Ursula Meuly Daimwood
Ursula
Meuly
Wife of
W.H. Daimwood
Born
June 14, 1848
Died
May 14, 1895
Asleep in Jesus
blessed sleep
From which none
never wake to weep
Foot stone: U.M.D.
Photo Credit: Rosa G. Gonzales
1. Corpus Christi History by Murphy Givens
Corpus Christi Caller-Times (June 13, 2001). Available on microfilm.
Provenance: Corpus Christi Public Libraries
3. News item, 1936
Excerpt from newspaper article on Conrad Meuly, father of Ursula.
Children of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Meuly:
Ursula, born June 14, 1848: died May 14, 1895…Ursula married W. H. Daimwood. There are five living children; Mrs. Fred D. Henderson, Fort Worth; Mrs. Clarence Keriagon, Victoria; Mrs. Ida Magnenat, Denton, daughter, Mrs. Palmer Creglow; W. H. Daimood, Corpus Christi; Amelia A. Daimwood, Corpus Christi.
Source: Corpus Christi Caller Times, March 20, 1936, p. 4, col. 4
Research by: Msgr. Michael A. Howell
Transcription by: Geraldine D. McGloin, Nueces County Historical Commission
4. News article, 1944
William Henry Daimwood
Ursula Meuly Daimwood
QUAINTNESS OF EARLY CORPUS CHRISTI RECALLED BY
MISS AMELIA DAIMWOOD
by Mrs. Howell Ward
“You could bather her a quart cup and drown her in a bowl of water,†was the remark Miss Margaret Meuly often made when referring to her newly arrived niece, Amelia Augusta Daimwood. The baby, a prematurely born twin, was given no chance of life in those first days.
So tiny was the child that her mothers wedding ring slipped easily over hand and arm up to the shoulder. Instead of a scientifically controlled incubator unit like those now used for such babies, she spent her first four months warmed by a pair of hot water filled stone beer bottles. She received nourishment by means of a medicine dropper.
Not until Miss Daimwood was four months old did her mother attempt to dress her. A flannel sack, only large enough for a small doll, is reminder of that event.
Although Miss Amelia was to spend some years of her life in the famous landmark at 216 Chaparral Street, which belonged to her grandparents, the Conrad Meulys, she was born in a cottage directly across the street. This belonged to her great uncle, Anton Meuly.
While Miss Amelia’s two oldest sisters attended private schools, she and another sister entered the newly opened Corpus Christi pubic schools. The school was a frame building on the site of the present North Side Junior School. Here she received her grammar grade and high school education. At this time, the school was under the guidance of Principals Charles W. Crossley and M. Menger, one succeeding the other. Their names are perpetuated today in two Corpus Christi grammar school buildings. The college of Industrial Arts and a business course at Nueces Business College followed graduation from high school.
Miss Daimwood likes to recall the quaintness of Corpus Christi of those days. It was a small town and people, whether related or not, seemed to be one big family.
Chaparral, Water and Mesquite Streets were never called by their proper names. Instead, they were known as “Main,†“Front†and “Back†Streets, respectively. The level of Chaparral Street was three feet below that of today. In wet weather, it was a common sight to see teams bogged down there.
However, the era was not without its note of progress. Glass lanterns, enclosing oil lamps, lined the street. These were tended night and morning by a man appointed to the job.
To ride in the mule car was an exciting adventure. Fares were 25 cents from the Miramar Hotel to the Alta vista Hotel, those sites today occupied by the Breakers Hotel and a spot close to the present V. M. Donigan estate on Ocean Drive. Mount Graham, part time farmer, was driver of the car, and gave the Daimwood children many a thrilling ride.
Fourth of Julys were gala events. A big historical pageant at North Bach and decorated floats in a parade were the chief entertainments. On February 22 Laredo reciprocated in kind with a Washington's Birthday celebration. Local people hastened to return the visit others had paid them.
It was no unusual thing for conductors on the Tex-Mex and Southern Pacific trains to stop long enough to allow passengers to gather the beautiful spring flowers. Life was leisurely and pleasant. No one seemed in too much of a hurry to enjoy it.
Miss Daimwood is the daughter of William Henry and Ursula Meuly Daimwood. Her father came from Columbia, Tenn., to Texas in the early seventies. Mrs. Daimwood was the daughter of the Swiss pioneer, Conrad Meuly, and Margaret Rahm Meuly. The former came to Corpus Christi before 1836, and his bride arrived in 1847. The family has been in continuous ownership of the property in the 200 block on Chaparral Street since 1848.
Conrad Meuly was one of the early merchants of Corpus Christi. His son-in-law, William Henry Daimwood, followed the same occupation. With R. G. Blossman, Daimwood formed a partnership to open a gents’ furnishing establishment of the southeast corner of Chaparral and Lawrence Streets. Some years later, the partnership was dissolved, each member setting up his own store. The Daimwood store then occupied the original Meuly block at 207 Water Street.
Five daughters and one son were born to the Daimwoods. With the exception of Miss Amelia’s twin, all have survived. The others are: Lelia Bell (Mrs. Fred D. Henderson, Fort Worth), Margaret May (Mrs. C. C. Kerlagen, Victoria), Ida Gertrude (Mrs. Magenat, Crystal City), and William Henry Daimwood, corpus Christi.
Miss Daimwood admits never having realized her life’s ambition. She had chosen nursing as a profession, entering john Sealy Hospital at Galveston, for training in 1915. Fifteen days later, a Gulf hurricane forced her to take refuge in Houston. Not to be discouraged, she went to Quere, where she entered Reuss Memorial Hospital. Here she finished training, and stayed on to nurse. For a time, Miss Daimwood served as supervisor ;of the Reuss Memorial Hospital, but nursing did not fully satisfy her ambition. An old longing to become a foreign missionary reasserted itself. In 1927 she went to Richmond, Va., to prepare herself as a missionary nurse. She entered the Assembly’s Training School, and learned, after completing her course, that she was just over the age limit for foreign duty.
Miss Amelia returned to Corpus Christi to take up nursing again. It was at this time that plans for the Fred Roberts Memorial Hospital were under discussion. She at once interested herself in helping to secure the charter for both the hospital and uses’ training school. She continued to nurse for the next three years, doing private duty and hospital nursing.
Persons who have resided in Corpus Christi for 15 years or more recall a familiar sight glimpsed on fine afternoons. Two aged ladies, “Miss Maggie†and "Miss Tudie†Meuly, habitually “too the air†upon the balcony of their old Louisiana French home at 216 Chaparral Street. They had lived there all their eighty-odd years. There were Miss Amelia’s aunts. Because of their failing health and advanced age, she gave up her professional work and went to care for them until their deaths some years later.
Miss Daimwood now lives in an attractive cottage at 1335 Santa Fe Street. She is surrounded by handsome family heirlooms for which she has great attachment. She is friendly and cordial. An interesting talker, she is a good listener as well. She has a nice appreciation of humor and a deeply religious nature.
She has been a worker in the Presbyterian Church since childhood, and still takes an active part in Sunday school work. She is one of the original members of La Retama Club, from whose efforts the present public library has developed.
Her hobby is handwork. This she gives away as fast as she makes it. Indulging this hobby, keeping house and working in her church are enough to keep Miss Daimwood well occupied and happy these days.
Source: Corpus Christi Caller-Times, May 28, 1944, p. 7C, cols. 1-3
Research by: Msgr. Michael A. Howell
Transcription by: Geraldine D. McGloin, Nueces County Historical Commission