Meusebach–Comanche Treaty facts for kids
| Signed | May 9, 1847 |
|---|---|
| Location | Fredericksburg, Texas |
| Parties |
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The Meusebach–Comanche Treaty was a special agreement signed on May 9, 1847. It was made between German settlers in Texas, who were part of the Fisher–Miller Land Grant, and the Penateka branch of the Comanche Tribe. The United States government later officially recognized this treaty. In 1936, a historical marker was placed in San Saba County to remember this important event.
Contents
Why the Treaty Was Needed
The Fisher-Miller land grant covered a huge area of about 3.8 million acres. This land was located between the Llano River and Colorado River. It was right in the middle of the Comancheria, which was the traditional hunting ground for the Penateka Comanche Indians.
When the land was sold to the Adelsverein, a German society helping immigrants, the sellers knew it was dangerous. They knew the Comanche lived there but did not tell the society. The Adelsverein also didn't ask many questions about the land. This land was meant for German immigrants coming to Texas.
Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels, an early leader of the society, wanted to live peacefully with the Comanche. However, he couldn't make this happen. Later, John O. Meusebach took charge of the German immigrants. With help from Indian Agent Robert Neighbors, Meusebach started exploring Comanche lands. He wanted to find a way to talk with the Penateka Comanche.
Government's Role in the Treaty
The United States government did not directly help create this treaty. Only Robert Neighbors, the Indian Agent, could travel safely into Comanche territory. Other government officials could not guarantee safety for anyone. Because of this, surveyors who map out land were afraid to enter the grant. They worried about being attacked by the Indians.
So, the United States government did not play a part in making this treaty. They only recognized it later. This treaty is special because it was made between a Plains Tribe and private settlers. It is one of the only treaties of its kind.
Meusebach Meets the Penateka Comanche
The Fisher-Miller land grant had a rule: the land had to be settled or surveyed by the fall of 1847. If not, the society would lose the land. So, the German society knew they had to enter the Indian territory.
Meusebach put together a group of armed German and Mexican men. Their job was to protect American surveyors. This group left Fredericksburg on January 22, 1847. Lorenzo de Rozas, who had been kidnapped by Comanches as a child, was their guide and interpreter. He understood the Comanche language and culture.
Along the way, the group met some English-speaking Shawnee people. Meusebach hired three of them as hunters. The Comanche Chief Ketemoczy (Katemcy) met Meusebach and his group near what is now Mason. Chief Ketemoczy called Meusebach "El Sol Colorado," which means "The Red Sun," because of his reddish-blonde hair.
On February 18, they visited an old Spanish fort on the San Saba River. They wanted to see if it was a good place for a settlement. This area was thought to have a lot of silver. Inside the old fort, they found names carved by earlier explorers, including Jim Bowie. As agreed with Chief Ketemoczy, they returned to the Comanche camp at the next full moon. Negotiations for the treaty began on March 1 and 2, 1847.
Meusebach joined the group in the Comanche camp two days after they started their journey. A famous geologist named Ferdinand von Roemer wrote a detailed account of this trip. About ten days after Meusebach's group left, the Governor of Texas, James Pinckney Henderson, sent Robert Neighbors to warn Meusebach. The Governor was worried about the dangers of entering Indian territory. He had told Neighbors to help with negotiations if Meusebach had already left. Ferdinand von Roemer went with Neighbors.
The Governor did not know that Meusebach had already made contact with the Indians. Neighbors was able to convince Buffalo Hump to join the talks. The negotiations were successful. The final discussions happened on March 1 and 2 at the lower San Saba River Basin. This was about twenty-five miles from the Colorado River.
Important Comanche Chiefs
Ferdinand von Roemer, the German scientist, was at the meetings between the German society and the Comanche Chiefs. He described the three Penateka Comanche chiefs as calm and respected. He called Old Owl the "political chief" and Santa Anna a friendly and lively "war chief."
Roemer described Chief Buffalo Hump very clearly:
Buffalo Hump looked like a true North American Indian. Unlike others in his tribe, he did not wear European clothes. His body was bare, with a buffalo robe around his waist. He wore brass rings on his arms and beads around his neck. His long, black hair hung down. He sat with the serious face of a North American Indian, which seemed calm to Europeans. We paid special attention to him because he was known for his great bravery in past attacks on the Texas frontier.
Signing the Treaty
The treaty was signed by the powerful chiefs Buffalo Hump, Santa Anna, and Old Owl for the Penateka Comanche. Meusebach signed for the German society. The Penateka Comanches called Meusebach "El Sol Colorado" because of his long, red beard.
The treaty was officially approved in Fredericksburg two months later. It allowed Meusebach's settlers to travel safely into Comanche lands. It also allowed the Penateka Comanche to visit the white settlements without harm. The treaty also promised that both sides would report any bad actions and control their own lawbreakers. It also said that the Germans could survey lands in the San Saba area. For this, they would pay the Indians at least $1,000.
The Penateka also asked for a German representative to live among them. Emil Kriewitz was chosen for this role. He went to live with war chief Santa Anna. This treaty opened up over 3 million acres of land for settlement by the German society.
The Treaty Today
Only five settlements were started by the Adelsverein in the Fisher-Miller land grant area: Bettina, Castell, Leiningen, Meerholz, and Schoenburg. Out of these, only Castell survived. Fredericksburg is near the grant but not inside it.
The original Meusebach-Comanche treaty document was brought back to Texas from Germany in 1970. Mrs. Irene Marschall King, John Meusebach's granddaughter, returned it. The document was given to the Texas State Library in 1972. It is still on display there. This treaty is one of the few agreements with Native Americans that was never broken.
What the Treaty Said
The treaty was signed on May 9, 1847. It was an agreement of peace and friendship between the German Immigration Company and the Comanche Nation.
Here are the main points of the treaty:
- Travel and Protection: German settlers could visit any part of the land between the Llano and San Saba rivers. The Comanche Nation promised to protect them. In return, Comanches could visit German towns and settlements without fear. They would be protected as long as they acted peacefully.
- Help and Safety: The Comanche promised not to bother German settlers on the Llano River. They also agreed to help the Germans and warn them if other Indians tried to steal horses or cause trouble. The Germans promised to help the Comanches against their enemies if needed. Both sides agreed that if any problems happened because of bad individuals, the chiefs would discuss it with the "great father's" agent to solve it.
- Land Survey and Payment: The Comanche chiefs allowed Mr. Meusebach to survey the land as far as the Concho River and even higher up the Colorado River. They agreed not to bother any surveyors. In return, Meusebach would give them gifts worth One Thousand Dollars. This, plus food given to the Comanches while they were in Fredericksburg, would add up to about Two Thousand Dollars or more.
- Lasting Peace: Both sides agreed to work hard to keep peace and friendship between the Germans, the Comanche, and all other settlers forever.
The treaty was signed in Fredericksburg on May 9, 1847.
- John O. Meusebach
- R.L. Neighbors, Special Agent U.S.
- F. Shubbert
- Jean Jacques von Coll
- John F. Torrey
- Felix A. von Blücher
- War Chiefs of the Delaware
- Jim Shaw x mark
- John Connors x mark
- War Chiefs of the Comanches
- Santa Anna's x mark
- Poch-an Sanachego's x mark
- Moora-quitop x mark
- Matasane x mark
- To-shaw-wheschke x mark
- Nokakwek x mark
