THE FUCHS FAMILY HISTORY
Henry George Fuchs moved from the North Houston, Little York area to Spring, Texas, in 1937, when he was ten years old, with his parents, Henry August Fuchs and Estella (Stella) Schindewolf Fuchs, and sisters Billie Jean and Dorothy Fuchs. They also previously lived in the West End area of Houston, on Reinerman Street, which is North of Memorial Drive and South of I-10. Henry G., Billie Jean and Dorothy attended Ben Milam Elementary School in Houston.
Their father worked for Dentler Potato Chips as well as also worked part time at a gas station. In the Little York area, Henry A. Fuchs began dairying. They moved the cattle from north Houston to Spring, on Spring Stuebner, across the street from the now Fox Elementary School, via FM 1960, at that time, known as Jack Rabbit Road, on foot via horseback.
Estella Schindewolf Fuchs grew up in the house they moved to, in Spring, Texas, on Spring Stuebner. Her father was George Heinrich Schindewolf and her mother was Annie Strack Schindewolf. They had seven children: Estella, Erna, Leona, Erich, George, Karl, and Theodore. Their father, George Schindewolf, built the beautiful Victorian farmhouse. He died when Estella was just 11 years old.
Estella attended school, at French School, which was across the street and adjacent to where Henry G. Fuchs’ dairy barn was later built. Estella’s mother later married Friederich Benfer and they had a son, Friedrich.
The old homestead was rented for a while and eventually was sold to Henry A. Fuchs and Estella Schindewolf Fuchs. Estella inherited her portion of the property and then they bought the rest of the property which included the old Schindewolf Victorian home.
Once in Spring, Henry A. Fuchs resumed dairying there, and Henry G. Fuchs was actively participating in the hard work, along with his sisters, Billie Jean and Dorothy. They had to get up very early in the morning to help milk the cows. They grew up on that dairy farm. Henry A. Fuchs had one of the first tractors in their area. At first, the neighbors thought it was an outlandish purchase, but they soon followed suit and bought tractors too.
Billie Jean and Dorothy loved riding horses. Billie even barrel raced in local rodeos. Eventually, Henry G. Fuchs built a new dairy barn on the other side of Spring Stuebner and they became partners in the dairy. Both Henry A. Fuchs and Henry G. Fuchs were considered prominent dairy farmers in Spring, Texas.
In 1949 Henry G. married Verna Erline Mittelsteadt. They had four children: Judy, Karin, Larry, and Tommy Fuchs. In the early years, Henry G. hauled milk himself to Houston. He would stop at Shipley Donuts on the northside of Houston and buy ten dozen doughnuts. He was known to eat a whole box of doughnuts on the drive to and from dropping off the milk. They would freeze the doughnuts to be used as needed. Fortunately, he never had a weight problem! In later years, as more dairies were in the area, a contracted milk hauler picked up the milk to take to the Borden factory. The dairy business was hard work, but the love of the land, and the love of God and family, made it worthwhile.
When sister, Dorothy Fuchs, married Earl Hildebrandt, Earl worked on the Henry G. dairy with him to learn the dairy business so he could start his own dairy. Dorothy and Earl purchased cows from Henry A. as he was retiring from dairying.
Henry and Estella were longtime members of Trinity Lutheran Church. At one time, there were eight (8) oil wells on Henry A. and Estella Fuchs’ Spring Stuebner property. The access road to the wells was adjacent to Fox Hollow Road, just off of Spring Stuebner.
Estella Fuchs died in 1975. Henry A. Fuchs died in 1988. The old homestead was leased for many years. Eventually, Larry Fuchs, son of Henry G. Fuchs purchased the Victorian farmhouse from the Henry A. Fuchs Estate. He had it moved through the pasture to his property on Spring Stuebner and completely remodeled the home, adding another bedroom. The house has remained on the property and Larry Fuchs, with his wife Danita, still live there today.
In 2007, we celebrated, our father, Henry G. Fuchs’ 80th birthday, in addition to the Fuchs/Schindewolf reunion, there with family and friends. Everyone was able to see the beautifully renovated Victorian home, as well as socialize and enjoy a BBQ dinner.
The land that Zwink Elementary School is located on was previously part of the Henry A. Fuchs farm. After he died, it was sold to a developer in Austin, who then sold part of it to Klein ISD.
Henry G. and Verna Fuchs were lifelong members of Trinity Lutheran Church, Klein. Each of their children, and some of their grandchildren, attended Trinity Lutheran School in Klein. They attended Klein ISD High Schools. Going to church Sunday was important to Henry. Henry served as Elder, on the Nominating Committee, the Finance Committee, and was a long-time member of, and supported, the Men’s Club at Trinity Lutheran Church, Klein, whose mission was to raise funds for scholarships for students entering college for church ministry. He served on the Klein ISD Equalization Board. He was a retired dairyman and rancher, as well as a Harris County Road and Bridge Supervisor. He was a member of the Farm Bureau and the American Milk Producers Association. His beloved wife Verna died in December 1991.
Henry G. loved to play cards, especially Pitch, which he played avidly with family, friends, and the Men’s Club members. He loved being outdoors, which included camping trips to Groesbeck with the boys, or just checking out his pasture on the tractor, especially on the air-conditioned Kubota he purchased later in life. We called it his “Cadillac”. He mowed the pasture up into his 80’s. Larry and Tommy also helped mow the pastures.
He hired professionals to cut and bale hay every year. Family members, especially Larry and Tommy, were there to help put the hay in the barns. The land the Fox Elementary School is on was primarily used for a hay pasture and grazing cows. Once retired from dairy business, and from Harris County, Henry G. raised Brangus cattle on his farm. Henry’s strength of character was an example and role model for his family and friends. He was the epitome of a southern gentleman.
In 2008, Harris County purchased Right of Way to widen Spring Stuebner. Consequently, the barns along the roadside had to be torn down. The old dairy barn, the adjoining holding barn and a hay barn were taken down.
Henry G. Fuchs died in May 2014. In November 2016, the land was sold, to build a Klein ISD Elementary School (this school site) and to Champion Forest Baptist Church, for their new church in this area.
Sister Billie Jean Fuchs died in 2017. Billie married Vernon Arnold Brautigam in 1954. They divorced many years later. Vernon Brautigam died in 2002. They had a daughter, Teri Brautigam. Billie married Gerald Fischer in 1994. They later divorced.
Sister Dorothy Fuchs Hildebrandt lives in Spring, Texas. Dorothy married Earl Emile Hildebrandt in 1951. They had three children: Barbara, Anthony, and Steve Hildebrandt. Dorothy’s husband, Earl Hildebrandt, died in 2012.
Henry A. & Estella Schindewolf Fuchs were our grandparents, we called them Pomp and Amo. Henry G. & Verna Mittelsteadt Fuchs were our parents. Our children called them Pawpa and Mamaw. We were truly blessed to have them as our parents, and grandparents, and we all have many, treasured memories of them.