John O. Meusebach - Early Years

Early Years

John O. Meusebach was born May 26, 1814, in Dillenburg, Duchy of Nassau, to Baron Karl Hartwig Gregor von Meusebach, a judge solicitor, and Ernestine von Meusebach née von Witzleben. He was the namesake of brother Orfried Isador (1806–1808) who died young. He had two older sisters, Ludowine and Caroline, and a younger brother Carl Bernhard. The children grew up in a home filled with music. Mother Ernestine was a pianist, and the family enjoyed entertaining visitors with the singing of poems, folk songs and hymns. The elder Meusebach, a poet himself, took delight in collecting German folk music and literature.

As an adult, Meusebach stood 6 foot 2 inches tall with reddish-blonde hair. Waco Indians near New Braunfels called him Ma-be-quo-si-to-mu, (Chief with the burning hair of the head). Penateka Comanche Chief Ketemoczy (Katemcy) named him El Sol Colorado (The Red Sun).

Read more about this topic:  John O. Meusebach

Famous quotes containing the words early years, early and/or years:

    Parents ... are sometimes a bit of a disappointment to their children. They don’t fulfil the promise of their early years.
    Anthony Powell (b. 1905)

    ...to many a mother’s heart has come the disappointment of a loss of power, a limitation of influence when early manhood takes the boy from the home, or when even before that time, in school, or where he touches the great world and begins to be bewildered with its controversies, trade and economics and politics make their imprint even while his lips are dewy with his mother’s kiss.
    J. Ellen Foster (1840–1910)

    There had been years of Passion—scorching, cold,
    And much Despair, and Anger heaving high,
    Thomas Hardy (1840–1928)