Docia Schultz Williams author of:
The History and Mystery of the Menger Hotel
It was certainly obvious that the hotel had met with great success from its day of opening. The registers read like a virtual who’s who of the Southwest? Even the great Robert E Lee is known to have stayed at the Menger and it is said when he registered he rode into the lobby astride his faithful steed Traveler. There are those of us who might doubt this, as Lee was known to have been a real gentleman, and we find it hard to believe he would have ridden a horse into the hotel’s beautiful lobby. Menger family members swear that the story is true and that Li even swept up little Catherine Barbara, the only Menger child born in the hotel, into his saddle and placed a gold Locket around the toddler’s neck. Lee’s sister, who was with him at the hotel, gave little Catherine a set of gold earrings set in coral. These items are still in possession of some of the hotel descendants.
Another early guest of the hotel was the first president of the Republic of Texas, General Sam Houston. He signed the guest register, “Sam Houston and horse”.
During the Civil War, the hotel did very little business. The Manger Hotel closed down its guest rooms for a short, because help was hard to get, and business was slow, anyway. However, Meals service continued, and many soldiers and officers took their meals at the hotel during the war years. Some remodeling was accomplished during the closure. As soon as the conflict ended, the hotel was back in business again. Soon after the war ended, on October 26, 1865,, Western Union opened an office at the hotel. The Menger once more, the scene of the most gala events in San Antonio. Will Manger became one of the most dedicated civic leaders in the city. He had already served as an Alderman from 1857 to 1859 and had a great interest in the city government.
In 1867 he and Mary went to Germany and then to Paris, to purchase furniture, Most of it is still in the hotel, for their inn.
Upon their return to the United States, while they were in New York, William witnessed a fire. There was a steam engine, pumping water, and Menger, who was captain of the San Antonio Volunteer Fire Department, thought it would be just wonderful if San Antonio could have a pumper like New York ‘s. He found out where the factory was located and went there, where he purchased a SILSBY Rotary engine for his fire department. It cost him $4000, which, In those days, was a tremendous amount of money. He never expected to be reimbursed as the city had little money for such extras. Later, however, the money was returned to him.
An example of Williams being a good. Citizen of his city and his adopted country.
The US army, After the Civil War, was back in San Antonio, but the military had no property of its own. The army leased several buildings, some were used as barracks, another as a hospital, and still another as a guard house. These buildings were not really sufficient for the needs of the military, and the army could not afford to go out and buy property and buildings. The decision was made to move the military out of San Antonio. William decided he could, and would, do something about the situation? Since another building was needed, he would build it and lease it to the army. They could pay him whenever they had the funds.
Menger’s great, great great granddaughter, Marguerite Mccormick, told us that William Menger actually rode his horse all the way to Washington. DC to plead the government officials for the Army to remain in San Antonio.
His building was erected at the corner of Crockett and LASOYA Street. After William died in 1871, his widow Mary continued to rent the building to the Army until 1878. By then, Fort Sam Houston had been built on the land, and the city donated to the army.
It’s not known just how wealthy William was at the time of his death. He was generous with what he had, never turning anyone away who needed help, so he may not have had all that much money. A tedious search through the old records has brought no substantial information as far as the cause of William’s death. When William became gravely ill in March of 1871, the March 18 edition of the San Antonio Express said. Our community can I’ll spare a gentleman in such public spirit, such enterprise, such generosity and such wonderful energy.
Unfortunately, Menger died that very evening, March 18, 1871, at the age of forty four years. Autopsy autopsies were seldom performed in those days when someone passed away, and so the cause of his death remains a mystery. There were a number of epidemics back then and many diseases for which there were no cures.
The stocky little man who had served his community as a Brewer, an innkeeper, a chief of the Alamo Fire Department, an Alderman, a hospital benefactor, and a friend to the US army, was mourned by the whole city.
