Audrey's Ancestors
Audrey now lies in Boerne Cemetery among hundreds of her relatives and ancestors. Among them are at least fourteen grandparents in her direct line laid to rest in this hallowed ground, welcoming her with open arms. These people, whose names and lives came long before hers, are forever intertwined with her story. From strong pioneer women who bore many children and wore many hats, to men who fought in wars from the American Revolution to Vietnam, to judges, politicians, craftsmen, laborers, and farmers, this line carries lives of duty, endurance, hardship, adventure, sacrifice, and above all, fortitude.
Some branches reach far beyond Texas, into families hailing from Germany, England, Mexico, and China, with older roots tracing back to European nobility. Around her are Wendlers, Luckenbachs, Toepperweins, Adams, Bergmanns, and other direct ancestors whose roots run deep through the Texas Hill Country, into the founding of towns and settlements, the hardships and dangers of a wild frontier, and the long memory of Texas itself. These names still live on in blood, song, and soil. She is now a part of that story; it is our job to tell it. Words alone could never do this story justice, but this feels like a good start.
Family Tree
This family tree begins with Audrey and expands outward and upward through the Wendler, Oliver, Richardson, Luckenbach, Toepperwein, and related lines, reaching back centuries through each branch. Like all family trees, it can be messy, and beyond a point there is always some risk of error. We wish to preserve that messiness to honor the reality of these lives and stories, while rigorously investigating our bloodlines and reconciling oral tradition with genealogical truth, civil and religious records, and other primary sources. Through certain lines, in particular the older Anglo branches, the records stretch back into the American Revolutionary era and the British Colonies. In some cases they reach even further, into medieval England and antiquity. The tree also includes photographs, short biographies, and other details where available through the pop-out book feature.
Pioneer Families
Some of Audrey's ancestors were among the early families who settled the Hill Country frontier, building lives in Fredericksburg, Luckenbach, Boerne, and elsewhere under hardship, uncertainty, and adventure. Their stories include persistence, public service, war, faith, survival, and the dangers of a wild frontier. Other branches came from far beyond Texas and carried histories shaped by upheaval, displacement, and loss. Together, those histories meet here. This family history also reaches into places that still carry its names. These are not just distant names in old records. They are part of Audrey's family.
Additional notes on the Wendler line will appear here as this section continues to grow. More stories, records, and family connections are still being gathered and reconciled.
Additional notes on the Oliver line will appear here as this section develops. This branch will eventually include more records, context, and stories from the maternal side of Audrey's family.
Jacob Luckenbach, Audrey's Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather, was born in Germany in 1817 and arrived in Texas in 1845, sailing on the Johann Dethardt as part of the Adelsverein, a society of German nobility that promised free land and passage to the frontier. His family was among the very first settlers of Fredericksburg, where he was allocated a town lot and ten acres southwest of town. By 1852 he had moved twelve miles southeast to land that would carry his family's name: Luckenbach was established there in 1849. A veteran of the Texas War of Independence, the fight to separate the Republic from Mexico, he helped create Gillespie County and served as county commissioner and school supervisor. He served in the Civil War's Home Guard under Captain Engelbert Krauskopf. He lived to ninety-three, and is buried in Boerne Cemetery alongside his wife Justina.
Some of the more documented lines in little Audrey's tree appear to stretch back deep into history through the Old World - from the colonial era to the Middle Ages and, in some cases, beyond into antiquity - with a speculative royal pedigree that includes kings and queens, ladies and lords, knights, and noblemen. Some skepticism may not be entirely unwarranted; even so, we always knew baby Audrey was a princess. She let us know too. Heavy is the head that wears the bows and binkies.
Interactive Tree
This web app, along with the other interactive pages on Audrey's website, is still in active development and was coded from scratch in vanilla JavaScript. If you experience a bug or have any feedback, please let us know so we can fix it.