Ferdinand Lindheimer
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Ferdinand Jacob Lindheimer (May 21, 1801 - December 2, 1879) was a German-born botanist who spent his working life on the American frontier.
Lindheimer was born in Frankfurt, Germany. He studied law in Germany. As an adult, he left Germany after his participation in the failed Frankfurt Putsch insurrection in 1833. In 1834, Lindheimer arrived in Belleville, Illinois, whence he traveled by boat to New Orleans. Lindheimer and several companions began traveling to Texas, but were diverted to Mexico where he lived and worked for more than a year. Late in 1835 he departed Mexico as the Texas Revolution was beginning and was shipwrecked on the Alabama coast near Mobile. Lindheimer headed to Texas and arrived at the San Jacinto battlefield the day after the final battle of the Texas Revolution.
During the late 1830's and early 1840's, Lindheimer collected botanic specimens in Texas, part of this time for Dr. Asa Gray of Harvard University. In 1844 he met Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels, Germany, who was making final arrangements for the settlement of a German colony in Texas, which would be known as New Braunfels, Texas. Lindheimer lived the remainder of his life in New Braunfels. In 1852, Lindheimer founded the German-language newspaper known as the Zeitung.
Lindheimer died in 1879. He is known as the Father of Texas Botany, with over 20 species and one genus bearing his name. His home in New Braunfels is preserved as a public museum.
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[edit] References
- The German Texans, Glen E. Lich, 1996, The University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures at San Antonio, 232 pages.
- The History of the German Settlements in Texas, Rudolph Leopold Biesele, German-Texan Heritage Society, 1987 (original edition 1930), hardback, 261 pages.
- History of New Braunfels and Comal County, Texas, Oscar Haas, 1968, hardback, 338 pages.
