Alfons Louis Schwartz
Alfons Louis Schwartz 1906-2003
Alfons was the son of Joseph and Sophie (Loika) Schwartz. He was born June 10, 1906, in Moravia, Texas, the 10th of 14 children to live past infancy.
Growing up in a musical family, Alfons joined his father and brothers Otto and Bill in playing the accordion. As an adult, he liked to sing songs, enjoyed dancing and played a "French harp" (harmonica).
Joseph Schwartz offered Alfons and Celeste Wenglar the Vrana house and farm, just south of the home place after they married. The house had been empty since Ed and Martha Kocich had moved out in 1927. The large wedding at the Wengler home was October 29, 1928. The dance was held upstairs in the old two-story Blahuta Store. The total cost for the hall was $5, and the band played all day and again at night for $9.
Alfonse and Celeste lived on the Vrana place where Georgie in 1929, and Joan in 1932 were born. The family later moved on the Ed Havel place, which was owned by Joseph. It was across Rocky Creek from the Schwartz home.
They lived there for 14 years, raising cotton, corn, hegari, sugar cane for syrup and gardening. Bobby was born on this place in 1939. In 1946, Alfons and Celestie, along with John and Edith Schwartz, bought the Holub farm near Moravia. John bought half of the farm, and Alfons the other half. They lived in an existing house. They raised turkeys, cotton and corn.
Home in Moravia
In 1956 they built their present home for $1,300 labor, plus the cost of the lumber for the 54-foot-by-32-foot home. Alfons was a farmer all his life. He raised turkeys and sold eggs, milk, butter and vegetables from his garden.
Alfons butchered hogs and made pork sausage and, during deer season, deer-and-pork sausage. He would smoke the sausages, along with some ham, until they were dried. His special meal would be cut-up smoked dried ham with onions, vinegar and black pepper, served with homemade bread. His grandson, Tim Shimek, carries on the tradition of that recipe making delicious sausages. Alfons had a large garden which he continued planting and tending. Celestie died in 1985. Alfons entered the nursing home at the age of 93. He died peacefully at the age of 96 on February 9, 2003. The home is now owned by Alfons' granddaughter, Sandra Plaisance,
