Mason in Mason County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
First Comanche-German Meeting
Photographed By Brian Anderson, May 17, 2020
1. First Comanche-German Meeting Marker
Inscription.
First Comanche-German Meeting. . At this site on February 5, 1847, seven or eight Penateka Comanches headed by Chief Ketumusua (also Ketumsee, Katemcy, Katemoczy) had their first encounter with an expedition of German immigrants led by John O. Meusebach. The group of about forty settlers left Fredericksburg on January 22 to explore the area between the Llano and Colorado rivers included in the Fisher-Miller land grant. The Society for the Protection of German Immigrants (Adelsverein) had acquired colonization rights to the tract, and Meusebach, the society’s general agent, chose a diplomatic approach to interacting with the people already living here., The Comanches, carrying a white flag, approached the Germans’ camp and asked whether they intended to wage war. Meusebach replied that they had come in peace and presented gifts. After they held a consultation through an interpreter, Ketumusua invited the Germans to visit his village on the San Saba River. The parties had a meal together, and the Comanches escorted the Germans to their camp. This first meeting laid the groundwork for a successful peace council on March 1-2, 1847, a rare instance in American history when native people and immigrant settlers negotiated a voluntary agreement for sharing territory. The Comanches honored their treaty with the Germans even as they continued to be in conflict with other settlers. Ketumusua later became the Principal Chief of the Southern Comanches, and Meusebach was elected to the Texas State Senate. Their first meeting is remembered as a significant exchange between two cultures who added to the intertwined history of the Texas Hill Country. . This historical marker was erected in 2013 by Texas Historical Commission. It is in Mason in Mason County Texas
At this site on February 5, 1847, seven or eight Penateka Comanches headed by Chief Ketumusua (also Ketumsee, Katemcy, Katemoczy) had their first encounter with an expedition of German immigrants led by John O. Meusebach. The group of about forty settlers left Fredericksburg on January 22 to explore the area between the Llano and Colorado rivers included in the Fisher-Miller land grant. The Society for the Protection of German Immigrants (Adelsverein) had acquired colonization rights to the tract, and Meusebach, the society’s general agent, chose a diplomatic approach to interacting with the people already living here.
The Comanches, carrying a white flag, approached the Germans’ camp and asked whether they intended to wage war. Meusebach replied that they had come in peace and presented gifts. After they held a consultation through an interpreter, Ketumusua invited the Germans to visit his village on the San Saba River. The parties had a meal together, and the Comanches escorted the Germans to their camp. This first meeting laid the groundwork for a successful peace council on March 1-2, 1847, a rare instance in American
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history when native people and immigrant settlers negotiated a voluntary agreement for sharing territory. The Comanches honored their treaty with the Germans even as they continued to be in conflict with other settlers. Ketumusua later became the Principal Chief of the Southern Comanches, and Meusebach was elected to the Texas State Senate. Their first meeting is remembered as a significant exchange between two cultures who added to the intertwined history of the Texas Hill Country.
Erected 2013 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 17809.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is February 5, 1847.
Location. 30° 45.017′ N, 99° 14.092′ W. Marker is in Mason, Texas, in Mason County. Marker is on Fort McKavett Street (U.S. 87), on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 442 Fort McKavett Street, Mason TX 76856, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 23, 2020. It was originally submitted on May 23, 2020, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas. This page has been viewed 263 times since then and 57 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on May 23, 2020, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas.
At this site on February 5, 1847, seven or eight Penateka Comanches headed by Chief Ketumusua (also Ketumsee, Katemcy, Katemoczy) had their first encounter with an expedition of German immigrants led by John O. Meusebach. The group of about forty settlers left Fredericksburg on January 22 to explore the area between the Llano and Colorado rivers included in the Fisher-Miller land grant. The Society for the Protection of German Immigrants (Adelsverein) had acquired colonization rights to the tract, and Meusebach, the society’s general agent, chose a diplomatic approach to interacting with the people already living here.
