John Martin Woessner Jr.
J.M.Woessner Sr.
Born
April 28, 1813
Died
Nov. 1, 1854
Aged 41 years
5 mos. & 3 days
J.M.
Woessner Jr.
Born
Oct. 31, 1845
Died
Oct. 24, 1878
Aged 33 years
Photo Credit: Rosa G. Gonzales
Biography
John Martin Woessner, Jr. is the son of John Martin, Sr. and Annie Woessner. He was born on 31 October 1845 in Wurtenburg, Germany. Most often he was referred to simply as "Martin" Woessner. This creates some confusion as he also has a son called "Martin" Woessner. Moreover, he has a brother who is simply referred to as "John" Woessner (also buried in Old Bayview Cemetery). John Martin Woessner is the same person as the "Martin Woessner" who is normally listed in the cemetery records as a Confederate Veteran. For the sake of clarity, the subject of this sketch will be referred to as "John Martin" while his son will be called "Martin" and brother will be called "John". John Martin's record in stone in found on that same gravestone as his father who was born in 1813 in Wurtenburg, Germany. John Martin is found in the 1850 census listed as "Martin Wasner" (1850 federal census of Nueces County, page 139A). He also appears in the 1860 census as Martin "Weesner" (p. 287B). During the Civil War he reportedly fought as a Confederate. Consequently he was listed a second time in the rolls of those buried in Old Bayview Cemetery. Under the second listing, his name is given simply as "Martin Woessner—Confederate Vet". There is no separate gravestone noting that name and status as he was already commemorated on the stone that serves to mark the final resting place of both himself and his father. After the Civil War, J. Martin Woessner, Jr. married Jeannie Reid on 25 November 1868 (Nueces County Marriage Records, vol. C page 283). Jeannie belonged to another large family (from Scotland). She was the daughter of Robert Reid and Janet McAllister of Glasgow, Scotland. Her brother Dan was born in Scotland in 1852 and came with the family to south Texas when only about 2 years old. He would later become a civic leader and mayor of the city of Corpus Christi (see his obit in the Corpus Christi Public Library's vertical files under biographies). Unfortunately tragedy struck for the family when junior John Martin died when only about 32 years old on 24 October 1878. This must have been difficult for the young widow who was only about 28 years old. She had to turn to family for support, and in the 1880 census she is found with her brother Dan Reid on the Frank's Rancho. The sheep ranch was owned by 40-year-old Fred Franks of Hanover (1880 federal census of Nueces County page 82B). Tragedy struck in a very different way ten years after her husband's death when Jeannie became pregnant out of wedlock. Articles from the local paper report that on the birth of the little girl, Jeannie (now 38 years old) confessed to her son "Martin" Woessner that the father of the child was one of the young men closer to his age, Walter Dove who was 20 years old. Walter was born on 20 March 1868 in Indianola where the Woessners had first landed on their arrival to the Texas coast in the late 1840s. Martin (another J. Martin Woessner and son of J. M. Woessner, Jr.) was born in November of 1869 so he was only a little more than a year younger than Walter. A newspaper article from the Caller of 14 July 1888 reports that Martin Woessner and one of his Wrather relatives approached Walter Dove about 8pm on Artesian Square where many gathered to walk and visit. While the Wrather boy asked for a light for his cigarette, Martin reportedly stepped or reached behind Walter and shot him in the neck and back of the head using a 44 caliber gun. Martin then went to the sheriff and gave himself up. Mixed sentiments ran high in the town as many believed that even if young Walter was responsible for the pregnancy out of wedlock, he did not deserve such punishment. The case ended initially in a hung jury for that very reason, and it seems Martin never went to jail (Caller of 11 August 1888 page 5, col. 2 and Caller of 18 August 1888 page 5, col. 1). In the 1900 census of Nueces County, J. Martin Woessner is listed as a RR brakeman born November 1869. His mother "Jeanie" Woessner and little Beulah (listed as born in "Feb." of 1888) are also listed as still living in Corpus Christi (1900 federal census of Nueces County page 121A/395). However, they later moved to the Dallas area, and it was there that little Beulah "Woessner" died.
Research and transcription: Michael A. Howell