GERMAN NATIVE ANTON FELIX HANS HELLMUTH VON BLUCHER (1819-1879) CAME TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1844, ARRIVING IN NEW ORLEANS. THE FOLLOWING YEAR HE MOVED TO TEXAS AND JOINED THE GERMAN SETTLERS AT NEW BRAUNFELS. TRAINED IN ENGINEERING, LANGUAGES, AND LAW, HE SERVED AS AN INTERPRETER AND SURVEYOR. IN 1847 HE ASSISTED THE COLONY LEADER, JOHN O. MEUSEBACH, IN THE NEGOTIATION OF A TREATY WITH COMANCHE INDIANS THAT OPENED THE FISHER-MILLER LAND GRANT TO SETTLEMENT.

IN 1849, FOLLOWING HIS SERVICE IN THE MEXICAN WAR, VON BLUCHER RETURNED TO GERMANY AND MARRIED MARL4 IMME (d.1893). THE SAME YEAR THEY MOVED TO NUECES COUNTY AND SETTLED ON LAND AT THIS SITE. ONE YEAR LATER HE MAPPED A TRADE ROUTE TO EAGLE PASS ON THE MEXJCAN BORDER. IN 1852 HE BECAME COUNTY SURVEYOR, AN OFFICE HE HELD UNTIL HIS DEATH. HE ALSO SERVED AS CITY ALDERMAN, 1852-56. DURING THE CIVIL WAR VON BLUCHER JOINED THE CONFEDERACY AND DESIGNED AND DIRECTED THE PLACEMENT OF FORTIFICATIONS IN CORPUS CHRISTI AND THE SOUTH TEXAS COASTAL AREA. AFTER HIS DEATH IN 1879, HIS CHILDREN BUILT HOMES HERE ON FAMILY LAND, WHICH BECAME KNOWN AS BLUCHERVILLE. FOR OVER 100 YEARS, 1852- 1954, FAMILY MEMBERS SERVED AS COUNTY SURVEYORS AND CARTOGRAPHERS OF THE REGION.
(1980)