Herman Henniger (1838 – 1908) was born December 6, 1838 in the village of Wilhelmsdorf, province of Saxony, Germany. In 1847 his father, Nicholas Henniger (1794-1853), brought his family to Texas, settling near Roeders Mill (now Shelby) in northwestern Austin County. Little Herman was nine years old. He had just become of age at the time Texas seceded from the Union and the commencement of the Civil War. Though finding it difficult to break his oath of allegiance to the United States, he nevertheless enlisted in the Confederate Army along with his two brothers in the famed Waul’s Texas Legion. After several months of soul searching he went over to the Union forces, enlisting in Company B, 12th Illinois Cavalry, where he served with distinction from 1862-1865. Returning home from the War, he encountered a certain degree of animosity from his kin. So he moved from Austin County around 1870 and settled in the Bushdale Community of Milam County. Here he became one of the most respected farmers and civic leaders in this part of the County.

Upon his death, in accordance with his wish, he was immortalized by the erection of an almost life-size statue of himself in Federal Army uniform atop a high granite base with the inscription which recorded he had bee a, “late and honored member of Company B, 12th Illinois Cavalry – Including the years 1862 –1865”. There are those who might interpret this act as containing a slight taint of defiance, and the parting shot of a proud old warrior who, to the very end, was convinced of the correctness of his decision to follow his convictions and cross over the line to fight on the opposite side from his two brothers.

Some years back vandals toppled the statue off its pedestal and absconded with some of the broken parts. This incident was mentioned in The Texas Historical Commission’s publication, The Medallion, Sept/Oct 1993, p.3. The author of that Article states this Bushdale tombstone-monument is only one of three known memorials in the State dedicated to Union Veterans. Efforts for restoration are currently being undertaken in conjunction with the Daughters of the Union Veterans, Tent #1 (Texas).

Posted on the Bulletin Board at the Bushdale Cemetery by the Bushdale Cemetery Assoication.

Bushdale has had many interesting, respected and well-known citizens of Milam County. Not one of the least of these being Col. Herman Henniger. Colonel Henniger was a farmer and philanthropist that gave the 7-acres of land for the first Lutheran Church in the community. His enduring fame however comes from the life size statute of him in Federal Army uniform with the inscription recording he was a “late member of Co. B of the 12th Regiment of Illinois Cavalry.” [NOTE: According to an article in the Milam County Historical Commission Newsletter dated, Dec. 2001, vol. no. 4, - “... in 1974 the Historical Statue on Herman Henniger's grave was demolished.”]

[NOTE: A search of the IL State Archives Civil War Veteran Database resulted in the following information: HENNIGER, HERMAN - Recruit & Private - B 12 IL US CAV]

Excerpt from the article, Historical Marker for Bushdale by Charles Hubert, "The Legacy", published by the Milam County Genealogical Society, Rockdale, TX. Sept-Oct 1997

The Civil War statue was made by Frank Teich Granite Works in Llano, TX after Herman Henniger's death.

The letter dated June 28th, 1909, is from Frank Teich Granite Works in Llano, Texas.

The letter is addressed to Mr. Oswald. A. Henniger, Rockdale, Texas:
Dear Sir: We beg to acknowledge the receipt of the photo, including a picture of your father in the group, but while we would have much preferred a cabinet size photo, of your father alone, yet if you have none, we will try to make out with the one you sent. Hoping that you and your sister arrived home safely, we remain, Your very truly; Frank Teich

Per Ann Robinson, On the back of the company stationary there are photos of five monuments made by Frank Teich, which include a Confederate monument in Austin, two in Dallas & two in San Antonio.

Frank Teich was responsible for, or worked on, many monuments throughout Texas and other states, many of them Confederate monuments in the southern states. He completed the Confederate monument and the Fireman's monument on the capitol grounds at Austin, the Sam Houston monument in Houston, the Luther Memorial Church in Orange, the statue "Grief" over the grave of Will Scott Youree in the Scottsville cemetery near Marshall, a carved Italian marble altar in a Durango, Mexico, church, the Governor Pease monument in Austin, and two Confederate statues in Dallas. He did much work in the San Antonio area, including the Mahncke Memorial in Brackenridge Park and the altar in St. Mary's Church. He was the sculptor of the bronze statue of René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salleqv in Navasota and the monument to Abel (Shanghai) Pierceqv near Blessing, Texas. Teich was in an indirect way responsible for bringing the sculptor Pompeo Coppini to Texas. Frank Teich married Elvina Lang of San Antonio on October 12, 1887; they had three daughters. He died January 27, 1939, in Llano and was buried there. He has been called the father of the granite industry of Texas.