Indianola Key Attractions
Indian Point
Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 4 | Group 5 | Group 6By March 1846, von Meusebach had made arrangements for the movement of immigrants from Indian Point. About 100 teams arrived that month and the people were over-joyed. The transfer of the Germans to New Braunfels proved to be difficult, as the wagons would sink to the axles in the mud on the prairie. Some of the immigrants left the wagon trains in Victoria.
(13)As weather conditions improved in March 1846, the immigrants' hopes of crossing a dry prairie to New Braunfels rose. War broke out between the U.S. and Mexico in May. The immigrants became stranded because the U.S. Army hired every available team and wagon by paying more to the teamsters. German volunteers were organinzed for U.S. Army at Indian Point by Augustus Buchel, a former officer in Europe.
(14)The congress of the U.S., on December 29, 1845, admitted Texas into the union. The end of the Republic came on Feb. 19, 1846. Those events received little attention from the stranded German colonists. In March of 1846 von Meusebach, hired the Torrey brothers of Houston, to move the immgrants inland. 100 teams arrived in March and the pople were overjoyed.
(15)Epidemics of typhoid, cholera and spinal meningitis took lives of adults and children. The number of dead rose and mass graves were filled with bodies. Entire families were wiped out, and the number of deaths in the summer of 1846 ranged to near 2,000. Many began the trek inland on foot and over 200 died along the way. Some Germans abandoned the Adelsverein, and settled at Indian Point.
(16)In 1846 Germans continued to move inland and the legislature in Austin passeda bill that created Calhoun County on April 4. Theodore Miller was elected Chief Justice and Henry Huck, probate judge. There was a movement for the establisment of a town of Indian Point in 1846. the town plat included 733 building lots on 82 blocks, and four streets paralleled to the bay.
(17)Commercial and passenger traffic into and out of the Matagorda Bay increased and it was noted by the U.S. Government. A post office was established at Indian Point on September 7, 1847, and John W. Pope was postmaster. H. Runge & Co. operated as commission and forwarding agents. Other forwarding agents were Charles Eckhardt, David Murphree and John Henry Brown. Murphree was a veteran of San Jacinto.
(18)