When the German settlers arrived in Queensland they tended to group together, and they married within their community. So many married cousins that the relationships present some challenges to those trying to research.
These marriages could best be described as forming a huge jigsaw puzzle of Family relationships, often a bit difficult to follow, unless the genealogy program is open at the same time.
Following from the introduction to the Dickfoss, this story now follows the linkage to the original Schneider immigrants.
The Schneider Family
2. Johan George Schneider, the son of Friedrich Schneider, was born at Ellhoffen Germany in 1811 and died on 4th April 1878 at Franklyn Vale, Queensland. On the 10th May 1836 at Wurtenburg, Germany he married Hienricke Margarethe Lauer who was born at Hamburg Germany in 1810, the daughter of Hienrick Lauer a baker.
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| Ellhoffen |
He was buried on the 5th April 1878 at Franklyn Vale by Henry Moller and Adam Ruhland.
They had the following children"
2.1 Johann Heinrich Schneider born 23 Mar 1836 D 10 June 1905 Engelsburg Baptist Church Kalbar. Johann immigrated on 28 July 1864 on the "La Rochelle" to Brisbane. He married Rosina Frederike Erkart and they had 6 children
2.1.1 Friderike Sophie Schneider b 1862 d 1863
2.1.2 Frederike Christine Schneider b 1864 m August Carl Hermann Lobegeiger d 31 Mar 1938
2.1.3 Rosenan Sopfia Schneider b 1866 m Wilhelm Christian Reick 1882 d 4 Sep 1936
2.1.4 Christina Schneider b 3 Mar 1866 m James Thurecht 1884 d 25 Mar 1950
2.1.5 Louisa Schneider b 14 Dec 1866 m Edward Appleby 1887 d 7 Jan 1944
2.1.6 Wilhelmina Schneider b 23 Dec 1868 m Job Harding 1897 d 1928
Then Rosina died 1869 leaving him with young children he then remarried Wilhelmine Fredericke Topp who had arrived on the Susanne Godeffroy. She firstly married to Friedrich Gottlieb Ferdinand Lobegeiger*. They arrived on the Susanne Godeffroy in 1864 She had 5 children with Friedrich.
She married Johann Heinrich Schneider 1869 She died 1915 in Gayndah. They had two children John Henry Schneider born 14 July 1870 Died 14 Apr 1946
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| Christine Elizabeth Schneider |
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| Frederike Christine Schneider |
Christina and James Thurchert lived at Longreach maybe they were in these photos. Her husband was a blacksmith and they lived in Crane Street Longreach
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| 1901 Longreach Station |
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| 1934 Longreach Races |
2.3 Fredericke Heinricke Schneider born 12 Feb 1840 m Joachim Frederick Hinrichsen 1866 d 16 March 1875 They had 4 children
2.4 Friedrick Gottfried Schneider , born in Germany in 1841 He married Johanna Caroline Wilhelmine Dickfos They had 13 children. He died 3 July 1934 buried at Boonah Cemetery.
2.5 Christine Sophie Schneider born in Germany in 1843 m Johann Friedrich August Dickfoss 11 Dec 1869 She died 10 May 1926 Coleyville Cemetery. She and Johann had 8 children
2.6 Johan Gottlieb (George) Schneider born in Germany in 23 Dec 1845 m Friedericke Binka Heuselin 1872 d 24 April 1929 Boonah They had 10 children
2.7 Christine Elizabeth Schneider, born in Eberstadt, Wurtenburg, Germany 17 Sep 1850 m Carl Gottleib Dickfos they had 10 children She who died at Coleyville, on January 12th 1942.
2.8 Maria Elizabeth Schneider 25 Sept 1852 died 25 Nov 1852 in Eberstadt Hessen Germany
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| Mt Walker Baptist Church |
Johan George Schneider and his wife and family came to Queensland on the "Sophie" in what was regarded in those sailing ship days as a fast time i.e. seventeen weeks. The "Sophie" left Hamburg Germany on the 22nd April 1865 and arrived in Brisbane on 17th August 1865.
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| The Sophie |
It was stated by a son, Friedrick Gottfried Schneider, known as "Boonah's Grand Old Man", in an article in the "Fassifern Guardian", 21st January 1931, that his father was a stonemason. He worked on the "Victoria Tunnel" on the Grandchester railway line - Grandchester to Ipswich was the first rail link in Queensland and assisted in the masonry work of Parliament House in Brisbane. Friedrick Gottfried Schneider and his father took the first contract for cutting wood for railway fuel used on the Grandchester-Ipswich line.
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| Opening of Grandchester Line |
Johann George Schneider, describing himself as "head of a family", applied on the 15th January 1873 for forty acres of agricultural land and eighty acres of first class pastoral land situated in the County of Churchill, PArish of Franklin.
The document showing fulfilment of conditions on homestead selection under the "Homestead Area Act of 1872" signed by August Dickfos and Wilhelm Schulz on the 6th June 1878 gives the details that two dwelling houses of slabs and shingles and a barn 20' by 18' had been built and that eighteen acres had been cleared, cultivated and enclosed by a two rail split fence.
After Johan Schneider's death, the selection (No 2579) was transferred to his widow on the 15th September 1880 and the deed prepared on July 28th 1881.
In addition to this selection, Johan Hienrick Schneider applied for Selection 4578; Friedrick Gottfried Schneider for Selections 2057 and 2623; and Johan George Schneider (Jr) for Selections 4897 and 3076.
The Schneider family were Baptists and as such, would have faced much opposition (and perhaps persecution) in the years prior to their coming to Australia, for in Germany they were not allowed freedom of worship.
In the face of such opposition, people needed a very strong faith. Such seems to have been the faith of Johan George Schneider (and members of his family) for in the relatively short time (12 years) that he lived after coming to Queensland, he exercised a fine preaching and pastoral ministry in the Mount Walker area.
He was "Pastor" to the many German Baptists who settled in the district.
It is worthy of note that on the 22nd September 1877 it was reported at the "Conference Meeting of the German Baptists" that the membership of the Mount Walker Church was 77. (Kalbar Jubilee Book). This did not include the many children who belonged to the church families.
"Pastor Schneider" would have travelled many miles on horseback to visit the members of his flock and to preach the Gospel.
His christian character and example had a profound influence upon his family and church. Two notable people whose spiritual lives must have been enriched were Carl Krueger, who was baptised after his conversion in Easter 1871 by "Pastor Schneider" in a creek known as Black Gully; and William Peters, also baptised by "Pastor Schneider" in Warril Creek.
Carl Krueger later became the Pastor of the Engelsburg (Kalbar) Church where he served for nearly forty years.
William Peters was also prominent for many years in the church in this period as a preacher, officer and choir conductor.
Johan George Schneider was the first Baptist Pastor of the Black Gully or Mount Walker Baptist Church.
The Family lived around the Englesburg region which became known as Kalbar.
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German Baptist Churches in Queensland
This historic account of the
German Baptist Churches of Queensland is taken from Queensland Baptist Jubilee Record Volume 1855-1905, (Brisbane: W.R.
Smith & Co, 1906) edited by William Higlett (who was well acquainted with
and supportive of these churches). It gives a good picture of this unique group
of churches up to 1905.
Since that time, the
churches grew strongly and then gradually dropped their use of the German
language as they moved into full fellowship with the Baptist Union of
Queensland, where they have become loyal and hardworking members, supplying a
large number of leaders, officers, ministers and members to the church at
large. Demographic and other socio-economic changes in the farming areas they
served have meant that some of the churches have now closed.
Their history has been
partially written up, but a great deal of work remains to be done yet before
there is a full record and understanding of their life and witness.
GERMAN BAPTIST
CONFERENCE.
The first German Baptist churches in Queensland owe their
origin to a considerable influx of German immigrants in the [eighteen]
“sixties.” There were no ministers to labour among them, but the faithful
testimony of such men as H. Falkenhager, C. Lamprecht and C. Dahn led to many
conversions and baptisms, and to the formation of churches at Zillman’s
Waterholes (now Zillmere), and Logan. As land opened for settlement elsewhere a
considerable exodus took place, and eventually these churches became extinct.
Mr. H. Falkenhager removed to the Brisbane River, and there at Vernor a church
was formed in 1869, now known as the Lowood church.[later it moved to
Tarampa.]
Several German Baptist families settled at Normanby
Reserve (now Harrisville) in 1868, and there, in March, 1871, a church was
formed, with Mr. W. Peters as pastor. This church was associated with the
Ipswich Baptist church, then under Rev. T.S. Gerrard. An exodus again took
place to Mount Walker, Black Flat and Engelsburg. For some time Mount Walker
was the headquarters or centre of the German Baptist churches, but in time this
shifted to Engelsburg. For many years now this has been numerically the
strongest of the churches, with some 200 members. It has been ministered to by
Pastors W. Peters, H. Windolf and Carl Krueger; who has held that position
since 1886. Mount Walker is now a preaching station of Engelsburg together with
Boonah and Schneider’s Road.
In 1871 a church was formed at Marburg (then known as
Rosewood Scrub), and was ministered to by Brethren C. Dahn, C. Lamprecht, C.
Arndt and others. From 1879 to 1883, Rev.
H. Windolf settled at Marburg, taking also the oversight of the Lowood Church.
In 1885 Pastor M. Bernoth arrived from Germany, but resigned after a short term
of service. After numerous vicissitudes, and a division, resulting in the
erection of a second building in the township, the church is again united, and
worships in a new building erected in 1905, under the ministry Pastor H.
Windolf.
At Minden a church was formed in 1879, and at first was
under the oversight of Mr. J. Schultz, after which, for several years, Mr.
August Schmidt served as pastor. Since then Brethren J. H. Hauschildt and J.
Bischoff have rendered faithful service.
In 1895 a church was formed at Blenheim, with C.
Muetzelburg as leader, and is now under the care of Rev. Otto Krueger, together
with Tent Hill.
For several years the churches at Engelsburg, Minden and
Marburg were affiliated with the English-speaking churches in the Baptist
Association of Queensland. The need of trained ministers was often felt, and
unsuccessful attempts were made to obtain one through the Association.
Ultimately the churches at Marburg, Minden, Lowood and Blenheim united for the
purpose, and in 1900 Pastor S. Blum arrived from the United States, and settled
at Minden, where a manse was erected by the joint effort of those churches. Mr.
Blum’s arrival marks a new epoch in the history of the German Baptist churches.
At different times the churches had ceased their connection with the Baptist
Association, and Pastor Blum was instrumental in forming them all into a Union
upon a constitutional basis, and under the name of the Conference of German
Baptist Churches in Queensland. A new church was formed at Tent Hill, and
Pastor Otto Krueger was called and settled at Blenheim, where also a manse was
erected by joint effort. Owing to a
breakdown of health, Pastor Blum returned to America in 1902, leaving Pastor O.
E. Krueger to supervise the five churches. Since 1904, Pastor Windolf has
resumed charge at Marburg.
The six churches, with several preaching stations and
three pastors, are now working harmoniously, and, though without official
connection, are in close fraternal relation with the Baptist Association,
representatives generally visiting the annual meetings of each body. The total
membership is about 550, and, during the year 1905, a gracious revival led to
no less than 75 baptisms.
Note:
- Churches closed - Mt
Walker/Coleyville; Marburg; Vernor/Lowood/Tarampa.
- Blenheim church moved
to Laidley
- The name of Engelsburg township (and consequently the church which celebrates 140 years of service in August 2015) was changed to Kalbar during World War I.
- Several of these churches have their own cemeteries (unusual for Queensland churches) now all closed; the Baptist Historical Society of Queensland has published listings of the monumental inscriptions.
German Baptist Ministers (including lay pastors):
Bernoth, Michael (from Germany)
Blum, Samuel (from USA)
Dickfos, Carl
Ehmke, G.
Falkenhaugen, Heinrich
Heinrich, Johannes (from USA)
Krueger, Carl
Kruger, Otto Edward, DD (from USA)
Lassig, Ferdinand
Litzow, Wilhelm
Meissener, A.
Mutzelburg, Carl
Nitz, Gottfried
Orthner, Franz (from USA)
Peters, W.
Schmidt, August
Schneider, Johann George (from Germany)
Stibbe, John
Windolf, Friedrich Wilhelm Hermann (from Germany)
http://www.chapelhill.homeip.net/FamilyHistory/Photos/Mt-Walker-historic-cemetery-Boonah/
John Henry Schneider 1870-1946 was my grandfather: my mother's father. A debonair gentleman. My grandmother was Adelaide Korner. She was the granddaughter of a Lobegeiger girl and he was grandson of her brother Lobegeiger. I always wondered how they kept the relationships clear in their heads. It gets more confusing when some like my grandmother went to live with varied extended family when their Mum's passed away. They didn't always go back to their home after their father remarried. My grandma grew up with her Korner aunts and uncles like they were sisters and brothers. Her dad married three times.
ReplyDeleteSo also, eventually the families of Carl Krueger and his pastor Johann H. Schneider were united in their grandchildren my grandparents Arthur Henry Schneider and Adelaide Krueger.
ReplyDelete