Hello Everyone, Some time ago I saw a posting about the family SPANN. I have no connection to the family, but while I have been indexing local cemeteries, I have come across the name. Maybe the information can be of help to someone. Tygum Pioneer Cemetery, Tygum Rd, Waterford. (in Logan City, just south of Brisbane) SPANN, Carl born 31 Mar 1855 died 16 Jan 1906 SPANN, Hilda died 4 Jun 1932 59 years SPANN, william died 18 Mar 1944 52 years. Hope this is of help to someone. Leanne Dalley

HI Faye & List, I read this item with much interest as my kin, Kubler purchased land in partnership with David WILDERMUTH, around the old Brisbane Airport, also later on at Whiteside, Petrie which now lkies under the PIne Rivers Dam. They also had a shop on Sandgate Rd Nundah. Michael KUBLER is also one of the five foundaing signatories of the Whiteside Lutheran Church. Other names associated with the KUBLERS are SHULTZ, MELTON, BUNZLI, WOOD. This info has been collected by others and I hope to one day be able to verify these claims. I do have a copy of a map that has the Whiteside land marked on it. Any other leads on how I would obtain these documents would be appreciated, and who knows I might just get the time to do some decent research next time I hit Bris. Regards Debbie Lock Rockhampton. >From: "Faye Calvert" <fayesmobile@dingoblue.net.au> >To: AUS-QLD-SE-Germans-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: It Goes Back To Pioneering Days >Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 22:28:23 +1000 > >Hi List > >Another newspaper article but there is no date on this one. > >Robin Smith Visits... >It goes back to Pioneering Days... > >Nundah and parts of the surrounding suburbs back in the middle of last >century were commonly called German Town, for it was there that German >Lutheran Missionaries founded the first free settlement in Brisbane. > >They had come to Australia at the request of DR. J. D. LANG, and settled at >Zion's Hill to work towards the conversion of the aboriginals. > >It wasn't until 1885 when the railway was built through German Town to >Sandgate that the settlement was named Nundah, the native name for the >chain >of waterholes bordering it. > >One of the few original families still living in the district , and in one >of the original homes is the WILDERMUTH family in Nudgee Road, Hendra. > >102 Years old > >The house itself is 102 years old, and was originally set in 260 acres of >farm land and open pasture. > >The pine and hardwood used in the building of the house was hewn on the >property. > >On the original estate the first Lutheran church in Brisbane was built. > >MR. W. WILDERMUTH, the third generation of Nundah WILDERMUTHS still runs >dairy cattle and horses and grows small crops on the remaining 11 acres. > >And it won't be long before the 11 acres passes out of the hands of the >WILDERMUTH family and is resumed by the Brisbane City Council. > >Five acres of it will then become a flood levee. > >One of the local residents collecting the history of the Nundah district is >MR. DENNIS CLEARY. > >"It won't be long before most of the people who remember the early days are >dead." MR. CLEARY explained. > > >Regards >Faye >Queensland Australia > > >============================== >To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, >go to: >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com

Hi List, Does any of these names and dates correspond with anyone's database? I found these records in the QLD BDM and I am trying to confirm if this family settled in Toowoomba Phillip Weiss married a Minnie Bussell on 17/1/1881 and a death record for a Phillip Weiss on 2/11/1907 I have found some children born to this marriage - Florence Minnie b. 20/5/1882, Frederick Phillip b. 3/2/1884 and William George b. 28/4/1889. Any info would be helpful Regards Alan

Sorry but I forgot to mention the following facts. I wrote I believe it is quicker to e-mail, phone or write to NAA with details of your relatives Service records as the digitised service for all NAA records is very slow......Add (this is because the service is free, and also they have not put into the digitised records past the letter H.) ------------------------------------------------------ InterNet Australis http://www.australis.com.au/

Looking for information re. or descendants of: ADAM, Nicolaus & ERGERS/EGGERT, Maria (Married Moreton Bay, Brisbane Q Ref. 228) It is possible these people were immigrants aboard the "Solon" arriv. Moreton Bay 25 May 1859. Am not descended from or related to this line, but am interested in the "Solon" connection. Have a lot of information re. this vessel, her 1858/59 voyage to Australia and subsequent loss off Shoalhaven, NSW 1860 that I am willing to share. Rgs Lisa Gladstone, Q The information in this e-mail and any attachments is confidential and may be privileged or subject to copyright. It is intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s). If you are not an addressee, please do not read, copy, distribute or otherwise act upon this e-mail. If you have received the e-mail in error, please contact the sender immediately and delete the e-mail. The unauthorised use of this e-mail may result in liability for breach of confidentiality, privilege or copyright. E-mail transmission cannot be guaranteed to be secure or error-free as information could be intercepted, corrupted, lost, destroyed, arrive late or incomplete, or contain viruses. The sender therefore does not accept liability for any errors or omissions in the contents of this message, which arise as a result of e-mail transmission. If verification is required please request a hard-copy version. This message is provided for informational purposes. Corporations Law Section 849 Declaration - The Directors of Wilson HTM Ltd (A.B.N. 68 010 529 665) advise that they and their associates may have beneficial interests in the securities that they recommend and may receive commissions or fees in relation to dealings in these securities. Whilst Wilson HTM Ltd believes the information contained in this communication is based on reliable information, no warranty is given as to its accuracy and persons relying on this information do so at their own risk. Any projections contained in this communication are estimates only and may not be realised in the future. Subject to any liability which cannot be excluded under the Trade Practices Act, 1974 and the Corporations Law, Wilson HTM Ltd disclaims all liability to any person relying on the information contained in this communication in respect of any loss or damage (including consequential loss or damage) however caused, which may be suffered or arise directly or indirectly in respect of such information. This communication was prepared for multiple distribution and does not take account of the specific investment objectives of individual recipients and it may not be appropriate in all circumstances. Persons relying on this information should do so in light of their specific investment objectives and financial situations. Persons considering action on the basis of this communication are advised to contact Wilson HTM Ltd for individual advice in the light of their particular circumstances. This communication is not to be disclosed in whole or part or used by any other party without Wilson HTM Ltd's prior written consent. The Wilson HTM Privacy statement is available for you to view on our web-site at www.wilsonhtm.com.au

Looking for information re. or descendants of: JUNKER, George & WECKER, Magdalena (Married Moreton Bay, Brisbane Q Ref. 225) It is possible these people were immigrants aboard the "Solon" arriv. Moreton Bay 25 May 1859. Am not descended from or related to this line, but am interested in the "Solon" connection. Have a lot of information re. this vessel, her 1858/59 voyage to Australia and subsequent loss off Shoalhaven, NSW 1860 that I am willing to share. Rgs Lisa Gladstone, Q The information in this e-mail and any attachments is confidential and may be privileged or subject to copyright. It is intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s). If you are not an addressee, please do not read, copy, distribute or otherwise act upon this e-mail. If you have received the e-mail in error, please contact the sender immediately and delete the e-mail. The unauthorised use of this e-mail may result in liability for breach of confidentiality, privilege or copyright. E-mail transmission cannot be guaranteed to be secure or error-free as information could be intercepted, corrupted, lost, destroyed, arrive late or incomplete, or contain viruses. The sender therefore does not accept liability for any errors or omissions in the contents of this message, which arise as a result of e-mail transmission. If verification is required please request a hard-copy version. This message is provided for informational purposes. Corporations Law Section 849 Declaration - The Directors of Wilson HTM Ltd (A.B.N. 68 010 529 665) advise that they and their associates may have beneficial interests in the securities that they recommend and may receive commissions or fees in relation to dealings in these securities. Whilst Wilson HTM Ltd believes the information contained in this communication is based on reliable information, no warranty is given as to its accuracy and persons relying on this information do so at their own risk. Any projections contained in this communication are estimates only and may not be realised in the future. Subject to any liability which cannot be excluded under the Trade Practices Act, 1974 and the Corporations Law, Wilson HTM Ltd disclaims all liability to any person relying on the information contained in this communication in respect of any loss or damage (including consequential loss or damage) however caused, which may be suffered or arise directly or indirectly in respect of such information. This communication was prepared for multiple distribution and does not take account of the specific investment objectives of individual recipients and it may not be appropriate in all circumstances. Persons relying on this information should do so in light of their specific investment objectives and financial situations. Persons considering action on the basis of this communication are advised to contact Wilson HTM Ltd for individual advice in the light of their particular circumstances. This communication is not to be disclosed in whole or part or used by any other party without Wilson HTM Ltd's prior written consent. The Wilson HTM Privacy statement is available for you to view on our web-site at www.wilsonhtm.com.au

Looking for information re. or descendants of: BURDORFF, Caspar Rudolph Julius & ZAHN/JAHN, Margaret (Married Moreton Bay, Brisbane Q Ref. 230) It is possible these people were immigrants aboard the "Solon" arriv. Moreton Bay 25 May 1859. Am not descended from or related to this line, but am interested in the "Solon" connection. Have a lot of information re. this vessel, her 1858/59 voyage to Australia and subsequent loss off Shoalhaven, NSW 1860 that I am willing to share. Rgs Lisa Gladstone, Q The information in this e-mail and any attachments is confidential and may be privileged or subject to copyright. It is intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s). If you are not an addressee, please do not read, copy, distribute or otherwise act upon this e-mail. If you have received the e-mail in error, please contact the sender immediately and delete the e-mail. The unauthorised use of this e-mail may result in liability for breach of confidentiality, privilege or copyright. E-mail transmission cannot be guaranteed to be secure or error-free as information could be intercepted, corrupted, lost, destroyed, arrive late or incomplete, or contain viruses. The sender therefore does not accept liability for any errors or omissions in the contents of this message, which arise as a result of e-mail transmission. If verification is required please request a hard-copy version. This message is provided for informational purposes. Corporations Law Section 849 Declaration - The Directors of Wilson HTM Ltd (A.B.N. 68 010 529 665) advise that they and their associates may have beneficial interests in the securities that they recommend and may receive commissions or fees in relation to dealings in these securities. Whilst Wilson HTM Ltd believes the information contained in this communication is based on reliable information, no warranty is given as to its accuracy and persons relying on this information do so at their own risk. Any projections contained in this communication are estimates only and may not be realised in the future. Subject to any liability which cannot be excluded under the Trade Practices Act, 1974 and the Corporations Law, Wilson HTM Ltd disclaims all liability to any person relying on the information contained in this communication in respect of any loss or damage (including consequential loss or damage) however caused, which may be suffered or arise directly or indirectly in respect of such information. This communication was prepared for multiple distribution and does not take account of the specific investment objectives of individual recipients and it may not be appropriate in all circumstances. Persons relying on this information should do so in light of their specific investment objectives and financial situations. Persons considering action on the basis of this communication are advised to contact Wilson HTM Ltd for individual advice in the light of their particular circumstances. This communication is not to be disclosed in whole or part or used by any other party without Wilson HTM Ltd's prior written consent. The Wilson HTM Privacy statement is available for you to view on our web-site at www.wilsonhtm.com.au

Looking for information re. or descendants of: GUNTRUM, Peter & SEHRT, Elizabeth Margaret (Married Moreton Bay, Brisbane Q Ref. 222) It is possible these people were immigrants aboard the "Solon" arriv. Moreton Bay 25 May 1859. Am not descended from or related to this line, but am interested in the "Solon" connection. Have a lot of information re. this vessel, her 1858/59 voyage to Australia and subsequent loss off Shoalhaven, NSW 1860 that I am willing to share. Rgs Lisa Gladstone, Q The information in this e-mail and any attachments is confidential and may be privileged or subject to copyright. It is intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s). If you are not an addressee, please do not read, copy, distribute or otherwise act upon this e-mail. If you have received the e-mail in error, please contact the sender immediately and delete the e-mail. The unauthorised use of this e-mail may result in liability for breach of confidentiality, privilege or copyright. E-mail transmission cannot be guaranteed to be secure or error-free as information could be intercepted, corrupted, lost, destroyed, arrive late or incomplete, or contain viruses. The sender therefore does not accept liability for any errors or omissions in the contents of this message, which arise as a result of e-mail transmission. If verification is required please request a hard-copy version. This message is provided for informational purposes. Corporations Law Section 849 Declaration - The Directors of Wilson HTM Ltd (A.B.N. 68 010 529 665) advise that they and their associates may have beneficial interests in the securities that they recommend and may receive commissions or fees in relation to dealings in these securities. Whilst Wilson HTM Ltd believes the information contained in this communication is based on reliable information, no warranty is given as to its accuracy and persons relying on this information do so at their own risk. Any projections contained in this communication are estimates only and may not be realised in the future. Subject to any liability which cannot be excluded under the Trade Practices Act, 1974 and the Corporations Law, Wilson HTM Ltd disclaims all liability to any person relying on the information contained in this communication in respect of any loss or damage (including consequential loss or damage) however caused, which may be suffered or arise directly or indirectly in respect of such information. This communication was prepared for multiple distribution and does not take account of the specific investment objectives of individual recipients and it may not be appropriate in all circumstances. Persons relying on this information should do so in light of their specific investment objectives and financial situations. Persons considering action on the basis of this communication are advised to contact Wilson HTM Ltd for individual advice in the light of their particular circumstances. This communication is not to be disclosed in whole or part or used by any other party without Wilson HTM Ltd's prior written consent. The Wilson HTM Privacy statement is available for you to view on our web-site at www.wilsonhtm.com.au

Hello List, I have found some family charts of a JORGENSEN family in my filing cabinet, how they came to be there is anyones guess, but I may have been helping someone with this family in the past, as I have a personal letter from another lady who was researching this family. The details relate to Jorgan Christiansen JORGENSEN and Karen JORGENS of the Maryborough [Qld] area. Ane Christine JORGENSEN married Paul GREVSON Nils Christian " " Annie Lisbeth PETERSON Anders Henry " " [1] Jensine PETERSON [2] Louise Amelia Caroline ROJOHN Rasmine " " Wilhelm Christian ANDERSON Karen Marie " " Jacob RASMUSSEN Jorgan arrived on the * Sutherland * 2 Jan 1888. If anyone is interested in this family please e-mail me. Cheers Bev

Talking of GESLER/GESSLER, Just had a look at my files and I have these that I didn't see with regards to the GIERKE name posted last week. Louis Christian Ludwig GESLER and Annie Elizabeth SCHULTZ, two of their sons Leslie Thomas and William Leonard married GIERKE girls. If your interested please e-mail me privately. Cheers Bev -----Original Message----- From: Wendy Thomas <wendythomas@austarnet.com.au> To: AUS-QLD-SE-Germans-L@rootsweb.com <AUS-QLD-SE-Germans-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Tuesday, 5 March 2002 12:36 Subject: Wilhelmine GESSLER >Hullo Phyllis, > >I have Johanna Wilhelmine GESSLER born 1896, the daughter of Wilhelmina >OPPERMAN and Johannes Friedrich GESSLER in my family tree. > However I haven't any details about who she married, so wondered if it >could be the Wilhelmine GESSLER you mentioned. >I can supply more information about how she is linked to me. >Cheers, >Wendy > > >============================== >To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

On 4/3/2002, "Faye Calvert" <fayesmobile@dingoblue.net.au> wrote about: >the REV. JOHANNES EVANGELISTA GOSSNER, founder of the famous Gossner >Missionary Society of Berlin ... who provided the missionaries (for >the Nundah mission). Does anyone know if the above J. E. GOSSNER is related to any of the Queensland GOSSNERs (one of whom married into my family)? -- ******************************************** Name : Philip Strong Email : plstrong@pnc.com.au Location: Blue Mountains, Australia. Researching: WEDEMEYER Most of the WEDEMEYERS in the Queensland telephone book are related through George Henry Louis WEDEMEYER of Gayndah Qld. ********************************************

Hi List No date of this one but it must be early 1959 judging by the first letter. Her Grandparents Came To Brisbane in 1842 Your article "Puzzled over our Pioneers" (C.-M., 26/1/59) is the first intimation that most people have had on this matter. My mother was born in Brisbane 102 years ago this month. Their home was in George Street. My mother's father (HENRY CHAMBERS) built the first bridge (not suspension) across the Brisbane River at Indooroopilly. This fact was verified in The Courier Mail about 50 years back in a column "Fifty Years Ago." My grandfather and grandmother came to Brisbane about 1842. On my grandmother's death certificate (1866) the Registrar was WILLIAM T. BLAKENEY, the minister was the REV. W. J. K. PIDDINGTON, two other witnesses were F. MURRAY AND ALEX. SIMPSON. Early Names Some of the names my mother spoke of were DR. BANCROFT, the TRUNDLES, PETRIES, BENNETTS (one was later Commissioner for Lands), MISS BALLANTYNE, MISS BERRY, and the AIRD family. One of the AIRDS was married to a Captain SCHWABE. During the second World War I met the daughter and granddaughter of JOHN AIRD. There was also a chemist whose name I have forgotten. We met his daughter at once time. She was MRS. F. C. EMMOTT. The descendants of these settlers should have a "get-together." - (MRS.) I. FRAIL. 5 Months at sea in 1856 It was always understood that the people who came to Australia 100 or more years ago were the Pioneers. I would like to include MR. and MRS. CHARLES RANDLE, of Eagle Farm, who migrated from Somerset, England, in 1856, with their family per the sailing ship Parsee, arriving in Brisbane in January 1857. Stately home The voyage lasted five months, and one son was born to them before arrival on December 12, 1856. They were prominent people in Brisbane in the early days. The eldest son, MR. LOT RANDLE, had two retail boot and shoe shops in Queen Street and one in the Valley, and his home on Gregory Terrace was written up in The Courier as one of the stately homes of Brisbane. He owned and sold to the Government of the day the ground where the Valley railway station is. The second son, MR. GILES RANDLE, was one of the first pioneers of the sugar industry in Queensland, having built his own mill and produced good sugar at Sugar Mill Road, Eagle Farm. Brisbane cane Sugar cane was grown all round the district, even as far out as Ashgrove, and floated down the Brisbane River on rafts, to be crushed at Randle's mill. The eldest surviving descendant is MR. LOT RANDLE, third son of MR. and MRS. GILES RANDLE. He lives at Seventh Avenue, Sandgate, and is 86 years of age. There are other descendants of MR. and MRS. CHARLES RANDLE also in the 80 years of age group. - (MRS.) M. PLAIN (only surviving daughter of MR. and MRS. GILES RANDLE) Regards Faye Queensland Australia

Hullo Phyllis, I have Johanna Wilhelmine GESSLER born 1896, the daughter of Wilhelmina OPPERMAN and Johannes Friedrich GESSLER in my family tree. However I haven't any details about who she married, so wondered if it could be the Wilhelmine GESSLER you mentioned. I can supply more information about how she is linked to me. Cheers, Wendy

Out of date and misleading is a very strong statement. Surely stating your relative's war records and helping people from my experience in using the AMW8 and AMW133 cannot be said to be misleading? First my information about the Boer War is straight out of www.naa.gov au files so how can that be misleading? 1st World War This was mostly a record of my uncle's experiences in 1914-1918 so how is that misleading? I believe it is quicker to e-mail, phone or write to NAA with details of your relatives Service records as the digitised service for all NAA records is very slow. Go to www.awm.gov.au click on Biographical Data Bases then click on First World War Nominal Roll, enter name and click on Search When your name comes up click on the page number and the AIF Nominal Roll will appear. You can now print off a copy. From the personal records from Australian Archives then see what unit he or she left Australia then apply for the AMW8 Embarkation Roll. . AMW8 the Nominal Roll Of the 1stAIF is available on the Internet AWM133 the Embarkation records are not available on the Internet but both can be found in State Libraries as well as in Canberra, Genealogical Societies or some Mormon Libraries .I know one Mormon Library has the Nominal roll. 2nd World WAR 1939-1945 There is no ww2@naa.gov.au e-mail as you state in your e-mail. I learnt the hard way in obtaining Service records. It started when I tried to find my Grandfathers record of Service he served for two years in the Queensland Volunteer Rifles about 1882 to 1884. Because he was an enlisted man (Corporal) there does not seem to any records. I have looked at the History of the unit in the State Library but that only mentions Officers. Although I phoned STD in daylight and talked to people in a Military Museum in Brisbane and wrote asking assistance more than twice I received no reply and neither did my cousin who wrote and phoned them. I have given one Military Museum, one Museum and one Historical Society a great deal on information. I have a Certificate of Appreciation for my information from one of these societies. I have and helped quite a few people obtain records of their relatives and obtain Service medals and told people they are entitled to VDC and Civilian Service medals and helped them obtain their record of Service, and their medals. As an ex member of the RAAF in the 1939-45 War I know the records are being transferred to The National Archives. When NAA take over the records I can apply to SCMA and they will obtain a copy from NAA at no cost to me. I use my State Library and my Genealogical Society for my Research. I also have used the Mormon Library. Just to prove to you how good these Libraries and Genealogical Societies are I will quote some instances. I tried the State and Commonwealth Achives to find my ancestors naturalisation papers and in the end I went to the State Library and found my two main relatives papers and could have obtained all the rest of my other relative's papers. One was naturalised in 1862 and the other 1872. This information was collated by the Queensland Historical Society By using the State Library in one day I can trace my wife's family history in Australia from their arrival in Van Diemans Land in 1833 all their time in Van Diemans Land, the regimental three monthly muster of Officers and Ranks with their pay and allowances and where they are detached to and even an allowance for servants to my wife's ggrand father a surgeon in the regiment, their parents movement in the Army to India and ! their service in India. The children's marriages in Van Diemans land, their life there and other children who came to Victoria in 1839 and their movements around Victoria, I can go to Henderson Book of Pioneers Of Victoria and find five pages about their lives, some of which is erroneous and with a page of photos of the family. Books surround me on all subjects and all in the same room as the genealogical records. The CQ railway records are available in this Library, and old and present Newspapers in the Reading Room. Also there is an Honour Roll of men and women who died during the wars I am hazy about the AIF and Navy but I have read the RAAF Honour Roll and it has the name and where and how killed and possibly where buried. I know that all this is not available to country folks so why not have a pen pal in a City and ask them to find information for you. In the Library we have all Eric Koppitke books plus the Wurtemberg Immigrant by Judy Froecke. I find from the Wurtemberg Immigrants book the film number for my relatives and then send a letter and six dollars and my film number to my nearest Mormon Library. They let me know when the film has arrived so I go and read the film and take prints. All this is in German but it is generally in Chronological order and provided you know the name, date of birth and when the application was made (the application date from the Wurtemberg book) They are imposing document and can be translated by most German citizens. I at first had a U3 German teacher translating then a schoolteacher and now I have a lady who is very good. I phoned the German Embassy in my Capital City and found the address of the two Council's where my ancestors came from. One council answered my letter and supplied me with an address of my relative. She supplied me with church records. The other town was entirely different with their records as they sent me a census of people who lived in the houses my relatives lived in. In regard to my German relatives in Australia they have a good 1st war and 2nd War records. On my great Grandmothers side, very much a German name, there are I think at least three who enlisted. In the 1st War. One enlisted almost at the beginning of the war 24-08-1914 and served until he left England on 15-11-1918. His brother also served overseas. Another relative won the Military Medal I believe greater use should be made of State Libraries (apart from Archives) and Genealogical Societies. Both have large areas of research and have people to assist. In particular the Genealogical society has people on duty all the time to assist and also have a great magazine called Ancestor this is a high quality magazine and has large amounts of useful information. The other great source of Information is the public Record Office of Victoria this is also on the Internet . ------------------------------------------------------ InterNet Australis http://www.australis.com.au/

Hi List Another one with no date. If anyone is related to Gottfried Wagner or if anyone would like a copy of the picture of him with this article let me know and I'll send as an attachment to you. Hundredth Anniversary Of Arrival of First Free Settlers In State On March 30, 1838, there arrived in Moreton Bay by the New Sout Wales Government schooner Isabella, Captain More, an advance party of the German missionaries whom REV. JOHN DUNMORE LANG had selected for work among the aborigines. In view of the Lenten season, and bearing in mind the religious character of this attempt at preparing the original inhabitants for the impact of an alien order, the anniversary will be observed on April 23, when the Governor (SIR LESLIE WILSON) will unveil a memorial at Nundah, near the site of the original settlement at Zion's Hill. Apart from their efforts on behalf of the native, fruitless as they proved to be, the missionaries exerted a wholesome influence on the young colony. They came to represent an essential constituent, not a group apart. The mission comprised two ordained ministers, REV. C. EIPPER and REV. K. W. SCHNEIDER, and ten laymen, MESSRS. L. DOEGE, F. T. FRANZ, A. T. W. HARTENSTEIN, G. HAUSSMAN, P. NIQUET, A. OLBRECHT, A. RODE, M. SCHNEIDER, and J. L. ZILLMANN. With their wives and children the party numbered 20 persons. They had been trained for missionary labour by the REV. JOHANNES GOZNER, of Berlin, to whom they had represented that the academic qualifications required by the established missionary societies debarred them from entering their training institutes. PASTOR GOZNER thereupon placed them with artisans from whom they could learn various trades to fit them for working among aboriginies. Preparing them at night in his own parsonage by the conscientious study of the Bible, they may be able to earn their keep by day, while qualifying for a new calling. They had originally been introduced to him by a MR. LEHMAN on December 12, 1836, at 6 o'clock in the morning when they had expressed the humble request to be allowed to fill the gaps existing in missionary fields as Christian craftsmen and teachers. Pioneer Settlers. They were the first free, white settlers to win subsistence from the virgin soil of Queensland. A contemporary, JAMES DEMARR, himself the author of reminiscences covering the early period of Australian history, states that at a time when the little settlement at Brisbane Town was passing through a period of distress consequent upon the transformation of its original character, which was that of a penal colony, the missioners were supplying the inhabitants with butter, eggs, fowls and other general products of husbandry. "The general complaint was bad times," he writes in 1844, "all were doing badly, except some German missionaries, so everybody said." Evidence of the labours of the missioners as harbingers of civilisation is still extant. On the property of the WAGNER family at the foot of Zion's Hill a clump of pineapples thrives which was planted by their ancestor, GOTTFRIED WAGNER, as far back as the 'fifties. The descendants reverently protect the plot, as a link with the foundation of their own family which originated in Silesia. GOTTFRIED WAGNER. GOTTFRIED WAGNER was born on November 15, 1809, at Glockschuetz, a hamlet near Breslau, the capital of Silesia. His family no longer exists there though, personally, he is still being remembered by an old farmer, RUDOLPH RAFFKE, who thus constitutes a link with the early history of Queensland, though actually he may never have been here. Like several of his fellow missioners, the late MR. WAGNER, too, probably revisited his native land. Writing by this week's European air mail, REV. CARL RAIBIGER, the local minister at Huddlesfield, to which parish Glockschuetz now belongs, states that he had been instituting inquiries into the antecedents of one of Queensland's pioneers. There being no records available antedating the year 1791 when the congregation was formed, the parents' descent could not be ascertained. The baptismal register though, which contains the name of GOTTFRIED WAGNER, states that his father was a linen weaver and that his mother's name was HEMPE. Internal evidence seemed to point to Ramissau near Trbnitz, Silesia, as being the place where a Queensland family was cradled. MR. WAGNER was one of the few missioners who had not heeded DR. LANG'S advice when he admonished them to secure suitable partners before setting out to a country as yet uncivilised. However, he made amends by contracting a marriage after he had passed through DR. LANG'S theological seminary at Sydney, his wife being ANNA KATRINA WEISS, a native of Fulda, Germany. The next following year, in 1851, he returned to Nundah in time for the Christmas celebrations. Here too, it was that about 10 years later his second marriage took place, to MARGARET BROWN. Second marriages are almost a characteristic of these German missionaries, which might be construed as a deep-seated longing for the continuation of home life. Moreover, their progressive assimilation into a British community may be deduced from their choice of partners who were of that nationality. An Old-Time Family. Altogether, MR. WAGNER had 14 children. He truly became the founder of an Australian family which continued to flourish, though the parent stem, in the country of origin, may have become extinct. His descendants move in various walks of life, including the profession of medicine. The former site of the first WAGNER home has become a dairy which is conducted by MRS. ANDREW WAGNER, nee FRENCH, who like her late husband is Australian born, being descended from a Lincolnshire family. Preserving as she does her husband's patrimony, her care extends to two flagstones which served as steps leading into the original home. They now are placed in front of the new enlarged home. GOTTFRIED WAGNER in later life was a Presbyterian minister, and was stationed for some time in South Australia. He died on September 28, 1893, at Nundah, and was buried in the local cemetery. Regards Faye Queensland Australia

Great stuff, Faye! I grew up in Zillmere on the North side and went to Zillmere State School . I believe it used to be called Zillman's Waterholes. I suppose this was named after one of the 1838 German missionaries? Do you have any information on Zillmere? Shane London Sydney Australia

Hi List Another newspaper article but there is no date on this one. Robin Smith Visits... It goes back to Pioneering Days... Nundah and parts of the surrounding suburbs back in the middle of last century were commonly called German Town, for it was there that German Lutheran Missionaries founded the first free settlement in Brisbane. They had come to Australia at the request of DR. J. D. LANG, and settled at Zion's Hill to work towards the conversion of the aboriginals. It wasn't until 1885 when the railway was built through German Town to Sandgate that the settlement was named Nundah, the native name for the chain of waterholes bordering it. One of the few original families still living in the district , and in one of the original homes is the WILDERMUTH family in Nudgee Road, Hendra. 102 Years old The house itself is 102 years old, and was originally set in 260 acres of farm land and open pasture. The pine and hardwood used in the building of the house was hewn on the property. On the original estate the first Lutheran church in Brisbane was built. MR. W. WILDERMUTH, the third generation of Nundah WILDERMUTHS still runs dairy cattle and horses and grows small crops on the remaining 11 acres. And it won't be long before the 11 acres passes out of the hands of the WILDERMUTH family and is resumed by the Brisbane City Council. Five acres of it will then become a flood levee. One of the local residents collecting the history of the Nundah district is MR. DENNIS CLEARY. "It won't be long before most of the people who remember the early days are dead." MR. CLEARY explained. Regards Faye Queensland Australia

Hi List I was recently given some old family photos and documents and found a few newspaper articles that I thought the list would find interesting. Some of them don't have dates on them but this one does. The Courier Mail - Friday Nov 8 1963 Our first free settlers were German - 125 years ago they came as a Lutheran Mission by Douglas Rose In Brisbane on Sunday, Lutherans will be commemorating the arrival of their first missionaries in Australia 125 years ago. But what they really will be marking is the foundation of free settlement and the birth of the State of Queensland. In 1938, while soldiers were still guarding , flogging, and hanging convicts in and around Queens Street, 11 Families of German Lutherans moved into 650 acres granted them at Nundah, as our first free settlers, two years ahead of the official start of the Moreton Bay Colony. The Lutherans probably didn't see it in that light - they came here as missionaries. Dr. Lang It wasn't their fault that their work never prospered; other white settlers' marauding of the native as the country opened up quickly after 1840 drove their intended congregations out of existence. It was that outstanding figure in our early history, the REV. DR. JOHN DUNMORE LANG, the Scotsman who was the leader of the Presbyterian Church in Australia, who brought the Lutherans here. Dr.Lang felt a great need for evangelisation among the aboriginals, and when in Europe in 1836 - 37, he persuaded the British Government to back such a mission financially. Then Dr. Lang went to Germany, where he persuaded the REV. JOHANNES EVANGELISTA GOSSNER, founder of the famous Gossner Missionary Society of Berlin to provide the missionaries. No one in Scotland had wanted to try, not had the English. But Pastor Gossner did. He believed the best way to start was to establish a colony of earnest Christians, farmers, and artisans, and settle it in the midst of the heathen. So it was that in mid 1838 there arrived in the Moreton Bay Colony (still purely a military-run convict prison camp) our first free settlers, some of whom have had their names perpetuated in the names of major roads and otherwise. They were PETER NIQUET (mason), AUGUST RODE (cabinetmaker), LEOPOLD ZILLMAN (blacksmith), GOTTFRIED HAUSSMANN (farmer), WILHELM HARTENSTEIN (weaver), CARL FRANZ (tailor), GOTTFRIED WAGNER (shoemaker), AUGUST OLBRECHT (shoemaker), LUDWIG DOEGE (gardener), MORITZ SCHNEIDER (medical missionary), and two ordained ministers, the REV. WILLIAM SCHMIDT and the REV. CHRISTOPH EIPPER. The governor of New South Wales granted the mission one square mile of land, set on either side of a creek, and about six miles north of the Brisbane prison village. We know the area as NUNDAH. The missionaries named the creek KEDRON BROOK. And they named the rise on which they built their huts ZION'S HILL. Hard Time The Courier Mail in a leading article on the occasion of the centenary of their arrival, in 1938, said that from this square mile at Zion's Hill granted to our first free settlers there eventually grew the whole State of Queensland. The little settlement was not the easiest place in which to live. The missionaries experienced many difficulties and underwent serious privations as they tried to put their colony on its feet. Providing the basic necessities of life was their number one problem. Explorer DR. LUDWIG LEICHARDT called in on the mission in 1943, and this extract from one of his letters to a friend gives a clear picture of the situation as he found it: "The philanthropist could never find a purer and better nucleus for a colony than these seven families of the missionaries; they are themselves excellent, tolerably well educated men, industrious, with industrious wives. "They have 22 children though very young, yet educated with the greatest care - the most obedient, the least troublesome children I have seen in this colony or elsewhere. "If the Governor was in any way a man of more comprehensive views, and if he considered the moral influence of such a little colony on the surrounding settlers, he would not grudge them the few acres of land which they are at present in possession of - he would grant it to them for the five years of suffering through which they had to pass. 'Too kind' "The missionaries have converted no blackfellows to Christianity; but they have commenced a friendly intercourse with the savage children of the bush, and have shown to them the white-fellow in his best colour. "They were always kind, perhaps, too kind; for they threatened without executing their threatenings and the blackfellows knew well that it was only gammon." But this evident goodwill of which LEICHARDT wrote did not survive much past the arrival of the general influx of free immigrants once normal free settlement was permitted from 1840. The tribes moved farther out and there were constant clashes between the aboriginals and the white settlers, who were moving into and taking over their traditional tribal hunting grounds. The Government subsidies were withdrawn from the work in 1844, and this really marked the beginning of the end. A number of the original missionaries left. PASTOR EIPPER went in 1844 to join the Presbyterian Church in Braidwood, NSW., and PASTOR SCHMIDT left the following year to become a missionary in Samoa. The laymen tried to make a go of it. They bought small farms in the area and established themselves (and some of their descendants still live in the area). Keenness HAUSSMANN and NIQUET persevered with missionary work among the aboriginals until 1848, when they went south for training for the ministry under DR. LANG (but they were ordained as Lutheran Clergy). Despite the setbacks, the Zion's Hill band were enthusiastic about their new country. As early as the first year there were suggestions that more missionaries should be brought out, but even after German Station (as the British settlers dubbed it) had given up its work among the natives, the Lutherans were writing back home to families and friends. It was largely through their recommendations that bands of Lutheran settlers came out to Queensland, and elsewhere in Australia. Their attempts at evangelisation led to some of the earliest exploration around Brisbane, supplementing the military surveys of the convict settlement (which had about 1000 people in it when the Germans arrived). There were explorations at the back of Redcliffe, in the Bunya Mountains, in the Wide Bay district, and so on. Attempts were made to live among the aboriginal tribes at Humpy Bong (the Germans called it Umpie-boang), Toorbul, and elsewhere. The first party of 1838 was reinforced in 1844 by other GOSSNER missionaries, but they found it most difficult to make contact with the nomadic, and by then fearful (spears and nulla nullas were no match against rifles) aboriginals, whose tribal lands were being taken away. GOSSNER sent out 27 missionaries and their families in our earliest years, and although the results were not what were expected, their settlement in Queensland bore great fruit. Among the congregation which were started or served by GOSSNER missionaries were NUNDAH, NORTH BRISBANE, SOUTH BRISBANE, IPSWICH, TOOWOOMBA, BEENLEIGH, HIGHFIELDS, MARYBOROUGH, MERINGANDAN, WESTBROOK, AUBIGNY, GOOMBUNGEE, GLENCOE, MACKAY, KIRCHEIM, MINDEN, and ROCKHAMPTON. The Zion's Hill settlers did build a small church almost as soon as they settled, but they formed no lasting local congregation at Nundah. In 1856 there is a record of a Lutheran congregation being organised at Zion's Hill, with a PASTOR C. GERLER being placed in charge. Bickering However, there's no evidence to think it lasted long. The big trouble was lack of organisation of the Lutherans as a whole, and internal bickerings. That's why, although the first Lutherans arrived in the Nundah area in 1838, it is only now that the centenary of the first continuing congregation at Nundah is being observed. This is of St Paul's Nundah, which was founded, as far as the old German records show, in 1863. Regards Faye Queensland Australia

Suzanne, I have limited info re August Lowien/Pauline Kajewski if you are interested. Janice N' _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com

Hello Bev My interest in the above family is Johann Friedrich born 7 Nov 1888 at Green Wattle Ridge, Toowoomba son of August Frederick Wilhelm Gierke & Therese Mathilda Wolfgramm ( brother of your Albert) Johann married Louisa Zirbel 15 October 1924 at Lutheran Church Ipswich Louisa being the daughter of Herman Zirbel & Wilhelmine nee Gessler Herman being my husband's Grandfathers eldest brother Regards Phyllis Zirbel Goondiwindi Q Researching - Horton, Zirbel, Fechner, Tebb, Kitson, Dahms & Busiko