From Proud Heritage, Vol. 1 by DCPA, not currently in print.
Early in the year 1855 Henri Boll, Jr. decided to join Cantegral’s socialist colony of La Reunion, a few miles west of the town of Dallas. He lived in Zurich, Switzerland, where he had been educated as a meat processor. Henri, Jr., his mother Magdalena, father Henri, Sr., sisters, Dorothea and Suzanne, grandfather Jacob Peier left Switzerland in February and arrived at La Reunion on July 4, 1855.
Jacob Nussbaumer was born in Solothurn, Switzerland. He arrived at La Reunion in 1856. He and Dorothea Boll, and Henri Boll, Jr. and Elizabeth Knopfli, were among the first in the colony to marry, July, 1856.
Henri, with Elizabeth, left the colony in 1857, telling Cantegral that he was sorry, but the socialist theory of the colony was all wrong. He bought land east of Dallas and set back his fence on the south to continue a mud lane to town. He named the mud lane Swiss Avenue. On the east side he named the street Germania, which was changed to Liberty during World War One. He named another street Texas for this wonderful land and another Cantegral for the man who had led him here.
Ten children were born to Henri and Elizabeth. Two died young, the remaining were: Annie, Minnie, Henrietta, Elizabeth, Henry, Jacob, Charles and William. Henrietta married June Peak.
Jacob and Dorothea Nussbaumer had four children: Mary, Theodore, Henry and Adolf. Mary married Samuel Peterman, a stock dealer who came to Dallas from Toronto, Ontario, Canada around 1874.
Monsieur Pierre Philip Frichot and his two children, Achille and Leontine, arrived at La Reunion in the summer of 1856. He was soon joined by his brother, Christofre Desiree Frichot, who was born in Paris November 26, 1821, educated in Paris, took up astronomy and was a jeweler by profession.
When the colony failed in 1857 Christofre and Pierre moved to Dallas. Pierre bought a tract of land which included the area where Bryan and Harwood Streets are now located. Christofre bought land including the areas of San Jacinto and Leonard Streets. This is where Christofre built his house.
The Frichot brothers, Achille Frichot and Pierre’s son-in-law, Jean Priot formed the first brick plant to be established in Dallas.
Cristofre Frichot married Suzanne Boll circa 1857/1858. They had three daughters: Laura, Henrietta and Bertha. Suzanne died in 1869 when Bertha was three years old. The 1870 census shows the girls were living with their father. When he died in 1879 Laura and Bertha went to live with their aunt Dorothea Boll Nussbaumer. Henrietta (Ettie) went to live with Mary Nussbaumer Peterman (Aunt Mary).
Christofre Frichot took his girls to the convent (Ursuline Academy) for schooling, but he left strict orders with the sisters that his girls were not to be taught Catholicism.
Laura Frichot married Theodore Beilharz who came to Dallas from Germany. He and his brother had a harness shop and later owned a stone yard on Pacific Avenue. Theodore built his house on Swiss and Texas Streets. They had two sons: Theodore, Jr. and Carl. Theodore had two sons: Theodore, III and Leslie. Carl had one daughter, Carla.
Henrietta Frichot married Fred Wilson who came to Dallas from Canada with his brother, J.B. They were both stock dealers. In 1895 Fred built their home at 2922 Swiss Avenue. They had two children: Irma who died at age 21 and Laurence Frichot Wilson who later took over his father’s investments. Laurence had no children.
The Wilson home and the Beilharz home are both preserved in the Wilson block on Swiss Avenue.
Bertha Christine Frichot married Michael Henry Peterman, half brother to Samuel Peterman. He followed his brother Sam from Toronto, Ontario Canada. Michael was a builder by trade. He and Bertha lived in the Frichot home at San Jacinto and Leonard until he built their own at 3604 San Jacinto.
Bertha and Henry had six children: 1) Fred Frichot born 1888, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 2) Charles Frichot born 1889, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 3) Bertha born 1893, Dallas, Texas; 4) Lauretta born 1894, Dallas, Texas; 5) Maurice Henry born 1896, Dallas, Texas; 6) Christopher Frichot born 1907, Dallas, Texas.
Fred married Pearl Powell; 3 children: Fred Frichot, Jr. married Mary Skinner, no issue; Mary Christine married W. A. Langbein, 2 children; Thomas Henry married Bettye Jo Burnam, one child.
Charles married Celia Birnea, no issue.
Bertha married George Thomas Carsey, one child: Irma married Clifford Thomas Janicek, 3 children.
Lauretta never married.
Maurice Henry married Lillian Aldridge, no issue.
Christopher Frichot married Jimmie Kate Williams. Two children: Jimmie Christine married James Kallstrom, 4 children; Ann Loy married Gerald Jenson, 3 children.
Bibliography:
The White Cliffs of Dallas by George Santerre. The Dallas Morning News, February 27, 1948. Family members memory. Greenwood Cemetery. Federal Census Records, Microfilm, Dallas Public Library.
By Irma Janicek, Irving
