In 1845, Valentine Hoch settled in this area, and the nearby community soon became known as Hochheim Prairie, now Hochheim. In the following years, a number of Eastern European emigrants settled here, including Jacob and Anna (Laake) Poth, who sponsored other European settlers and rented them land. Many newcomers were Catholic and needed a place of worship, so in 1906 the Poths deeded land to the Diocese of San Antonio for the establishment of St. Ann's church and cemetery. The Poths had already set aside a small plot at this site for a family burial ground, with the earliest interment dating to 1891. Known as Poth Cemetery, it remains part of St. Ann's Cemetery today. The oldest marked grave in the St. Ann's portion is that of early settler Vilhelm Onhaizer, in 1907. The cemetery initially included distinct sections, no longer set apart, including an infant burial area and a section for Mexican American parishioners. Those buried here include farmers, members of fraternal organizations, and veterans of military conflicts dating to the Civil War. The burial ground contains curbed plots for individuals and families, decorative interior fencing, early vertical stones, an obelisk, a mausoleum, and a large crucifix. Today, St. Ann's Cemetery continues to serve Hochheim and surrounding communities, chronicling the lives of pioneer settlers and later residents.