Willow Springs

Zapp [Willow Springs] is situated about seven miles north of Fayetteville in the extreme eastern portion of the county on Willow Spring. A more pleasing landscape can hardly be found in the state. The elegant white painted farmhouses, the substantial large barns, in the midst of verdant fields, speak of the industry of its people. The people are well-to-do, independent and contented. They enjoy life, being well fixed against any contingencies. The population is German and Bohemian. The place was named after C. T. Zapp, who was the first postmaster in that place (1881.) [This is incorrect. See note 1 below.] Zapp is also called Willow Springs, after the school by that name, which for the last few years has been under the able direction of a thorough and conscientious teacher, Prof. Wm. Haverlah.

C. F. Garlin, a very accommodating gentleman, is the present postmaster and merchant of that place. His reliability and congenial ways deserve the custom of the neighborhood. Ad. Weige is a young blacksmith at that place, a skillful workman and a good honest man. L. C. Muenzler owns a very fine gin, does very good work in his line and satisfies his customers. [Each of the preceding bought advertisements in Lotto's book.]

Zapp is a very old settlement. It was settled early in the thirties and as early as 1839 it is spoken of in the minutes of the commissioners' court as the German settlement. Old settlers are F. Garlin, Ad. Schulz, Wm. Krebs, Gerh. Heinsohn, Wm. Weidemann, F. Scharnberg, Mrs. Johanna Heinsohn (age 96 years)[see note 2], Julius Krebs. Among the old settlers who have passed from life and gone to whence there is no return Carl Albrecht, A. Muenzler, F. Pagel, Christian Henniger may be named.

Notes:

[1] Willow Springs' first postmaster was actually Friedrich "Wilhelm" Pagel who held that position from 1871 until 1873 when he died. During that period the community was known as Rock House Post Office or just Rockhouse after Wm. Pagel's home which was built of plastered-over rock. Ernst Witte, who lived across the county line in Austin County, became the Rockhouse postmaster after Pagel's death. That community in Austin County is still known as "Rockhouse" today.

In 1881 Charles T. Zapp, who lived directly across the road from where Pagel lived, became postmaster with the post office at his general store. The old Rockhouse community in Fayette County became known as Zapp Post Office or Zapp.

Charles F. Garlin was postmaster between 1892 and 1903, then the job went back to Charlie Zapp. The Zapp post office was discontinued on November 30,1906 and the Willow Springs community has been served by the Fayetteville post office since that time.

[2] There was never a Johanna Heinsohn living in the Willow Springs area. The only older Heinsohn woman living in the vicinity was Sophie Fehrenkamp Heinsohn, but she was only sixty-four at the time. Lotto might possibly have been referring to Johanna Pagel who was ninety-two the year his book was published.

– Rox Ann Johnson

The Willow Springs School

From the Day Book of Hermann John Meitzen, who taught at the Willow Springs School, we know that school was conducted there in November 1875. There was an entry for November 4th where "F. Scharburg, F. Garlin, and W. Weidermann arrived to complete the school's water well." We know that church services were held in the school house on Sunday, November 7, beginning at 3 o'clock, and again on Sunday January 2, 1876, when Clara Braüer and Friedrich Kruse were married after the service.

On Sunday, January 9th of that year, a meeting was held at the school with only a few members present, but the group decided to fence the school property. On January 13, "F. Scharnberg, F. Garlin, A. Münzler, H. Glass, F. Bülow, F. Riske and others arrived to fence in the property. The task progressed well because four men dug holes and the others set the posts and nailed the boards." Meitzen conducted class as usual. The fence was completed two days later, though Meitzen did further work on it later in the month. On January 17, Meitzen went to Mr. Ladewig's and picked up small trees which he planted in the school yard. He remarked that on January 25, 1876, a large number of Bohemian children enrolled at school. On Tuesday, February 15, 1876, there was no school because of the election in the school house where local men voted on all offices from governor down to constable. The diary ended on February 23 of that year.

	Willow Springs School, 1890s Teacher may be Ernst Theodore Heinsohn. Click on photo for enlarged view. If you can identify anyone in this photograph or the school photos below, please e-mail Rox Ann Johnson.
	Willow Springs School, ca 1895 Ernst Theodore Heinsohn, with moustache, teacher at Willow Springs from 1889-1898. Right of him is Ernst Albrecht, school trustee. Man in back on far right is L. C. Muenzler. Werner & Theodore Zapp are farthest left on the front row. Click on photo for enlarged view.
	Willow Springs School, ca 1899 The male teacher was Henry Dreyer, teacher from 1898-1900. The female teacher is probably Nora or Arminda Simmons. If you can identify anyone in this photograph or any of the school photos, please e-mail Rox Ann Johnson. Click on photo for enlarged view.
	Willow Springs School, 1902 A few students have been tentatively identified by Rox Ann Johnson and Laura Campagna: Back Row: 4th from Left (tallest boy) is Theodore (Pelly) Zapp Third Row: Teacher 4th from left is Ida Heinsohn; 2nd from right, Ida Kruse; far right, Ella Pagel Second Row: 4th from left, Lola Pagel; 2nd from right, Sophie Minnie Kruse; far right, Lillie Albrecht Bottom Row: Far right, Oscar Albrecht Other Willow Springs students who are probably on the photo include Norma Henniger, Erna Henniger, Laura Henniger, Reimund Henniger, Bennie Kruse, Mary Kruse, Frank Pagel, Leo Pagel, Willie Pagel, Werner Zapp, and Bernetta Zapp. Photo contributed by Laura Campagna. Click on photo for enlarged view.
	Willow Springs School, ca 1908 Teacher at center is Charlie Behrens. Olga Heinsohn is third from right on the top row. Do you recognize others? Click on photo for enlarged view.
	Willow Springs School, ca 1910 Back row: Professor Charlie Behrens, back row Third row: 2nd from right is Olga Heinsohn Click on photo for enlarged view.
See Willow Springs School, ca 1912
	Willow Springs School, ca 1935 Back Row: Roxy Krebs; Gladys Rodgers, Cornelia __, ___, Marie Marek, ___, ___, __ Coufal, Julie Kulhanek, ___, Doris Malek, Ora Albert, ___, Anastina Aschenbeck Third Row: Teacher at left is W. E. Rodgers; next are Ted Heinsohn, Gilbert Rodgers, ___, Albert Aschenbeck, Steve Kasmiersky, Wilkens Krebs, Leopold Kulhanek, Alvin Minarcik, Alvin (or Leroy) Krenek; teachers at right are B. J. Coufal and Bernita Muenzler. Second Row: ___, Dorothy Minarcik, Alita Henniger (or __ Rodgers), Adeline Coufal, Annie Mae Kasmiersky, ___, ___, Bernice Eckermann, ___, ___, Evelyn Ann Minarcik, Gladys Schultz, ___, Pearly Kruse, ___, Anita Marek Bottom Row: Berny Dalton Hartmann, Delton Linke, Jerry Coufal, Emmett Coufal, Frank Marek (behind the sign), Warren Albrecht, ___, Alton "Mutsy" Zenkner, ___, ___, ___ Click on photo for enlarged view. All school photographs on this page except 1902 Willow Springs School contributed by Rox Ann Albrecht Johnson.

 

Teachers at the Willow Spring School
Herman Meitzen	1875-1884	W. E. Rodgers	1918-1928/1935-1936
Fred Plate	1884-1885, 1887-1888	Miss P. M. Satterfield	1919-1921
C. A. Hill	1889	Mrs. Virginia Chase	1921-1922
Ernst Theodore Heinsohn	1889-1898	Miss Elvie Rodgers	1927-1928
Katie Wolters	1894-1895	Benjamin J. Coufal	1935-1940
Nora Simmons	1895-1898	Myrtle Lee Darden	1935-1944
Henry Dreyer	1898-1901	Bernita L. Muenzler	1935-1940
Arminda Simmons	1899	Gus Steinmann	1938-1940
Laura Scharnberg	1899-1900	Robert Banik	1941-1942
M. Gerstmann	1900-1901	W. Lee Yantis	1941-1942
D. Haverlah	1900-1902	Mrs. Alice Yantis	1941-1942
F. M. Banks	1902-1908	Raymond Miller	1942-1944
Ida Heinsohn	1902-1903	Geraldine Mittanck	1942-1943
Tom Banks	1904-1906	Irene Weiershausen	1942-1943
Ned Bankds	1906-1907	Martha Graeter	1943-1944
F. M. Rauch	1908-1909	Ruby Moeller	1943-1944
Charles Behrens	1909-1918

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