John O. Meusebach

by Irene Marschall King

An in-depth look at the life and accomplishments of the author's grandfather, John O. Meusebach. Meusebach was the second commissioner-general of the Adelsverein, which sent thousands of German immigrants to Texas in the 1840s, and his leadership is credited with salvaging the troubled mission. Despite tremendous obstacles, he founded the town of Fredericksburg and established a successful peace treaty with the Comanches. He was later elected (while he was on a voyage to Germany) to the state senate, but gave up a promising political career to spend the last decades of his life farming in Loyal Valley.