklin Savings Association and moved to this site for restoration."

Following the 12 Sep 1869 tornado that devasted New Braunfels, Walter served on a relief committee that requested and coordinated aid for citizens rendered "roofless, houseless and penniless" by the disaster.
1910 United States Census
305 West Seventh St., Austin, Travis Co., Texas (E. D. # 69, p. 1B-2A, family # 21)
Walter E. TIPS, head, 67 years old, b. Germany, married 1 time for 43 years, immigrated 1849,
naturalized, wholesale hardware merchant, owns home
Mary J. TIPS, wife, 61 years old, b. Texas, married 1 time for 43 years, 4 of 6 children living
Laura G. SCHERDING, daughter, 37 years old, b. Texas, widowed, 2 of 2 children living
Walter T. SCHERDING, grandson, 17 years old, b. Texas, single, at school
Mary Katherine SCHERDING, granddaughter, 14 years old, b. Texas, single, at school
Sophia BAER, servant, 34 years old, b. Germay, single, immigrated 1909, no English, speaks
German, private family cook
Freida E. ERNST, servant, 18 years old, b. Texas, single, private family housegirl
Edward ERICKSON, servant, 47 years old, b. Sweden, single, immigrated 1883, naturalized, private
family coachman548
Last Modified 10 Mar 2005 Created 10 Mar 2005 by Reunion for Macintosh

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