Edward Deneger was born on October 20, 1809 in Brunswick, Germany. At the age of 39, he came to America to have a look around and later returned with his family. He was part of the group who founded Sisterdale, built in 1850-52. "It was the most prestigious house in the community," wrote Fredrick Olmsted in his, "Journey through Texas." He settled there on the Guadalupe until 1862.

On August first of 1862 sixty-one German Union sympathizers left for the Rio Grande River to escape confederate rule. They were ambushed on the tenth of August in Nueces, and two of Edward's sons were killed, Hugo and Hilmer Degener.

From 1869 to 1871 Edward served as the Republican Representative from the fourth district in the forty-first Congress in Washington. In 1876 he was elected to the Constitution Convention, which formed the present constitution of Texas. Under Mayor French, Edward served as an Alderman in San Antonio from January 19,1877 to January 25, 1879.

He was elected twice to the State Legislature. He helped found several local social organizations. He devoted his business talents to lumber and trade and made a comfortable fortune, retiring about 1885. His son Hans carried on the business. Edward Deneger died on September 11, 1890 and was buried in Cemetery number one in San Antonio. His wife Marie was born in 1815 and died in 1891.

Bibliography:
Frederick C. Chabot, The Makers of San Antonio-pgs 385. Edit 1937