Born on February 22, 1820, in Bremen, Germany, F.W. Flato immigrated to Texas in 1846 and settled in Austin County. Flato and his wife, Sophia Welhausen, moved to southwestern Fayette County by 1866 where they operated a successful mercantile business. Eventually, the town was named Flatonia in his honor and he became its postmaster. When the GH&SA Railway approached Fayette County in 1873, Flato helped negotiate the move of the town closer to the rail line. Ever the entrepreneur, Flato built a brick factory and a steam saw mill, but was best known for his work promoting land sales to immigrants settling the area along the new rail line. After a final move to Kendall County, Flato died on May 18, 1899, and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Flatonia.