In 1847,

Hermann Spiess Hermann Spiess (c. 1818–1873) was co-founder of the Bettina, Texas commune in 1847. He became Commissioner-General of the Adelsverein after the resignation of John O. Meusebach. Early life Hermann was born around 1818 in Offenbach am Main, Gran ...

Ferdinand Ludwig Herff Ferdinand Ludwig Herff (1820–1912) was a 19th-century German-born physician who emigrated to Texas and became a medical pioneer in San Antonio. He was one of the co-founders of the Bettina commune. In 1982, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 1268 ...

, and Gustav Schleicher founded die Darmstadt der 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 Darmstadt () is a city in the States of Germany, state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Area, Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it th ...

, the capital of the

Grand Duchy of Hesse The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine (german: link=no, Großherzogtum Hessen und bei Rhein) was a grand duchy in western Germany that existed from 1806 to 1918. The Grand Duchy originally formed from the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806 ...

. 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, who made a deal with them to colonize 200 families on the

Fisher–Miller Land Grant The Fisher–Miller Land Grant was part of an early colonization effort of the Republic of Texas. Its 3,878,000 acres covered between the Llano River and Colorado River (Texas), Colorado River. Originally granted to Henry Francis Fisher and Burcha ...

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. The colonies attempted were

Castell A ''castell'' () is a human tower built traditionally at festivals in Catalonia, the Balearic islands and the Valencian Community. At these festivals, several ''colles castelleres'' (teams that build towers) attempt to build and dismantle a t ...

, Leiningen, Bettina, Schoenburg, and Meerholz in

Llano County Llano County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 21,243. Its county seat is Llano, and the county is named for the Llano River. During the American Civil War, the c ...

; Darmstädler Farm in Comal County; and Tusculum in Kendall County. Of these, only two survived: Castell and Tusculum, which was renamed

Boerne Boerne ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Kendall County, Texas, in the Texas Hill Country. Boerne is known for its German-Texan history, named in honor of German author and satirist Ludwig Börne by the German Founders of the town. The popu ...

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 Forty

The following list is derived from the first-hand account of Louis Reinhardt, as well as other historical records.; ;

References

Source material

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Darmstadt Society of Forty Germany history-related lists Mun Lists of people from Texas Comal County, Texas Kendall County, Texas Llano County, Texas German-American culture in Texas German American