Historical Society of Helotes

10/05/2026

⭐ The Krueger-Steubing Connection ⭐

The late Lester Krueger once told me, “Everybody’s related around here. My great-grandfather and grandfather were brothers, if you can believe it.” While Helotes has several pioneer families that are interconnected, there are likely none whose ancestry is as complicated as the Krueger family that married into the Steubing clan. With the limited space I have, the focus will be on Albert Krueger (1879-1972) and wife Margarete Steubing (1882-1959), who were wed in 1902.

Albert was born in Solms, Texas, one of ten children of German immigrants Karl Krueger (1847-1929) and Karoline Feick (1854-1942). Margarete, eldest of seven children born to Carl “Charles” Steubing (1862-1952) and Sabina Reininger (1864-1944), was also born in Comal County near Solms. Margarete’s father Charles was the son of German immigrants Heinrich Steubing Sr (1832-1915) and Katherine Margarethe Wetz (1841-1872), and her mother Sabina was the daughter of German immigrants Johann Georg Reininger (1815-1889) and Christine Winterling (1833-1908).

In 1902, Charles purchased 822 hundred acres in northwest Bexar County near Leon Creek. His son-in-law, Albert Krueger, purchased 100 acres of this property from Steubing in 1908 for $1,500 and moved his family, now including three-year-old son Edmund. The couple had two more children: Sulima, born in 1909 (who married William Moos), followed by Milton in 1919 (who married Irene Millsaps).

Click the link below to read the rest of the article by HSH President Cynthia Massey on page 4 in the October 2026 issue of Helotes Highlights Newspaper

https://highlightspub.com/HH_10_26/HH_10_26.html

10/03/2026

Celebrate the life of Shirley Owen, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information care of SUNSET NORTHWEST FUNERAL HOME.

10/03/2026

Dear Members & Supporters,

Many of you knew our HSH former president, Shirley Owen. She served as president from 2008 to 2015. She passed away September 30th at age 85. See below for her upcoming service information.

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/san-antonio-tx/shirley-owen-13060486

Services at Sunset Northwest Funeral Home
6321 Bandera Road
San Antonio, TX

Visitation: Tuesday Oct 6 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Visitation: Wednesday Oct 7 11:00 am to 12:00 pm followed by the service.
Funeral Service: Wednesday Oct 7 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Graveside service at San Fernando Number Three.

Celebrate the life of Shirley Owen, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information care of SUNSET NORTHWEST FUNERAL HOME.

09/29/2026

⚠️ Fall Field Trip | HSH Members Only | 3 Reservations Left! ⚠️

Join the Historical Society of Helotes for our Fall Field Trip to Villa Finale Museum & Gardens in San Antonio’s beautiful King William Historic District on Saturday, October 24, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Please note that we have room for only three more reservations. Please email [email protected] to make sure the spots are still available. Once your reservation is confirmed, payment information will be provided.

Enjoy a guided tour of this beautifully restored 1876 Italianate home, once the residence of preservationist and collector Walter Nold Mathis. Villa Finale is filled with more than 12,000 pieces of fine and decorative art and reflects Mathis’ lasting commitment to historic preservation.

🎟️ HSH Members Only | $20 per person | Attendees will be responsible for their lunch.

After the tour, we’ll gather for lunch at Rosario’s in the King William/Southtown area. Lunch is optional and not included in the tour fee.

Carpooling information will be shared with attendees after reservations are complete.

09/21/2026

📖 Historical Crime Mystery, “Well of Deception” 📖

In the spring of 1958, breeder Maggie Schneider is shot and killed while feeding her prize-winning, White Holland turkeys on her farm in south central Texas. The search for her killer uncovers a troubled family history of insanity, accidental deaths, and suicides.

Inspired by true events, the award-winning novel by HSH President Cynthia Leal Massey (CLM Books) weaves an intricate tale that spans the decades from Prohibition and the Great Depression to the aftermath of World War II, and the crippling drought of the 1950s. This is not a whodunnit. The mystery here is more profound: Why did he do it?

To order your copy on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/00ez9KEn.

09/14/2026

🔔 Here's your reminder to stop by City of Helotes City Hall and explore a special piece of our community’s history! 🔔

The Historical Society of Helotes has installed its new exhibit, “Celebrating 60 Years of Preserving History,” in recognition of the Society’s 60th anniversary.

Founded in 1966 by residents committed to preserving the history and heritage of Helotes, the Society has spent six decades helping tell the stories of our community. From the Walking Tour Map of Old Town Helotes and interpretive signs at historic buildings to the digital archive of the “Helotes Echo,” the Society continues to ensure that Helotes’ history is preserved for future generations.

The exhibit shares the story of the Society, including the efforts of its early leaders, Lucy Perkins Brown and Wanda Terry, and the dedicated volunteers who have carried that mission forward over the years.

The exhibit will remain on display through February 2027, so be sure to stop by and take a look!

📍Helotes City Hall, 12951 Bandera Road

09/08/2026

Thank you to historian and author Jack Woodville London for joining the Historical Society of Helotes as the guest speaker at our September General Meeting!

Jack shared insights into his latest novel, “Dangerous Latitudes,” a Texas historical adventure set in the years following the fall of the Alamo. We appreciate him taking the time to speak with our members and guests, sharing his research, and bringing this fascinating chapter of Texas history to life.

Thank you as well to everyone who joined us for another informative and enjoyable Historical Society of Helotes meeting!

09/03/2026

⚠️ Meeting Deadline Reminder – Sunday, September 6 ⚠️

If you plan to attend our next General Meeting on Tuesday, September 8, please either order a box lunch at https://historicalsocietyofhelotes.org/meetings OR send an email to [email protected] to RSVP by Sunday, September 6.

Our guest speaker will be historian and award-winning author, Jack Woodville London. His presentation, “1842: Borders, Boundaries, and Revenge,” will focus on the historical background that led to his novel, “Dangerous Latitudes,” a sweeping adventure full of unforgettable Texas legends, such as Republic of Texas Presidents Mirabeau Lamar and Sam Houston, and the tragic story of a race to save 200 captured Texans who the Mexican army have marked for death.

This meeting is open to the public. Guests who do not order a meal are asked to donate $5 at the door.

09/02/2026

A proposition to create a half-cent sales tax for economic development in Helotes was put on a ballot in a special election and passed by voters on February 5, 2003. The city then created the Helotes Economic Development Corporation to administer the funds. James McKinney, manager and co-owner of John T. Floore Country Store, was named chairman of the new EDC board. Others on the new board were Lad Herold, Bill Wheeler Sr, Fred Burns, Ardie Garner, Gene Skillrud, and Bob Mander. With the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) already committed to putting a sewer line through Old Town, the EDC focused on water lines and downtown revitalization.

The EDC held several public hearings on downtown revitalization, asking for citizen and stakeholder input. As is usual in such public meetings, there were divergent opinions regarding what was needed. Some business owners wanted to create ordinances that would make new businesses in Old Town adhere to regulations that would preserve the area’s historic roots. Others didn’t want any restrictions, saying that such regulations would make it more difficult to sell their businesses. Still others questioned the need for a 12-inch water line (at that time all the businesses in Old Town relied on wells), wondering if such water service would entice “big-box developers.” One fed-up business owner said, “I need water. I want the streets fixed. I want the lighting. I’d appreciate it if you’d stop blocking it.” Fortunately, his plea was heard. The water line was approved as the first essential step in revitalization of the Old Town district.

Click here to read the rest of the article on page 4 in the September 2026 issue of Helotes Highlights Newspaper. https://highlightspub.com/HH_9_26/HH_9_26.html