August Siemering was
a writer and political leader who was born in Brandenburg, Germany, on
February 8, 1828. He emigrated from Germany following the revolution of
1848. He arrived in Texas in 1851 and spent the first decade teaching school
at Sisterdale and at Fredericksburg, where he opened the first public school
in 1856. Siemering married Clara Schütze in 1859. Her father was a
pioneer teacher of Gillespie County. They were the parents of two sons
and six daughters.
In 1865, Siemering established the San Antonio Freie Presse für Texas, which became one of the leading Republican newspapers of the South. His editorials and his "Sonntagsbetrachtungen" were outstanding and have been described as classics of German American literature. He also worked with the San Antonio Express and contributed numerous articles to other papers. He wrote a number of novels and articles describing Texas. He remained a political leader and held various public offices until the time of his death. Siemering died in San Antonio on September 19, 1883.
Bibliography:
Freie Presse für
Texas, September 20, 1883.
San Antonio Daily
Express, September 21, 1883.