German Spirit for Texas Freedom: Deutsche Geist für Texanische Freiheit

by Betsy Wagner

Ahhh, Texas! The attraction was undeniable. The flow of settlers from the United States began in 1821, as soon as Stephen Austin made the land available. Mexico needed people there, so a partnership of sorts arranged for an irresistible opportunity. In 1829 Christian Dierks considered America a solution for his troubles in Germany. He brought his family to Texas in 1831, settled in a little nest of heaven on Mill Creek, and called the place Industry. This seemingly insignificant newcomer influenced Texas’ population in ways he never anticipated. He sent letters back home to his German friends, among them the family of Anthon Mehrens. Thousands of Germans dismissed the challenges of crossing an ocean. They boarded ships and left Europe for another continent. The stories of their relocation are remarkable and deserve to be remembered. By 1846, just as Texas was adopted into the “Union,” the Mehrens family followed their friends to Texas. They left Germany with hearts full of hope. It was a brutal journey. In the end their dreams would be fulfilled, paid for with agony familiar to many other immigrants. Twenty-first century Texans with German roots are here because of those confident souls who came to believe that Earth was not too large a place for those willing to conquer it.

332 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 7, 2023