The Bickler Family
Born in Germany, Jacob Bickler (1849-1902) moved to Wisconsin as a teenager to live with his father and stepmother. In 1872, after graduating from the University of Wisconsin, Bickler relocated to Austin, Texas and began working as a teacher alongside his uncle at the Bickler German-English Academy, a private grade school.
The following year, Bickler was appointed as the assistant draftsman and calculator in the General Land Office, where he met his future wife, Martha. Martha Lungkwitz (1855-1937) was born in Fredericksburg to Elizabeth and Hermann Lungkwitz. Her father, a well-known Texas painter and photographer, was employed with the General Land Office, and Martha was hired on as a clerk. She is often credited as the first female employee of the State of Texas through this position. Bickler and Lungkwitz were married in January of 1874 and would have nine children.
The Academy of Liberal Arts
Committed to promoting education in Texas, Bickler founded the all-boys Texas German and English Academy in 1877. After operating the school for ten years, Bickler and his family moved to Galveston, where he served as the superintendent of public schools.
It was during this time that Elisabet Ney became acquainted with Jacob Bickler and his family. The two exchanged many letters during this period, and Ney even sent him four dozen peach trees to be planted around his Galveston school.
Soon after establishing her presence as a sculptor in Austin, Ney became an energetic pioneer of the arts in Texas. She stimulated organized efforts to form fine arts societies in Texas’ major cities, and promoted the teaching of art at the University of Texas. She envisioned creating a school of sculpture, and told the Austin Statesman in 1890 that she only intended to teach students seriously interested in sculpture. By 1893, however, her vision had expanded to include all the liberal arts, and that year she established the “Association of the Texas Academy of the Liberal Arts” with influential and prestigious Austin citizens that included several college professors and the State Comptroller, John McCall.
During this time, Jacob Bickler and his family returned to Austin in 1892 and founded the co-ed Bickler Academy. Bickler and Ney worked on various community projects together, motivated by their shared commitment to education and the arts. Most notably, though, Jacob Bickler served on the board of directors of Ney's Texas Academy.
Governor Francis Lubbock, while not a member of the association, was an avid supporter of Ney’s educational plans. Ney was inspired by European academies and the Pratt Institute of New York, and hoped that her school would “turn out artistically and scientifically cultured industrials”. All students would be able to study drawing, painting and modeling before proceeding to specialized instruction, and would receive a solid grounding in the history of art. A public address entitled “The Mission of Art” explained the lofty goals of the Academy. Ney petitioned the state legislature for funds in 1893, but did not receive any, and had difficulty finding widespread support. Unfortunately, in spite of all her efforts, her “fondest dream” for Texas was never realized, though her efforts would be appreciated in years to come.
Aside from community work, Ney often socialized with the Bicklers as well. She hosted picnics for the family at her Austin studio and residence, Formosa, and the children shared an affectionate relationship with the sculptor. Indeed, their son Max even apprenticed with Ney for a time.
Both Jacob and Martha spent the rest of their lives in Austin. Following her husband’s death in 1902, Martha operated their home as a boarding house for boys. She passed away in November of 1937 and was buried alongside her husband in Oakwood Cemetery.
Letters in the Archive
Most of Ney's original letters in the archive involve corresponding with members of the Bickler family. Below are some of Ney's letters, where she discusses personal matters as well as more professional things such as the Academy of Liberal Arts and planning meetings.
