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| History
in a Pecan shell
The origin of the name is not clear. It was originally called Live Oak
Grove by W.R. Wiseman, one of the town's founders and the organizer of the
Presbyterian church. In addition, a post office was granted under the name Post
Oak in 1853. It was changed in 1859 to La Vernia, although no one really
knows why.
Like most towns, the first postmaster was also the storekeeper
and in the case of La Vernia, this was H. Suhre.
The population was mainly
comprised of Polish and German immigrants and totaled 200 persons for the 1890
census.
The coming of the railroad (The San Antonio and Gulf) bolstered
the population to nearly 350 in 1900. By 1915, La Vernia had a brick yard, a pottery
business and four churches as well as two gins and a gristmill (which had opened
years earlier). |
| | The
La Vernia Drugstore
TE photo, April 2001 |
| | A
scene in La Vernia*
TE photo, April 2001 |
| | The
Brahan Masonic Lodge c. 1859
TE photo, April 2001 |
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La Vernia,
Texas Forum
My grandfather Lucio Elizondo settled in La Vernia in the mid-1890's and is buried
in the Concrete
Cemetery along with my grandmother Gertrudes. They had several children also
born there - Florentino (my father born Oct. 16,1903, Stella, Alicia, Maria, and
Sarah Elizondo. My cousin Esperanza aka Hope Elizondo daughter of Paul and Patricia
was raped and murdered in approx. 1942. The murderer was sent to the elec. chair.
His first name was Jesus.
After my father married in 1926 he moved with
his wife Virginia back to La Vernia. My parents had eight children. My brothers
Jesse, Richard and Eddie were raised there. My father worked for Dr. Martin in
the La Vernia Drug Store from 1939 to about 1943. My brother Jesse tells me that
the Harry Schraub Store used to be Browsie. He went to school with the children
of Harry and Burnell Schraub. He says the Masonic Lodge was first an agricultural
Bldg. He went to school with Allen Kosub from 39 - 41. He says there is currently
a stone marker in town which gives a definition of the name La Vernia. He says
Wm Weisman's son Ben was a pilot during the war.
We would like to know
about the sand hills of La Vernia. Does anyone have any information?
I grew up in San Antonio but made many visits to La Vernia with my family. My
uncle Frutoso Elizondo and his wife raised their family there. I loved going for
hamburgers at Strey's.
I understand the building where my father worked
for Dr. Martin still stands and has been turned into a museum with all the original
furniture. My father had been a soda jerk and the original soda fountain is featured.
What is the name of the current place of business that holds this museum? Thank
you and I hope to hear from [someone] soon. - Virginia Carroll, October 6,
2005
*The
store always was Schraub Store, owned and ran by Harry Schraub. The name painted
on the building reads Schraub... The owner and my family traded there. I still
have a receipt from 1956 on a purchase made there. - Randall Strey, July 06,
2002
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