March 1855: Arrival of the Gersbach's in St Marys
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| Henry Gritten, Sydney Harbour, 1855 |
On 9 December 1854, Johann (John) and Clara Gersbach departed from Hamburg on board the Catteaux Wattel accompanied by their five young children. The New South Wales Assisted Immigrants Passengers List records John as 35, Clara as 30, Margaretha as 10, Elisabetha as 7, Joseph as 5, Clara as 4 and Gertrude as 1.
John and the children's "native place" is recorded as Eltville and Clara's is Oberwalluf which is on the close by Eltville. Both are in the Duchy of Nassau. John's occupation is vine dresser. You can read more about the German migration to New South Wales in the 1850s HERE. John and Clara say they have no relatives in the colony.
The ship likely called at Bremer and Hobart before arriving in Sydney on 9 March 1855. On arrival, it's reported there were 430 German immigrants and that- "The Catteaux Wattel lost twenty infants to dysentery on the passage." (HERE)
John and the family travelled to the South Creek area of St Marys. While the employer's name is included in the record, it's unreadable.
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Their early lives
John Gersbach was born on 12 June 1820 and was baptised the following day at the Catholic Church in Winkel. He was the oldest of the three children of Nikolaus Gersbach and Maria Barbara Brand. John left his younger sister, Elisabeth, and his young brother, Anton, who followed him to New South Wales six months later. Their father had died when Anton was 7 months. Barbara then married Conrad Joseph Strobel. Their child, Peter, was born in 1829 and died in 1849. Barbara died in 1851.
Clara Frenz was born on 18 January 1824 and was baptised the following day in the Catholic Church in Oberwalluf. She was the youngest of the seven children of Johann Sebastian Frenz and Anna Margaretha Ohler. It appears that five of the children died as infants or children. Clara left her mother and older sister Anna Maria as she set off for the colony.
Other researchers show that John and Clara married on 27 December 1845 at Oberwalluf. Their first child, Margaretha Barbara, was born on 2 October 1846 and baptised on 8 October 1846 in the Catholic Church in Eltville.
Their children and grandchildren
John and Clara had ten children. One died as a child and one died as an infant.
- Margaretha Barbara (Margaret) was born in 1846 in Eltville. She married Cornelius Augustus (Augustus) Gassmann (about 1838 to 1922) in 1868 in Penrith. Margaret died in 1916 at Penrith. Margaret and Augustus had eight children-
- Augustus (1869 to 1870),
- Benjamin Augustus (1872 to 1922),
- Clara (1874 to 1959),
- Mary Blanche (1876 to 1931),
- Charlotte (1878 to 1962),
- John 1880 to 1969),
- Hugh Nathaniel (1882 to 1968) and
- Joseph Carl (1884 to 1962).
- Elisabetha Gertrude (Elizabeth) was born in 1848 in Eltville. She married George John (John) Wiggan (about 1851 to 1878) in 1872 in Penrith. Elizabeth died on 19 September 1929 in Manly. Elizabeth and John and three child-
- Gustina Annie (1873 to 1957),
- Clara Elizabeth (1875 to 1942) and
- Josephine Mary (1877 to 1878).
- Joseph was born in 1850 in Eltville. He married Dorothea (Dora) Kraemer (1856 to 1942) in 1878 in Mudgee. Joseph died in 1910 in Penrith. Joseph and Dora had twelve children-
- Joseph John (1879 to 1879),
- Louis Joachim (1880 to 1953),
- Frederick Joseph (1882 to 1838),
- Francis Clement (1884 to 1968),
- William James (1886 to 1919),
- Elizabeth Clara (Clara) (1888 to 1968),
- Annie Justina (1890 to 1965),
- Gertrude Mary (1892 to 1893),
- Mary (1893 to 1953),
- Dorothea (1895 tp 1967),
- Bernard (1897 to 1897) and
- Victor James (1901 to 1965).
- Clara was born in 1851 in Eltville. She first married George Dunlop Browne (about 1854 to ?) in 1898 in Redfern. In 1903, Clara divorced George on the ground of desertion. Clara second married James Henry Woodbridge (1861 to 1933) in 1904 in Sydney. Clara died in January 1922 in Sydney. She had no children.
- Gertrude was born in 1854 in Eltville. She first married Hugh Hannah (1858 to 1897) in 1880 in Sydney. She second married John Stafford in 1907 in Sydney. Gertrude died in 1922 at Callan Park Hospital.
- Adam was born in 1858 in St Marys. He married Hannah (Annie) Keough (1865 to 1943) in 1884 at Murrumburrah. Adam died in 1937 in Cootamundra. Adam and Annie had eight children-
- Joseph (1885 to 1912),
- Percival Augustus (1887 to 1956),
- Clara Myrtle (1888 to 1964),
- John (1890 to 1950),
- Margaret (1895 to 1895),
- William (1896 to 1896),
- Mary Rose (1896 to 1976) and
- Doreen Veronica (1904 to 1999).
- John was born in 1860 in St Marys. He married Eliza Atkinson (1860 to 1936) in 1884 in Sydney. John died in 1884 in Sydney. John and Eliza had three children-
- Oliver John (1884 to 1963),
- Cyril Joseph 1887 to 1952) and
- Effie Minnie Mary (1889 to 1928).
- Phillip was born in 1862 in St Marys. He died in 1864 in St Marys.
- Louis Joseph was born in 1867 in St Marys. He married Frances Mary (Fanny) Wilton in 1894 in Penrith. Louis died in 1931 in St Marys. Louis and Fanny had six children-
- Cecil John (1894 to 1982),
- Clarence James (1896 to 1958),
- Gertrude (1898 to 1964),
- Frances Mary (1900 to 1973),
- Louis Joseph (1903 to 1979) and
- Philip Joseph (1913 to 1978).
- Phillip was born in 1867 in St Marys and died when he was 18 days old.
Settling in New South Wales
John, Clara and their five children settled in the South Creek area of St Marys. It's likely that John then commenced working on farmland there but later began working as a carpenter in the area.
The deaths
Clara died on 5 November 1887 at her South Creek home. She was sixty-three. John lived on for another seventeen years. He died, aged eighty-four, on 26 October 1904 at the home of his oldest child, Margaret, in Victoria Street St Marys.
"DEATH OF ANOTHER OLD RESIDENT
Another very old resident passed away on Thursday of last week, viz., Mr John Gersbach. Deceased had been a great sufferer from rheumatism for many years, but got about (with the exception of short periods of severe illness) almost up to the last. Some eight weeks ago he had a paralytic stroke, but got round somewhat and was about as usual. About four weeks ago, however, he was seized with another stroke, which left him unconscious for three days. He then rallied a little, but gradually passed away, breathing his last at 6.30 p.m. on the day mentioned. Dr MacMaster was in attendance. Deceased had resided with his daughter (Mrs Gassman) for the last 3 1/2 years, where every attention was paid him. The funeral took place on Saturday, the remains being interred in the R.C. portion of the General Cemetery. Rev T Barlow conducted the burial service, Mrs John Price and Son having charge of the funeral arrangements.
The late Mr Gersbach was 84 years of age, being born in Germany. At the age of 24 years he married Miss Clara Frenz, who predeceased him. Some years after the family came out here, to this district (residing about here some 49 years). He was a carpenter by trade. There were eight children (four daughters and four sons), seven of whom are alive. These are: Mrs Gassmann (St Marys), Mrs John Wiggan (Sydney), Mrs Woodbridge (Sydney), Mrs Hannah (Sydney), Mr Joseph Gersbach (Penrith), Adam Gersbach (Cootamundra), Louis Gersbach (St. Marys). The other son (Mr John Gersbach) was killed recently by a fall from St. Marys Cathedral, Sydney, during some building operations."
- [St. Marys (1904, November 5). Nepean Times (Penrith, NSW : 1882 - 1962), p. 6. Retrieved September 6, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article100952411]
- Clara in R36 at the left - died 5 November 1887,
- son John in R37 - died 11 August 1904,
- John in R38 - died 26 October 1904,
- son Louis in R39 - died 14 November 1931 and
- his wife, Frances in R40 - died 25 August 1960.
Louis and Frances's daughter and son-in-law, Frances and James (Mannie) Doyle, are also buried in R39 and R40. Frances died on 28 July 1973 at her St Marys home. James died on 15 August 1878.
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| Clara, son John and John's burial sites |
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| In loving memory of John Gersbach Who was accidentally killed at St Marys Cathedral 11 August 1904 Aged 44 years |
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| Burial sites of son Louis and daughter-in-law Frances Along with their daughter Frances and son-in-law, James Doyle |
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| Location of burial sites in St Marys General Cemetery |