This article by Edwin Bartek, Royce H. Friemel, and Donald Polasek first appeared in Fayette County: Past & Present.

Two and a half miles northeast of Halsted lies an old deserted school house, standing in mute testimony of the once populated settlement of Biegel. There is no doubt that Biegel existed, for there is reference to it on page 376 in Frank Lotto's book, Fayette County: Her History and Her People, as he states: "Biegel settlement is one of the oldest settlements in Fayette County. It was founded by Joseph Biegel in 1832...In earlier times Beigel used to be quite a prominent place. The dances, balls and feasts that were arranged there acquired quite a reputation, and attracted guests from miles afar."

The settlement of Biegel took place between Baylor and Cedar Creeks, the main drainage tributaries of the area. It was located about eight miles east of La Grange on the old La Grange - Fayetteville road, which is now Fayette County Road 20. The soils of the area consist of sand and gravel and post-oak trees are found in some areas. The better portions of prairie served as the fields for the settlers. and the poorer part became pastures.

Joseph Biegel, the first settler in the area, was granted one league of land (4,428 acres) by the Mexican government on November 29, 1832. On this portion of land Joseph established his farm and started the first post office in the area. Biegel's land became home for a group of German immigrants Biegel persuaded to make their home there. Mr. Wertzner had surveyed the league of land for Biegel, and for his services he received one-half of the league. Mr. Biegel sold about six hundred acres of the land to Bernard Scherrer for twenty-­five cents an acre, so as to have a near neighbor. The people each with his share of land, set up a little community which became a successful trading location. Biegel later became known as the first German settlement in Fayette County and the second in the state of Texas.

Following are some of the pioneers to whom Biegel sold land and who formed the nucleus of the colony. The date of sale follows each name: John Gross, 1832; Christian Gottlieb Wertzner, 1839; John D. Meyer, 1844; Otto Meitzen, 1850; Ed. Gertner, 1850; William Meitzen, 1850; B. Scherrer, 1851; Reinhard Hildebrandt, 1851; Jacob Meyer, 1854; Christian December, 1854. Later settlers were the Hackebeils, the Mertzens, the Andres, and the Helbles. Still later the Glockners, the Wetchners, and the Winnesdorfers arrived.

Biegel was the first to settle on his own land grant, with the rest following. The Meitzens were machinists by trade and were mostly responsible for the versatile machinery of the settlement. H. Kroll, the first merchant of the area, built his general store on land purchased from Biegel in the 1860's. John Gross, who purchased his land in 1832, was still listed as a citizen of Fayette County in the nineteen-hundred census.

The social life of the community was mainly at the home of Joseph Biegel. At large gatherings Mr. Biegel sent his slaves to butcher a calf. Later they would barbecue it in a ditch partially filled with hot stones.

The main occupation of the local citizens was cultivating their small farms. The post office served as a mail pick-up place and a voting box in all elections. In the year 1866 Mr. H. Kroll ran a general store in the community, and in the years 1862-1866 he also ran a distillery. During the cotton season hardly anybody in the community and surrounding area could do without a gin, so in time the Meitzens helped to put machinery together to build the gin. The grist mill of the community was constructed and run by William Meitzen and was said to have been a busy place on Saturday afternoons. In addition, Biegel once had a dance hall and in it the feasts and balls of the area were held. There were dances held wherever there was room, really. A hand organ which was built by a Mr. Schiller provided the music. There were no saloons in Biegel, and the settlers made their own whiskey. People enjoyed themselves and the community gained considerable recognition. In the early 1900's, the "fests" at Biegel were still held under the direction of the Biegel shooting club, organized in 1872 by Mr. Kroll.

There was no church in Biegel either. However, a visiting priest baptized the children and held services. Later a church was located in Frelsburg. A church was also later established in Fayetteville, which is about six and a half miles from Biegel.

The decline of Biegel can be attributed to the re-routing of the main public road between La Grange and Fayetteville. The small community also showed no promise for the young people, so they moved to the larger towns. After most of Siegel's older citizens died, the community disappeared, leaving nothing behind but a memory.