Published in The Garland News in 1980 as part of a series by Betty Roberts

THE BECHTOL FAMILY

The generation of Bechtols growing up in Garland are the sixth generation of the family to live here.

The first Bechtol to arrive in the Garland area was Daniel.  Daniel, the son of Lewis Bechtol from Virginia, was born and raised in Maryland.  He was the eleventh of twelve children born to Lewis and Catherine Bechtol.

Daniel was married in 1846 to Mahala Siser in Maryland.  They lived there on the family homestead until 1874 when they moved to Texas.  Mr. Bechtol bought 310 acres of land near Duck Creek.

Mahala Bechtol died October 25, 1875, within a year after arriving in Texas.  Mr. Bechtol married again to Elizabeth Babington November 27, 1877.

Mahala and Daniel were the parents of seven children.  Four of their children came to Texas.  One daughter married L. M. T. Flook.  Three sons settled in Dallas County.  Daniel died within a few years.  Edward C. became a doctor in Grapevine.

The  third son Charles E. settled along Duck Creek in the same area as his father.  Charles was born near Middletown, Maryland, April 18, 1862, and came to Texas in 1876.

Charles was married to Miss Sarah Ann Landers on November 1, 1883.  The Landers family had moved to the area in 1877.  Charles and Sarah were the parents of two children, Annie who died at age four, and Elmer.

Charles E Bechtol died March 31, 1912.  The Garland News wrote of the death: “An unexpected cloud of gloom was cast over our town and community Sunday March 31 when C. E. Bechtol, one of our most estimable citizens was summoned from his earthly habitation to his mansion in the eternal city of God.”  Mrs. Bechtol died in 1940.

Elmer, the only child of Charles and Sarah inherited the Bechtol farm.  Some of the farm is now part of Garland.  The area goes from Avenue G and Ninth to the south almost to the National Guard Armory.

Elmer operated on the first passenger bus services, a jitney line, between Garland and Dallas.  He also went into the trucking business.

Elmer was married to Eva Wallace, a member of a pioneer family from Virginia.  When he died in 1948, he was survived by his wife and all eight children.  Since then, one son was killed in a car accident.  Mrs. Bechtol died in 1972.

Of the remaining children, three still live on Avenue G, a part of the original farm.

The old Bechtol home was located on the corner of Avenue G and Tenth Street.  The house, known to be at least 84 years old, was torn down about four years ago.