Margaret Dreyer

In Memoriam
Woodmen Circle
Mrs. Margaret
Dreyer
Born in
Schafflinuson, Switzerland
July 10, 1858
Died in
Corpus Christi, Texas
May 3, 1913

Margaret Dreyer Headstone

Photo Credit: Rosa G. Gonzales

According to the tombstone of Margaret Dreyer, she was born 10 July 1858 in “Schafflinuson, Switzerland�. An article about her brother John spells the name of the area as “Shefhausen, Nein Kirch, Switerland�. It is likely that the area indicated is what is presently known as “Schaffhausen�. This is the name of both a canton and the capital of that canton in far northern Switzerland. The area sits within a finger in north Switzerland that is surrounded on three sides by Germany. It is so close to Germany that on April 1, 1944 it was mistakenly bombed by American forces that were slightly off course in that attack on southern Germany. The city of Schaffhausen was a city-state in the Middle Ages and was for a time also under Hapsburg domination. Margaret was born a Uehlinger, and is ancestress to numerous descendents still in south Texas. According to the family tradition, Anton Meuly (also a native of Switzerland) was a Corpus Christi baker and grocer and had returned to his homeland to visit with relatives (his wife was reportedly Margaret Rahm Meuly, sister of Veronica Rahm Uehlinger). It was on this visit that Margaret’s brother John Uehlinger got his chance to come to America. He initially went to work in the Meuly bakery, which faced Water Street (at about the site of what was later Fedway). Meanwhile he continued his formal education and then during the Civil War served as a Confederate soldier. Subsequent to the war he purchased the Meuly bakery about 1869 and thought about returning to his native land to bring his family members here eventually. However, about 1873/4 he received a surprise when a citizen walked into his shop to announce that a group of foreigners who spoke no English were at the central wharf. It turned out to be his mother Veronica and his brothers and sisters, including Margaret Uehlinger who would later marry Otto Philip Dreyer and settle in Corpus Christi. His mother, Veronica Rahm Uehlinger, had found it impossible to operate the family farm after her husband’s death and had sold the property to begin a new life in America. Mrs. Uehlinger initially lived with her sister, Mrs. Margaret Rahm Meuly, until they could establish a home. Margaret’s brother John, being the eldest sibling, became the head of the house and helped raise his brothers and sisters. He later moved his bakery, and then sold it to enter the cattle business on Padre Island. With his retirement he sold this enterprise to Pat Dunn, “Don Patricio�. His sister Margaret married Otto Philip Dreyer 19 November 1877. Her husband and his brother owned a toy and confectionary store downtown near the present (2006) site of the Bank of America. He also operated a market in the old city hall. Margaret Uehlinger Dreyer died 3 May 1913 and was buried next to her husband and many other family members in Old Bayview Cemetery. The children born to Otto and Margaret included Margaret and Gertrude Dreyer who never married and lived until their deaths in the old family home at 809 N. Chaparral Street. Their other children were Mrs. Ottina Dorenfield of Amarillo, John Dreyer (of Houston for a while), Mrs. Maye Clarke and Gus Dreyer (both of Corpus Christi). Margaret’s brothers and sisters who settled in the Corpus Christi area include: brothers John, August, William, Conrad, and Henry; and sisters Lizzie (Mrs. Jacob Reuthinger) and Barbara (Mrs. Henry Busch). These families contributed to the development of Corpus Christi and still have descendents scattered throughout the coastal bend. (Early history of Uehlinger family from article in Corpus Christi Caller, 3 June 1952, page 4A column 3-5 on the history of John Uehlinger)

Research and transcription: Michael A. Howell