ALBRECHT, CONRAD
Conrad Albrecht was born in west Prussia, Germany, May 15, 1824, and is a son of John and Catherine Albrecht, who were natives of Germany, and who spent their lives in their native country. The subject of this notice is one of fifteen children, but two of whom, himself and a sister, Mrs. Caroline Angerhoffer, of Houston, are now living, the others dying in their native country, Germany.
In 1849 the subject of this article came to the United States, landing at Baltimore, Maryland, after a voyage of six weeks on the ship Louisa. He had $14 in money and was master of a good trade, that of tailor, and with this as his capital he began life in the New World. After a brief stay at Baltimore he went to New Orleans, where he secured work at his trade, following this in that city until 1852. At that date he came to Houston. For six months after his arrival in this city he worked at his trade, at the end of which time he opened a shop for himself. He was engaged in tailoring on his own account for about three years. Having been successful he found himself the possessor of some means, which he invested in a coffee house and restaurant on Congress avenue. He conducted this for two years, when he sold it at a good profit, and, moving to the country, engaged for a period of three years in farming and gardening. At the opening of the war, in 1861, he went to Germany, but soon returned to the United States, and, after great difficulty in running the blockade, took up his residence again, in July, 1863, in Houston. From that date until the close of the war, he was section boss on the Columbia & Brazoria Tap Railroad. He then became a clerk in a grocery store in Houston, and in 1869 he engaged for himself in the liquor business, which he followed tor twenty-one years, up to 1890, when he was stricken with paralysis and retired. His funds are invested in Houston real estate and yield sufficient revenue to support himself and family in a modest way. During his long residence in this city Mr. Albrecht has watched its growth with much interest, and has always had a good word to say for every enterprise of a public nature and for every honest, deserving individual who has come to this place to make a home and add his mite to the common welfare. He has always borne a good reputation for honesty and for the faithful discharge of his obligations, and wherever he is known he is respected for the possession of these qualities.
In October, 1852, Mr. Albrecht married Catherine Pashaw, and they have two children: Conrad William, who lives in Victoria, Texas and Emma, who is now the widow of Robert Schmidt, of Houston. Mrs. Albrecht died in 1865, and on May 1, 1867, Mr. Albrecht married Desetta Haag, who was born in Germany and who is a daughter of Michael and Catherine Haag, also natives of that country. The second Mrs. Albrecht came to America in 1866 and settled in Houston. By this marriage Mr. Albrecht has had eight children: Henry; Edward; Katie, wife of Felix H. Marks; Adolph, Caroline, Prince Albert, Lily and Maria. Two of these, Caroline and Prince Albert, are deceased; the remainder live in Houston. (Source: Biographical History of the Cities of Houston and Galveston (1895)
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