Albert I have a small booklet written by J.C. Heussler's g.g. (I think) grandson, Robert Heussler to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the arrival in Moreton Bay of J.C. Heussler and Frederic Altwicker, two German merchants in 1854. They traded as Heussler & Co. merchants, exporting wool, tallow and hides and importing wines, spirits and general produce. Heussler got the idea of also being agents for German farm labour. In 1855 Altwicker died tragically. A new partnership with Arthur Harvey began and the first group of German farm labourers arrived in 1857. After problems, Harvey left the partnership and George Reinhard Francksen stepped in. A few years later Heussler "applied successfully for an appointment as Emigration Agent for the Colony of Queensland on the Continent of Europe." This side of the business ended in 1866 when Francksen suddenly died and Heussler resigned as Emigration Agent in December of that year. In September 1866 he was appointed to the Queensland Legislative Council. I don't know what money was involved as there is no mention of money or fees in this booklet, but it is an interesting history of his many achievements since his arrival in Moreton Bay. Margaret Platt. ----- Original Message ----- From: Albert Grulke <grulke@bigpond.com> To: <AUS-QLD-SE-Germans-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2001 3:41 PM Subject: Heussler & Francksen > I was wrong. > Please note that it won't be said too often. > I have for some years been under a false impression that a man J.B.Atkins > was an agent bringing Germanic migrants to Queensland. I have even said so > publicly. I was wrong. > James Atkins was a selector or pastoralist who had a property at Koowona or > named Koowona. He actually employed a number of migrants including Fred > Kummerow. > The employment agent was Heussler and Francksen. Apparently the constancy > team had set up business in either Toowoomba or Brisbane in the 1850s or > earlier. > Apparently settled German families would comes to them and pay them a fee to > organise for family members from Germany or Poland to join them. There would > be a fee plus fares and migration expenses paid to Heussler and Francksen > who would then go to Germany and organise the migration. > Likewise selectors or pastoralists and even business people in Toowoomba and > I assume Brisbane would approach these two blokes for labourers. He would > get the details of their needs and travel to Germany where he would seek out > suitable migrants and entice them to migrate. > Sounds like 'people smuggling' to me. > I always thought that Atkins and Lloyd were agents doing this work but have > made this discovery. > Hope I haven't told you something you already know but it has taken me three > years to find out this. > Any thoughts on this great revelation? Am I correct? > Albert Grulke > > ______________________________