Marker #382 - 1996. Carl Joseph and Augusta Beseler and their two sons immigrated from Germany to Texas in 1848. They settled in Kendall County on a land grant in the 1850's. The community of Welfare was established on the Beseler land grant. The Beseler's son Ernst died in the Battle of Nueces. His brother Carl Philipp was instrumental in building Welfare into a railroad shipping point in the 1880's and served as justice of the peace, postmaster, county commissioner, and tax assessor. The general store is among the few physical remnants of the community of Welfare.
One-story board and batten with central double door and flanking 4x4 windows; elevated rock base entry with porch roof; T-shaped with living quarters to the rear.
The railroad tracks were laid in 1886 passing this rural area. This building was built in 1889 being used as the Welfare post office. By 1890 it became the local store. The building burned down and was then re-built in 1916. Before the building was re-built Mrs. Magers ran the post office from a room in the house. From the early 1920s to the 1970s, Percy and Alma Laas lived in the attached house and operated the post office and the store. In 1960 the railroad tracks were removed and the new Interstate Highway10 bypassed Welfare. Eventually, in 1976, the post office was closed.
Photo Credit: Col. Bettie Edmonds
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