2nd Generation

Moving on from my last post, I want to detail my Great Great Grandfather’s immediate family:

Gustav Eduard Ferdinand WATTER was born on 30 May 1855 in Zensko, Zachodniopomorskie, Poland (Schonfeld, Pommern, Prussia).  On most documents I have found he is listed as Gustav Watter. The additional names come from the death certificate of his eldest son.

Gustav married around 1874 in Falkenburg, Daramburg, Prussia (Zlocieniec, Zachodniopomorskie, Poland) and left for Australia with his wife and 3 children. His older sister Ottilie Iker (nee Watter) had immigrated 6 years earlier on the Lammershagen (Ship) and must have sent back encouraging reports.  The Watter family probably left via Bremen on a mail boat to England, but most of those records have not survived through to today for verification.  They continued their journey from Plymouth, Devon, England on 14 Feb 1884 leaving on the mail boat the Chyebassa.  The Chyebassa was part of the British India Steam Navigation Co. and the Queensland Government had a contract with them to deliver mail direct to Queensland.  Previously mail from Europe had arrived via the southern states of Australia and took a long time to reach Queensland.  The steamships halved the time it took to get from Europe to Australia.  I believe it was a more expensive way to travel, and the ships could carry fewer immigrants, but the reduction in time at sea appears to have been worth it.  The family arrived in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on 04 Apr 1884.

Gustav and his wife went on to have another 4 children, who made it to adulthood, in Australia . He died on 11 Nov 1916 in Teviotville, Queensland, Australia and was buried on 12 Nov 1916 Coulson Cemetery (formerly Teviotville Cemetery).

Gustav was a farmer, and at one stage held around 160 acres at Dugandan (Portion 309), Queensland, Australia. At the time of his death the land had been subdivided and his son, Otto & son-in-law, Alfred Bressow were purchasing large plots of this land from him.

Gustav’s wife was Augusta Wilhelmine Louise RUCKERT daughter of Christright RUCKERT and Unknown KRUEGER was born about Oct 1852 in Zlocieniec, Zachodniopomorskie, Poland (Falkenburg, Dramburg, Prussia).  She died on 31 Mar 1939 in Teviotville, Queensland, Australia and was buried on 01 Apr 1939 in Coulson Cemetery (formerly Teviotville Cemetery).  She was listed as Wilhelmine on the immigration shipping record held at the Queensland State Archives. The Queensland State Archives immigration index has transcribed the family name as Walter, but to be fair the shipping record is very hard to read.

Gustav and Augusta had the following children:

i. Carl Wilhelm Robert “Robert” WATTER was born about 1875 in Pommern, Prussia. He married Marie Friederike Dorothee “Frieda” PRENZLER on 26 Jul 1899 in Queensland, Australia.  He died on 06 Mar 1947 in Queensland, Australia. He was a farmer.

 ii. George Franz Gotthard WATTER was born about 1880 in Gommern, Jerichower Land, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany (Gommern, Prussia).  He married Elizabeth Elsie Emma SONNENBURG on 10 Apr 1902 in Kalbar, Queensland, Australia.  He died on 15 Apr 1975 in Deception Bay, Queensland, Australia.  George was a signwriter, licensed victualler, farmer, shopkeeper, etc.  He visited the USA on a couple of occassions around 1900, I believe to visit relatives. I am still hoping to work out who these people may have been.

 iii. Hermann Edward “Harry” WATTER was born in 1884 in Pommern, Prussia.  He married Elisabeth MALUGA on 19 Oct 1910 in Queensland, Australia.  He died on 02 May 1941 in Queensland, Australia.  He was a Farmer. 

iv. Elfrieda Katharina WATTER was born on 13 Jan 1885 in Teviotville, Queensland, Australia.  She married Alfred William BRESSOW in 1915 in Teviotville, Queensland, Australia.  She died on 15 Feb 1968 in Kalbar, Queensland, Australia.

v. Louise Sophia WATTER was born on 11 Oct 1887 in Teviotville, Queensland, Australia.  She married August EHRICH on 07 Jul 1909 in Queensland, Australia.

vi. Otto Emil Heinrich WATTER was born on 16 Jan 1890 in Teviotville, Queensland, Australia.  He married Sophia Ottily RICHTER on 16 Aug 1919.

vii. Martha Anna Bertha WATTER was born on 14 Feb 1892 in Teviotville, Queensland, Australia.  She married Edgar Wilson SWEENEY on 06 Jul 1915 in Queensland, Australia.  She died on 01 Oct 1986.

 viii. Unknown WATTER. Sex: Female. (Listed on Gustav & Augusta’s death certificates, but I am unsure as to the country of birth)