The family lineage of Ethel Schossow was something that I always understood to be of considerable interest to her. But having embarked on this project to put together all her photos and cuttings, and to link them to those who were part of her extended family, I realise that perhaps most of the photos belonged to her mother Margaret Dickfos. She was known to us, as "Old Grandma".
She was the one who could scale fish like no other, loved to be in the garden, and always wore an apron and a hat! Realising that it is her photos that tell the stories, makes them a little more special, as most are very old indeed.
Sometimes the only reference is to a hand written script on the reverse, names of whom?
So it is very satisfying to finally find a home for them, placing them within a family, and to be able to share those stories that were so important to both Ethel and Margaret.
To add to that we have walked, driven photographed, eaten, been frozen in all the places that were their homelands. Eastern Germany has suffered greatly during war time, but amazing so many of the old buildings still remain.
Johann Christian Friedrich Dickfoss was born 15 July 1816 in Templin in Germany he married firstly
Johanna Friedricke Reick and they had a son Johanne Frederich August Dickfoss.
He was the son of Friedrich Dickfos and Anna Luise Bechly, Anna lived in Prenzlau.
Johanna died 1843, leaving him with the small child. He remarried to Dorothea Runge and they had a number of children. In 1865 the family left Germany and travelled to Australia.
Dorothea came from the Herzfelde area, and was the daughter of David Runge and Anna Cronow.
She was born 28 January 1819. Anna came from Herzfelde and David from Herrenstein
Herzfelde
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| Church |
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| School |
Herrenstein
The whole of the North Eastern area of Germany, once known as Prussia, is known as an area of natural beauty. And it is. The centre of the old towns is just as it would have been when these families were living there. Rural lands surround, and the towns are walled.
The family arrived in Maryborough, and proceeded for the Ipswich District.
Like a great many immigrants, they unfortunately left behind two daughters who had died, Annie and Emma.
On 5th November 1886 at Ipswich, Queensland Johan Dickfos became a naturalised citizen of the Colony of Queensland. Johan Dickfos describing himself as "head of a family", applied on the 13th January 1873 for 40 acres of agricultural land, and eighty acres of pastoral land situated in the County of Churchill, Parish of Thorn, District of Ipswich.
The document showing fulfilment of conditions on this selection (No 2574) under the "Homestead Area Act of 1872", signed by Carl Dickfos and Carle Stople on the 4th July 1878, shows that a slab and shingle dwelling house and a barn had been constructed and that 14 acres had been cleared, cultivated and enclosed for about one mile with a two rail split fence.
On the 23rd December 1872, August Dickfos applied for forty acres of agricultural land and eighty acres of pastoral land situated in the County of Churchill, Parish of Forbes. The document showing fulfilment of conditions on this selection (No 2513) was signed by Wilhelm Schultz and Henry Schneider on the 6th June 1878.
3.1.1 Johanne Frederich August Dickfoss b 28 Dec 1842 m Henricke Sophie Schneider 1869 d 10 May 1926 at Coleyville Queensland
3.1.2 Friedriceke Wilhelmine Dickfos b 28 Oct 1847 m Thomas Robertson 1869 d 23 Jan 1899
3.1.3 Johann Carl Gottlieb Dickfoss b 5 Apr 1850 m Christine Elizabeth Schneider 1871
d 3 Jan 1937 Wynnum
3.1.4 Johanna
Caroline Wilhelmine Dickfoss b 4 Mar 1854 m Gottfreid Friederich Schneider 1871 d 16 July 1953 Boonah
3.1.5 Herman Wilhelm Christian Dickfoss b 9 May 1858 m Annie Fischer 1879 d 12 June 1928 3.1.6 Emma Dickfoss b 1862 d 1865 Germany
3.1.7 Annie Dickfos d 1865 Germany
The children all joined in the farming with their parents.
Herman Dickfos applied on the 20th February 1879 for a selection (No 5203) consisting of 320 acres located in the County of Churchill, Parish of Thorn.
He again applied on the 22nd November 1880 for an additional selection (No 5752) of 57 acres, 2 roods located in the County of Churchill, Parish of Thorn. This was in addition to Selection 5237, containing a further eighty acres in the County of Churchill, Parish of Thorn for which Anna Fischer had applied on the 17th April 1879.
Herman Dickfos married Anna Fischer 9th April 1880. They had 11 children
Carl Dickfos, a farmer was born on the 5th April 1850 at Ferwitz, Templin, Prussia and died at Wynnum on 3rd January 1937. On the 30th December 1872, Carl Dickfos applied for forty acres of agricultural land and eighty acres of pastoral land situated in the County of Churchill, Parish of Forbes.
The document showing fulfilment of conditions on this selection (No 2512) under the "Homestead's Area Act of 1872" was signed on the 1st August 1874 by Phileman Coley and Philip Vonderheid.
On the 30th July 1875, Carl Dickfos applied for a further selection (No 3523) situated in the County of Churchill, Parish of Thorn and containing 153 acres.
He again applied on the 11th May for a further selection (No 4144) containing an additional eighty-one acres.
Carl Dickfos was married in the residence of Rev. T.S. Gerrard, West Street Ipswich, on the 1st July 1871 to Christine Schneider, the youngest daughter of Johan George Schneider. Christine Schneider was born in Eberstadt, Wurtenburg Germany in 1851 and died at Coleyville, Queensland January 12th 1942.
Carl and Christine had 10 children
Wilhelmine - Friedericke Wilhelmine (Minnie) Dickfoss married Thomas Robertson.
They had a son Peter Robertson who was born 1878 and died the same year. Minnie died in 1899.
Caroline Dickfoss married Gottfreid Friederich Schneider in 1871. They had 13 children
Johann's eldest son Johan Frederich August Dickfoss married Henricke Sophie Schneider They had 8 children.
Dorothea died 30 August 1898 and Johann died 29 August 1894 at Mt Walker
Thanks to the volunteers who have cleaned and repainted the plaque!
At this point in the family history the chart starts to become very mixed indeed.
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