Johann Martin Loeffler

Considering the meaning of the surname Löffler/Loeffler, while browsing the Internet, I have come across an explanation that the name is related to the word "spoon" (Löffel). According to that Löffler would mean a spoon trader/maker or just a spooner. However, there is a much nicer clarification of Löffler. It is the German word for "Eurasian spoonbill" - a pretty bird of the ibis and spoonbill family.

Eurasian spoonbill

 

Johann Martin Loeffler was born on 25 December 1818 in Cleebronn, Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, southern Germany. His parents were Johann Jakob and Katharina Margarita Loeffler.

Johann Martin, a cabinetmaker, got married when he was 25. On 11 February, his second wife became Johanna Christiana Zizelmann (b. 14 January 1822), who was the daughter of Phillip Christian Zitzelmann (1793/1872) and Anna Elizabeth Kranich (1793/1867).

Two children were born to the young couple (2,3) - Paul Friedrich  (b. 9 June 1847) and Rosine C (b. 5 February 1850). In 1844 the family of Johann Martin and Johanna Christiana came to Texas, Fredericksburg area.

On 9 December 1854, their son Christian Friedrich was born. Johanna Christiana died about a year later, on 1 January 1856.

On 25 November 1859 (4), Johann, the father of three young children, remarried. His spouse was Mrs. Juliane Stalp nee Jung (b. 3 March 1822), widow of Herr Heinrich W. Stalp. The marriage license was issued two days earlier.

 

Juliane had a daughter Sabine (b. 9 January 1850). The family moved in to the home on town lot #150 located on Main Street in Fredericksburg which Johann had bought in 1859. Two children were born there to Johann Martin and Juliane: Carolina - came to this world on 8 December 1860, and Gustav Adolph - born on 14 November 1862 (5).

5 April 1865 - marriage in the family: Sabine united in the holy matrimony with August Hoffman (6). You can read more about them and their children in the post "Life of August Hoffmann".

In 1867 Johann Martin Loeffler purchased also lot #149 on the same street. A room was added to the house then. The three sons of Johann Martin's moved to Mason County.

Paul married Menia (Minna) Neffendorf (b. 21 December 1853) on 29 January 1870 (7).  She was the daughter of Jakob Neffendorf and Catherina Dietz.

Rosine Loeffel, Johann Martin's eldest daughter, married Mr. John Alexander on 12 April 1875 in Bexar, Texas (8).

Christian married Mary Geistweidt in 1878.

Caroline married Karl (J Charles) Weber on 2 November 1881 (9). Karl's parents were Johann Jakob Weber and Mathilde Christina Schlaudt.

Gustav Adolph's spouse was Miss Emma Eckert. They married in 1883.

The family mourned the passing of Sabine, the daughter, sister, mother, and wife, on 20 June 1890.

Johann Martin Loeffler died on 23 January 1891, his wife Juliane lived only a few months longer. She died on 6 November in the same year.

Johann Martin's grave - the Old City Cemetery, Fredericksburg, TX.

Resources:

1. Eurasian spoonbill photo: Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons

2. Findagrave.com

3. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3CB-924 : 13 March 2018), Martin Loeffler in entry for Rosine C Alexander, 20 Jul 1924; citing certificate number 22167, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,113,625.

4. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGC-L38 : 17 January 2021), Johann Martin Loeffler and Julianna Stalp, 25 Nov 1859; citing Gillespie, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,801.

5. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K33S-93V : 13 March 2018), Gustav Adolf Loeffler, 18 Nov 1930; citing certificate number 54506, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,135,428.

6. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FX7X-C28 : 22 January 2020), Sabina Stalp in entry for August Hoffmann, 1865.

7. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV14-38XW : 7 December 2020), George Alexander and Rosa C Loeffler, 12 Apr 1875; citing Marriage, citing Bexar, Texas, United States, Texas State Library, Archives Division, and various Texas county clerks; FHL microfilm 24,920.

8. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGC-VV9 : 17 January 2021), Paul Loeffler and Menia Neffendorf, 29 Jan 1870; citing Gillespie, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,80

9. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK8T-9J9K : 22 December 2016), J. Carl Weber and W. Caroline Loeffler, 02 Nov 1881; citing , Gillespie, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,802. 

Findagrave.com