This article by Kathy Zimmermann first appeared in Fayette County: Past & Present.

Black Jack Springs, which was established by early Anglo Settlers, had a school and a church, but today there is only a cemetery as a reminder of the community. The little community of Black Jack Springs took the chance of success or failure and failed. It was located ten miles southwest of La Grange on the Flatonia Road, 609. It was named for its clear springs and black jack trees.

In the middle 1830's the land was settled by Anglo-American settlers. Then in the early 1850's Germans began to move in. Johannes Romberg was the foremost German settler of Black Jack Springs. His son-in-law, Louis Franke, had musical and legal training in Germany, his native country. Franke arrived in Texas and enlisted in the War with Mexico. He was assigned to duty in Mexico City. After meeting Johannes Romberg's daughter, Bernardine, he married her in 1853. For several years he taught music in Baylor University at Independence, until ill health caused him to quit. He then moved to Black Jack Springs to produce cigars. He was elected to the Legislature of Texas from Fayette County in 1872. He remained in this position until his life ended. He was murdered in Austin by two unknown robbers.

The cemetery, all that remains of Black Jack Springs, was donated for a free and public cemetery on March 4, 1871. Two acres were given, and eight acres were donated for a Negro cemetery down the road at Cedar. This land, out of the Samuel M. Williams League, had originally been obtained by trading another tract of land with Charles Luck. It is located near Louis Luck's Store, now called the O'Quinn Store, on the Flatonia Farm Road 609, about nine miles southwest of the town of La Grange.

As the little town grew, in the 1900's it formed a post office and voting precinct. At this time it had a dance hall, Louis Luck's General Store, and J. C. Melcher's Store. The school and church were formed on an eight acre tract of land. The school was directed by a Board of Trustees including L. Luck, August Hahn, and A. Kiesling. School land began at the northeast comer of the Samuel M. Williams League. The church was located nearby on a two and one­ half acre tract, part of the three hundred fifty-five and one-half acres deeded to C. and L. Luck on September 8, 1875, in the Sam M. Williams League. Friederich Loessin, August Deterling, and Joseph Miller were in charge of the church at this time. They had to rebuild the church in 1910 after a severe storm.

By the late 1930's the town was without a railroad, and declining. It even lost its name around this time. The church and school were closed down. The church was later moved to Swiss Alp and the school was moved and made into a house. Today, the cemetery is the only reminder of the community.

At the beginning of the cemetery's formation, Mr. D. G. Koopmann was in charge of the Secretary and Treasurer's books. On June 8, 1908, Mr. Koopmann had the cemetery cleaned for the first time. The fence that was erected was made of barbed wire and rod iron gates. In 1925 a post fence was put up in place of the barbed wire fence.

Today the Black Jack Springs Cemetery is completely free and public. It is not connected with any religion or church. The plots are free and the Black Jack Springs Cemetery Association charges three dollars a year for maintenance or one hundred dollars for perpetual care. The Board of Directors consists of Mr. Vastine Baumbach, President, Mr. Guido Hermann, Secretary and Care-taker, and Mr. Arnold Hunger, Treasurer. There are over two hundred twenty-two people buried there today. Some of the family names on the tombstones include: Oeding, Meyer, Naumann, Wagner, Loessin, Hunger, Blankenburg, Schaefer, Hahn, Smirak, Haseloff, Bauer, Niesner, Zimmermann, Schwake, Baumbach, Ohnheiser, Melcher, Luck, Schubert, Sauer, Hermann, Balko, Ottmann, Carby, Hagens, Stechman, Ehler, Koopmann, Kiesling, Rohlack, Buehring, Schroder, Witt, Rudolph, Koening, Hillmann, Kasten, Romberg, Perlitz, Baars, Schwartz. Amalie, Schuger, Vibrock, and Kreuger. The dates of the tombstones are from the years 1867 to 1974. The oldest grave is of Thomas H. Oeding (March 12, 1818-July 28, 1867). It is located next to the south fence about half way down.

Every Sunday after Easter the cemetery has a Decoration Day to honor those who rest in the cemetery. Tradition requires people to bring flowers to graves. The Cemetery Association also elects the Board of Directors on this day.