{{Short description|American politician (1887–1981)}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Alfred P.C. Petsch | honorific_suffix = | image = | alt = | title = Member of the Texas House of Representatives for Texas's 85th House of Representatives district | term_start = 1935 | term_end = 1941 | predecessor = Bodo Holekamp | successor = Lawrence L. Bruhl | title2 = Member of the Texas House of Representatives for Texas's 85th House of Representatives district | term_start2 = 1925 | term_end2 = 1933 | predecessor2 = Samuel Ealy Johnson, Jr. | successor2 = Bodo Holekamp | birth_date = {{Birth date |1887|08|16|mf=y}} | birth_place = Luckenbach, Texas | death_date = {{death date and age |1981|11|28|1887|08|16|mf=y}} | death_place = Fredericksburg, Texas | resting_place = Greenwood Cemetery | spouse = Myra Slator | party = Democratic | relations = | children = Two | alma_mater = Texas State University-San Marcos<br>University of Texas School of Law | occupation = | profession = | footnotes = | branch = United States Army | battles = World War I<br> World War II | rank = Lieutenant Colonel }}
'''Alfred P. C. Petsch''' (1887–1981) was a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives for the 85th District of Fredericksburg and Gillespie County. He was a retired lieutenant colonel who saw service in both World War I and World War II. Petsch was also an educator, a lawyer, a civic leader and a philanthropist.
==Early years==
Alfred Petsch was born on August 16, 1887, in Luckenbach, Texas, to Joe F. and Ida (Baag) Petsch. As was the custom among Germans of the Texas Hill Country of that era, Petsch grew up speaking only Texas German, and did not learn English until he attended college outside the community.<ref name="Alfred P.C. Petsch"/>
==Education and early career==
Petsch graduated in 1906 from Southwest Texas State Normal School in San Marcos.<ref>{{cite web|title=San Marcos Campus|url=http://www.txstate.edu/about/index.html|publisher=Texas State University|accessdate=5 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140212143933/http://www.txstate.edu/about/index.html|archive-date=12 February 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Petsch worked as a school teacher to fund his education. From 1906 to 1907, and the fall semester of 1908, Petsch attended the University of Texas, graduating from University of Texas School of Law in 1910 and passing the State Bar of Texas exam that same year. In 1934, Petsch was licensed to practice before the United States Supreme Court.<ref name="Alfred P.C. Petsch">{{cite web|last=Watkins|first=Melanie|title=Alfred P.C. Petsch|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fpe63 |work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|accessdate=5 December 2010}}</ref>
Petsch opened his first law office in Fredericksburg on January 1, 1911.<ref name="Alfred P.C. Petsch"/>
==Military service==
Petsch was commissioned a second lieutenant during World War I on May 26, 1917. He served at Camp Funston, at Camp Travis (later absorbed by Fort Sam Houston),<ref>{{cite web|last=White|first=Lonnie J|title=Camp Travis, Texas|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qbc28|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|accessdate=5 December 2010}}</ref> and at Camp Grant in Rockford, Illinois, where he was discharged on December 3, 1918, with the rank of major of infantry. In 1919 he received an appointment as major in the Infantry Reserve. During World War II, Lieutenant Colonel Petsch served at Camp Bullis (1942–43), the Hereford Internment Camp<ref>{{cite web|last=Henegar|first=Lucielle|title=Hereford Military Reservation and Reception Center|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/quh01|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|accessdate=5 December 2010}}</ref> (1943), and Camp Joseph T. Robinson, North Little Rock, Arkansas (1943–45).<ref name="Alfred P.C. Petsch"/>
==Legislative career==
Petsch was appointed Gillespie County Attorney, March 1911.<ref name="Alfred P.C. Petsch"/>
He was a Democrat, 85th District, Fredericksburg, Gillespie County, elected in 1924 to the Texas House of Representatives, succeeding Samuel Ealy Johnson, Jr. He was reelected in subsequent terms until 1933. Petch was again elected in 1935, serving until 1941.<ref>{{cite book|last=Brown|first=Norman D|title=Hood, Bonnet, and Little Brown Jug: Texas Politics, 1921–1928|year=1984|publisher=TAMU Press|isbn=978-0-89096-157-5|pages=292, 301}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Caro|first=Robert A.|authorlink=Robert Caro|title=The Path to Power (The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume 1)|year=1990|publisher=Vintage|isbn=978-0-679-72945-7|page=93}}</ref>
===Committee assignments for Representative Alfred P.C. Petsch=== Source: [http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=1708&leg=44&from=sessionList Legislative Reference Library of Texas]
{| |'''39th R.S. – 1925''' (Jan 13, 1925 – Jan 11, 1927) *Criminal Jurisprudence *Game and Fisheries (chair) *Highways and Motor Traffic *Judiciary *State Departments, Investigate |} {| |'''40th R.S. – 1927''' (Jan 11, 1927 – Jan 8, 1929) *Appropriations *Bribery Charges Against Representatives Dale and Moore, Investigation, Special *Criminal Jurisprudence (chair) *Game and Fisheries *Highways and Motor Traffic |} {| |'''41st R.S. – 1929''' (Jan 8, 1929 – Jan 13, 1931) *Congressional Districts *Criminal Jurisprudence *Erection of State Highway Building, Investigate *Game and Fisheries *General Land Office Investigation *Highways and Motor Traffic *Military Affairs *Oil and Gas Leases, Investigate |} {| |'''42nd R.S. – 1931''' (Jan 13, 1931 – Jan 10, 1933) *Criminal Jurisprudence (chair) *Game and Fisheries *Highways and Motor Traffic *Military Affairs *Mineral Resources in River Beds, Investigate *Moody Chair Purchase, Investigate |} {| |'''44th R.S. – 1935''' (Jan 8, 1935 – Jan 12, 1937) *Common Carriers *Criminal Jurisprudence *House Bill 8 Irregularities, Special (chair) *Live Stock and Stock Raising *Public Health *State Departments and Permanent School Fund, Special |} {| |'''45th R.S. – 1937''' (Jan 12, 1937 – Jan 10, 1939) *Common Carriers *Constitutional Amendments *Criminal Jurisprudence *Crude Oil Prices, Special *Department of Education *Expenditures of Rural Aid Appropriations, Special *Judiciary *Liquor Traffic *Rules (chair) |} {| |'''46th R.S. – 1939''' (Jan 10, 1939 – Jan 14, 1941) *Constitutional Amendments *Criminal Jurisprudence *Insurance Rates *Investment of Permanent School Fund for State Building, Special *Liquor Traffic *Military Affairs (chair) *Revenue and Taxation |}
==Newspaper==
In 1915, the ''Fredericksburg Standard'' was purchased by the Fredericksburg Publishing Company, which also published the German language newspaper ''Fredericksburg Wochenblatt''.<ref>https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86089875/ perhaps "Frederikcburger Wochenblatt"</ref> Petsch was a founding member and director of the publishing company, as well as a contributor of a weekly newspaper column titled ''We Believe''.<ref name="Gillespie County">{{cite web|last=Kohout|first=Martin Donell|title=Gillespie County|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcg04|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|accessdate=5 December 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101221160733/http://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcg04| archivedate= 21 December 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Fredericksburg Standard |url=http://www.fredericksburgstandard.com/about_us/ |work=About Us |publisher=Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post |accessdate=5 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090606220656/http://www.fredericksburgstandard.com/about_us/ |archivedate=6 June 2009 }}</ref>
==Civic participation==
As a member of the Fredericksburg Progressive Business League, he worked in 1913 to bring a railroad<ref>{{cite web|last=Eckhardt|first=C F |title=The Little Engine That Couldn't|url=http://www.texasescapes.com/CFEckhardt/Fredericksburg-&-Northern-Railroad-Little-Engine-That-Couldnt.htm|work=Charley Eckhardt's Texas|publisher=Texas Escapes – Blueprints For Travel, LLC|accessdate=5 December 2010}}</ref> to Fredericksburg. Petsch served on the Fredericksburg school board, and was president of the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce 1923–24. He helped reorganize the Gillespie County Fair Association<ref>{{cite web|title=Gillespie County Fair |url=http://www.gillespiefair.com/aboutus.htm |publisher=Huey Productions |accessdate=5 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117170056/http://www.gillespiefair.com/aboutus.htm |archivedate=17 January 2010 }}</ref> in 1922. Petsch was one of the organizers of the Hill Country Bar Association.<ref name="Alfred P.C. Petsch"/>
After Citizens Bank and Bank of Fredericksburg closed their doors in 1932 during the Great Depression, a committee was formed to organize a new bank to serve the needs of the community. Petch served on the organizing committee, along with H.H. Sagebiel, E.H. Riley, H.A. Ries, W.H. Schaefer, Eric Juenke, Edward Stein, W.J. Schroeder, John W. Metzger, and M.L. Bogisch. The new bank opened its doors as Fredericksburg National Bank on April 6, 1932. Petsch served on the board of directors from its founding, as chairman of the board from 1969 to 1979, and as the bank's attorney.<ref>{{cite news|title=Born in the Depression Year of 1932|newspaper=The Harper Herald|date=24 February 1984}}</ref>
Petsch, a friend of Lyndon Johnson and his wife Lady Bird Johnson, was a major financial contributor to Lady Bird Johnson Park.<ref>{{cite news|title=Huge Crowd Attended Opening of City's New Municipal Park Last Sunday|newspaper=The Harper Herald|date=23 May 1969}}</ref> He helped to organize the Hill Country Memorial Hospital and served on its board of directors during planning and construction.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hospital Site Praised by State Dept and Architects|newspaper=The Harper Herald|date=26 April 1968}}</ref> He was also a contributing force to the development of the Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Naval Museum.<ref name="Alfred P.C. Petsch"/>
Colonel and Mrs. Petsch were influential members of many local civic organizations, such as the non-profit Hill Country Student Help scholarship entity, the Community Chest, and the local 4-H youth organization. They were made honorary lifetime members of the Parent-Teacher Association in 1968. On September 28, 1969, Fredericksburg celebrated Alfred and Myra Petsch Day. The Alfred and Myra Petsch Appreciation Dinner, which drew 500 people at $2.50 a ticket, was held at the Fair Park Exhibition Hall. President and Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson shared the head table with the Petsches.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fredericksburg Pays Tribute to a Distinguished Couple|newspaper=The Harper Herald|date=19 September 1969}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ticket Deadline for Alfred and Myra Petsch|newspaper=The Harper Herald|date=3 October 1969}}</ref>
==Personal life and death==
Alfred Petsch married Myra Slator on May 3, 1918, at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in San Antonio. The couple had two children.
He retired from his law practice in 1980 and died on November 28, 1981, in Fredericksburg. He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery.<ref name="Alfred P.C. Petsch"/>
==Memberships==
*Order of the Eastern Star *Alfazar Temple of the Mystic Shrine, San Antonio (founding member)<ref>{{cite web|title=Founding and Charter Members of Alzafar Temple October–December 1916|url=http://www.alzafar.org/founding_and_charter_members_of_alzafar_temple|work=Members of Ben Hur Temple for Nobles|publisher=Alzafar Shriners|accessdate=5 December 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101119095742/http://alzafar.org/founding_and_charter_members_of_alzafar_temple|archivedate=19 November 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> *The Imperial Shrine *Rotary Club *Masonic Lodge
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=20em}} {{s-start}} {{s-par|us-tx-hs}} {{TXHouseSuccession box | district = 85 | hometown = Fredericksburg | before =Samuel Ealy Johnson, Jr. | after= Bodo Holekamp | years=1925–1933 | town_note_marker = }} {{TXHouseSuccession box | district = 85 | hometown = Fredericksburg | before = Bodo Holekamp | after= Lawrence L. Bruhl | years=1935–1941 | town_note_marker = }} {{s-end}}
==External links== *[https://lrl.texas.gov/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=1708&leg=44&from=sessionList Alfred P.C. Petsch - Texas Legislature]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Petsch, Alfred}} Category:1887 births Category:1981 deaths Category:German-American culture in Texas Category:American people of German descent Category:People from Gillespie County, Texas Category:Members of the Texas House of Representatives Category:People from Fredericksburg, Texas Category:United States Army personnel of World War I Category:United States Army personnel of World War II Category:Texas State University alumni Category:University of Texas School of Law alumni Category:20th-century members of the Texas Legislature