Title:
Notebook, John O. Meusebach
Description:
Notebook with decorative cover and binding. Obverse of cover: Text written in German and the words: Money is Power and Texas Forever appear in English. Reverse of cover: Sketch / montage of rural images. On the top left corner, is a house with a flag, and cattle on the side. On the bottom left, is a man sitting on bags of what seems to be money. The bags are labeled 400, 200, 300, and 1000. Under the bags is written: Money is Power. Three men stand in front of the seated man, with their hats held out in front of them, as if begging. In the middle, there is a water body, and a sailboat. On the bottom right corner are various animals and a man fishing. On the top right corner, a white man drives black slaves to work on a farm. Two angels fly flags on either top corner. One says: Texas Forever and the other Liberty. A slim pencil clasps the book shut. Inside, there is a notebook on which there is John O. Meusebach's signature, and notations in German. There are also some number notations, and a sketch of a rectangle with dimensions.
Description:
Historical Note: As per notes in the accession file: This booklet was sent to Meusebach in 1846 by his fianc�e in Germany. The scenes represent topics that the two of them talked about 1). education for all 2). if he relinquished his title, what would give him standing? Answer? Money is Power. All persons duff their hats to money. 3). a white man lashing the little negroes. Above is the single word Liberty. The exclamation point speaks louder than words. Meusebach lost his first fianc�e, Elisabeth von Hardenburg, to typhoid fever. On September 28, 1852, he married seventeen-year-old Countess Agnes of Coreth. Born in Dillenburg, Germany, Baron Otfried Hans Freiherr von Meusebach, or John O. Meusebach (1812-1897), was one of four children to Baron Carl Hartwig Gregor von Meusebach and Ernestine von Witzleben. After studying law at the University of Bonn in 1832, Meusebach transferred to the University of Halle and took his bar examinations in 1836. A fluent speaker of English, Meusebach was appointed as commissioner general of the Adelsverein (Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas) in 1845. Arriving in Galveston, Texas, that same year, Meusebach adopted the name John Otfried in place of his noble title and established his post in New Braunfels. Determined that more land could be acquired for German immigrants through the Fisher-Miller Land Grant, Meusebach and Comanche chiefs Buffalo Hump, Santa Anna, and Mopechucope negotiated and signed Meusebach-Comanche Treaty on May 9, 1847, in an effort to protect surveyors and colonists. Following his success as commissioner general, Meusebach was elected to the Texas Senate to represent Bexar, Comal, and Medina counties in 1851, advocating successfully for a bill that established public schools in 1852.
Description:
Related Collection: John O. Meusebach Papers at the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, and Subject guide to Native American holdings at the Texas State Archives.
Identifier:
ATF0148
Item identifier:
ATF0148
Collection:
Artifacts collection
Date of creation:
1846
Source:
Texas State Library and Archives Commission, 1972/141
Container information:
Artifact Box 0069
Geographic coverage:
Germany
Subject:
Meusebach, John O., 1812-1897
Type:
Image
Type:
Writing Media
Type:
Notebook
Medium:
Paper (fiber product)
Medium:
Wood (plant material)
Citation information:
ATF0148, Artifacts collection. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Copyright information:
This image is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States. The Item and its design depicted in this image may be protected by copyright, patents, trademarks, or other related rights. You are free to use this image in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. Unless expressly stated otherwise, Texas State Library and Archives Commission makes no warranties about the Item and cannot guarantee the accuracy of this Rights Statement. You are responsible for your own use. Please contact the Texas State Library and Archives Commission for more information. You may need to obtain other permissions for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy or moral rights may limit how you may use the material.
Size or duration:
11.5 in x 9.5 in
Language:
English
Language:
German