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Mentz is a rural community in Colorado County which was settled by German immigrants who named the settlement for their former homeland in Germany. It was evidently first named Neu or New Mainz, as this name appears on some of the tombstones in the St. Roch Catholic Cemetery and on some church records. Many of the settlers came to Texas under the auspices of the Mainzer Verein (Mainz Society). At least two groups of these settlers came from the village of Buedesheim (now Bingen-Buedescheim) near Bingen on the Rhine. Bingen is about fifteen miles west of Mainz (also called Mentz).

Many of these early settlers were of the Roman Catholic faith. Some of their early records have been located in the Catholic Church of Bingen-Buedesheim and in the records of the Diocese of Mainz, Germany.

As early as 1850 (some records are dated 1847), the Very Reverend Victory Gury and Father Charles Tarrilion came through the woods on horseback from Frelsburg to tend to the spiritual needs of the early settlers of Mentz.

In 1857 Franz Burtschell, one of the early settlers from Buedesheim, deeded to the Roman Catholic Bishop of Galveston, a parcel of land containing 4 ² acres for one dollar, the condition being that the tract of land was to be used for the purpose of erecting a church thereon, also with the privilege of erecting a parsonage and school buildings. A small church was completed in 1858.

The settlers also named their church with the homeland in mind. Near Bingen, Germany, to the southeast, is the Rochusberg on which stands the celebrated Chapel of St. Roch. The Mentz church is also named St. Roch (also called St. Rochus and St. Roche's).

The Catholic community of Mentz grew so rapidly that in 1867, plans were under way to build a larger church. The people themselves built most of the church, giving of their spare time and hauling stone on wagons drawn by oxen. When the stone church was completed in 1871, the parish received its first resident priest. The parish prospered until the stone church was completely destroyed by fire in 1940. The present church was built in 1941.

Mentz had its own Post Office for a short time from 1889 until 1896, and then again from 1897 until 1913 when it was combined with Alleyton. Besides the school at Mentz, some of the students also attended the school at Bachlor Hill. There were also a general store and a dance hall in Mentz at one time.

Many descendants of the original settlers still live in the area, and farming and cattle raising is the main business.

Colorado County Sesquicentennial Commemorative Book, 1986 by Albright, Chovanec, et al. Transcribed by John Konesheck. Reproduced here by permission of Rox Ann Johnson. Accessed 5/18/2015. http://www.coloradocountyhistory.org/communities/sesquicentennial_book.htm#mentz