In 1847, Hermann Spiess,[1] Ferdinand Ludwig Herff,[2] and Gustav Schleicher[3] founded the "Darmstädter Vierziger" (the Society of Forty), sometimes referred to as the Socialistic Colony and Society. The founders, as well as many of the members, were from Darmstadt, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Hesse. They originally planned to establish socialistic communes in Wisconsin.
Spiess and Herff were approached in Wiesbaden by Adelsverein vice president and executive secretary-business director Count Carl Frederick Christian of Castell-Castell,[4] who made a deal with them to colonize 200 families on the Fisher–Miller Land Grant territory in Texas. In return, they were to receive $12,000 in money, livestock, and equipment and provisions for a year. After the first year, the colonies were expected to support themselves.[5] The colonies attempted were Castell,[6] Leiningen, Bettina,[7] Schoenburg, and Meerholz in Llano County; Darmstädler Farm in Comal County; and Tusculum in Kendall County.[8] Of these, only two survived: Castell and Tusculum, which was renamed Boerne in 1852. The colonies failed after the Adelsverein funding expired, and because of conflict of structure and authorities. Some members moved to other Adelsverein settlements in Texas; others moved elsewhere, or returned to Germany.
The following list is derived from the first-hand account of Louis Reinhardt, as well as other historical records.[9]
| + | Darmstadt Society of Forty | |
| Name | Ship | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Otto Amelung | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Lawyer |
| Heinrich Backofen (circa 1804–1872) | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Maker of musical instruments |
| Peter Bub | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Maker of musical instruments |
| Unknown Deichert | Blacksmith | |
| Christoph Flach | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Mechanic[10] |
| St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Wrede School in Gillespie County, Texas was established on his land. He was part of the German negotiating team for the Meusebach–Comanche Treaty.[11] [12] He served in the Texas House of Representatives Nov 7, 1859 - Nov 8, 1861 (Note: Texas became part of the Confederate States of America on March 2, 1861.[13]) | |
| Rudolph Fuchs | Lawyer | |
| Adolph Hahn | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Lieutenant of the military |
| Unknown Heff | Carpenter | |
| Ferdinand Ludwig Herff (1820–1912) | 1846 | Physician[14] |
| Unknown Herrmann | Forester | |
| Christian Hesse | Lawyer | |
| Johannes Hoerner | [15] | |
| Louis Kappelhoff | Ship carpenter | |
| Heinrich Kattmann | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | |
| Adam Koeppel | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | |
| Jacob Kuechler (1823–1893) | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Forester |
| Georg August Lerch | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Architect |
| Ferdinand Lindheimer (1801–1879) | 1834 | Naturalist |
| Louis Friedrich | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Forester |
| Unknown Merting | Minister | |
| Friedrich Michel | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Brewer |
| Franz Morde | ||
| Edward Mueller | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Agriculturalist |
| Unknown Neff | Carpenter | |
| Unknown Neff | Butcher | |
| Unknown Ottmer | Miller | |
| Ludwig (Louis) Reinhardt | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Botanist |
| Unknown Rockan | American who joined in Victoria, Texas | |
| Phillipp Friedrich Karl Theodore (Fritz) Schenck (1820–1875) | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Forester[16] |
| Gustav Schleicher (1823–1879) | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Engineer |
| Theodore Schlenning | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Physician |
| Leopold Schulz | Physician | |
| Anton Schunk | Maker of musical instruments | |
| Hermann Spiess (c.1818–1873) | Co-founder of the Bettina, Texas, commune in 1847, he became commissioner-general of the Adelsverein after the resignation of John O. Meusebach.[17] | |
| August Strauss | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Mechanic |
| Adam Vogt (1822–1882) | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Forester; signed the petition to create Kendall County; first Judge of Kendall County[18] |
| Julius Wagner | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Lawyer |
| Karl Wundt | Lawyer | |
| Philip Zoeller (1818–1900) | St. Pauli, July 4, 1847 | Architect who designed the Kendall County Courthouse.[19] |