Ernst Bergman and Joseph Zvolanek

Many who migrated in the first wave from the Austro-Hungarian Empire's Czech lands (the 1850s) were drawn to Texas by two Moravian pastors, Ernst Bergman and Joseph Zvolanek. They both convinced many former congregants to come to Texas by writing them letters to persuade them to immigrate. Those persuaded usually traveled from Germany to Galveston by boat, then settled in Galveston, Houston, and other surrounding regions.