4. Friedrich August Wilhelm and Friedrich Gottlieb Ferdinand Lobegeiger sons of Johann Lobegeiger & Frederike Ihrke

The Lobegeiger Story began once more in Germany.

There are some considerations with the origins of those who came to Australia.

Gutthun

 

There was a family of  Johann Friedrich Lobegeiger married Friederike Ihrke.  She was from Gotthun, and they lived in Ritterant District, Wredenhagen Germany.  She died in Germany 1837 aged 40.   They had a son Johanne Frederick Lobegeiger born 1836.

There was another  Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Lobegeiger who married Caroline Mallan.  He was known as his English name William.  He was a schoolteacher in Goetschendorf.  He had at least two sons.

In Germany the name was spelt Lobergeyer, and other variants according to the Marriage rolls.   At that time in Germany, Friedrich and Wilhelm were popular names, due to the popularity of one of their heros, a Duke named in the same way.  Germans observed strict naming patterns, and Caroline may have been Caroline Wilhelmine, The names of the first two children in each family.

There were two sons who came to Australia

4.1.  Friedrich  August Wilhelm Lobegeiger and
4.2.  Friedrich Gottlieb Ferdinand Lobegeiger

4.1. Friedrich August Wilhelm Lobegeiger married Caroline Wilhelmine Louise Witt on 7 November 1851 in Germany They arrived in 1862 on the Caesar Godeffroy into Maryborough. They had 7 children.

4.1.1.  Caroline Wilhelmine Lobegeiger  b  14 Feb 1845  Duren married 7 Aug 1862 Jacob Korner at Taroom in Queensland and died 5 Sept 1939 at Kulgun in Qld  They had two children

4.1.2   William Frederick August Lobegeiger born 15 Nov 1846 Charlottenhof, (Potsdam) married 1875 to Caroline Dieckmann they had 4 children and he died 10 June 1917.

4.1.3   Emilie Johanne Wilhelmine Lobegeiger born 17 Oct 1849 Charlottenhof, and married 8 Feb 1869 to Rev Wilhelm Peters.  They had 6 children  She died 9 March 1878 at Kalbar

4.1.4   Frederick William August Lobegeiger  Born 7 Nov 1851 Charlottenhof, and married Ernestine Fredericka Amelia Wolter on 6 Aug 1870 at Ipswich he died 26 August 1913 They had 13 Children

4.1.5  Johanne Ernestine Caroline Lobegeiger  born 22nd February 1854 Charlottenhof and married Carl Krueger 31 Dec 1872 at Ipswich they had 2 children she died 28 January 1900 at Kalbar

4.1.6  Ferdinand Wilhelm Lobegeiger  born 25 June 1856 Charlottenhof and married Marie Goetke 14 July 1877 in Qld.  They had 9 children and he died 19 March 1926 and is buried Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery.

4.1.7  August Carl Hermann Lobegeiger  born 1 July 1859 in Templin, married Frederike Christine Schneider on 23 Feb 1882, and they had 12 children He died 24 December 1936 at Murgon.

Godeffroy Ships this is Peter 

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2.  Friedrich Gottlieb Ferdinand Lobegeiger married Wilhelmine Frederike Topp, in Germany. He was aged 37 when they left Stegelitz/Templin in 1863 to travel to Australia.  They arrived on 17th January 1864 on the "Susanne Godeffroy".   Friedrich and Wilhelmine had 5 children

4.2.1 Emilie Wilhelmine Caroline Lobegeiger  born 9 Dec 1850  died 11 Dec 1932  She married Hermann Carl Franz Huth in July 1869.  She died at Boonah, and is buried at Kalbar cemetry

4.2.2    Wilhelmine Auguste Fredericke Lobegeiger was born 9 Dec 1855 in Stegelitz Prussia she married in 1877 Joseph Nicholoeus, and died 24 October 1877 in Warwick.

4.2.3    Auguste Bertha Lobegeiger was born 12 Nov 1859 and she married Samuel Stewart July 1880 and died 6 Sept 1924 in Biggenden

4.2.4    Marie Emilie Lobegeiber was born 27 Nov 1862 she married William Slatter in September 1881 and died 25 April 1948 at Beaudesert.

4.2.5    Johannes Lobegeiger was born 24 July 1865 He married Emilie Albertine Louise Krueger in 1889 at Thorn, and died 3 June 1955 at Beaudesert



Wilhelmine Frederike Topp married twice.  After the death of Friedrich Lobegeiger, she remarried
Johannes Heinrich Schneider.  With this marriage she had John Henry Schneider.








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The Lobegeiger    (written by Len Lobegeiger)

May 1967 saw the beginning of the Harrisville and District Historical Society and one of the foundation members was Len Lobegeiger from Silverdale, some nine miles south of Harrisville on the Cunningham Highway.  

To the curious mind, it is always fascinating to conjecture as to how a certain family name happens to be in a certain area, so this article intends to satisfy such curiosity by tracing Len's ancestry from the regions of the old world to the beautiful Fassifern Valley of which Silverdale is a part.

The story begins in Prussia in 1817 well before the independent German States combined to form the German nation.  In that year was born, Caroline Witte who was to marry Wilhelm Lobegeiger who first saw the light of day three years later.  

The name Lobegeiger means "A praise-worthy violin player" so young Wilhelm's ancestors must have been musicians of note.  The musical ability must have filtered down through the generations as Len is known for his ability to coax a catchy tune from the squeeze-box.

But now back to Prussia.  It is know known what occupation Wilhelm pursued in his homeland but his later activities suggest that he could have been connected with storekeeping.  Later evidence also suggest that he had a good schooling, as his copper plate writing and accuracy with figures, especially money and accounting, are preserved for all to see.

Wilhelm and Caroline produced seven children between 1845 and 1859.  It can be plainly seen that old Wilhelm made sure his given name would not perish too easily as  almost all the children had a form of his name in theirs.

It must be remembered that it was German custom to use a limited range of names, (from the German name book) and those names only, no thought being given to the invention of a new name which is common practice in Australia today.

By 1861, old Wilhelm, who was now 41 years of age, having probably heard of the boundless opportunities to be grasped in the new colony of Queensland (it had been separated from New South Wales in 1859), decided to try his luck in this far away land.  

He applied for an exit visa for his wife, himself and seven children and eventually Royal permission was granted by the King of Prussia for the emigration. (The original document granting this permission is today in the hands of the Lobegeiger family).

Another original document, a Baptismal Certificate that states that "Caroline Wilhelmine Louise nee Witte, baptised 19^th November 1857, Member of Templin Church Parish, Recommended to the Congregation in Australia" and signed by a Church Elder, is also held by the Lobegeiger family.  This certificate was obtained by Caroline just before she left Prussia for Australia.

Many of Wilhelm Lobegeiger ‘s compatriots had the same idea about leaving the Fatherland and a steady stream of migrants made its way to Australia in the good ship "Cesar Godefroy" during the years 1861, 1862 and 1863.

Of course there was the question of Fares, but this was taken care of in a business like way by agents Boultin & Taylor who present the inevitable form to be filled in.  Two copies of this form, one written in English and one in German, are also held by the Lobegeiger family.

The form declares "Memorandum of Agreement" made at Hamburg 23^rd October 1861, by and on behalf of Boultin & Taylor of Queensland on the one part and William Lobegeiger of Carloffenhof now of the age of 41 years on the other part.

"Witnessed, that the said William Lobegeiger agrees to proceed to Moreton Bay in the Colony of Queensland by the ship "Cesar Godeffroy" now about to sail from Hamburg, together with his family, and upon the said William Lobegeiger arriving at Moreton Bay aforesaid, he agrees for himself and also on the part of his wife Caroline, now the age of 44 years and his children (here the children are named and their ages given) to enter the service of the said Boultin & Taylor as farm labourer and shepherd or to make themselves generally useful for the full term of two years, to date from the day following that of arriving at Moreton Bay foresaid, and at all times to obey all the lawful and reasonable commands of the said Boultin & Taylor. "Boultin & Taylor pay the 126 pounds sterling for the fares and this to be repaid in two equal instalments over two years.

The family arrived safely in Moreton Bay in 1862 and set to work as only those German pioneers knew how.  What must have been the thought as Wilhelm and Caroline, as they set about paying off 63 pounds per year for their passage to Australia from the 89 pounds per year plus board and keep?  The wrench from the homeland would be softened by the fact that many of their country men were round about them.

After two years of labouring and shepherding and being generally useful, Wilhelm had paid off his debt and was free to prosper by hard work.  Not much is known of his early years in Queensland but the family probably moved to the Redbank Plains area and then on to the Harrisville district.

The seven children were growing up and all married.  Emilie died at an early age. William probably went to the Purga area, but his later whereabouts are unknown, Ferdinand settled in the Toowoomba district, August the youngest followed his big sisters to Fassifern Scrub but later went to the Allora district.  So the original family of seven children became scattered and no doubt they have now scores of descendants throughout the land.

Today's research allows us to follow their lives in much more detail!


Within the story of the Lobegeigers, there are multiple in-twinning of family names.

Early German Family Fassifern Valley