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Most people (including the Author) have never heard of Baron Otfried Hans von Meusebach, but for the dying breed of Texas-Germans, especially those in and around Frederickburg, the Commissioner General of the "Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas", also known as the "Noblemen's Society" (in German: Mainzer Adelsverein) is a legend. The "Noblemen's Society" supported the migration of Germans to Texas and eventually helped 7,380 German settlers to build a new existence in Texas.
Meusebach, born in Prussia in 1812, became Commissioner General of the "Noblemen's Society" in 1845 and moved to Texas, immediately following his nomination. In 1846 he founded the town of Fredericksburg which to this day is the cultural center of Germans in Texas.
Meusebach, who renounced his noble title upon arrival in Texas and simply became John O. Meusebach is hailed mostly for a peace treaty he forged in 1847 with the Comanche People. The treaty turned out to be so favorable for both sides that the foundation of eleven Texas counties was a direct result of the peaceful relations between the Comanche and the Germans. Today, this treaty is considered to be the only treaty between white settlers and Native Americans that was never broken.
Meusebach, who also served as a Texas State Senator from 1851-1853, died in 1897 on his property in Loyal Valley near Fredericksburg. A short biography in English language can be found at Wikipedia. Wikipedia's German Edition has an extensive biography in German language.
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