Adelsverein
Encyclopedia
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
within the borders of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
History
Adelsverein was organized on April 20, 1842, by twenty-one German noblemen at BiebrichWiesbaden-Biebrich
Biebrich is a borough of the city of Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany. With over 36,000 inhabitants, it is the most-populated of Wiesbaden's boroughs. It is located south of the city center on the Rhine River, opposite the Mainz borough of Mombach...
on the Rhine, in the castle of the Archduke of Nassau
Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Adolphe I, Grand Duke of Luxembourg was the last Duke of Nassau, and the fourth Grand Duke of Luxembourg.-Biography:...
who was named Protector of the Society. The society represented a significant effort to establish a new Germany on Texas soil through organized mass emigration. In Germany the society is commonly referred to as Mainzer Adelsverein after the city of Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
where it was officially registered.
The Verein established the 4,428 acre Nassau Plantation
Nassau Plantation (Texas)
Nassau Plantation was a endeavor purchased by the Adelsverein on January 9, 1843 in Fayette County, Texas, near what is now Round Top. Designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1968, Marker 3550.-Original purchase:...
, named after the Archduke of Nassau, in Fayette County, Texas
Fayette County, Texas
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 21,804. Its county seat is La Grange. Fayette is named for the Marquis de la Fayette, a French nobleman who became an American Revolutionary War hero...
on January 9, 1843 for seventy-five cents an acre. Initially, the plantation had been considered as the primary base for arriving German immigrants. Twenty-five slaves were bought to work on the property. When Prince Solms inspected the plantation in 1844, he recommended the Verein divest itself of the property, rather than be associated with slavery. The Vereins operated the property for five years.
Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels
Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels
Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels , was a German prince and military officer in both the Austrian army and in the cavalry of the Grand Duchy of Hesse. As Commissioner General of the Adelsverein, he spearheaded the establishment of colonies of German immigrants in Texas...
was appointed commissioner general by the Adelsverein in May 1844 to lead its colony in Texas. The first Adelsverein-sponsored immigrants arrived in Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
in July 1844. They traveled from Galveston to Indianola
Indianola, Texas
Indianola is a ghost town located on Matagorda Bay in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The community, once the county seat of Calhoun County, is a part of the Victoria, Texas, Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1875, the city had a population of 5,000, but on September 15 of that year, a...
in December 1844 and then moved inland to land grants acquired by the Adelsverein near Comal Springs. The settlement was named New Braunfels
New Braunfels, Texas
New Braunfels is a city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas that is a principal city of the metropolitan area. Braunfels means "brown rock" in German; the city is named for Braunfels, in Germany. The city's population was 57,740 as of the 2010 census, up 58% from the 2000...
in honor of Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels.
New Braunfels was the first colony set up for German immigrants in 1845. The second colony, Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg, Texas
Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530...
, was established on May 8, 1846, near the Pedernales River
Pedernales River
The Pedernales River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately long, in central Texas in the United States. It drains an area of the Edwards Plateau, flowing west to east across the Texas Hill Country west of Austin...
. Fredericksburg is named after Prince Frederick of Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
, nephew of Prussia's King Frederick William III
Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:...
, who was a member of the Adelsverein.
Baron Otfried Hans von Meusebach
John O. Meusebach
John O. Meusebach , born Baron Otfried Hans von Meusebach, was at first a Prussian bureaucrat, later an American farmer and politician who served in the Texas Senate, District 22.-Early years:John O...
was appointed the second commissioner general of the Adelsverein in April 1845, after Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels left New Braunfels.
Between 1842 and 1845, Shelby, Texas, became a small German farming community in Austin County
Austin County, Texas
Austin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas adjacent to the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 28,417 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is Bellville. Austin County is named for Stephen F...
. In 1843, Count Ludwig Joseph von Boos-Waldeck
Count Ludwig Joseph von Boos-Waldeck
Count Ludwig Joseph von Boos-Waldeck was a German noble who promoted the settling of Texas by Germans....
bought a plantation in Fayette County
Fayette County, Texas
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 21,804. Its county seat is La Grange. Fayette is named for the Marquis de la Fayette, a French nobleman who became an American Revolutionary War hero...
to be used in the Adelsverein effort. Nassau Farm, a "manor house" retreat for the Society's officials, was built during this period.
In 1853, due to a large amount of debt, Adelsverein ended its colonization campaign in Texas. It was succeeded by the German Immigration Company.
Darmstadt Society of Forty
Count Castell negotiated with the separate Darmstadt Society of Forty to colonize two hundred families on the Fisher-Miller Land GrantFisher-Miller Land Grant
The Fisher-Miller Land Grant was part of an early colonization effort of the Republic of Texas. Its 3,878,000 acres covered between the Llano River and Colorado River. Originally granted to Henry Francis Fisher and Burchard Miller, the grant was sold to the German colonization company of Adelsverein...
territory in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. In return, they were to receive $12,000 in money, livestock, equipment and provisions for a year. After the first year, the colonies were expected to support themselves. The colonies attempted were Castell
Castell, Texas
Castell is a small unincorporated riverside town in Llano County, Texas, United States. Located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, its northern border is formed by the Llano River. Designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1964, Marker number 9440....
, Leiningen, Bettina, Schoenburg and Meerholz in Llano County
Llano County, Texas
Llano County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 19, 301. Its county seat is Llano, and the county is named for the Llano River....
; Darmstädler Farm in Comal County
Comal County, Texas
Comal County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 108,472. Its seat is New Braunfels.Comal County is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History Timeline:...
; and Tusculum in Kendall County
Kendall County, Texas
Kendall County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2008 census, its population was 32,886. Its seat is Boerne....
. Of these, only Castell survives. The colonies failed after the Adelsverein funding expired, and also due to conflict of structure and authorities. Some members moved to other Adelsverein settlements in Texas. Others moved elsewhere, or returned to Germany.
Settlements
- Castell, TexasCastell, TexasCastell is a small unincorporated riverside town in Llano County, Texas, United States. Located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, its northern border is formed by the Llano River. Designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1964, Marker number 9440....
- Fredericksburg, TexasFredericksburg, TexasFredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530...
- New Braunfels, TexasNew Braunfels, TexasNew Braunfels is a city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas that is a principal city of the metropolitan area. Braunfels means "brown rock" in German; the city is named for Braunfels, in Germany. The city's population was 57,740 as of the 2010 census, up 58% from the 2000...
- Shelby, TexasShelby, TexasShelby is an unincorporated town in Austin County, Texas, United States. Shelby was settled in the early 1840s. The community was named for David Shelby, one of the first settlers in the area. Most of the early residents were members of Adelsverein, and for a time the community was identified with...
- Sisterdale, TexasSisterdale, TexasSisterdale, Texas, is an unincorporated farming and ranching community, established in 1847 and located north of Boerne in Kendall County, in the U.S. state of Texas. The community is located in the valley of Sister Creek. The current 2010 population is 25...
- Nassau PlantationNassau Plantation (Texas)Nassau Plantation was a endeavor purchased by the Adelsverein on January 9, 1843 in Fayette County, Texas, near what is now Round Top. Designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1968, Marker 3550.-Original purchase:...
, Fayette County, TexasFayette County, TexasFayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 21,804. Its county seat is La Grange. Fayette is named for the Marquis de la Fayette, a French nobleman who became an American Revolutionary War hero...
Founding members
Source:- Archduke of NassauAdolphe, Grand Duke of LuxembourgAdolphe I, Grand Duke of Luxembourg was the last Duke of Nassau, and the fourth Grand Duke of Luxembourg.-Biography:...
- Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
- Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
- Prince Frederick of PrussiaPrince Frederick of Prussia (1794–1863)Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig of Prussia , known in English as Frederick, was a Prussian prince, general of the royal cavalry, and division commander.- Family :...
- Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-RudolstadtFriedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-RudolstadtFriedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a sovereign prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.-Biography:...
- Carl, 3rd Prince of LeiningenCarl, 3rd Prince of LeiningenCarl Friedrich Wilhelm Emich, Prince of Leiningen was a German nobleman and the elder half-brother of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.-Biography:...
- Prince Hermann von Wied
- Prince Ferdinand von Solms-Braunfels
- Prince Franz von Collerado-Mansfield
- Prince Otto Victor von Schoenberg-Waldenburg
- Prince Carl of Solms-BraunfelsPrince Carl of Solms-BraunfelsPrince Carl of Solms-Braunfels , was a German prince and military officer in both the Austrian army and in the cavalry of the Grand Duchy of Hesse. As Commissioner General of the Adelsverein, he spearheaded the establishment of colonies of German immigrants in Texas...
(Prince of Solms-Braunfels Rheingrafenstein) - Prince Alexander von Solms-Braunfels
- Count Christian von Alt-Leiningen-Westernburg
- Count Viktor August of Leiningen-Westerburg-Alt-Leiningen
- Count Carl Frederick Christian of Castell-Castell
- Count Carl von Isenburg-Meerholz
- Count Edmund von Hatzfeld
- Count Carl William von Inn und Knyphausen-Lutelsberg
- Count Armand von Rennessee
- Count Carl von Castell
- Baron Paul Scirnay
Leadership
- Archduke of NassauAdolphe, Grand Duke of LuxembourgAdolphe I, Grand Duke of Luxembourg was the last Duke of Nassau, and the fourth Grand Duke of Luxembourg.-Biography:...
- Protector - Carl, 3rd Prince of LeiningenCarl, 3rd Prince of LeiningenCarl Friedrich Wilhelm Emich, Prince of Leiningen was a German nobleman and the elder half-brother of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.-Biography:...
- President - Count Carl Frederick Christian of Castell-Castell - Vice President, Executive Secretary-Business Director
- Count Viktor August of Leiningen-Westerburg-Alt-Leiningen - Co-founder
- Count Ludwig Joseph von Boos-WaldeckCount Ludwig Joseph von Boos-WaldeckCount Ludwig Joseph von Boos-Waldeck was a German noble who promoted the settling of Texas by Germans....
- Co-Founder - Baron August von BibraAugust von BibraAugust Ludwig Karl Georg Friedrich Freiherr von Bibra was director of the business affairs of Hermann, prince of Wied...
- General Manager - Gustav Dresel - Special Business Agent
- Philip Cappes - Special Commissioner
- Prince Carl of Solms-BraunfelsPrince Carl of Solms-BraunfelsPrince Carl of Solms-Braunfels , was a German prince and military officer in both the Austrian army and in the cavalry of the Grand Duchy of Hesse. As Commissioner General of the Adelsverein, he spearheaded the establishment of colonies of German immigrants in Texas...
- First Commissioner-General - John O. MeusebachJohn O. MeusebachJohn O. Meusebach , born Baron Otfried Hans von Meusebach, was at first a Prussian bureaucrat, later an American farmer and politician who served in the Texas Senate, District 22.-Early years:John O...
- Second Commissioner-General - Hermann SpiessHermann SpiessHermann Spiess was co-founder of the Bettina, Texas commune in 1847. He became Commissioner-General of the Adelsverein after the resignation of John O. Meusebach.-Early life:...
- Third Commissioner-General