105 West San Antonio – John Ruegner Home

This lot was originally deeded to Daniel Weiershausen, and by 1852 had brought rocks to the site. In 1854, he sold the lot to Johannes (John) Ruegner for $200. Ruegner built the original two-room limestone rock home. Ruegner was a stone mason and worked on several projects still standing in Fredericksburg, including the old college building at the Middle School Campus, and the stone wall on the lower side of the oldest part of the cemetery.

The original front room was a combined bedroom/sitting room and the back room was the kitchen/dining room. Later owners divided these two rooms into four. After Ruegner’s death in 1899, his family sold the lot to A. Walter, a pioneer Swiss jeweler who founded the Walter Jewelry firm, lived here until 1904. It was sold to Louis von Hagen, whose children included Else Mayer, wife of prominent Austin jeweler Carl Mayer. It changed hands several times until 1972, when Raymond and Eugena Kneese bought and restored the building. A new addition as made to blend in with the old construction.

Turn around and walk West on San Antonio, cross Orange Street