DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Elisabet Ney. Born January 26th, 1833, in Muenster, Westphalia, Germany — and right from the start, the world had no idea what was coming.
She grew up, by all accounts, beautiful, talented, and self-willed. That last part is important. Hold onto it.
By the time she was nineteen, she was studying at the Academy of Arts in Munich, and her skill and charm brought her plenty of admirers. Her strong opinions, though — well, those made some folks think her eccentric. Some folks just weren't ready.
Before she turned thirty, this woman had already produced statues of German royalty and European statesmen. Not sketches. Not studies.
Statues. Of royalty. Before thirty.
Then in 1863 she married a man named Dr. Edmund Montgomery, a young medical student she'd met — one who happened to be from Scotland. In 1870 they moved to the United States, and in 1872 they came to Texas.
The marker says they liked Texas for its vastness and its high regard for freedom. That tells you something about both of them. They purchased the famous Liendo Plantation, in what is now Waller County, and they raised two sons there.
Only one of those sons lived to adulthood. There's a weight to that sentence the marker doesn't linger on, and neither will I — but it deserves a moment of silence before we move on. Now here's where the story turns toward what you're standing near.
In 1892, Elisabet built this studio — she called it Formosa. And she built it with a purpose: to execute statues of Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston for the Texas exhibit at the 1893 World's Fair.
Those two statues, carved right here, now stand in the State Capitol. She also completed a recumbent statue of military leader Albert Sidney Johnston — a figure lying in repose — and that statue lies over his grave at the State Cemetery in Austin. Work made here, resting there, permanent.
Elisabet Ney died June 29th, 1907. She and Dr. Montgomery are both buried at Liendo — the plantation they chose, in the state they chose, for its vastness and its freedom.
Thirty-five years in Texas. Royalty in marble. Statesmen in stone.
And a studio named Formosa, still standing to tell the tale.
What the marker says
(Jan. 26, 1833 - June 29, 1907) World-renowned sculptor; lived 35 years in Texas, where she executed works of many noted citizens. Born in Muenster, Westphalia, Germany, Elisabet grew up beautiful, talented, and self-willed. At 19 she began to study at the Academy of Arts, Munich, where her skill and charm brought many admirers, and her strong opinions made some think her eccentric. Before she was 30, Elisabet had produced statues of German royalty and many European statesmen. In 1863 she married Dr. Edmund Montgomery, whom she had met as a young medical student from Scotland. In 1870 they moved to the United States and in 1872, to Texas, which they liked for its vastness and its high regard for freedom. They purchased the famous Liendo Plantation in present Waller County and there reared two sons, only one of whom lived to adulthood. In 1892 Elisabet built this studio, "Formosa," in which to execute statues of Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston for the Texas exhibit at the 1893 World Fair. The statues now stand in the State Capitol. Here she also did a recumbent statue of military leader Albert Sidney Johnston, which lies over his grave at the State Cemetery in Austin. Elisabet Ney and Dr. Montgomery are both buried at Liendo. (1968)