Austin American-Statesman (TX) - November 15, 1996
Former district Judge Paul C . Boethel , 92, of Hallettsville, died November 14, 1996.
Besides his family, Judge Boethel had three principal loves: history, the law, and baseball. He was born in Shiner, Texas, March 3, 1904, to German immigrant parents; his father was a country doctor. In 1918 the family moved to Hallettsville, where the Judge graduated from high school in 1921. Somehow, against university policy, he managed to get accepted to summer school at the University of Texas at Austin before his senior year of high school. Attending college during the summers and teaching school and coaching the rest of each year, he eventually earned his B.A. and M.A., writing his thesis under the tutelage of historian Walter Prescott Webb. Later he attended the University Law School.
His teaching and coaching career took the judge to Moravia, Lockhart, Sabinal, Alvarado, Elgin, and Orange. In Elgin he met his future wife, Frances Claire Christian, then a senior in high school; their elopement in 1928 made front page news in Austin's daily newspaper.
In 1929 the Judge was named superintendent of schools in Hallettsville. From 1937 to 1941 he represented the 23rd district in the Texas legislature, opposing the sales tax. He was defeated for re-election due to his outspoken antagonism for Governor W. Lee ''Pappy'' O'Daniel. In 1942, as chairman of the local draft board, he signed his own induction papers. He served with the 30th Infantry and the 8th Armored Division and was awarded the Bronze Star. He also served as a prosecutor and judge in U.S. military courts in occupied Germany, leaving the Army in 1946, with the rank of captain. He served as Lavaca county attorney from 1947 to 1954, as district attorney from 1954 to 1960, and as judge for the 25th judicial district from 1960 to 1971.
Judge Boethel published his first book of regional Texas history, The History of Lavaca County, in 1936. It was followed by nine other books, including Sand in Your Craw, ''a dramatic record of life in the raw,'' and his autobiography, Echoes on the Lavaca. He received numerous honors for his historical work, including honorary membership in the Sons of the Republic of Texas.
The Judge played baseball for a number of years. He played left field for Coach Billy Disch at UT, and later pitched for teams in Hallettsville, Sabinal, Lockhart, and Taos, New Mexico, and for a Texas League team called the Galyean Ginners. A 1934 newspaper account reports that the Ginners, ''behind the one-hit hurling of Paul Boethel , walloped Red Rock in a cup race game.''
He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Evelyn Ann, two brothers, Herbert and Roy, and a sister, Hilda Smajstrla.
He was cared for in his last months by a number of thoughtful people, to whom the family is deeply grateful.
In lieu of flowers, please send memorial contributions to the Friench Simpson Memorial Library, Hallettsville, Texas 77964.
Former district Judge Paul C . Boethel , 92, of Hallettsville, died November 14, 1996.
Besides his family, Judge Boethel had three principal loves: history, the law, and baseball. He was born in Shiner, Texas, March 3, 1904, to German immigrant parents; his father was a country doctor. In 1918 the family moved to Hallettsville, where the Judge graduated from high school in 1921. Somehow, against university policy, he managed to get accepted to summer school at the University of Texas at Austin before his senior year of high school. Attending college during the summers and teaching school and coaching the rest of each year, he eventually earned his B.A. and M.A., writing his thesis under the tutelage of historian Walter Prescott Webb. Later he attended the University Law School.
His teaching and coaching career took the judge to Moravia, Lockhart, Sabinal, Alvarado, Elgin, and Orange. In Elgin he met his future wife, Frances Claire Christian, then a senior in high school; their elopement in 1928 made front page news in Austin's daily newspaper.
In 1929 the Judge was named superintendent of schools in Hallettsville. From 1937 to 1941 he represented the 23rd district in the Texas legislature, opposing the sales tax. He was defeated for re-election due to his outspoken antagonism for Governor W. Lee ''Pappy'' O'Daniel. In 1942, as chairman of the local draft board, he signed his own induction papers. He served with the 30th Infantry and the 8th Armored Division and was awarded the Bronze Star. He also served as a prosecutor and judge in U.S. military courts in occupied Germany, leaving the Army in 1946, with the rank of captain. He served as Lavaca county attorney from 1947 to 1954, as district attorney from 1954 to 1960, and as judge for the 25th judicial district from 1960 to 1971.
Judge Boethel published his first book of regional Texas history, The History of Lavaca County, in 1936. It was followed by nine other books, including Sand in Your Craw, ''a dramatic record of life in the raw,'' and his autobiography, Echoes on the Lavaca. He received numerous honors for his historical work, including honorary membership in the Sons of the Republic of Texas.
The Judge played baseball for a number of years. He played left field for Coach Billy Disch at UT, and later pitched for teams in Hallettsville, Sabinal, Lockhart, and Taos, New Mexico, and for a Texas League team called the Galyean Ginners. A 1934 newspaper account reports that the Ginners, ''behind the one-hit hurling of Paul Boethel , walloped Red Rock in a cup race game.''
He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Evelyn Ann, two brothers, Herbert and Roy, and a sister, Hilda Smajstrla.
He was cared for in his last months by a number of thoughtful people, to whom the family is deeply grateful.
In lieu of flowers, please send memorial contributions to the Friench Simpson Memorial Library, Hallettsville, Texas 77964.
Austin American-Statesman (TX) - November 15, 1996
Former district Judge Paul C . Boethel , 92, of Hallettsville, died November 14, 1996.
Besides his family, Judge Boethel had three principal loves: history, the law, and baseball. He was born in Shiner, Texas, March 3, 1904, to German immigrant parents; his father was a country doctor. In 1918 the family moved to Hallettsville, where the Judge graduated from high school in 1921. Somehow, against university policy, he managed to get accepted to summer school at the University of Texas at Austin before his senior year of high school. Attending college during the summers and teaching school and coaching the rest of each year, he eventually earned his B.A. and M.A., writing his thesis under the tutelage of historian Walter Prescott Webb. Later he attended the University Law School.
His teaching and coaching career took the judge to Moravia, Lockhart, Sabinal, Alvarado, Elgin, and Orange. In Elgin he met his future wife, Frances Claire Christian, then a senior in high school; their elopement in 1928 made front page news in Austin's daily newspaper.
In 1929 the Judge was named superintendent of schools in Hallettsville. From 1937 to 1941 he represented the 23rd district in the Texas legislature, opposing the sales tax. He was defeated for re-election due to his outspoken antagonism for Governor W. Lee ''Pappy'' O'Daniel. In 1942, as chairman of the local draft board, he signed his own induction papers. He served with the 30th Infantry and the 8th Armored Division and was awarded the Bronze Star. He also served as a prosecutor and judge in U.S. military courts in occupied Germany, leaving the Army in 1946, with the rank of captain. He served as Lavaca county attorney from 1947 to 1954, as district attorney from 1954 to 1960, and as judge for the 25th judicial district from 1960 to 1971.
Judge Boethel published his first book of regional Texas history, The History of Lavaca County, in 1936. It was followed by nine other books, including Sand in Your Craw, ''a dramatic record of life in the raw,'' and his autobiography, Echoes on the Lavaca. He received numerous honors for his historical work, including honorary membership in the Sons of the Republic of Texas.
The Judge played baseball for a number of years. He played left field for Coach Billy Disch at UT, and later pitched for teams in Hallettsville, Sabinal, Lockhart, and Taos, New Mexico, and for a Texas League team called the Galyean Ginners. A 1934 newspaper account reports that the Ginners, ''behind the one-hit hurling of Paul Boethel , walloped Red Rock in a cup race game.''
He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Evelyn Ann, two brothers, Herbert and Roy, and a sister, Hilda Smajstrla.
He was cared for in his last months by a number of thoughtful people, to whom the family is deeply grateful.
In lieu of flowers, please send memorial contributions to the Friench Simpson Memorial Library, Hallettsville, Texas 77964.
Former district Judge Paul C . Boethel , 92, of Hallettsville, died November 14, 1996.
Besides his family, Judge Boethel had three principal loves: history, the law, and baseball. He was born in Shiner, Texas, March 3, 1904, to German immigrant parents; his father was a country doctor. In 1918 the family moved to Hallettsville, where the Judge graduated from high school in 1921. Somehow, against university policy, he managed to get accepted to summer school at the University of Texas at Austin before his senior year of high school. Attending college during the summers and teaching school and coaching the rest of each year, he eventually earned his B.A. and M.A., writing his thesis under the tutelage of historian Walter Prescott Webb. Later he attended the University Law School.
His teaching and coaching career took the judge to Moravia, Lockhart, Sabinal, Alvarado, Elgin, and Orange. In Elgin he met his future wife, Frances Claire Christian, then a senior in high school; their elopement in 1928 made front page news in Austin's daily newspaper.
In 1929 the Judge was named superintendent of schools in Hallettsville. From 1937 to 1941 he represented the 23rd district in the Texas legislature, opposing the sales tax. He was defeated for re-election due to his outspoken antagonism for Governor W. Lee ''Pappy'' O'Daniel. In 1942, as chairman of the local draft board, he signed his own induction papers. He served with the 30th Infantry and the 8th Armored Division and was awarded the Bronze Star. He also served as a prosecutor and judge in U.S. military courts in occupied Germany, leaving the Army in 1946, with the rank of captain. He served as Lavaca county attorney from 1947 to 1954, as district attorney from 1954 to 1960, and as judge for the 25th judicial district from 1960 to 1971.
Judge Boethel published his first book of regional Texas history, The History of Lavaca County, in 1936. It was followed by nine other books, including Sand in Your Craw, ''a dramatic record of life in the raw,'' and his autobiography, Echoes on the Lavaca. He received numerous honors for his historical work, including honorary membership in the Sons of the Republic of Texas.
The Judge played baseball for a number of years. He played left field for Coach Billy Disch at UT, and later pitched for teams in Hallettsville, Sabinal, Lockhart, and Taos, New Mexico, and for a Texas League team called the Galyean Ginners. A 1934 newspaper account reports that the Ginners, ''behind the one-hit hurling of Paul Boethel , walloped Red Rock in a cup race game.''
He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Evelyn Ann, two brothers, Herbert and Roy, and a sister, Hilda Smajstrla.
He was cared for in his last months by a number of thoughtful people, to whom the family is deeply grateful.
In lieu of flowers, please send memorial contributions to the Friench Simpson Memorial Library, Hallettsville, Texas 77964.
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