Local Cemetery Deemed “Historic”
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A marker dedication for Canyon Lake’s historic Heimer Cemetery, 2574 Waterfront Dr., is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday, May 20.
A reception follows the ceremony at the Startz Cafe at 4 p.m. It is sponsored by The Heimer family, Comal County Historical Commission, and Texas Historical Commission.
On Thursday, May 17, the cemetery was officially recogized as a Texas Historical Commission Historic Texas Cemetery by Comal County Commissioners Court and the Comal County Historic Commission.
Commissioners issued a proclamation on behalf of the family, whose ancestors arrived in Startzville in the late 1850s.
The Heimer cemetery contains the remains of Michael and Gustine Heinig Leitsch, who sailed from Sachsen-Altenburg, Germany, to the Texas coast in 1852.
Their respective spouses died of yellow fever during their journey to New Braunfels, and the couple soon married each other in 1853. They died around 1880.
Research into the cemetery was conducted by Wilfred Schlather, a great-great grandson of Michael Heimer.
Directions
To get to the cemetery:
From FM 306, turn left on FM 2673. From Highway 46, turn right on FM 2722 then left on FM 2673.
Proceed on FM 2673 to Startzville past the Startz Cafe. Turn right on CanyonBend then continue straight on Westview Drive. Turn left on Waterfront Park Drive.
More from FindAGrave.com:
“This is an old small family cemetery, now located in a modern subdivision on the shores of Canyon Lake. It has been set aside as Waterfront Park Lot 242 (Comal County property ID# 377274), containing 2 graves in a fenced area, for Michael Heimer and his 2nd wife. It is next to a residence at 2556 Waterfront Park Drive.
” It is a different cemetery than another Heimer Cemetery, which is located a few miles away on South Cranes Mill Road, which contains his son Franz and wife. In efforts to avoid confusion, Michael’s cemetery is sometimes referred to as the “Michael Heimer Cemetery”.
“The Comal County Genealogy Society booklet “Lest We Forget” published in 1989 lists this cemetery on page 94 as “Heimer Cemetery”, indicating that 2 graves were inventoried at that time.
“The original gravestones had decayed, and were replaced with modern stones by descendants in about 1989. Unfortunately, a mistake was made in the name for Gustina Heinig on her stone, as it was her daughter Augusta’s married name that was Schmidt. Her maiden name was Heinig, and was married twice (to Leitsch, and then Heimer).
“This cemetery has been registered as a Historic Texas Cemetery (CM-C086), a designation by the Texas Historical Commission. “
