George Wieneke & Katharina
Hoffman
| Surname:
WIENEKE Birth Details Death Details Immigration Details |
Surname:
HOFFMAN
Death Details
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| Family Stories Life in Australia: Georg's name (pronounced Gey-org in Germany) was anglicised in Australia to George Henry Philip. He was born in 1837 at Schoningen, a town about three kilometres south of Uslar, close to the present day southern border of the Länder (States) of Lower Saxony and Hesse, Germany. Family records note his date of birth as 10th May, 1837, but this was probably the date of his christening. His ancestry was researched from the 13th to the 20th October, 1999 at the Priest's Office, Schoningen by the District Archivist, Karl Fricke. George was not quite seven years old when his mother died. On 27th October, 1855 he took passage on the "Cesar Godeffroy" from Hanover (the State capital of Lower Saxony) bound for Sydney and Moreton Bay. He was 18 years old, but stated he was 22, perhaps to qualify for the terms of emigration. The shipping list shows "Georg Wienecke" - occupation, "shepherd", which is understood to be the trade to which he sought employment in Australia. The "Cesar Godeffroy" was under charge of Captain N. Stortenbecker. Ronald Parsons’ book "Migrant Sailing Ships from Hamburg" describes the "Cesar Godeffroy" as a wooden, three mast barque (originally ship rigged) of 428T (later 621T) built in 1855, with dimensions of 43.7 x 8.6 x 5.85 metres. The ship-builder’s name was J.C. Godeffroy. For J.C. Godeffroy, VI, ships were an important part of the overall business activities of the firm and the treatment aboard their ships was considered to be excellent and a handbook prepared for potential migrants in the 1850s pointed out that the ships of Godeffroy & Son were considered to be above average in the manner in which they cared for their passengers. Interestingly, there were three vessels of the same name, the latest of which was built in 1873 by John Marbs. Photographs of George show a stoic, robust gentleman, with intelligent eyes and broad, masculine features. His grandson recalled being told that George had difficulty walking due to the hard work he did in his youth in Germany, climbing ladders while carrying bricks on a hob held over his shoulder. "He was a dear old man, with his snow white beard, but history claims that he could be a bit of a larrikin if he wanted to and did like his pint of ale". On arrival in Australia, George was employed as a shepherd for pioneer station holders at Telba on the Moonie River, below St George. He was bound to work for them for two years at £18 - £20 per annum, and the cost of his passage £28 was to be deducted from his wages. German migrants were high on the colonists' scale of migrant acceptability. They were European and hard workers. Queensland led all the Australian colonies in the number of 19th century German settlers. About 1858 George formed a partnership as a carrier with Mr Bairns, using two bullock teams. Wieneke and Bairns were among the first to haul provisions westward as far as Mitchell. In 1862 at St Luke's Church, Toowoomba George married Katharina Hoffman, a 15 year old who arrived in the colony in 1859. On 13th July, 1862 George was naturalised at Drayton and became a British subject. The couple had 11 children born between 1863 and 1888. His father's Christian names, Johann and Friedrich (John and Frederick) were given to three of his sons. As teamsters, the young family's home was the open road until 1868, when they made their home in a bark hut on Bungil Creek. Some months later an allotment was purchased on the west bank of the creek, where a larger hut was erected. It was bark with walls of split slabs and an ant bed floor. £4 was paid for the land in Edwardes Street, Roma. That same year, George secured the contract to draw timber for a new homestead to be built at Mt Abundance for Mr Stephen Spencer. Other stations were established in the next few years and by 1860, Mt Abundance had become the chief depot for station supplies. George also was remembered as the man who drew the first cypress pine poles for the telegraph line from Roma to Charleville and as one of the old pioneer carriers. My book "The Queensland Connection" describes the life and times of this very interesting family. In 1873 they faced a terrible flood and were up trees from daylight all day and all night until the following morning without a bite of food or drink. The children's feet burst at the instep and toes from cold and exposure but the family and others caught in the same situation, survived. In 1874 the Wienekes relinquished carrying and took over the "Bushman's Home Hotel" at Bungil Creek. It was a regular overnight stop for Cobb & Co. coaches. In 1875 the hotel was sold and the old "Yeulba Hotel" on the Condamine-Roma Road was purchased. In 1880 George and Katharina purchased a property and built an hotel at Cattle Creek (now Bungeworgorai) near Mt Abundance, five miles west of Roma, which they ran for 15 years. Advertised in "The Western Star", Wednesday 2 June 1880: FOR SALE PRIVATELY at the Old Yeulba Hotel - Spirits, Household Furniture, Kitchen Utensils, Double-shaft Dray, Horses, Cattle, Pigs & c., with numerous other articles. The above will be sold cheap, as the Proprietor is leaving the above Hotel to proceed to Bungeworgorai Hotel, in which he hopes to meet many of his old friends, where they will be sure to be received with a most hearty welcome, and the best spirits sold to them which money can buy. The above articles are open for sale from this date to June 30th, 1880. GEORGE WIENEKE. Advertisement: To the Worshipful the Justices of the Peace, constituting the Licensing Board, acting in and for the District of Roma: I, GEORGE WIENEKE, now residing at Cattle Creek, in the District of Roma, do hereby give notice that it is my intention to apply at the next Monthly Licensing Meeting to be holden for this district on the fourtheenth day of SEPTEMBER next ensuing, for a Provisional Certificate for a COUNTRY PUBLICANS' LICENSE, for the Sale of Fermented and Spirituous Liquors in the house and appurtenances now in course of erection, situated at Cattle Creek, on the main road to Mitchell, containing two sitting rooms and four bedrooms, exclusive of those required for the use of my family and which I intend to keep as an Inn or Public House, under the sign of CATTLE CREEK HOTEL. I am married having a wife and seven children and have held a licence before. Given under my hand this Thirteenth day of August, AD 1880. GEORGE WIENEKE. In 1909 the couple came to Roma to live. Their hotel building was brought to Roma and erected in May Street. In 1922 George and Katharina celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary. "The Western Star" newspaper of Saturday, March 25 1922 reported the event: MR AND MRS GEORGE WIENEKE, SENR. It falls to the lot of few people to celebrate sixty years of married life - only ten years short of what is usually regarded as man's allotted span on earth. Mr and Mrs George Wieneke, senr, two old pioneer colonists and very highly respected residents of the Roma district, have this week celebrated sixty years of married life, otherwise their diamond wedding, and the first event of its kind in the district. The occasion has been marked by a quiet family gathering at the parents' residence at Roma. Mr George Wieneke was born at Hanover, Germany in 1835 (sic) and arrived in Queensland, a young man of 20 (sic), in 1855. Mr Wieneke came out under engagement to work for £20 a year as a shepherd for Messrs J Brennie, Atkins and Jemotte, pastoralists on the Moonee River, below St George. The agreement was for two years, and out of the £40 wages for that period £18 was deducted to defray the passage out to Queensland. Some time after fulfilling his engagement, Mr Wieneke with a Mr Bairns as partner, acquired two bullock teams, and followed the occupation of carrier between Ipswich and Mitchell before railways were known in Queensland. Mr Wieneke married Catherine Hoffmann, who was born in Bremen, Germany (sic), at Toowoomba in 1862. Several years later they kept a hotel at Yeulba, and 40 years ago, when the railway was been carried west from Roma, purchased a hotel property at Cattle Creek, five miles west of Roma, and the family resided there for many years, living privately after the license expired many years since. There are twelve children of the marriage, the eldest being Mr John Wieneke, now of Brisbane, but for many years a well-known saddler and famous athlete of Roma. In addition there are 44 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. In the "Darling Downs Gazette" of 1910, in the writings of ... "Long Ago", he mentions "Old George Wieneke" as being the only one remaining of the old school of pioneer carriers. As an illustration of the hardy type of pioneer the early settler proved to be, it is worth recording that Mr Wieneke joined the Roma branch of the Oddfellows Lodge in 1873 (almost 50 years ago) and is the eldest Oddfellow in Roma. In all these years he has only drawn £1 from the Lodge which speaks eloquently of his sound constitution. Mr Wieneke at eighty-seven years of age still enjoys very good health, but is handicapped by being a bit shaky on his legs. However, with the aid of his stick he can get about fairly well, and to all appearances is good for many years yet. Mr and Mrs Wieneke's many friends in this district congratulate them upon the consummation of such an auspicious event in celebrating their diamond wedding, and wish them many more years of good health and prosperity together. George passed away at Roma Hospital. Katharina died in 1933 and the couple are buried side by side at Roma Cemetery, and their son William "Frederick", who predeceased them, is buried to their left. In May 1859, Katharina, aged 12 emigrated with her mother, Margarethe and sister, Annie Catherine, by sailing vessel from Bavaria to Queensland. They probably journeyed on the "Solon" which left Germany on the 28th May and arrived on the 29th December with 145 German immigrants. Unfortunately no passenger lists are available. Katharina's father, Michael "Laurence" Hoffman emigrated earlier, presumably to prepare for the future security of his family in Australia. The women would have arrived at Moreton Bay, Brisbane and perhaps journeyed to Ipswich by river steamer, then travelled with Laurence and teams to Toowoomba, which was then known as "The Swamp". The reuniting of the Hoffman family must have been very brief. It is thought that Laurence died on 16th September, 1860 at Toowoomba. In 1862, Katharina married George at St Luke's Church, Drayton, Toowoomba. She signed her marriage certificate with an "X". Oral history records that an accident befell Katharina on her wedding day. In those days, soft drink bottles had marble stoppers over rubber rings to keep in the gas. When a person wished to drink the contents, the marble was pushed in. For some reason, Katharina's soft drink had become pressurised and an explosion caused her to lose an eye. Katharina thereafter wore a glass eye. Katharina was very close to her sister, Annie. They often travelled in drays together with their husbands out west. Katharina usually carried her son, Jack, on the saddle with a three bushel bag rolled up and tied to the pommel. They had many falls coming up the range. Katharina had 12 children, 11 of whom survived. At the golden wedding in 1922, there were 44 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. Katharina died in 1933, aged 86 years. According to an undated newspaper clipping held by the family entitled "Two Queensland Pioneers", Katharina's memory had been keen to the last, and many a tale of flood and field, famine and plenty, dangers and happy times were recalled by her. "Truly a Woman of the West. So passes away another of those heroic women who throughout troublous times and dangers, kept steadfast courage and great heart and hope". Women of the West - by George Essex Evans Of the slab built, bark roofed homestead of some lately taken run Of the tents beside the bankment of a railway just begun Of the huts on new selections, of the camp of man's unrest Of the frontiers of the nation, the women of the West The red sun robs their beauty and the weariness and pain The slow years steal the nameless grace that never comes again And there are hours men cannot soothe and words men cannot say The nearest woman's face may be a hundred miles away. LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT of me, Catherina Wieneke wife of George Henry Wieneke of Roma. I revoke all former Wills and testamentary dispositions made by me and DECLARE this to be my last Will and testament. I appoint my sons Lawrence George Wieneke and Philip Henry Wieneke to be the Executors and Trustees of this my Will. I give and bequeath to my executors the sum of ONE HUNDRED POUNDS to be laid out in the purchase and erection of a tombstone over the grave of myself and my husband and the maintenance of same PROVIDED that if my husband shall pre-decease me and a tombstone shall already have been erected over his grave the foregoing bequest of one hundred pounds shall lapse. I devise to my trustees all my real estate and bequeath unto them the residue of my personal estate UPON TRUST for the use benefit and enjoyment of my husband during his life and from and after his death I DIRECT my trustees to stand seised of all that piece of land being Subdivision 1 of Allotment 10 of Section 36 situated in the Parish of Roma and being the land contained in Certificate of Title Number 129539 Volume 814 Folio 29 together with the two houses and other improvements thereon IN TRUST for my daughter FANNY WIENEKE and my son PHILIP HENRY WIENEKE in equal shares as tenants in common AND as to all other my real and personal estate I DIRECT my trustees to sell call in and convert into money the same or such parts thereof as shall not consist of money and as to the proceeds of such sale calling in and conversion and any ready money belonging to my estate I DIRECT my trustees to divide the same into eight shares to my daughters ANNIE CATHERINA PERRETT MARGARET FORSYTH LOUISA EDMONDS KATARINA CONNORTON JESSIE AMELIA CHILCOTT and ELIZA ALICE REGAN and my son the said LAWRENCE GEORGE WIENEKE respectively and as to the eighth or remaining share I DIRECT that my trustees shall hold the same IN TRUST for the children of my deceased son WILLIAM FREDERICK WIENEKE in equal shares and proportions on their respectively attaining the age of twenty one years AND I DECLARE that until the death of my husband my trustees shall manage and look after my affairs and control my investments paying or applying the income thereof to my husband or for his benefit. IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of January 1925. Signed by the said Catherina Wieneke as and for her last Will and Testament etc. INVENTORY: Household furniture £43.4.6; Rents 14.2; Money on current account with Bank of New South Wales, Roma £46.11.3; Money on fixed deposit with the Bank of New South Wales, Roma £550.0.0; Interest accrued thereon to date of death £1.7.6; Money on fixed deposit with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Roma £200.0.0; Interest accrued thereon to date of death 9.10; Money in Commonwealth Savings Bank, Roma £19.4.10; Interest accrued thereon to date of death .10 Commonwealth Consolidated Treasury Bonds - valued at date of death £524.17.6; Total: £1386.10.5. Life Before Australia: George was one of three sons, all named George, born in Schoningen. His parents were Johann Christian Friedrich Wieneke (born 1802 at Schoningen) and Marie Sophie Caroline Otte (born 1801 at neighbouring Ahlbershausen). Sägenschneiders (saw-cutters) were craftsmen who worked the tree-trunks cut down in the woods into wooden beams to be used by carpenters in house construction. Until a few years ago, the addition "Sägenschneider" was still handed down in a Wieneke family in Schoningen.
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Date : March 1999
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