From Westphalia to the Wild West

The Herzstein name is unique, originating only from the town of Thielen in the Westphalia region of Germany. The direct translation of Herzstein means “heart of stone,” an incongruous name for such an adored philanthropist!

Morris Herzstein, Albert's father, was born in 1869 and immigrated to America in 1882, living first in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and then Lawrence, Kansas. By the late 1880’s, Morris had moved to New Mexico, and operated a store in Liberty with his brother Levi. Albert's mother was Lena Goldsmith Herzstein. Lena was from a resilient, pioneer family. One of six children, she had been raised near Denver, Colorado. The area was so remote that once Lena’s sister Betty was kidnapped by local Indians. Her parents, Rose and Abe, paid a ransom to the kidnappers that included tobacco, flour, hickory, and a bolt of calico. When the ransom was paid, the Indians released her without any harm being done. Shortly thereafter, Lena’s family moved to Las Vegas! Morris Herzstein and Lena Goldsmith were married on November 5, 1893.

Tragedy struck on June 12, 1896 when the notorious gunslinger and train robber Tom (Black Jack) Ketchum, arrived in Liberty with a few other outlaws. After stopping for supplies at the store operated by Morris and Levi, they headed off to make camp nearby. When a storm blew in, they sought shelter back at the store. Levi Herzstein allowed them to sleep there overnight. The next morning when he arrived and found cash and merchandise missing, Levi set off with posse to find the men, unaware that he was dealing with infamous outlaws. Both Albert's Uncle Levi and another posse member perished, each having been shot over ten times by Black Jack Ketchum. Morris Herzstein offered a bounty of $1,200 for the arrest of the outlaws, but this reward was never claimed. On April 26, 1901, when Black Jack was hung for another crime, Morris attended the hanging, although Black Jack was never formally charged with the murder of Levi Herzstein.

Immediately following Levi’s death, Morris moved the store to Clayton, opening a successful shop that sold everything from clothing to coffins to automobiles. The Herzsteins became prominent citizens in Union County, with Morris participating in the Masonic Lodge and Lena being a founding member of the Eastern Star. Morris even built the first movie theater in Clayton, “La Luna.” The couple had four children, Levi, Sadie, Samuel, and Albert.

 

Albert Herzstein was born on March 5, 1907. He loved telling his friends that although his family lived in Clayton, New Mexico, he was born in Trinidad, Colorado because there was no hospital in Clayton. He was described as “a pretty red head with winning ways.” Al worked in his father’s store after school. There he learned to fix cars, do plumbing, carpentry, and electrical repairs. He said, “In Clayton, you learned these things because you had to do them yourself.” Mr. Herzstein epitomized the self-made man. He attended high school in Denver, Colorado and got a newspaper route with over 1,000 accounts. He met Mr. B. K. Smith of Houston, Texas when Smith was on a trip to Denver. Mr. Smith operated a small welding supply company, and extended an offer to young Al, who was in high school at that time, to come work for him if he was ever in town. So in 1925, Al Herzstein made Houston his home.