Melinda Tam is my 4th cousin once removed.
Melinda has written a story for the 50th edition of The Friends of Westgarthtown Newsletter and has very kindly allowed me to share it here as a guest post.
Melinda's story begins with our common ancestors the Nebel family from Prussia.
THE NEBEL FAMILY
BY MELINDA TAM
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| Brig Acmel 1854 by Lorenz Petersen (www.artnet.com). |
Georg Nebel senior
My great great great grandfather Johann Georg Christian (known as Georg) Nebel was born on 18 December 1791 in Hohenseeden, Saxony, Prussia. He was the only surviving son of Andreas Christian and Dorothea Elizabeth (née Luecke) Nebel. His father was a master linenweaver and cottager. Georg was baptised on 21 December 1791 in Hohenseeden Lutheran Church. After he finished school he was confirmed in the same church in 1806. Georg Nebel became a journeyman stonemason.
On 19 April 1818 he married Anna Dorothea (known as Dorothea) Schulze in Theeßen Lutheran Church. Dorothea was born on 20 February 1794 in Theeßen. She was the fourth surviving daughter of Johann Peter and Anne Sophia (née Thüm) Schulze. Her father was a master tailor. She was baptized on 23 February 1794 in Theeßen Lutheran Church.
Georg and Dorothea Nebel had three children, all of whom were born in Hohenseeden: Georg Christian Ernst born 11 September 1818, Johann Gottfried (Gottfried or Friedrich) born on 6 August 1822, and Anna Dorothea (Dorothea) born on 10 April 1825. By 1849 the family had moved to Krüssau and Georg and Dorothea Nebel were still residing there in 1854.
On 6 September 1854 Georg and Dorothea Nebel with their three children, their children’s spouses and five grandchildren sailed from Hamburg on the Danish brig Acmel. There was a cholera outbreak onboard which Georg and Dorothea survived. They arrived in Melbourne on 6 January 1855.
There is little evidence of Georg and Dorothea Nebel’s lives in Victoria. Being a stonemason Georg Nebel may have been employed building houses and farm buildings at Westgarthtown in the 1850s and 1860s. In 1876 he is recorded in rate records as a farmer occupying the Winter farm at Westgarthtown. He had probably been residing at this farm since 1864 though it was his son Georg Nebel who apparently appears in rate records as the occupier.
Georg Nebel senior died of old age on 2 September 1877 at Westgarthtown. Dorothea Nebel died of old age soon afterwards on 29 October 1877 at Westgarthtown. They are both buried in Westgarthtown Cemetery.
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| Georg and Dorothea Nebel’s headstone (Melinda Tam). |
Georg Nebel junior
My great great grandfather Georg Christian Ernst Nebel was born on 11 September 1818 in Hohenseeden, Saxony, Prussia. He was baptised on 20 September 1818 in Hohenseeden Lutheran Church. After he finished school he was confirmed in the same church on 5 April 1833. He became a master shoemaker.
On 5 April 1850 he married Dorothea Sophia Friederike Elisabeth (Friederike) Born in Theeßen Lutheran Church. She was born on 18 August 1829 in Theeßen. She was the third daughter of Johann Andreas and Dorothea Elisabeth (née Thüm) Born. Her father was a tenant farmer. She was also Georg’s second cousin. She was baptised on 6 September 1829 in Theeßen Lutheran Church. After she finished school she was confirmed in the same church on 21 April 1844.
Georg and Friederike Nebel had two children in Prussia, both born in Krüssau: Friedrich August (August) born 14 March 1852 and Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Albert (Albert) born 25 September 1853. They were still residing in Krüssau in 1854.
On 6 September 1854 Georg and Friederike Nebel with their two children, Georg’s parents, siblings, their spouses and children sailed from Hamburg on the Danish brig Acmel. There was a cholera outbreak onboard which Georg, Friederike and their younger son Albert survived. Unfortunately their elder son August died at sea on 26 September 1854. The family arrived in Melbourne on 6 January 1855.
Georg and Friederike Nebel suffered another bereavement with their son Albert dying shortly after their arrival. They were residing in Simpsons Road, Collingwood (now Victoria Street, Abbotsford) when he died on 15 January 1855 of teething.
By 1856 Georg and Friederike Nebel were residing at Westgarthtown where Georg was working as a shoemaker. Georg Nebel purchased the Nebel farm at Westgarthtown on 5 July 1858 from Christian Kurtzmann for £700. This was Lots 11 and 12 Section 25 Parish of Keelbundora. It was 68 acres in size. He contracted to buy the farm on 6 March 1858, paying a deposit of £200. He was required to pay off the balance at “£9 per centum per annum”. He took possession on 1 April 1858. The sale price of £700 included “all improvements thereon and also 2 cows, 2 heifers, 1 plough, 1 harrow, 1 roller”. For Georg Nebel to legally own the land, he needed to be naturalized in Victoria. This took place on 6 May 1858. Georg Nebel was a dairy farmer. In the 1860s he also carried on shoemaking.
On 4 October 1860 Georg Nebel sold three acres of land to Johann Seeber for £116. This was a subdivision of Lot 11 Section 25 Parish of Keelbundora, the land being located in the north eastern corner. This reduced the size of the Nebel farm to 65 acres. The Nebel farm was mortgaged to Gottlieb Renner, the Westgarthtown schoolteacher on 20 February 1863 for £250. This mortgage was paid out in total by 10 April 1874.
In 1864 Georg Nebel leased the adjoining Winter farm. This was Lots 9 and 10 Section 25 Parish of Keelbundora. It was 48 acres in size. It was owned by Friedrich Winter. Wilhelm Geue leased the farm from 1863 to 1864. In 1864 he wanted to leave for Adelaide in a hurry and the property was put up for auction on 17 March 1864. The property was described as “wooden house, stone kitchen and stable” with crops “1 acre maize, 1 acre tobacco, quarter acre potatoes”. Georg Nebel leased the Winter farm for the next 16 years.
Georg and Friedricke Nebel had a further six children, all born at Westgarthtown: Friedrich Hermann (Hermann) born on 1 June 1856, Johann Wilhelm Franz (Wilhelm) born on 16 August 1857, Anna Maria Nebel born on 3 April 1859, Marie Louise Emma (Emma) born on 23 August 1860, Wilhelmine Louise (Minnie) Nebel born on 18 August 1862 and Johann Friedrich (Friedrich) born on 10 December 1868 (my great grandfather). Two of these children died young: Anna died aged eight years old on 15 April 1867 of angina diphtheria and Hermann died aged twelve years old on 19 August 1868 of phthisis (tuberculosis). They were both buried in Westgarthtown Cemetery.
On 14 June 1886 Georg Nebel contracted to buy a bakery and adjoining land in Epping from the estate of Gottfried Bormann for £540. The property was located in High Street on the corner High and Rufus Streets, Epping. This was Lots 11, 12 and 13 Section 17 Township of Epping. The size of the land was 2 acres 8 perches. He took full ownership on 22 April 1887. This property was occupied by James Patterson from 1886 to 1888 and he contracted to buy the property in about 1889 for £650.
Georg and Friederike Nebel were members of the Westgarthtown Lutheran Church at Thomastown. Georg was a committee member of the Westgarthtown Lutheran School; he was involved in the funding and construction of the Westgarthtown Lutheran Schoolhouse from 1865 to 1866. Georg was also a longstanding church elder. In 1884 with the death of Johann Stanger he became the Reader of the church; he took services when the pastor was unavailable until his own death in 1893. In 1885 Georg Nebel was elected trustee of the church, serving from 1887 until his death.
Georg and Friederike Nebel made many donations over the years. These include £1 for the building of the Westgarthtown Lutheran Schoolhouse, 10 shillings for the Franco Prussian War Benefit, £4 for the building fund for Trinity Lutheran Church, East Melbourne and later reduction of the debt, £2 and one shilling to Melbourne Hospital, £23 and 6 shillings to Lutheran Church causes and £1 to Westgarthtown Lutheran Church.
Georg Nebel died at Thomastown on 19 June 1893 aged 74 years. He died of an enlarged prostate and paralysis and was buried in Westgarthtown Cemetery. His estate was valued for probate at about £1,342. He left a will leaving the Nebel farm valued at £644 and five shillings to his wife, Friederike Nebel for life. After her death, the Nebel farm was to go to his son, Wilhelm Nebel on condition that he paid his siblings the sum of £200 pounds each (£600 in total). Georg Nebel left £50 each to his grandchildren, Anna and Friedrich Siebel. Georg Nebel left the rest of his money and investments to his son Friedrich Nebel. This included £300 owing on the bakery and interest of £14 pounds and eight shillings, £244 and four shillings on fixed deposit and 11 Bank of Victoria shares valued at £10 each (the last were probably worthless).
Friederike Nebel died at Epping on 6 June 1915 aged 85 years. She died of senility and was buried with her husband in Westgathtown Cemetery.
Georg and FriederikeNebel’s surviving children all married:
Wilhelm Nebel (1857-1924) married Martha Anna Heiner in 1887. After his father’s death, he farmed the Nebel farm in partnership with his brother Friedrich for some years and later on his own. He also leased the Seeber farm at Epping in the early 1900s. Wilhelm and Martha Nebel resided at Westgarthtown and had six children, five surviving birth. After Martha’s death in childbirth in 1899 Wilhelm married Agnes Ellen (known as Nellie) Hosie in 1901. They had no issue.
Emma Nebel (1860-1942) married Carl Friedrich Seeber in 1884. They resided at Epping and had one adopted daughter.
Minnie Nebel (1862-1890) married Friedrich Johann (Johann) Siebel in 1885. He was a farmer at Westgarthtown and they had two children.
Friedrich Nebel (1868-1931) (my great grandfather) married Hannah Elizabeth (Elizabeth) Falk in 1898. He farmed his mother’s farm at Westgarthtown in partnership with his elder brother Wilhem. By 1909 he was leasing the Zimmer farm at Epping. He later became a tannery worker. They resided at Epping and had nine children, eight surviving infancy.
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| Wilhelm Nebel and family (Rob Wuchatsch). |
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| L - R Newton, Holda Ward, Elizabeth, Friedrich and Arthur (Jock) Nebel. (Melinda Tam) |
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| Minnie (née Nebel) Siebel (Melinda Tam). |
The Nebel farm at Thomastown (now Lalor) remained in the family until 1960. Today Peter Lalor Vocational College stands on part of the land. Georg Nebel and his family are remembered in Lalor with Nebel Street named after them.
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| Georg and Friederike Nebel’s headstone (Melinda Tam). |
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| (Dorothy Kelly) |
Gottfried Nebel
My great great great uncle Johann Gottfried Nebel was born on 6 August 1822 in Hohenseeden, Saxony, Prussia. He was baptised on 11 August 1822 in Hohenseeden Lutheran Church. After he finished school he was confirmed in the same church on 19 March 1837. He became a master tailor.
On 4 November 1849 he married Johanne Caroline Neubauer in St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, Aschersleben. Johanne Caroline Neubauer was born on 18 August 1820 in Aschersleben. She was the daughter of Johann Friedrich and Johanna Maria Elisabeth (née Steltze) Neubauer. Her father was a soldier. She was baptised on 24 August 1820 in St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, Aschersleben.
Gottfried and Johanne Caroline Nebel had an unnamed daughter who was born on 30 August 1850 at Theeßen. She died there of convulsions on 8 September 1850 aged nine days. Johanne Caroline Nebel died of tuberculosis on 5 February 1851 at Krüssau and was buried in the Krüssau Lutheran Churchyard.
On 20 June 1852 Gottfried Nebel married Dorothea Sophia Elisabeth (Sophia) Umlang in Krüssau Lutheran Church. She was born on 24 February 1829 in Krüssau. She was the daughter of Andreas and Elisabeth (née Schaefer) Umlang. Her father was a labourer and cottager. She was baptized on 8 March 1829 in Krüssau Lutheran Church. After she finished school she was confirmed in the same church on 9 April 1843.
Gottfried and Sophia Nebel had one son born in Prussia: Johann Georg Peter Friedrich (Friedrich) was born on 15 March 1853 in Krüssau. They were still residing in Krüssau in 1854.
On 6 September 1854 Gottfried and Sophia Nebel with their son, Georg’s parents, siblings, their spouses and children sailed from Hamburg on the Danish brig Acmel. There was a cholera outbreak onboard which Gottfried, Sophia and their son Friedrich survived. Their second son Emile was born on 4 October 1854 at sea. They arrived in Melbourne on 6 January 1855.
Tragedy struck Gottfried and Sophia Nebel with their son Emile dying shortly after their arrival. They were residing in Simpsons Road, Collingwood (now Victoria Street, Abbotsford) when he died on 24 January 1855 of debility.
Gottfried Nebel ‘s address is given variously as Simpsons Road and Richmond Flat in late 1856 when he twice signed petitions relating to German issues: he signed a petition against the introduction of a three year waiting period for naturalisation to take effect. The other petition was to request that funds made available for immigration be directed towards bringing out German immigrants.
By 1857 Gottfried Nebel was residing in Shelley Street, Richmond, employed as a labourer. In 1859 he purchased a property between Shelley and York Streets in Richmond for £200. This is part of Section 38, Parish of Jika Jika. For Gottfried Nebel to legally own the land, he needed to be naturalized in Victoria. This took place on 12 April 1860.
From the late 1860s Gottfried Nebel was a soapmaker. In the 1870s he subdivided his backyard building four cottages facing York Street. Two of these cottages are still extant: 51 and 53 York Street, Richmond. The cottages were leased out to tenants.
Gottfried and Sophia Nebel had a further four children, all born at Richmond: Johann Reinhold (Reinhold) born on 31 December 1859, Anna Sophie born on 26 October 1861, Minna born on 26 October 1868 and Minna Elisabeth Nebel born on 26 July 1869. The first Minna Nebel died before the arrival of the second Minna.
Gottfried and Sophia Nebel were members of Trinity Lutheran Church, East Melbourne. Gottfried was a church elder from 1874 until 1878. Gottfried was also a member of the Ancient Order of Foresters Court Richmond No. 3012.
Gottfried Nebel donated five shillings to the Franco-Prussian War Benefit and £5 to the Trinity Lutheran Church Building Fund.
Gottfried Nebel died at Richmond on 25 November 1879 aged 57 years. He died of “cute’s orea and malasma addisoni”. He was buried in Melbourne General Cemetery. His estate was valued for probate at £1,094. He left a will leaving his estate to his wife Sophia for life. After her death each of their children would share equally in the remaining estate. His estate consisted of five cottages valued at £750, £334 in bank accounts and furniture valued at £10.
Sophia Nebel resided in Shelley Street, Richmond until 1889 when she moved into one of her rental properties in York Street. She gave £2 to the reduction of debt on Trinity Lutheran Church and 19 shillings to Lutheran Church causes.
Sophia Nebel died at Richmond on 18 December 1894 aged 65 years. She died of cancer and was buried with her husband in Melbourne General Cemetery. Her estate was valued for probate at £272 and 10 shillings. She left £262 and 10 shillings to Friedrich Nebel and her household furniture and effects valued at £10 to Minna Nebel.
Gottfried and Sophia Nebel’s surviving children all married:
Friedrich Nebel (1853-1925) married Agnes Andert in 1878. He was a bootmaker. Friedrich and Agnes Nebel resided in Collingwood. They had six children, five surviving infancy. The family later moved to Richmond.
Reinhold Nebel (1859-1921) married Ellen White in 1884. He was a bootmaker who also worked as a cab driver. Reinhold and Ellen Nebel resided in Richmond and had one child.
Anna Sophie Nebel (1861-1892) married Johann Christian Ernst Fliegner in 1883. They resided in Carlton and had two children.
Minna Elisabeth Nebel (1869-1906) married Thomas Guthrie in 1897. They resided in Beechworth and had three children.
Friedrich Nebel’s son Arthur (Jock) Nebel was sent to live with his cousins on Nebel farm in the 1890s where he was presumably employed as a labourer. He resided in Thomastown and Epping until his retirement in the 1950s. He played for many years with Epping Football Club.
Anna Fliegner’s son Ernest Fliegner was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, East Melbourne. He owned a motor car in the 1910s and would drive Pastor Gutekunst to Westgarthtown for church services during the war years.
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| Gottfried Nebel’s headstone (Melinda Tam). |
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| Friedrich Nebel (Melinda Tam). |
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| Anna (née Nebel) Fliegner (Melinda Tam). |
Dorothea Nebel Bartsch Voigt
My great great great aunt Anna Dorothea Nebel was born on 10 April 1825 in Hohenseeden, Saxony, Prussia. She was baptised on 17 April 1825 in Hohenseeden Lutheran Church. After she finished school she was confirmed in the same church on 24 March 1839.
On 1 April 1850 she married Johann Friedrich Heinrich (known as Heinrich) Bartsch (also spelt Bartsh) in Our Lady Lutheran Church, Burg. He was born in about 1822 in Steinbeck, Brandenburg, Prussia. He was son of Karl Wilhelm and Dorothea (née Manté) Barsch. His father was a road overseer. In 1850 he was a journeyman blacksmith residing in Langenweddingen, Saxony, Prussia.
Heinrich and Dorothea Bartsch had two daughters born in Prussia, both born in Buckau, Magdeburg: Anna Dorothee Luise (known as Luise) born 21 May 1850 and Anna Dorothee Emma (known as Emma) born on 1 February 1852. They were still residing in Buckau in 1854.
On 6 September 1854 Heinrich and Dorothea Bartsch with their two children, Georg’s parents, siblings, their spouses and children sailed from Hamburg on the Danish brig Acmel. Their third daughter Anna Dorothea was born at sea on 22 September 1854. There was a cholera outbreak onboard which Heinrich, Dorothea and their daughters Emma and Anna Dorothea survived. Unfortunately their daughter Luise died at sea on 30 September 1854. They arrived in Melbourne on 6 January 1855.
By 1857 Heinrich and Dorothea Bartsch had moved to Beechworth. On 9 April 1860 Heinrich Bartsch purchased a property on Melbourne Road, Black Springs near Beechworth for £70. This was Allotment 3 Section B1 Parish of Beechworth. It was 11 acres in size. For Heinrich Bartsch to legally own the land, he needed to be naturalized in Victoria. This took place on 22 February 1861.
Heinrich and Dorothea Bartsch had a further two children, both born at Beechworth: John Henry (known as Henry) born in 1858 and John Frederick (known as Frederick) born in 1865. There was also another child who was probably stillborn.
Heinrich Bartsch died at Black Springs on 29 April 1866 aged 44 years. There was an inquest into his death and he was found to have died of congestion and enlargement of the kidneys. He was buried in Beechworth Cemetery. He did not leave a will and his estate was valued at £33 consisting of his property at Beechworth.
On 9 July 1867 Dorothea Bartsch married Johann Christian Friedrich (Christian) Voigt in the Church of England, Beechworth. He was born on 11 April 1824 in Bramsdorf, Brandenburg, Prussia. He was the son of Christoph and Louise (née Schindelhauer) Voigt. His father was a farmer. He was baptised on 16 April 1824 in Buckau Lutheran Church, Brandenburg, Prussia. After finishing school he was confirmed on 8 April 1838 in the same church. He had emigrated from Hamburg on 12 November 1855 on the ship Carl, arriving in Melbourne on 1 March 1856. In 1867 Christian Voigt was a gardener residing at Black Springs.
Dorothea and her family moved into Christian Voigt’s residence and the property belonging to Heinrich Bartsh at Black Springs was leased to tenants. Christian was a vigneron at Black Springs in 1868. Christian and Dorothea had one child: William born at Black Springs in 1868.
Christian Voigt was naturalised in Victoria on 2 November 1870. At this time he was a miner at Black Springs. In 1882 when Heinrich Bartsh’s estate was being wound up, Christian Voigt was a miner residing at Melbourne Road, Yellow Creek near Beechworth. Christian Voigt had mining claims located in the Black Springs area.
In 1894 Christian and Dorothea Voigt selected 20 acres each in the Parish of Beechworth. These blocks were located south of Melbourne Road at Black Springs. The land was used for grazing and cultivation. These blocks of land were made over to their son, William Voigt in 1902.
Over the years Christian Voigt donated £1 to Ovens District Hospital and 11 shillings to Ovens Benevolent Asylum, both located at Beechworth.
Dorothea Voigt died at Beechworth in 1910 aged about 85 years. Christian Voigt died the following year at Beechworth aged about 87 years. They are both buried in Beechworth Cemetery.
Heinrich and Dorothea Bartsch’s children all married:
Emma Bartsch (1852-1897) married Robert Hargreaves in 1867. They resided in Beechworth and had five children, four surviving infancy.
Anna Dorothea Bartsch (1854-1908) married Joseph Hulme in 1875. They resided in Milawa and had ten children.
Henry Bartsh (1858-1917) married Alice Bligh in 1879. He was a miner. Henry and Alice Bartsh resided at Beechworth and had five children. The family later moved to Geelong.
Frederick Bartsh (1865-1940) married Julia Sheritt in 1894. He was a farmer. Frederick and Julia Bartsh resided at Baarmutha and had seven children, six surviving infancy (In 1880 Julia Sheritt’s brother Aaron Sherritt had been murdered by members of the Kelly Gang and this event precipitated the siege of Glenrowan where Ned Kelly was captured).
Christian and Dorothea Voigt’s son also married:
William Voigt (1868-1937) married Mina Christesen in 1897. He was a farmer. William and Mina Voigt resided at Beechworth and had five children, four of whom survived childhood.
The Bartsh family is remembered at Baarmutha with Bartsh Road named after them. The Voigt family is remembered at Black Springs with Voigt Road named after them.
Many thanks to Melinda and The Friends of Westgarthtown group.
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| Anna Dorothea and her second husband Johann Christian Voigt. |
