The Mysterious Engine that Began Navasota Industry
by Russell Cushman
One of the most successful business dynasties of Navasota was consummated upon the union of Emma Horlock with Henry Schumacher in 1868. Having by then suffered the death of two wives and an infant
daughter as well as service with the Confederacy in the War Between the States, Henry’s union with Emma gave him the strength to begin anew. By 1871, the Schumacher enterprise had grown to a sash and door factory, a corn grist mill, a lumber planning mill, and a cotton gin. But events generated on the wharf of
war-torn Galveston were about to raise his enterprise to even greater heights.
Robert Horlock, the step-brother of Henry’s wife, had served as a cabin boy on a Confederate Blockade Runner during the war, then been relegated to helping his father’s shipping business in Galveston. It
was thus that he stumbled upon, in the Reconstruction days, a giant crate, somehow left on the wharf as “unclaimed freight”. In the crate was a huge steam engine capable of powering several factories. Robert
perceived his task to procure the crate before Federal Agents discovered it and send it to Navasota where it could power all of the Schumacher businesses.
This he did. One day the train arrived in Navasota with a mammoth load that took many oxen to pull it to the Schumacher plant, right where Brookshire Brothers stands today. Soon giant canvas belts ran from the engine in different directions, turning great iron wheels that churned out refined cotton, corn and lumber. By 1873, Robert Horlock and Henry Schumacher had established yet another factory to be powered by the engine. This
a cottonseed crusher rendering cottonseed oil sold for cooking oil and machine lubrication, including lubrication of the crusher itself. And the crushed cottonseed hulls could be baked and sold as cattle feed.
For his contribution to the cottonseed industry, in 1884 Henry Schumacher received an invitation to the White House as guest of honor of President Chester A. Arthur. Meanwhile, Schumacher’s partner and brother-in-law, Robert Horlock, continued to do well. In 1892, Robert built a house on Washington Avenue where he and his second wife raised eight children.
Today, this same Horlock House belongs to the City of Navasota. Docents are being trained there with hopes that the house might be open to the public again by Christmas.
Russell Cushman may be reached atRCush403@aol.com.
One of the most successful business dynasties of Navasota was consummated upon the union of Emma Horlock with Henry Schumacher in 1868. Having by then suffered the death of two wives and an infant
daughter as well as service with the Confederacy in the War Between the States, Henry’s union with Emma gave him the strength to begin anew. By 1871, the Schumacher enterprise had grown to a sash and door factory, a corn grist mill, a lumber planning mill, and a cotton gin. But events generated on the wharf of
war-torn Galveston were about to raise his enterprise to even greater heights.
Robert Horlock, the step-brother of Henry’s wife, had served as a cabin boy on a Confederate Blockade Runner during the war, then been relegated to helping his father’s shipping business in Galveston. It
was thus that he stumbled upon, in the Reconstruction days, a giant crate, somehow left on the wharf as “unclaimed freight”. In the crate was a huge steam engine capable of powering several factories. Robert
perceived his task to procure the crate before Federal Agents discovered it and send it to Navasota where it could power all of the Schumacher businesses.
This he did. One day the train arrived in Navasota with a mammoth load that took many oxen to pull it to the Schumacher plant, right where Brookshire Brothers stands today. Soon giant canvas belts ran from the engine in different directions, turning great iron wheels that churned out refined cotton, corn and lumber. By 1873, Robert Horlock and Henry Schumacher had established yet another factory to be powered by the engine. This
a cottonseed crusher rendering cottonseed oil sold for cooking oil and machine lubrication, including lubrication of the crusher itself. And the crushed cottonseed hulls could be baked and sold as cattle feed.
For his contribution to the cottonseed industry, in 1884 Henry Schumacher received an invitation to the White House as guest of honor of President Chester A. Arthur. Meanwhile, Schumacher’s partner and brother-in-law, Robert Horlock, continued to do well. In 1892, Robert built a house on Washington Avenue where he and his second wife raised eight children.
Today, this same Horlock House belongs to the City of Navasota. Docents are being trained there with hopes that the house might be open to the public again by Christmas.
Russell Cushman may be reached atRCush403@aol.com.