Zion Cemetery
The Zion Bracken Methodist Church was established in 1870-1871. After a few years, it was decided to have a cemetery. Joseph Hierholzer and Edward Pfeil each donated an acre of land. In 1883 Rudolph Doerr was the first to be buried in the cemetery. In 1892, the transaction was legalized and the deed filed October 25, 1892 in Guadalupe County. In the 1970’s a committee was set up to look after the cemetery. Henry Tolle headed the committee which was composed of descendents of those buried in Zion. A copy of the deed, the constitution and minutes of the first meetings as well as a list of persons buried in Zion are on file at the Comal County Historical Commission. Bracken Methodist Church separated itself from the Zion Cemetery in the 1920’s even though the property is deeded to the Bracken Church. In 1928, land for the Bracken Church and a new Community Cemetery was donated by Adam and Katherine Wuest. A list of those buried in the Bracken Community Cemetery is on file at the Comal County Historical Commission.
Zion Cemetery is located on FM 1102 and Chelsea Drive, Cibolo, Texas Bracken Community Cemetery is located at 20377 FM 2252, Schertz, Texas Information compiled by Linda Udelhoven, Comal County Historical Commission with the help of Barbara Wright, descendent of Augusta and Adam Klaerner.
I believe we have some information about the cemetery near the Bracken Methodist Church because the original church cemetery was the Zion Cemetery that is next to Northcliffe subdivision--my father, David Hierholzer along with EJ and Randy Hierholzer are on the current board of Zion. Here is what I know: Joseph Hierholzer (my great-great grandfather) along with Eduard Pfeil (his son-in-law) donated the land (near Northcliffe) to the church for the 1st church cemetery, but later the church started the cemetery across the road from the church, which I believe they still maintain. I have a copy of the history of Zion and the first meeting minutes when my great-grandfathers Henry Hierholzer and Fritz Tolle were on the board. My dad believes that the land for the 2nd church cemetery was possibly donated or sold to the church by the Alfred Wuest family since they owned most of the land around it. I was always told that the cemetery across from the church was called the Bracken Community Cemetery. Bracken Methodist church would probably have the history.
Information submitted by Simone Hierholzer
