WAHRENBERGER, JOHN (1812-1864). John Wahrenberger, early Austin resident, was born in Switzerland on March 16, 1812. He immigrated to the United States in 1836, lived in New Orleans for three years, and in 1839 moved to Austin, Texas, where he worked for a time as gardener for Louis P. Cooke. In December 1842 Wahrenberger learned that messengers were approaching Austin to transfer the Republic of Texas archives to Houston. He hastened back to Austin to give the alarm for the so-called Archive War and was a member of the group of men who forced the return of the archives to Austin. He owned a bakery, a hotel and cafe, and considerable Austin real estate. His fellow citizens called him "Dutch John." He married Caroline Klein in May 1848, and they had five children, three of whom lived to adulthood. Wahrenberger died near Austin on March 9, 1864, and was buried at Oakwood Cemetery.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: John Henry Brown, Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas (Austin: Daniell, 1880; reprod., Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1978). History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties (Chicago: Lewis, 1893). J. W. Wilbarger, Indian Depredations in Texas (Austin: Hutchings, 1889; rpt., Austin: State House, 1985).