September 1855: The arrival of the Gersbach's in the Kempsey area
I've written this post to mark the one hundred and tenth anniversary of the death of our matriarch, Margaret Gersbach (nee Songen). City and Harbour of Sydney New South Wales from the height above Vaucluse, ca. 1855 [painted by G. E. Peacock] On 1 May 1855, Anton and Margaretha (Margaret) Gersbach departed from Hamburg on board the Wilhelmsburg . Also on board the ship were Anton's second cousins once removed, Joseph Gersbach, his wife, Margaret, and mother-in-law, Anna Maria Jacoby. Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1850-1934 Staatsarchiv Hamburg; Hamburg, Deutschland; Hamburger Passagierlisten; Microfilm No.: K_1704 The Hamburg passengers' list records Anton as 31, Margaret as 24 and their place of residence as Eltville, Nassau. Anton's occupation is vine dresser. You can read more about the German migration to New South Wales in the 1850s HERE. Anton's older brother, John, had arrived in Sydney on board the Catteaux Wattel on 9 March 1855 with hi...