The German Settlement of the Texas Hill Country
I just finished reading The German Settlement of the Texas Hill Country by Jefferson Morgenthaler. This is a summary.
Most Germans came to Texas from 1844 to 1848. It started with a quasi-charitable organization, the Adelsverein. They wanted to ease economic woes and population growth by providing a haven in Texas and a way to get there. Unfortunately, they had no idea how much it would cost and the venture was underfunded from the beginning.
The first 150 families left Germany in September 1844 on the Johann Dethard and arrived at Indian Point on November 23. On January 5, 1945 they moved inland to an unknown destination. Prince Solms-Braunfels purchased some land called La Fontana on credit. (The land was never completely paid for). This later became New Braunfels. If was supposed to be a way station between the coast and the land grant.
Prince Solms was replaced and happily went back to Germany. The new commissioner general was Baron Otfried Hans von Meusebach. He changed his name to John Meusbach. He tried to bring the finances back into order, but was caught by surprise by the November, 1845 announcement that the Adelsverein was sending 4,304 more immigrants. Actually 5,247 immigrants arrived at Indian Point from fall 1845 to spring 1846. It was a cold, wet winter, and the immigrants stranded on the coast were miserable. Some of them tried to make their own way inland. One family started with four children. Only the dad and one child made it to New Braunfels. It took them three months. In New Braunfels there were several families sharing each house.
Meusebach knew that another settlement was needed. In spite of lack of financing, Indian troubles, AND the expiration of the land grant he moved north and established Fredricksburg. The first colonists arrived in May 1846. By December 1846 Meuseback was forced to resign (by unhappy colonists), but he agreed to stay until his successor arrived. His successor was Herman Speiss (a relative of ours?). The Adelsverein basically dissolved, but Meuseback stayed in Texas and continued to work to establish German settlements.
Another organized German colonization effort was called "The Forty". It was a socialistic colony established in July 1847 that fell apart as idealistic aristocratic communes are prone to do. It dissolved by summer of 1848. The last influx of Germans was freethinkers who left Germany during the 1848 revolution.
People from both these last groups influenced or led the pro-Union movement among the Germans when the Civil War started. They liked freedom of speech and thought they could continue debating secession and slavery even after the Confederacy started punishing treasonous speech. Some of the Germans joined the Texas Frontier Regiment so that they could protect the frontier instead of fighting in the Civil War. Some formed pro-Union militia groups. Before long everyone was being required to take a loyalty oath to the Confederacy. Some Germans were hung when they refused. Some were jailed. Some escaped to Mexico. There was a battle on the Nueces on August 9, 1862 between Confederate forces and some of the militia who were heading for Mexico. All the Germans were killed, no wounded survived.
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So, our family was not mentioned in the book at all, but it really made me think.
Julius von Bose arrived in June 1845 just a few months before the huge influx that had such a hard time. He arrived on the Johann Dethard, the same ship that brought the very first colonists the year before.
Interesting that Baron von Meusebach dropped his title and the "von" immediately. I guess it's not surprising that either our ancestor or his son dropped the "von" as well.
Julius recruited(?) and led a German unit in the Civil War. If I remember right, he said it was to show loyalty to his Texan neighbors more than because he agreed with the cause of the South. Now I want to read his dispatches home. Anyone know where I can find a translation of those.
Anyway, I hadn't realized that the German colonists had such a hard time. I really enjoyed the book.
Oh, yeah, Texas became a state in December of 1845.
Most Germans came to Texas from 1844 to 1848. It started with a quasi-charitable organization, the Adelsverein. They wanted to ease economic woes and population growth by providing a haven in Texas and a way to get there. Unfortunately, they had no idea how much it would cost and the venture was underfunded from the beginning.
The first 150 families left Germany in September 1844 on the Johann Dethard and arrived at Indian Point on November 23. On January 5, 1945 they moved inland to an unknown destination. Prince Solms-Braunfels purchased some land called La Fontana on credit. (The land was never completely paid for). This later became New Braunfels. If was supposed to be a way station between the coast and the land grant.
Prince Solms was replaced and happily went back to Germany. The new commissioner general was Baron Otfried Hans von Meusebach. He changed his name to John Meusbach. He tried to bring the finances back into order, but was caught by surprise by the November, 1845 announcement that the Adelsverein was sending 4,304 more immigrants. Actually 5,247 immigrants arrived at Indian Point from fall 1845 to spring 1846. It was a cold, wet winter, and the immigrants stranded on the coast were miserable. Some of them tried to make their own way inland. One family started with four children. Only the dad and one child made it to New Braunfels. It took them three months. In New Braunfels there were several families sharing each house.
Meusebach knew that another settlement was needed. In spite of lack of financing, Indian troubles, AND the expiration of the land grant he moved north and established Fredricksburg. The first colonists arrived in May 1846. By December 1846 Meuseback was forced to resign (by unhappy colonists), but he agreed to stay until his successor arrived. His successor was Herman Speiss (a relative of ours?). The Adelsverein basically dissolved, but Meuseback stayed in Texas and continued to work to establish German settlements.
Another organized German colonization effort was called "The Forty". It was a socialistic colony established in July 1847 that fell apart as idealistic aristocratic communes are prone to do. It dissolved by summer of 1848. The last influx of Germans was freethinkers who left Germany during the 1848 revolution.
People from both these last groups influenced or led the pro-Union movement among the Germans when the Civil War started. They liked freedom of speech and thought they could continue debating secession and slavery even after the Confederacy started punishing treasonous speech. Some of the Germans joined the Texas Frontier Regiment so that they could protect the frontier instead of fighting in the Civil War. Some formed pro-Union militia groups. Before long everyone was being required to take a loyalty oath to the Confederacy. Some Germans were hung when they refused. Some were jailed. Some escaped to Mexico. There was a battle on the Nueces on August 9, 1862 between Confederate forces and some of the militia who were heading for Mexico. All the Germans were killed, no wounded survived.
______________________________________________________________________________
So, our family was not mentioned in the book at all, but it really made me think.
Julius von Bose arrived in June 1845 just a few months before the huge influx that had such a hard time. He arrived on the Johann Dethard, the same ship that brought the very first colonists the year before.
Interesting that Baron von Meusebach dropped his title and the "von" immediately. I guess it's not surprising that either our ancestor or his son dropped the "von" as well.
Julius recruited(?) and led a German unit in the Civil War. If I remember right, he said it was to show loyalty to his Texan neighbors more than because he agreed with the cause of the South. Now I want to read his dispatches home. Anyone know where I can find a translation of those.
Anyway, I hadn't realized that the German colonists had such a hard time. I really enjoyed the book.
Oh, yeah, Texas became a state in December of 1845.