Nicholas Bluntzer: Alsace to South Texas Ranching Pioneer

Nicholas Bluntzer was just 9 years old when he left his native Alsace, in France, to start a new life in Texas with his family and other Alsatian settlers led by Henri Castro. They made their home along Coleto Creek in DeWitt County, in the area that would later become Meyersville.

Bluntzer’s early years in Texas were marked by adventure and service. In 1856-57, he worked as a scout in a punitive expedition against Comanche Indians in West Texas under Col. Robert E. Lee. He married Justina Peters in 1858, and during the Civil War, he served in the Confederate Army, taking part in the final battle at Palmito Ranch in May 1865.

After the war, Bluntzer turned his attention to ranching and land. He acquired large tracts in Nueces and other counties and invested in Corpus Christi real estate. In the 1890s, he launched a sizable cotton operation near what would become the community of Bluntzer. By the time of his death in 1901, he had left a lasting mark on South Texas agriculture and ranching.

The Bluntzer family home stayed in the family until 1961, when it was donated to the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament. In recognition of his contributions, Nicholas Bluntzer was posthumously inducted into the South Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1967.

From young Alsatian immigrant to South Texas ranching pioneer, Bluntzer’s story is a vivid thread in the tapestry of Texas history.