Bellville, Austin County
Johann Joachim Henrich Frederick (J. H.) Hintz (1841-1920), a native of Zisendorff, Mecklenburg, Germany, immigrated to the U.S. with his family in 1855. The Hintzes settled in the Millheim area, and Joachim joined the Cat Spring Agricultural Society in 1861. During the Civil War, Joachim served in Waul’s Texas Legion, was captured in Yazoo City, Mississippi, on July 14, 1863, and was imprisoned at Camp Morton, Indiana, prison until his release on March 15, 1865. In 1866 he became a U.S. citizen. He married Wilhelmina Schneider in 1870, and the couple had eight children. The family’s major source of livelihood was farming such crops as cotton and tobacco. However, Joachim was also much admired for his skills as a Baumeister or master builder. He designed and built a variety of buildings and structures in Austin County, ranging from bridges at Coshatte and over Bollinger Creek to dance platforms and meeting halls. His greatest legacy is the surviving collection of dance halls where generations have gathered for meetings, meals and music. The Bellville Turnverein Pavilion (1897) is an imaginative 12-sided wood frame hall, 80 feet in diameter with a center pole supporting a lofty roof and still used for a variety of functions. Peters Hall (1900) is an eight-sided hall with a center pole and a cupola for ventilation and air circulation. Cat Spring Agricultural Society Pavilion (1903) is a twelve-sided pavilion nearly identical to the one at Bellville. Hintz’s projects are often distinguished by precision joinery and elaborate and elegant roof framing systems. His round halls have been hubs of activity for the enjoyment of music, celebrations, weddings, and gatherings. They are still functional in their communities and inspirational for visitors who come to Austin County to experience its attractions and its heritage.