page_title: Meusebach–Comanche Treaty
section_title: Meusebach and the Penateka Comanche
hierarchical_section_title: Meusebach–Comanche Treaty / Meusebach and the Penateka Comanche
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Hans Freiherr von Meusebach (1812-1897) in jungen Jahren andere Versionen: Otfried-Hans-Meusebach.jpg
context_page_description: The Meusebach–Comanche Treaty was a treaty made on May 9,1847 between the private citizens of the Fisher–Miller Land Grant in Texas, who were predominantly German in nationality, and the Penateka Comanche Tribe. The treaty was officially recognized by the United States government. In 1936, a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, Marker number 991, was placed in San Saba County to commemorate the signing of the treaty.
context_section_description: The Fisher-Miller land grant awarded by the state of Texas contained provisions that the land had to be settled, or at least surveyed and settlement begun, by fall of 1847. Given these provisions, the Society realized it must either enter the Indian territory or forfeit the land grant. Meusebach raised a private mounted company including well-armed Germans and Mexicans, to protect American surveyors, who subsequently set out from Fredericksburg on January 22, 1847. Lorenzo de Rozas served as a guide and interpreter.  He had been kidnapped by Comanches as a child and understood the language and culture. 
  En route, the group was approached by several English-speaking Shawnee, and Meusebach engaged three as hunters.  The reddish-blonde haired John O. Meusebach was named El Sol Colorado (The Red Sun) by Penateka Comanche Chief Ketemoczy (Katemcy), who had encountered Meusebach and his group in the vicinity of present-day Mason. On February 18, they visited an old Spanish fort on the San Saba River, to determine viability for a settlement. It was a region said to be rich in silver deposits.  In the ruins of Presidio San Sabá, they found etched the names of previous mineral speculators, including that of Jim Bowie who had been there in 1829.  According to their agreement with Chief Ketemoczy, they returned to the Comanche camp at the next full moon, and commenced negotiations March 1–2, 1847.
  Meusebach joined them in camp two days after their journey into the Comancheria began. Noted geologist Ferdinand von Roemer wrote a vivid and accurate account of the expedition which is still available. About ten days after the Meusebach group was gone, the Governor of Texas, James Pinckney Henderson, sent a Robert Neighbors to warn Meusebach of the possible consequences of entering Indian territory. He had been given orders that, had Meusebach already departed, to overtake them and offer to assist in the negotiations. Ferdinand von Roemer accompanied Neighbors. Unknown to the Governor, however, contacts with the Indians had already been made; Neighbors was able to convince Buffalo Hump to join, and the negotiations were fruitful. The final negotiating sessions took place on March 1 and 2 at the lower San Saba River Basin, about twenty-five miles from the Colorado River.
caption: John O. Meusebach
exif: {}