Members of the Lobrecht Family
140 photographs, nine oral history tapes, .5 linear feet of documents
A1960-017; A1989-047; A1991-024; A1991-024.AD1; A1994-031
1890-1945 (unknown)
Dorr Lobrecht was born December 16, 1893 in Pleasantville, Iowa. He was the only son of the four children of Gerrit and Margaret van Lobberecht, emigrants from Holland and northern Europe. Dorr grew up in central Illinois, where he graduated high school and married Emma Amalia Toerne, born October 7, 1893, on January 29, 1915. Dorr and Emma had one son born in Illinois. In 1923 the family moved to San Antonio upon the recommendation of Dorr's parents who had enjoyed a visit they made and decided to move themselves to San Antonio. Dorr studied masonry in San Antonio and made his living building fireplaces in new home construction. In 1924 Dorr and Emma bought 80 acres of land near Premont and planted citrus trees to cultivate for a commercial venture. The citrus farming failed to finance the family, to make a dependable salary Dorr took a job working highway construction in the Rio Grande Valley in 1928. That same year he opened a photographic studio in Falfurrias, a small farming community. Two more boys were born into the family in 1924 and 1926. Then in 1929 Dorr opened a photography studio in Alice. Until 1943 Dorr lived on the farm and worked in Alice. The citrus farm was converted to a dairy farm over time. Once the children grew up and started lives of their own, the farm was sold and Emma joined Dorr at the studio in Alice. Dorr Lobrecht died on September 20, 1993 at the age of 99 years. Emma had passed away in 1975. They had four sons, Gerard, Tonner, Alfred and Dorr Jr.
The Lobrecht Family Collection consists of one hundred, forty photographs and negatives most of which are from the region in 1918, nine oral history tapes and their transcriptions, memoirs of early Premont by Al Lobrecht and and a small amount of correspondence.
Materials are arranged in six series: I. Photographic Materials II. Oral Histories III. Creative Works IV. Biographical Information V. Correspondence VI. Books
South Texas Archives, James C. Jernigan Library, Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Open for Research
Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use by any and all other current or future developed methods or procedures must be obtained in writing from South Texas Archives, James C. Jernigan Library, Texas A&M University-Kingsville. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards.
Lobrecht Family Collection, A1960-017.XXXX; A1989-047.XXXX; A1991-024.XXXX; A1991-024.AD1.XXXX; A1994-031.XXXX-South Texas Archives, James C. Jernigan Library, Texas A&M University-Kingsville
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The first two donations, A1960-017 and A1989-047 were given to South Texas Archives by Dorr and Emma Lobrecht; the three other donations were given by Alfred Lobrecht.
A1960-017, processor unknown; A1989-047 was processed by Toni Nagel; A1991-024 and A1991-024.AD1 were processed by Jimmie R. Picquet and A1994-031 was processed by Lori Atkins. The finding aid and EAD document were created by Lori Atkins in 2018.