The Schlather Family of Cibolo

Even though there were settlers in Cibolo long before 1876, this was the year the Southern Pacific Railroad came through the area on its way to connecting Houston with San Antonio. Several stores and settlements along this railroad became "stops." One of these stores was owned by Sebastian Schertz, and another by John George Slather, but he suggested that it be called Cibolo Valley after the lovely creek that flowed through the area. John George Schlather immigrated to Texas from Germany in the 1850's. After settling on a section of the land east of present day Main Street, he became an active participant in community life. The general store he opened in 1875 also served as a post office. Also during this time period, a small wooden church was built on a triangular piece of land donated by John George. This church was known as St. Paulus Kirche and, until 1923; the services were conducted entirely in German. Today it is the site of St. Paul's Evangelical Reform Church. A farmer and rancher, Schlather brought many new and progressive ideas to the area, such as crop rotation and selective breeding of livestock. At one time he and Henry C. Borgfield owned in partnership the property that is now buffalo crossing. John George Schlather married Wilhelmina Trebes, and area resident, and they had seven children. Two of his sons, George and August, remained in Cibolo. George farmed the family land and worked in the family cotton gin. His brother August worked for his father as well and later became a rural mail carrier via horse and buggy. August married Meta Dreyer from Marion and they had three sons and two daughters. The oldest son Leon became a farmer and never married. He lived on the property which is now Niemietz Park. The other two boys, Ernst and George, stayed in the area and married and each had two sons. In 1920, George Schlather, known as "Buddy," was one of the first graduates of CIbolo High School. He was a rural mail carrier in the Cibolo area for many years. The Schlather Family Park is dedicated to the memory of Ernst H. Schlather and his wife Elaine S. Schlather and their sons Ernst ("Ernie") A. Schlather and Frederick ("Fritz") S. Schlather, the former Mayor of Cibolo, who donated the land for the park to the City of Cibolo.