As they say, we all have our faults. We often make mistakes or the wrong decisions when we're young, and sometimes never get the chance to redeem ourselves. This is the story of a man who made a number of mistakes and wrong decisions, but, in the end, became one of the most honored of men and one of the most recognizable names in Corpus Christi.
He was born to Rev. Joseph Umbach and his wife, Elizabeth, in Toronto, Canada on September 8, 1860. It was not surprising that this church couple named their firstborn Moses. He was the first of nine children born to the family.
In 1880, the 19-year-old Moses traveled to the United States and enlisted in the U.S. Army on June 28. He would serve until September 18, 1881, when he deserted and fled back to Canada....his first major wrong decision. (He claimed that he wasn't being paid by the Army). Despite his claim, he was now a wanted man in the U.S.
For the next 5 years, he lived with his parents in Canada. That was, until he fathered a child out of wedlock. The child, a daughter named Maggie, was born in February, 1886 but died 4 months later. For whatever his reasons, Moses did not marry the child's mother.....his second major wrong decision. Instead, he fled back to the United States. This was probably not a very wise decision either....remember, he was wanted in the U.S. for desertion! But, he assumed his mother's maiden name to hide his true identity and traveled to Texas. Moses was brilliant in mathematics and quickly became a humble teacher....first in Austin, then in Flatonia, and Halletsville.
In October 1888, he met and married Miss Nannie Overton in Port Lavaca. In 1891, the two settled in Corpus Christi, where Moses would begin a 29-year teaching career and become one of the most highly respected educators in the city and the state. He was both a teacher and principal at the high school and would later serve twice as Superintendent of CCISD.
Upon his death...at age 59...on April 1, 1920, the city asked that all businesses be closed for his funeral. Corpus Christi High School's yearbook, La Gaviota, devoted a full-page tribute to the man who had so profoundly affected the lives of so many students, fellow teachers, and Corpus Christi citizens.
He would be laid to rest in Rose Hill Cemetery....a man who had changed his life and redeemed his character.
In 1929, CCISD built the first school outside the central area of the city, naming the new school "Menger Elementary" after their former Superintendent. You see, Moses Umbach, who had assumed his mother's maiden name of "Menger" to conceal his past mistakes, used it to give him a chance to redeem himself. In that effort, I'd say that he more than succeeded.
Robert Parks is a special contributor to KRIS 6 News. Parks was a history teacher at Carroll High School for 19 years and is now retired. His knowledge of Corpus Christi history makes him a unique expert in the subject.
