Interviewer’s: Belinda Guevara & Nohemi Degallido
Interviewee: Joe Castro

For many years Joe Castro has been a resident of Von Ormy. Throughout the years he has seen change occur in the economy, public schools, and population. He is originally from Kirby, Texas and part of the first Mexican American generation. His parents were immigrants from Durango, Mexico that came to Texas running from the Mexican Revolution in the 1920’s. We are so grateful to God to put Joe Castro in our way to help us by providing information and documents about the history of Von Ormy.

B.G & N.D - How long have you lived in Von Ormy?

J.C - I have lived in Von Ormy since I was 10 years old.

B.G & N.D - Do you have any type of information regarding how the town got it’s name?

J.C - The town was name after Austrian noble man Count Adolph Von Ormy who came with his wife and 200 servants. His intentions were to make a royal family, but his wife was unhappy so she went back to her original home and a year later Von Ormy disappeared. Know one has ever known what happen to him and his servants.

B.G & N.D- What information can you provide about the founding fathers and mothers of the town?

J.C - I know some of the first families that settled here in Von Ormy they are the Flores, Quintana’s, Herrera’s, Vara’s, and the Ruiz family. My wife’s grandparents were one of the first to have a car in Von Ormy. Vicente Vara and Margarita Quintana de Vara are my wife’s grandparents and the street Quintana Rd was name after them.

B.G & N.D - How did your family become a part of the Von Ormy community?

J.C.- My parents came from Durango, Mexico escaping the Mexican Revolution that occurred at the beginning of the nineteenth century. At this point in time in Mexico their land, cattle, and haciendas were taken away from the people involved in the Mexican Revolution. That is a main reason why people migrated to places like Von Ormy.

B.G & N.D - What type of job opportunities did the community of Von Ormy have at the beginning of the nineteenth century?

J.C - At the beginning of the nineteenth century most of the jobs available to the Von Ormy people were jobs such as farming, sharecropping, and in the railroads. During my educational years I struggled with my grandma about attending school instead of working in the fields. Her wishes for me was to be a sharecropper. When I went against her wishes, and attended high school she refused to feed me. My sisters would always give me food without her knowing. Even when I did go to school I still had to come home and work in the fields.

B.G & N.D - Where would the families go when the children or adults were sick?

J.C - Back then people did not go to hospitals when they were sick. Many found their cures in curanderas, mid wives, and from herbs. For example, there are no records of my birth because I was delivered by a mid wife. I tried looking for records of my birth, but I could not find any.

B.G. & N.D - What effects has technology had on the Von Ormy community?

J.C - When I was younger many of the families in Von Ormy always would visit each other’s houses to sit on the porch and talk about everything and anything. Now with the growth of technology that rarely is the case. People don’t have time to conversate with one another because of new technologies like the internet, cell phones, and cable.

B.G & N.D - How did the construction of the free way effect the style of life in Von Ormy?

J.C - Safety issues are the main effect of the highway. Their have been many 18-wheeler truck accidents in the highway that have barely miss the local businesses such as the restaurants, gas stations, and local stores.

B.G & N.D - What type of job opportunities are available to the current Von Ormy residents?

J.C.- Most of the people find jobs with the government such as the postal office, Kelly Air Force Base, or working for the Southwest School District. The types of jobs available in Von Ormy are in restaurants, gas stations, or farming, but now farming is rarely heard of.

B.G & N.D - What is the future job opportunities do you think the city of Von Ormy should look forward to?

J.C - Well, the job opportunities are looking bright for the community. With Toyota coming there are about 1500 new jobs opened and with the possibility for growth in employees through out the years. There is also going to be a new HEB in the area of Von Ormy that will also have new jobs for the local community.

B.G & N.D - Is there any local government or city hall in Von Ormy?

J.C - There is no local government or city hall in Von Ormy, but we do pay taxes to Bexar county.

B.G & N.D - Have you ever experienced racial discrimination in Von Ormy?

J.C - No, I have never been discriminated against except for one time in New Braunfels, Texas. We went to a track meet in San Marcos in April of 1957. On the way over there, we stopped to get breakfast in New Braunfels. Their was 12 people in the track team and three of us were Hispanic. As we sat in the counter, waiting for the waitress to ask for our orders she skipped me and my two friends. The other teammates were not aware what was happening. She brought a sign that said “we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone”, and she put it in front of me. Coach Williams came by and told the guys to order whatever they wanted. Then coach said whenever you get your orders don’t touch it, and when they brought it the coach yelled “let’s go”.

B.G & N.D - What are the historical landmarks of Von Ormy?

J.C - The three historical landmarks that are recognized by the Texas government are the Herrera Cemetery, Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Castle.

B.G & N.D - What does the current owner of the “Castle” intend to do with the historical landmark?

J.C - Currently the castle is under construction, and the owner Jay Warner has not yet decided if he should live in the house or sell it. He is not from Von Ormy, but he bought the land five years ago, so that he and his family could move from California. However, it did not work out because of the peacefulness in Von Ormy as opposed to the hustle and bustle of California. Another reason why Jay Warner decided to reconstruct the mansion is because of the water that was damaging the walls and roof when it rained. The future of what the castle will become remains on what the owner decides to do with it.

B.G & N.D - Since Herrera cemetery does not have an owner, who takes care of the cemetery?

J.C - Pedro Torres takes care of the cemetery, since most of the new generations of Von Ormy are not aware of the cemetery. He keeps up with the land and often searches to find the names of the people who are buried there. The Herrera cemetery was established in 1840 and was used for the first founding fathers in Von Ormy. Some of the most important people were buried at this cemetery such as Francisco Antonio Ruiz who had relatives who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence, and Blas Herrera who told the Alamo defenders about the Santa Anna’s approach.

B.G & N.D - What can you tell us about the church congregations in Von Ormy?

J.C - The majority of the community is Catholic, and my wife is the head coordinator of our local Catholic church called Sacred Heart of Jesus. We also have a Baptist church where other people in the community attend.

B.G & N.D - Is there any significant stories about Von Ormy?

J.C - In the year of 1943, at a cantina dance their was a 20-year-old boy who was acting very disruptive towards the women and others around the area. Then Genaro De Leon, who was suppose to be guarding the event started to approach the 20 year old. When he felt threaten because the father and brother came to the aid of the 20 year old he thought they were going to stab him. So in his defense he shot and killed all three of them. Later he was charged with murder.

B.G & N.D - Are you aware of any unusual events ever occurring in Von Ormy?

J.C - In the local land area where I live next to, you can hear noises that sound like a car. When you go outside expecting to see a car, and there is none. We call it the “phantom car”. Years ago, me and my buddy were driving and this guy asked us for a ride to his house so we gave him one. Then the next day my friend notice he left a book in his car so he dropped it off at the house. A lady answered the door, and he told her about dropping off a guy the day before and how he left his book in his car. The lady told him that was her sons book and he has been dead for two months.

B.G & N.D - Has there ever been any natural disasters that have occurred in Von Ormy?

J.C - It is not a flood area, but can get flooded in low line areas. For example, when it rained for eight hours in 1998 we got 17 inches of watert; however, it did not get flooded because most of the water went to the Medina river.

B.G. & N.D - Is there anything we have not asked you that you would like to share with us?

J.C - The younger generation that has grown up in Von Ormy tend to leave town to the city. Most of them leave to college, get married, and never return. Others come back, but are not happy anymore with style of life in Von Ormy. After the parents pass on, their property and history is lost because know one cares about it.

  Von Ormy, Texas

Through the years that Von Ormy has existed, residents have been a part of a town on the horizon. Since the late nineteenth century the town has grown. Information about the economy, population, and history of the town cannot only be found in libraries or in textbooks, but from the residents themselves. Many of the town’s current population are proud of the town’s history and how they have been able to survive the growth of San Antonio.

Founding Fathers: This town originated after the and of the Civil War and was formally known as Medina Crossing. When the post office was created in 1879 it was referred to as Mann’s Crossing after the family who managed the ferry. Enoch Jones who was an entrepreneur and resident of Medina Crossing in the late nineteenth century had a vision to build a mansion in the town. The mansion would consist of fourteen bedrooms, a fire place in each room, and plumbing running through the house. It has been said by many residents that this was the first house to have a shower bath, toilet, or any other kind of plumbing. As a result of the Civil War it took approximately six years to construct the mansion because of the shortage in materials. Unfortunately, Enoch Jones never saw his vision of the mansion completed. He died in 1863 and his family moved into the house once it was completed. The family was known around town for being very generous to others in the community and for hosting social events. It was at these social events that Austrian nobleman Count Von Ormy “fell in love with the house”. (Paula Allen San Antonio Express News) In 1885 Von Ormy made an offer to buy the house from Jones' widow for $19,000. Back then buying a house for $19,000 was unheard of. Count Von Ormy wanted to establish a royal court in the mansion and brought 20 servants and his wife to the mansion. Von Ormy purchased a 2,300 acre tract partly because of the close proximity it was from the mansion. (Christopher Long) After a year of living in the small town Countess Von Ormy returned to Europe.

Many have said that she never grew accustomed to life in a small town and preferred the city. What occurred next has become a mystery. Count Adolph Von Ormy mysteriously disappeared after his wife returned to Europe.

Medina Crossing, in 1886, was changed to Von Ormy, Texas to pay tribute to the Austrian nobleman. (Christopher Long) Count Von Ormy reappeared for the last time on the pages of the San Antonio Express News talking about the business opportunities now available in Mexico. (Paula Allen San Antonio Express News) In Mexico he owned a couple of haciendas, but it is not known if he lost the haciendas during the Mexican Revolution. His son Norberto later wrote from Brazil, to the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce to find out information about the house he grew up in as a young boy. (Paula Allen San Antonio Express News) Over the years, the owners of the mansion and property have changed constantly. Currently the house known as “The Castle” is under remodeling and the owner intends to move in the house or sell it. The Castle has withstood the test of time and has become a landmark in Von Ormy.

Economy: At the beginning of the twentieth century Von Ormy, Texas consisted of 350 residents, had two grocery stores, one cotton gin, and a local convenience store.(Christopher Long) Since then the town has expanded much more and looks to have a great future in businesses around the community. There are still residents who own ranches and farms, but the income from farming is not a great amount. A possible reason for shortage of farmers in Von Ormy, Texas is most of the younger generation living in the small town no longer want to farm for income. Many of them choose to leave Von Ormy and head to the city where there are more opportunities in jobs, schools, and houses. Some of the jobs available in Von Ormy are working for the postal office, the local gas stations, restaurants, and working for the school district. With Toyota coming to San Antonio the economy of Von Ormy looks to be in great shape for expansion.

Education: For most children who live in Von Ormy their education will be either in the Southwest School District or Somerset School District. Education is started from pre-kinder through 12th grade and many of the schools have extracurricular activities for the children to get involved with. Some of the activities are football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, and countless other activities designed to better the children’s involvement with social activity.

Historical Landmarks: Von Ormy, Texas has several historical landmarks that can provide some information about the town’s historical past. The Herrera Cemetery was established in the 1840’s for families of Von Ormy and is still used by families of the first settlers of the town. A number of men who were buried in the cemetery were important to the history of Texas. They are Francisco Antonio Ruiz and Blas Herrera. Francisco Antonio Ruiz was the mayor in 1836 who had a father and cousin who signed the Declaration of Independence. Blas Herrera notified the Alamo defenders to Santa Anna’s Approach. (Texas Landmark) Most of the younger generation is unaware of the existence of Herrera Cemetery because most families bury their loved ones in the city. There are no owners of the cemetery and when a loved one dies the family usually digs the hole or hires someone to do it. In some cases families find bones in the hole and were unaware that it was a resting place already for someone else because there was no stone or marker. Many times graves that don’t have a stone go unknown and the reason is when it rains it washes the marker away. The site of the cemetery has always been prone to flooding. The Castle is also a historical landmark in Von Ormy, Texas because of the history with the Austrian Nobleman Count Adolph Von Ormy.

Religion: Most of the population of Von Ormy are Catholic and attend Sacred Heart of Jesus. The church was started on June 9 1935 and was later torn down in 1955 because of the construction of Highway 35. When the original church was built it was made up of stone that was lugged by horses from the Medina. Now the congregation has a statue of Jesus and history information of the church located where the old church once stood.

Unusual Events: In 1943 a father and son were shot to death by a sheriff who claims that they pursued him with a knife and he felt that his life was in danger. Not only did he murder the father and son, but shot the other son and the sheriff was charged with attempted murder as well. The sons were accused of acting out of control and were drunk at the time of the accident. The sheriff was later charged with attempted murder and also the murder of the father and son. This is unusual because in the small town rarely are there any murders or shots aimed at someone. Von Ormy community was shaken a bit at the time of the accident, but residents were reminded of the fact that murder can happen anywhere as long as there is evil in the world.

Technological Change, Race, & Immigration: Most of the residents in Von Ormy are Hispanic and have lived in the town for a long time. Many of the Hispanics have come from Mexico in search for a better life here in America. In the early nineteenth century there was increase of Hispanics in Von Ormy because of the Mexican Revolution that was occurring in Mexico and many of the citizens were migrating to America because everything was taken away from them. There was no reason for them to stay in Mexico anymore. Technological change can alter the lives of many people. Back then riding horses was a way of transportation and today there are cars, trucks, SUV’s, motorcycles, and bikes that take people to their destinations faster. The highway that was built in Von Ormy changed the economy and allowed 18-wheelers to be a part of the everyday commute in the town. It used to take a family from Von Ormy a whole day to travel to downtown San Antonio and now it takes only 10 to 15 minutes to get downtown. A funeral used to cost the average family in Von Ormy about $40 and now a funeral ranges in the thousands. Property taxes were only about $5-$10 in the early nineteenth century, which is unheard of today. Although most of the families still do their own plumbing for their houses.

Von Ormy, Texas may have changed in technology, economical opportunities, and in population, but the heart and pride of a small town resident never changes.

Handbook of Texas

How can I go to Von Ormy,Texas

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Forbes, Bart. Texas Almanac 2004-2005. Texas: The Dallas Morning News, 2004. Pg. 146, 147,373.

The Texas Almanac book provided information about the recent population of Von Ormy, Texas. Other than the information about the population the book was not useful in providing information about the town’s history.

Long, Christopher. Von Ormy, Texas. The New Hand Book of Texas. Ron Tyler, Douglas E. Barnett, Roy R. Barkley, Penelope C. Anderson, Mark F. Odintz. Volume 6. Texas State Historical Association: 1996. Pg. 773. This resource could be useful to learn more about the history of Von Ormy. What was great about this source is it provided information of how the town was named, where it is located, when it was established, and the estimated population of the town. Students or residents may find this handbook useful for doing research papers or to inform others of how the town got started.

Joe Castro – resident of Von Ormy, Texas. Mr. Castro can be a great resource for anyone wishing to know information about Von Ormy, Texas. He provided information about the 1st settlers of the town, hundred year old documents, and the economy. He also gave his opinion of what he thinks the future is for Von Ormy, Texas. The information Mr. Castro provided can help anyone write a paper on Von Ormy or do an oral presentation about the town’s history.

“State and Metro”. San Antonio Express News Pg.08 B(2005). Current information of obituary information regarding Von Ormy residents.

“State and Metro. “San Antonio Express News Pg. 04B (2005) Information of Von Ormy residents who have passed on.

Vasquez, Crystal “Tough disabled Garcia became activeist , social worker.” San Antonio Express News (MAy 24, 2005) About a Von Ormy resident fighting against all odds and winning.

“State and Metro” San Antonio Express News Pg 01k (2005) Obituary information of Von Ormy residents.