Sunday, November 4, 2012

Caroline Frank - Carl Herman August Deckert

OUR GREAT GRANDMOTHER

Caroline Frank (Karoline von Frank) daughter of Jakob Frank (7 November 1816 - 15 October 1873)and Karolina "Caroline" RAPP (7 March 1826 - 13 March 1896) was born 28 May 1858 Oberurbach Wurttemburg Germany died 30 April 1919 Lorquon Victoria Australia and buried 1 May 1919 Lorquon Cemetery Victoria Australia.

Karoline’s mother, Karolina Fezer/Fetzer was from the village of Haubersbronn. No information about her family has been found but in 1849 when she married Jakob Frank, Karolina moved to the nearby village of Oberurbach where her husband had a house and some land with a vineyard. It is believed that generations earlier there was a peasant named Frank attached to the local Castle and somehow he came to possess some land. No one knows how this happened but his fortunate descendants in the next generations were involved in farming, shepherding and wine growing.

Caroline was only 14 yrs old – had just been confirmed when she left her home(a village) and travelled to Basal (Switzerland). The Mission there at that time was a great education training place. To get from Urbach to Basel would have been quite a trek.

District: Schorndorf Name: Frank, Caroline
Birth Date: 28 May 1858 Birth Place: Oberurbach
Application Date: Aug 1872 Destination: Australia Number: 801468















On the passenger lists for the ship "SS Vernon" arriving in Victoria 28 December 1872 there are three Francks: Caroline age 24 (should be 14) and Jacob age 30 (should be 28) and his wife Christine Catharina "Cath" age 28 (should be 24). However, the Fiche reference for all three is the same 315. Index to Unassisted Inward Passenger Lists for British, Foreign and New Zealand Ports 1852-1923


Caroline came out to Australia with her married half brother Jacob and wife Christine in December 1872 when she was 15 years of age. Jacob was a consumptive, a victim of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), who sought to farm in a more pleasant climate. He survived only 2 years.

Hulda, the wife of Caroline's half brother Johannes paid for their fares.

The Moravians had Ebenezer which is about 5 kilometres from Antwerp
The 2 missions no doubt had a close relationship - as shown if nothing else by the fact that Johannes married the Rev Bogisch's widow


Several of the family migrated to Australia. Others remained at home and maintained the estate which apparently had a varied history of farming, shepherding and vine-dressing.


The wedding of Caroline (29 years) to Carl Herman August Deckert (Widower - 38 years of age and with 4 children aged 13 to 6 yrs ) took place on Sept 1, 1987 Dimboola District Of Netherby Victoria Australia.

From Ruth McLeod - Some news about our Caroline via the Dmboola Historical Society.
There is very strong evidence that she and CHA were not only married in the church at Ebenezer but they were the first Europeans to be married there.

Also on September the 1st, the day they were married there was a huge storm in many parts of Victoria including their area, Dimboola. Buildings were destroyed and some people died.
Not surprising then that there are no photos of their wedding.
Perhaps there never was, since setting up a camera outdoors would have been near impossible given the weather.

By the way, the wife of the minister who married them was called Hedwig …. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Also on the matter of Caroline meeting CHA. Dale Conway at the Historical Society sees it this way.

The Lutherans are a tight knit community. When a man was in CHAs situation ie widower with small children, this would be widely known and people would be looking out for a wife for him. It was probably suggested to him that he go to Ebenezer or wherever the Franks were at the time.

What do you think? Sounds pretty reasonable doesn't it. The other thing to notice is that Caroline had been part of a community ever since she arrived in Australia nearly 15 years before this. There would surely have been other eligible widowers who would have pressed their suit, so to speak and she didn't marry until she was 29. What, if anything, do we make of this?
I'd like to think that her marrying CHA was more than a marriage of convenience.


Carl Herman August DECKERT, son of Johann Carl Hermann "August" DECKERT and Johanna "Christiane" GRAETZ, was born on 12 May 1849 in Wanztzen Schlesien Preussen Germany, died on 6 June 1921 in Lorquon Victoria Australia at age 72, and was buried in June 1921 in Lorquon Cemetery Victoria Australia.




Carl Herman August Deckert
first married Maria Mathilde EILSEN, daughter of Johann Samuel EILSEN and Anna Dorothea KOWALD, on 12 February 1874 in Friedrichswalde (Tarnma) South Australia. Maria Mathilde was born on 12 November 1852 in Lobethal South Australia, died on 6 April 1885 in Robertstown South Australia at age 32, and was buried in April 1885 in South Australia. The cause of her death was Died 2 weeks after giving birth to twins Louisa and Heinrich. They had six children: Carl "Herman," Paul "August," Emma Emili Mathilde, Gustav Theodor "Ted," Louise Clara and Heinrich Wilhelm "Will". "Will" was adopted by Woithe family following his mother's death.





Gustav Theodor "Ted" Deckert and Johanna Selma "Martha" Reichelt

Heinrich Wilhelm "Will" Woithe


Family of Paul "August" Deckert and Anna Johanna Caroline Reichelt






Carl Herman August next married Caroline FRANK, daughter of Jakob FRANK and Karolina "Caroline" RAPP, on 1 September 1887 in Dimboola District Of Netherby Victoria Australia. Caroline was born on 28 May 1858 in Oberurbach Wurttemburg Germany, died on 30 April 1919 in Lorquon Victoria Australia at age 60, and was buried on 1 May 1919 in Lorquon Cemetery Victoria Australia. The cause of her death was Carcinoma of the Womb, Toxiemia. They had three children: Augusta "Frieda," Christina "Lena" and Pauline Hedwig "Heddie/Hettie".





Christina Lena and Ernest Albert Reichelt

Pauline Hedwig and Otto Schneider






Obituary of our dear Caroline The Horsham Times Tuesday 6 May 1919 page 5

Another old pioneer of the West Wimmera Mrs. Caroline Deckert, wife of Mr. A. Deckert snr. of Lorquon, passed away on Wednesday at 6.35 pm after a lingering illness. The deceased was born in Germany in 1859, and came to Victoria with her parents when a little girl and resided at Castlemaine for a number of years. About 27 years ago she accompanied her husband to the Lorquon district, where the later engaged in agricultural pursuits. Deceased leaves a sorrowing husband and grownup family, for which the deepest sympathy is felt. The children are Mrs. N. Reichelt (Gilgandra. N.S.W) Mrs. E . A. Reichelt. (Lorquon), Mrs. O. A. Schneider (Lorquon) and step children, viz., Mr. C.H. Deckert (Adelaide), Mr P.A. Deckert (Lorquon). Mrs. Auricht (Murrayville). Private G. T. Deckert (on active service).

Most probably written by PA Deckert.

Reference Letter 3/7/1927 from Pastor Theo Frank Lutheran Church East Melbourne to Frieda Reichelt (nee Deckert) "Kulgoa" near Biddon Gilgandra NSW.

When father and mother (Johannes "Johan" (John) Friedrich Frank and Hulda Von Kern) had to leave India in 1872 they proceeded from Bombay straightway to Melbourne Australia. Father took charge of Castlemaine Parish Victoria.

Most of the people at that time were gold diggers and workers.

Father’s brother Jacob who had been in the 1870-71 German-French war had contracted consumption. Grandfather Jakob thought a milder and warmer climate may do him good and save his life. He was married to Christine Catharina "Cath" Benzenhoefer. Jacob and his wife (also from Oberurbach) and Caroline (your dear mother) came to Australia in 1872.

Father met them in Melbourne and took them to Castlemaine. Caroline stayed with my parents - father had purchased a small farm for Jacob about 4 or 5 miles outside Castlemaine called Chinaman’s Creek. Within two years (1874) Jacob died of sickness developed too far to be cured. They had two children Mary and Edward - both have passed away.

The widow of Jacob Frank married a workman by the name of Matthes Nielson (a Dane). They worked the farm but went bankrupt. My parents lost about £600.

Your mother Caroline then came with us 1879 or 1880 to Dimboola and in 1887 she married Carl Herman August Deckert.

She was a soul of a girl, as much as I can remember. About Christmas time 1887 father and I rode to Lorquon on horseback via Antwerp and Jeparit. I saw Lorquon and your grandfather’s place, had a long chat with Herman, August and Theodore who were very young at that time.

I was 12 when we left for Queensland. I came to Lorquon in September 1905. Our father only once went back to Germany - that was 1899.

Mother never went back to Germany again. In Father's house in Oberurbach (not too far from Stuttgart) lives the second son of his brother Hans George – Christian - generally called Hansjork.

In father’s family were eight, father being the oldest. His father was twice married; father being of the first wife (Regine Bantel) but your mother was of the second wife (Karoline Rapp). The grandfather was a tall well-built man about 6 feet high, very Christian and very strict. All the children were brought up in the fear of God and piety.

Father’s youngest brother Gottlob was Burgermeister (mayor) in Ebisbach. I often visited him, a big strong man with a strong righteous character. He married after I left in 1912, soon died. His widow with one boy lives today in Ebershock, near Stuttgart.

When I arrived 1899 in Germany my grandparents had died. All brothers and sisters of fathers (are also) now dead. Father the eldest was the last of Hansjork; the second son Christian Frank now lives in the old home. The eldest killed in the war. Christian Frank also a brother of fathers had a long illness but [now is] good as gold. His daughter Wilkelmine (now Rienth) [is] living near Stuttgart. They are all very nice. If you met them you would love them….. There is still one son Johannes living in Oberurbach, but rather aged now. Oberurbach is a village of 4000, almost a city in Australia, rather nice and one of the richest valleys in Wurthemberg. I correspond with Frank and Wilkelimine Rienth. Likewise with my mother’s relations







approx ages Frieda 48, Lena 46 and Hedwig 43 yrs



























25th Wedding Anniversary of Caroline August Deckert September 1912

Horsham Times 12 September 1912 -
A large gathering of friends assembled at the residence of Mr. P. A. Deckert, Lorquon, to celebrate the silver wedding of his father and mother (Mr. and Mrs. A. Deckert, senr.), the Rev. Mr. Weise conducting the wedding service in his impressive manner. The wedding hymns were heartily sung by the congregation, and were accompanied by Mr. Noack on the organ.