The Coming of Our Forefathers
Source: Unknown- probably a Hitzfelder
During the years between 1830 and 1850 some 2 ½ million people migrated to the United States, chiefly from Germany and Ireland. In these centuries there were political problems, over population problems, and problems of employment. It was difficult to obtain an education. There were many hungry and starving people. Reports and stories from America were glowing with promises of prosperity, political freedom and advantages for all. So it was that many pulled up roots, broke family ties, and headed for "the land of promise." There are German settlements throughout the United States but thereare none with a story as unique as the German settlements to which the forefathers of Herman and Wanda Hitzfelder came between the years of 1845 and 1860.
In 1842 several German princes and noblemen came together to form a group to assist those who were willing to emigrate from Germany. This group was established by Count Castell whose mission it was to set up a free German Colony in other lands. It was believed by this group that a German state in the new world would not on open up new fields of commerce and industry to Germany but would also help to relieve the over-population problem. This group of noblemen thought that Texas was the place of promise for this new German state.
As an independent nation, it was felt that Texas would not last long without assistance. Realizing that Texas might soon be annexed into the Union the society felt an urgency for getting settlers into Texas as quickly as possible.
Instead of applying for land from the Texas Government for a settlement which they would have gotten, the society chose to buy land because then they would have no obligations to the Texas Government. It was felt that such an obligation might thwart plans for a free German state.
Hearing that the Society was wanting to buy land, two Germans living in Texas, a Mr. Fischer and a Mr. Mueller, gave glowing reports of its beauty and agricultural value. The Society bought the land without ever investigating it or going to see it for themselves.
The Fisher-Mueller Grant was located between the San Saba and Upper Colorado Rivers. It was Indian land, inhabited by the most hostile of all Indian tribes in Texas. It was located far inland with no roads in or out. It would be difficult to get the people there and it would be difficult to get life needed supplies to them.
The noblemen had no ideas of what was needed to settle this land grant and made no real study. They did not realize the hardships that would be facing emigrants in a new land that spoke another language. They wanted to get the settlers to Texas as quickly as possible before it was annexed. Nothing was spared by this group to represent Texas as a paradise. They promised schools, good roads, churches, and hospitals. Thousands applied to go. The Society entered into bargains with would be emigrants with no idea of the financial support it would take to see them properly settled.
So it was that in 1844 Prince Solms came to America to choose an exact spot for the first settlement and make arrangements for the settlers. Upon his arrival in Texas the government told him, Prince Solms, that if the settlement were located in the Fisher-Mueller Grant that they, the government, could not give the settlers protection from Indian attack. Knowing this and realizing for the first time the great distance involved in moving 280 emigrants with needed supplies inland from the coast to the grant, Prince Solms decided upon a plan whereby the emigrants could be moved inland in steps. To do this, settlements had to be established along the route inland to the Fisher-Mueller Grant.
After making arrangements for a Reverend Ervenburg and a Mr. Torrey to meet the emigrants who were now soon to arrive, Prince Solms set out to find a new location for the first settlement. After investigating several locations, Prince Solms followed the advice of a Texas Ranger and bought land at the junction of Comal and Guadalupe Rivers from Maria Antonio Veramandi Garza upon which was to be established the gateway community. Prince Solms arrived at the site of the new settlement just a few days before the first 285 emigrants arrived there, March 21, 1845. This new settlement was named New Braunfels.
The Emigration Society, not to be discouraged by the impending annexation of Texas, rushed another 5,200 persons to the new land between September and December of 1845. Arriving at Indianola these settlers found that Texas had already been admitted to the Union and the United States was at war with Mexico. The society had provided no transportation inland or provided any provisions. The cost of transportation and provisions on the coast had skyrocketed due to the war and the few huts at Indianola had been taken by the soldiers. The rains had been so severe that it was impossible to get wagons through to New Braunfels.
Some of the emigrants went on to friends or elsewhere in the state but those stranded at Indian Point (Indianola) lived in tents or dug into the sand living exposed to the heat of the sun and the chill of the heavy rains. Their provisions soon turned bad and illness set in. Some writers say an epidemic of cholera broke out. Others say it was spinal meningitis and still others say it was malaria. Two-thirds of the people became ill of which some 200 died on the coast (Some writers say all total over 1000 died).
The survivors then decided to start for New Braunfels on their own but the trips, because of illness, the lack of needed provisions, swollen rivers and muddy roads, were even more miserable. In the four weeks it took to make the trip another 100 died.
The group arrived at New Braunfels to find that they could not cross the Guadalupe which was running at flood level. The emigrants had to remain on the north bank of the river another two weeks during which time another 29 died.
To add even more agony to the settlers problems when they finally crossed the river they found that New Braunfels consisted of some tents and a few huts. There was no place for the ill and five to six families had to pack into one hut or tent. Rev. Ervenburg had a large shed built for a place to care for the ill. He also took the orphans into his home. Making matters even worse, the crops of the first settlers had been scant, the meat was bad, and disease spread to even more settlers and another 100 died.
Although the settlers had each signed an agreement for 160 acres to 230 acres of land, they were at first given only ten town acres. The purpose of this was to build up the community and, thus, provide protection from Indians.
By January 4, 1847, the old clumsy huts in New Braunfels had been replaced by many permanent houses. The problem of shelter had been solved and the settlers were turning to agricultural interest. By the end of 1847, all of the free land in the Veramandi Survey had been given to the settlers in 160 to 320 acre homesteads.
With all of these hardships many of the pioneers were still satisfied with their new life and were not willing to go back to Germany. One settler wrote home telling of the birth and death of his baby daughter, of the difficulties of building a new home and of the hard work finished but completed his letter by saying, "I have no desire to go back to Germany. Who ever wants to see me must come here; I do not believe he will regret it."