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The Mumme family lived in the Braunschweig region of Germany for many years and many of the descendants still live there. During the middle 1800's, some of the Mumme's began to emigrate to other countries, searching for land of their own and freedom from the rules of primogeniture and the laws of feudal Germany.
Many of the Mumme's immigrated to Texas.
Texas was the home to a multitude of Indian tribes comprising some 30,000 Indians before the Spanish Explorers came here in the early 1500's. The Caddo were the largest group. Apache and Comanche roamed the Western and central parts of Texas.
Alonzo Alvares de Pineda of Spain mapped the Texas coast in 1519. The Spanish explored the area for a number of years. In 1718, they built the fort of San Antonio de Bexar to guard a mission established in the area. In 1772, San Antonio became the seat of the Spanish government in Texas. Spanish colonization in Texas proceeded slowly. The region had only about 7,000 white settlers In 1793, after more than a hundred years of missionary effort.
Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States, purchased the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803, and the United States claimed all territory as far south as the Rio Grande River on the basis of earlier French claims. A treaty in 1819 fixed the southwestern boundaries of the Louisiana Territory at the Sabine and Red Rivers (Louisiana & Oklahoma.)
Mexico broke away from Spain in 1821 and Texas became a part of the new Empire of Mexico. Mexico became a republic in 1824. Moses Austin, an American, asked Mexican officials for permission to establish a colony in Texas, and his son, Stephen F. Austin, carried out the plan.
Other Americans also received land grants from Mexico to establish colonies. The Mexicans called these American colonizers empresarios. They founded many colonies during the 1820's and by 1836, the number of settlers grew to 30,000. Almost all of the colonists were Americans.
In 1835, the American colonists in Texas revolted against Mexico. The Alamo fell to the Mexicans on March 6, 1836. Sam Houston finally overcame the Mexicans in the battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836.
During Texas' 10 years as an independent republic, its population increased rapidly. Most of the people farmed for a living. In 1839, Texas passed the first homestead exemption act, which many US states later adopted. This law prevented farms from being seized for payment of debts. The Republic of Texas lasted for 10 years until December 29, 1845, when it joined the United States as the 28th state in the union.
Many German and other European immigrants began moving to Texas to acquire farm land. They established a number of colonies, some of which exist to this day with some residents still speaking their native tongue.