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Comfort, Texas, was founded in 1854 and settled mainly by German immigrants called "free thinkers" who had hard feelings regarding the church and organized religion due to the pressures suffered in their native land of Germany. It was nearly 40 years before the Deutsche Evangelische Kirche was built and this was mainly due to the efforts of the Lutheran minister, Pastor Frederic Baer and a woman's group called the Maria Martha Verein. The Verein was formed June 14, 1891, with the encouragement of Pastor Bauer, to raise funds and find the labor to build a home for his Lutheran congregation. They solicited help from local businesses and the community and were so successful the church became a reality the following year. It is located at 319 High Street and is still being used by the Immanuel Lutheran congregation. The Verein organized concerts, dances, masked balls, bazaars and an annual May picnic to raise funds to add an organ and bell, with the tower, for the completed church. The Verein went on to become a civic organization composed of women from the
community who were dedicated to improving their surroundings and helping others, especially in times of disaster. They were entrusted with keeping the Comfort cemetery clean; they spearheaded the construction of the gazebo at Comfort Park; they maintained the "Treue der Union" monument; donated funds to build the low-water bridge (near Highway 87) in 1911-1912 since it was a part of the Old Spanish Trail; helped in funding the erection of streetlights in downtown Comfort; assisted with the Ernst Altgelt memorial statue in Comfort Park; and the list goes on and on.
With the inclusion of men as members in the year 2000, the Verein has become revitalized and we are constantly seeking ways to continue serving the community of Comfort. |
