List of Darmstadt Society of Forty members
Hermann Spiess,[1] Ferdinand Ludwig Herff[2] and Gustav Schleicher [3] founded Darmstadt Die Vierziger (the Society of Forty), sometimes referred to as the Socialistic Colony and Society. The founders, as well as many of the members, were from Darmstadt. They originally planned to establish socialistic communes in Wisconsin.
Spiess and Herff were approached in Wiesbaden by Adelsverein Vice President and Executive Secretary-Business Director Count Carl Frederick Christian of Castell-Castell,[4] who made a deal with them to colonize 200 families on the Fisher-Miller Land Grant territory in Texas. 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.[5] The colonies attempted were Castell,[6] Leiningen, Bettina,[7] Schoenburg and Meerholz in Llano County; Darmstädler Farm in Comal County; and Tusculum in Kendall County.[8] 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.
The Forty
| Name | Ship | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Amelung, OttoOtto Amelung | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Lawyer |
| Backofen, HeinrichHeinrich Backofen | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Maker of musical instruments |
| Bub, PeterPeter Bub | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Maker of musical instruments |
| Deichert, UnknownUnknown Deichert | Blacksmith | |
| Flach, ChristophChristoph Flach | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Mechanic |
| Friedrich, WilhelmWilhelm Friedrich | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Lawyer |
| Fuchs, RudolphRudolph Fuchs | Lawyer | |
| Hahn, AdolphAdolph Hahn | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Lieutenant of the military |
| Heff, UnknownUnknown Heff | Carpenter | |
| Herff, Ferdinand LudwigFerdinand Ludwig Herff | 1846 | Physician |
| Herrmann, UnknownUnknown Herrmann | Forester | |
| Hesse, ChristianChristian Hesse | Lawyer | |
| Hoerner, JohannesJohannes Hoerner | ||
| Kappelhoff, LouisLouis Kappelhoff | Ship carpenter | |
| Kattmann, HeinrichHeinrich Kattmann | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | |
| Koeppel, AdamAdam Koeppel | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | |
| Kuechler, JacobJacob Kuechler | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Forester |
| Lerch, AugustAugust Lerch | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Architect |
| Lindheimer, Ferdinand JacobFerdinand Jacob Lindheimer | 1834 | Naturalist |
| Friedrich, LouisLouis Friedrich | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Forester |
| Merting, UnknownUnknown Merting | Minister | |
| Michel, FriedrichFriedrich Michel | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Brewer |
| Mordes, FranzFranz Mordes | ||
| Mueller, EdwardEdward Mueller | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Agriculturalist |
| Neff, UnknownUnknown Neff | Carpenter | |
| Neff, UnknownUnknown Neff | Butcher | |
| Ottmer, UnknownUnknown Ottmer | Miller | |
| Reinhardt, Ludwig (Louis)Ludwig (Louis) Reinhardt | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Botanist |
| Rockan, UnknownUnknown Rockan | American who joined in Victoria, Texas | |
| Schenck, Phillipp Friedrich Karl Theodore (Fritz)Phillipp Friedrich Karl Theodore (Fritz) Schenck | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Forester |
| Schleicher, GustavGustav Schleicher | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Engineer |
| Schlenning, TheodoreTheodore Schlenning | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Physician |
| Schuze, LeopoldLeopold Schuze | ||
| Schunk, AntonAnton Schunk | Maker of musical instruments | |
| Spiess, HermannHermann Spiess | 1846 | |
| Strauss, AugustAugust Strauss | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Mechanic |
| Vogt, AdamAdam Vogt | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Forester |
| Wagner, JuliusJulius Wagner | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Lawyer |
| Wundt, UnknownUnknown Wundt | Lawyer | |
| Zoeller, PhillipPhillip Zoeller | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Architect |
References
- ↑ Ragsdale, Crystal Sasse. "Hermann Spiess". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
- ↑ Stembridge, Vernie A. "Ferdinand Ludwig Herff". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
- ↑ Heinen, Hubert Plummer. "Gustav Schleicher". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
- ↑ Brister, Louis E. "Count Carl of Castell-Castell". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
- ↑ King (1967) p.122
- ↑ Heckert-Greene, James B. "Castell, Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
- ↑ Lich, Glen E. "Bettina, Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
- ↑ Lich, Glen E. "The Forty". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
Source material
- Sowell, Andrew Jackson (2010) [1900]. Early Settlers and Indian Fighters of Southwest Texas. General Books LLC. ISBN 978-1-4590-6750-9.
- Texas State Historical Association (1900). "The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 3".
- Pioneers in God's Hills. Gillespie County Historical Society. 1960.
- King, Irene Marschall (1967). John O.Meusebach. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-73656-6.
- Reichstein, Andreas (2001). German Pioneers on the American Frontier: The Wagners in Texas and Illinois. University of North Texas Press. ISBN 978-1-57441-134-8.
- Morgenthaler, Jefferson (2005). Boerne, Settlement on the Cibolo. Mockingbird Books. ISBN 978-1-932801-08-8.
- Morgenthaler, Jefferson (2007). The German Settlement of the Texas Hill Country. Mockingbird Books. ISBN 978-1-932801-09-5.
- "Immigration Database". Galveston Historical Foundation.
- "Indianola Immigrant Database". Victoria Tx Regional History Center.