TITLE: Recognizing May 9, 2015, as John O. Meusebach Day at the State Capitol.

SUMMARY: Recognizing May 9, 2015, as John O. Meusebach Day at the State Capitol.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Accomplished Texans who serve as positive role models for young people deserve special recognition, and John O. Meusebach, the founder of Fredericksburg, is one such figure; and WHEREAS, Born in Dillenburg, Germany, on May 26, 1812, Baron Otfried Hans Freiherr von Meusebach began studying law at the University of Bonn in 1832 and later transferred to the University of Halle, and he completed his bar examinations at Naumberg in 1836; and WHEREAS, The baron was appointed as commissioner general of the Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas, known as the Adelsverein, in early 1845 and subsequently moved to New Braunfels; there, he put aside his German title of nobility, adopting the name John O. Meusebach, and dedicated his efforts to serving the needs of immigrants, often enduring such hardships as financial shortfalls, lack of transportation, disease, and war; and WHEREAS, While working in New Braunfels, Mr. Meusebach founded the settlements of Fredericksburg, Castell, and Leiningen; he also acquired the headrights to property in the Fisher-Miller land grant, but before that site could be surveyed and settled, he needed to reach an accord with the Comanches; in March 1847, he and a delegation of German settlers met with the Comanche head chiefs Buffalo Hump, Santa Anna, and Mopechucope and their tribe, and two months later, the parties signed the Meusebach-Comanche Treaty, which established peace between both sides and opened more than three million acres of land for settlement; and WHEREAS, In 1851, Mr. Meusebach was elected to the Texas Senate to represent Bexar, Comal, and Medina Counties; over the course of his tenure in that office, he served on committees for state affairs and education, and he further distinguished himself as a staunch advocate of universal and compulsory education and helped pass a bill to provide for a public school system; he was later appointed by Governor Elisha M. Pease to issue land certificates promised to immigrants by the Adelsverein in 1845 and 1846; and WHEREAS, Mr. Meusebach married Countess Agnes of Coreth on September 28, 1852, and they became the parents of 11 children; following his retirement in 1869, he spent his remaining years at his 200-acre farm in Loyal Valley, tending his orchard, vineyards, and rose garden; he died on May 27, 1897; and WHEREAS, John O. Meusebach was a crucial figure in the early history of Texas, and his memory carries a particular resonance for all who care about the heritage of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby recognize May 9, 2015, as John O. Meusebach Day at the State Capitol and pay tribute to his legacy as founder of Fredericksburg and as peacemaker with the Comanches. Miller of Comal Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 567 was adopted by the House on March 5, 2015, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House