The Founding Freethinkers

The Founding Freethinkers (HM23NN)

Location: Comfort, TX 78013 Kendall County
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Country: United States of America
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N 29° 57.98', W 98° 54.397'

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Inscription

(Deutsche Freidenker)

From 1845 to 1861 large numbers of German Freethinkers immigrated to the Texas Hill Country. Freethinkers were predominantly German intellectuals who advocated reason and democracy over religious and political autocracy. Many had been active in the 1848 German revolution and sought freedom in America. The Freethinkers established numerous Central Texas colonies including Bettina, Castell, Cypress Creek, Luckenbach, Sisterdale, and Tusculum (Boerne). Settlements which conducted intellectual forums in Latin became known as "Latin Colonies." Within a few years of the founding of Comfort in 1854, half the Hill Country Freethinker population was living in the area.

Freethinkers valued their newfound freedoms of speech, assembly and separation of religion and government. Instead of religious dogma, Freethinkers believed in individual philosophy.
They advocated equal rights for all persons, and their moral values were dominated by respect for life and nature. Many were active in political issues of the day including the rejection of secession and abolition of slavery. Intellectual pursuits were shared with agriculture and other crafts of physical labor. Secular education and organizations (Vereins) provided social and cultural fulfillment. Existence was peaceful and their influence rapidly expanded.

Loyalty
to the Union during the Civil War had cost many their freedoms and lives. Some Freethinkers relocated to nearby urban area or other states, and a few returned to Europe.
Arrival of the railroad in Comfort in 1887 and other outside factors largely influenced the construction of the first church in 1892. Freethinker origins continue to influence the spirit of the community and surrounding areas.
Details
HM NumberHM23NN
Tags
Year Placed2002
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Monday, December 11th, 2017 at 1:01pm PST -08:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)14R E 509009 N 3315058
Decimal Degrees29.96633333, -98.90661667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 29° 57.98', W 98° 54.397'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds29° 57' 58.8" N, 98° 54' 23.82" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)830
Which side of the road?Marker is on the right when traveling East
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 731 High St, Comfort TX 78013, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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