From the Annals of Deutschland –  In 1842, the Adelsverein (officially named the Verein zum Schutze deutscher Einwanderer in Texas or Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas) was provisionally organized by German noblemen at Biebrich on the Rhine.  The society was intended to promote German emigration to Texas and is credited with having arranged for more than 7,000 Germans to settle in Texas.  Other than arranging for the initial resettlement of Germans the Society was largely a failure as a business venture.

Joseph of Boos-Waldeck and Victor August of Leiningen-Westerburg-Alt-Leiningen were the first to come to Texas to investigate.  After declining an offer from Pres. Sam Houston for a colony west of Austin, Boos-Waldeck purchased a league of land (4,428 acres) near Industry in current day Fayette County. He named it Nassau Farm in honor of Duke Adolf of Nassau, the patron of the society.  It served as a base for future German immigrants.