Romana M. Longoria
Romana M. Longoria
Aug. 7, 1834
Oct. 16, 1900
In loving memory
your great grandson Frank L. Dixon
Photo Credit: Rosa G. Gonzales
1. Photograph 1
Provenance: Rene Guzman Glover
2. Photograph 2
Pictured: Jesus Antonio C. Longoria and Romana Longoria
Provenance: Rene Guzman Glover
3. Death Notice
Provenance: Hope Vasquez
4. Speculation
The beautiful stone erected to the memory of Romana M. Longoria states that she was born on 7 August 1834 in Mexico and that she died on 16 October 1900. However, there is no recognizable listing of her in the 1900 census of Nueces County. She was reportedly married to Jesus Antonio C. Longoria. Her stone was erected by her great-grandson , Frank L. Dixon (see photo of stone). Frank died in 1991 and his obituary (Corpus Christi Caller-Times, 16 December 1991, page D10) states the following: "Frank L. Dixon, 87, formerly of Corpus Christi, passed away Saturday, December 14, 1991, at his residence in San Antonio. He was born in Port Isabel, Texas, on December 21, 1903. His father was a native of Liverpool, England and was in the Coast Guard. They moved to Corpus Christi when Frank L. Dixon was 11 months old. He was a veteran of World War II serving with the United States Medical Corp and retired with the rank of Major. He was one of the survivors of the Bataan Death March and was also imprisoned in a Japanese prisoner of war camp for three years during World War II. Upon his retirement from the United States Army, Frank was decorated with numerous awards and decorations. He is survived by a niece, Ella P(Pena) Schunior, a nephew, Frank (Chacho) Pena; both of Slidell, Louisiana; the following families are cousins: Echevarria's, Bryan's, Lozano's, Herrera's, Gonzales's from Matamoros, Tamps., Mexico, and the Hoy's Family. Rosary will be recited 7 p.m. Monday, December 16, 1991 at Maxwell P. Dunne Funeral Chapel. Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10 a.m. Tuesday, December 17, 1991 at Christ the King Catholic Church with Rev. Bernard Mlapah as Celebrant. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Memorial Park. Serving as Pallbearers will be Richard Echevarria, Richard Payne, Raul Vasquez, Jr., Espi Salazar, Alfonso Rendon, Jr., and Thomas J. Barrera." These families may also be relatives of Romana Longoria since they are cousins to Frank. Obituaries of these family members can also be found in the library microfilm of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. The Lozano, Bryan, and Echevarria families mentioned, for instance, appear to be tied together through the matriarchs such as Mrs. Rosa Lozano Bryan. Rosa is listed with her husband and children (as well as niece Evelyn Hoy—note names in Frank Dixon's obit) in the 1930 federal census as living in San Antonio (E.D. 15-108, sheet #5a/print #95). One of her daughters (Rosa) is married to a Payne (Jesse)—another name in the obit of Frank Dixon. Another of Rosa's daughters is Otilia Lozano Echevarria (again note this name in Frank Dixon's obit). This would explain the connection of some of the names listed in Frank's obituary—Lozano, Echevarria, Hoy, Payne, and Bryan. The following are some of the obits available at the library: Mrs. Rosa Lozano Bryan (C.C. Caller-Times of 5 Feb. 1988 on page 16D), Mrs. Otilia Lozano Echevarria (C.C. Caller-Times of 31 Jan. 1960 on page 6B), and Estella L. Echevarria (C.C. Caller- Times of 18 Sept. 2006 on page 7B).
Research and transcription: Michael A. Howell (20 October 2007)