When Ernst Bauer died in 1920, the estate was worth $12,400.00. He owned 485 acres of land, four Boerne Lots in the H & R addition, four Boerne lots in the Oak Park Division, 14 head of cattle, three horses, one Ford Car, one promissory note given by J. Kruckemeyer for $1500.00, and one promissory note given by Rud. Engel for $700.00.
Ernst was born 20 October 1864 in Spring Branch, Comal County, Texas. He was the fourth of five siblings born to Phillip and Marie Peters Bauer. At age 14, he is listed on the 1880 Kendall County Census with his parents with farmer as his occupation. At age 30, he married Rosa K. Bender on 9 July 1895 in Kendall County. She was the daughter of Henry and Harriett Sawyer Bender of Spring Branch.
They had three children. Their first child, Elfrieda, later known as “Alpha,” was born on 27 April 1895/1896. Harriett “Hattie” was born 11 January 1898, and their son, Arnold M., was born on 14 January 1901.
On 18 February 1915, Ernst Bauer, “being of sound and disposing mind and memory and in an ordinary state of health,” drew up a will. He stated his wife Rosa would inherit all his real estate and personal property for “her sole use and benefit” if she remained unmarried. If she married, then the property that remained would go to his surviving children from their marriage. He listed Rosa as the sole executrix of his will and requested that “no other action shall be had in the Probate Court in regard to the settlement of my estate than the least than the law permits.” Joe Saunders and Emil Phillip witnessed the will.
Five years later, Ernst Bauer died by his own hand on 17 September 1920. In February, he made an earlier attempt on his life. The Comfort News reported Ernst was found unconscious in his yard. “He was taken to a local drug store, and his wounds sewed up. The following day he was sent to a sanitarium in San Antonio.” He was buried on 18 September in the Boerne Cemetery.
Note: I used the inflation calculator to see what his estate would be worth in 2020 and the amount is $161,341.98. If you would like to use it, here is the link: Inflation Calculator | Find US Dollar’s Value from 1913-2020 (usinflationcalculator.com).
Kendall County Probate Records. Ernst Bauer. Kendall County Courthouse, Boerne, Texas.
1880 Kendall County Census, Ancestry.com
1900 Kendall County Census, Ancestry.com
1910 Kendall County Census, Ancestry.com
Comfort News, February and September 1920.
Texas Death Certificates, Ancestry.com.
Conrad's Stories 
That crazy another family member trying to kill themselves! Back in those days they always gave the first born son everything in their wills. As far as I know, My G Grandmother Bertha Bauer wasn’t left anything from her parents, maybe a cow or something lol! Ernst Bauer was my Great Grand Uncle. I was reading somewhere Rosa or one of the kids sold it out of the family. Now I also have a son born to my GG Grand parents Phillip and Marie Peters Bauer named Otto Bauer born 1862- but have no death date on him, so don’t know if he died as a child. My G Grandmother was their first born, and he would of been their 2nd born. But no info! $161,341.98 omg lol!
I think this is why my Grandma Lillie never wanted to talk about them. Every time I would ask her questions about them she would say, “Why do you always want to talk about those dead people?” I wish I had stories about them other than what I can read in the newspapers! I have not been able to find out anything about Otto. I am thinking he died early. He was 8 years old on the 1870 census but is not on the 1880 census. He would have been 18 or so and he could have left home. I don’t have any photographs of Bertha.