[1] His homesite in San Antonio was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in the year 2000, Marker number 12345.

The family social circle included naturalist Alexander von Humboldt and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Upon graduation, he served a surgical internship with the army of Hesse, and learned techniques in plastic surgery and the treatment of tuberculosis.

Spiess and Herff were approached in Wiesbaden by Adelsverein Vice President and Executive Secretary-Business Director Count Carl Frederick Christian of Castell-Castell,[5] who made a deal with them to colonize two hundred families on the Fisher–Miller Land Grant territory in Texas.

The commune was named in honor of Bettina von Arnim, an early feminist activist and a personal friend of the Meusebach family.

[11] Herff returned to Germany for an additional period of service with the Hesse army, to learn techniques in treating battle casualties.

Like many Germans, Herff was a supporter of the Union in the Civil War; however, he served as Confederate States Army surgeon, treating the patient not the uniform.

He helped the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word establish Santa Rosa Infirmary, San Antonio's first hospital.

He spent his vacations with his family, touring Yellowstone National Park and other parts of the United States, as well as journeys to Europe.

[1] Herff's homesite in San Antonio was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in the year 2000, Marker number 12345.