This section includes an account of a death by suicide, and of mental illness, violence and alcohol dependence within the family, drawn from a letter written in 1872. The account, and period terms such as "insanity," reflect the language and understanding of the time. Some readers may find this passage distressing.
My great grandfather, Johann Jakob Steinhäuser arrived in Melbourne on the 'Undine' on 12 January, 1855. With a group of other young men from Butzbach, Jakob travelled to the Ballarat area where there was plenty of work associated with the gold mining industry. After a few years of working as a mine carpenter he opted for a job as a shingle-splitter in the Bullarook State Forest. In 1859 he married 14 year old Mary Ann Joiner, the daughter of another splitter. Following their marriage at Creswick in July, 1859, the young couple lived in a forest settlement in the Bullarook Forest. In 1864 they were living at Rocky Lead (now Rocklyn) where Jakob had taken a job as a mine carpenter. In 1870, Jakob, Mary Ann and their young family moved for the last time to Clunes, settling in a cottage on the Southern boundary of Clunes Common, with Jakob working in a local mine as a mine carpenter. Jakob and Mary Ann had thirteen children; James, Jakob , Charles, Eliza, Maria, John, George, Joseph , Jane, David, Daniel, Rose and Emma. Three children died when very young; Maria, in her first year, John aged five and George aged one.
A number of other young Butzbach citizens emigrated to Australia in the early 1850s - among them four members of the Weickhardt family; Johann Conrad, Jakob Franz, Johannes Carl and their sister Sophie, and it was Johannes Carl Weickhardt who was a fellow passenger of Jakob's on the 'Undine'. Three of the Weickhardt brothers and my great grandfather settled in Clunes and set up successful business in the town.
It is important to mention the emigration of the Weickhardt siblings because an Australian Weickhardt descendent became integral to Erika being able to make a connection between the writer of the letters and me. Prior to my 1986 journey travelled to Europe with plans to visit Butzbach, I was asked by Lena Wattleworth, the sole Weickhardt descendent still living in Clunes, if I would take with me some books for her Weickhardt relatives in Butzbach. In delivering those books I met Erika Gillman, descendent of a Weickhardt brother who did not migrate. Since our meeting, we have enjoyed a close friendship, and through her knowledge of Butzbach, she has provided me with photographs and valuable information related to my great grandfather and his family. Erika is a member of the Butzbach Historical Society, and the author of two photographic books on Butzbach in the 1800s.
In October, 1993, Erika Gillman was asked by a descendent of the prominent Vogt family of Butzbach to search a 150 year old storehouse behind 'Haus Vogt' on the Markt Platz for documents and old photographs related to the Vogt family. Time was of the utmost essence, for the storehouse was to be demolished to make way for ground floor extensions to the house.
Erika made a number of searches of the 150 year old storehouse but it was not until her fifth visit that she 'struck gold' with the Kuhl search. But on that fifth visit, she found something else...some old, old letters originating in Australia. Among a pile of old ledgers and papers on a shelf high in the loft, she found seven letters which constituted a correspondence between one Jakob Steinhäuser in Clunes, Australia and Christof Vogt, proprietor of 'Vogt Porcelain'. The correspondence commenced with a letter written from Rocky Lead, Victoria (now Rocklyn) on 23/11/1864 and the last letter was written from Clunes and was dated 7 February, 1881. Despite their age, 130-140 years, the letters were in excellent condition - some still in perfectly preserved envelopes complete with Victorian Two-penny stamps.
That it was Erika Gillman who found them seems little short of a miracle, for she knew of the connection between Johann Jakob Steinhäuser and myself. But first, Erika needed to confirm without doubt that the Jakob Steinhauser writing from Australia was the Jakob Steinhäuser who was my great grandfather. Excitedly, she wrote me a short note telling of her discover, asking me to reply as soon as possible. To my way of thinking – after receiving exciting news like that – there was only one way to reply: I telephoned her to say that 'Yes, yes, yes!', the letter writer was indeed my great grandfather, Johann Jakob Steinhäuser. Erika then began translating the letters, and by Christmas 1993, I had received translations of them all. My most exciting Christmas present ever!
Wishing to present the letters in a readily understood format, I felt that some matters referred to in the letters required clarification, and accordingly, have provided brief explanations which are enclosed in brackets, thus [ ].
Rocky Lead, 23 November, 1864
Dear Uncle,
I received your letter of 16 September, 1864 and send you with the post 23.11.1864 from here, starting an answer. The information of the deaths of my father, and my uncles wife, has filled me with deep sorrow. More so, because I could not see in the last letter of my father, that he was so ill. Yesterday, 21.11.1864, I sent a full power of attorney to the Royal Prussian Consul in Melbourne. With this paper, you are my representative.
Me and my family are, thank God, all well and are happy to be healthy, the same we hope, for you all. Greetings to my mother and sisters and my grandmother [Elisabeth Steinhäuser nee Rubesamen, his father's mother]. I hope to hear soon of you.
I greet you and your family heartily and I am in love, your nephew,
Jacob Steinhäuser
Rocky Lead, 22.9.1865.
Dear Uncle,
Your last letter of 17 April, 1865 I received at the end of July, and would have answered sooner, but I was waiting for a letter from Konrad Fischer [husband of Jakob's sister, Elise]. Your plan to manage the testament of my father finds my full consent and I know, that never could I find a better man to do this. It's a great question, whether I will come back to Germany because I don't know what I shall do there. I cannot work in my learned profession because I have forgotten a lot, and then, gold-digging I cannot work at in Germany. It would be for the best if you sell my plots of land and send me the money.
Last month I loaned Heinrich Konrad Heinz of Griedel [near Butzbach] 600 florins - this sum can be reckoned up with you.
I am very glad to know that you, your family and all our relations are living and I hope that when this letter arrives, you are in the best health.
I work now in a deeper pit than where I previously worked as a carpenter. I work the wood we need to build the underground tunnels. In this pit some men of Butzbach are working; Peter Winter, Jakob and Heinrich Friederich and Heinrich Winter. About 9 months ago, Philipp Hildebrand of Nieder Weisel [near Butzbach] returned to Germany. He worked with me. When you see him, tell him I send my greetings.
Hearty greetings to your family, all relatives and friends. In the hope of soon hearing from you, I am with a lot of greetings,
Your loving nephew,
Jakob Steinhäuser
Especially, greetings to my grandmother [Steinhäuser] and say to her that I hope and wish she will continue to live many years.
Clunes 26.11.1871
Dear Sister and Brother-in-Law,
Your dear letter (26.3.1871) I have received. Today I am able to send you better news about me. Finally, I work in my old profession and for the last 3 months I am a Brewer. In next letter I'll tell you more of my events. I am happy, dear sister, to know you and the children are well. I am very sad, with the family Steinhäuser, to hear of the death of Jakob Steinhäuser [his father's brother] but I am happy to hear about the fortunate return from the terrible war [1870-71] of Arnold Steinhäuser and Jacob Vogt [his cousins, presumably]. We Germans living in a foreign country are proud of the bravery of our soldiers.
I have not worked in Eberhardt's Soda Water and Lemonade Factory here in Clunes for the past 5 months because I have had Rheumatism.
I received a letter from Conrad Weickhardt and he wrote that a friend of his had opened a brewery and was looking for a Brewer. Of course I made use of this offer. This brewery is two and a half hours from Clunes [possibly a Creswick brewery]. On Saturdays, I return to my family and Mondays, early, I walk back to the brewery. Though I would be happier to live together with my family I don't wish to bring them hither. The children would have an hour's walk to school and in Clunes they go to a very good school in which they make good progress. Especially our Jettchen [pet name for his first-born daughter, Eliza], she is the best schoolgirl for her age. Though she is not yet 7 years old and has been going to school only 2 years, she is able to read each book fluently and is writing very well.
The Brewery is very different to yours in Germany. Because of the hot weather we make more beer here. The brewing and the fermentation is very different, however, I need only a short time to learn all this. The best thing in life is to learn a good profession, and I will see that each of my boys learns a trade. I now have the prospect of a secure living.
You can have the little garden beside the Griedlerstrasse. It may be possible to exchange it with another plot of land. When you answer I will then write to Uncle Vogt. Greetings to my old friend H. Steinhäuser, I wish him a lot of luck for his marriage. Many greetings to Steinhäuser and Vogt families. And to our mother, and Lisette and Helene [his step-mother and his step-sisters].
I end with the hope that you are all well and that you will write to me soon. Many greetings to you all.
Yours,
Jakob Steinhäuser.
Clunes, (undated) 1871
Dear Uncle,
Peter Winter and Herr Meyer ['Undine' passengers] are living in Creswick, 10 miles from here. I would like to send a photo of me and my family but have no opportunity to be photographed because I am not always here, only Sundays.
My wife and children send hearty greetings.
In the hope of receiving a letter from you soon,
Yours,
J. Steinhäuser
(Copied in Butzbach, 12 February 1872)
Butzbach 14.4.1872
Dear Jakob,
We received your dear letter (26.11.1871). You wrote to your sister and brother-in-law, but I also, read your letter and I am very glad to know you are now working as a brewer.
I have noted the testament of your grandmother. When we think about it, we can understand the method of dealing with your stepmother. Your brother-in-law, Konrad Fischer, is very ill. He is a hard drinker. It is because of this that she [Elise] cannot or will not write to you so often. She is ashamed about her husband. Instead of letting him go to Australia, I would persuade him to go to San Francisco. He has forgotten his profession and finds his greatest joy in the inn parlour. The tanners have enough work - it's a very fine profession.
The war of 1870/71 was a terrible time and I never thought I would see such sad times. I am ending now in the hope that you will soon receive this letter.
We send hearty greetings to you and your family.
Yours truly,
Uncle E.C. Vogt
Butzbach, 19 August, 1872
Dear Jakob,
Your friendly letter of 18 January I received on 8 August and was happy to hear that you received the 30C Sterling. Would you like to have smaller amounts? How would you like it?
Your dear sister Elise has great problems with the running of the house and the farm after this sad event. But it is better than having for ever a very difficult man with madness and depression. Yes, he was dangerous for wife and children. The children found him hanging in the toilet. Relatives and neighbours gave him the last honours. Peace for his ashes! I am very happy for your sister being relieved of her sorrows. Several times when I was at the house, he became enraged and broke up furniture and other things in the house. Elise will give her fields to her sister-in-law, but the little garden which was yours she wants for herself.
I am very happy when you write of the customs of that part of the world. We hear from some Nieder Weisel people that the gold mines are not profitable. Australian wool is to be delivered to Hamburg, and meat to England? Don't you need Agents? They are necessary in this business. It would be very kind of you if you would, in your next letter, tell about the gold mines. People here say there is no work there.
I wish you and you family a very good life. Hearty greetings from me and my family.
Your loving Uncle,
E. Chr. Vogt
Clunes, 10 July 1876
Dear Uncle,
In today's newspaper I saw that the post for European mail closes this day and I will send a letter on this occasion.
First I want to know, how is the health of you and your family? Also I want information about my sister Elise and her family. I have heard nothing from her for 3 years and cannot understand why. I always send her letters.
For some time my dear wife has suffered from a chest disease. The doctor thinks it would be good for her to have a change of air, to live in another place - perhaps spend some months with her father at Rocky Lead [where we first lived]. Now, God be praised, she is much better. We hope, when it is warm, she will be healthy again. Several months, especially in the last summer, we have had here a severe illness - Scarlet Fever - but we are all safe. For people with chest diseases Clunes is a bad place because we don't have trees [lost to the mines no doubt] and are feeling the cold South and West winds more than other towns.
Since my last letter, my family has grown and we now have five boys [Jakob, James, Charles, Joseph and John] and two girls [Eliza and Mary Jane]. My eldest son is sixteen years old and works with me. A few days ago we finished a job which we did together. We had to put wire in wooden fences so that the sheep cannot escape. This work was very well paid. At the moment we are engaged in planting our garden. Though we are in the middle of wintertime, we plant cauliflower, white cabbage, peas and other plants which are resistant against the frost. The winter, so far, is unusually dry, but is very cold. There are frosts on a clear night and the weather is like yours in Autumn when the potatoes come out of the earth.
At the end of last week there was great excitement in the joint stock markets and banks, and also in the whole town because the information was published that among the gold mines here they have found a mine rich with quartz. This information was correct and there were, for inspection, great pieces of gold as big as beans. Following this, the activities of the Lothair Gold Mining Group were highly increased. It would be desirable for things to stay in this state as it is important for the town. We have here in Clunes, mines deeper than anywhere in the colonies. The deepest pit is 1200 foot deep! In one mine (The Clunes Consul) they have more than 80,000 Pounds Sterling invested and the current owner did not receive one penny dividend. Since 2 or 3 years Clunes has lost a lot of it's earlier vitality because the mines had poor results and many people moved away to other gold-fields, and you can now find here many empty houses.
The water pipes which will deliver water to the town and the gold mines are now ready. The cost to the town - 90,000 Pounds. The railway which connects us to Melbourne, Talbot, Maryborough, Sandhurst [Bendigo] etc., has been underway 1 year. After inauguration of the railway, all children in Clunes were allowed to ride to Geelong and back for only a small fare. Four of my children went to that and after they came back they had a lot to tell about what they saw in the Zoological and Botanic Gardens, not forgetting the sea-beach.
Dear Uncle, I would be very happy to receive a letter from you, so much the better if you will tell me of any news. With the greatest joy I will tell you of all you are interested in. I have plenty to tell you but I want to know if you are interested.
I end this letter in the hope that it will find you and your family and all our relatives in the best health. Many greetings.
Your loving nephew,
Jakob Steinhäuser
Clunes, 7 February, 1881
Dear Uncle,
The information of the death of my dear aunt [Christoph's wife] I received some days ago and I wish to tell you how sad we are. Though its more than 25 years since I came to Australia and in that time I have not seen my Butzbach family, you all live in my memory as if it were only several weeks. I am especially sorry to hear of her death because she was a member of our family [his father's sister]. I have good and happy memories of her.
Of me and my family I can tell you that we are well, except that my good wife and my eldest son have been ill for a short time. My wife is still suffering with her chest-illness. Our eldest daughter Elise was sixteen years old last Christmas and she runs the house. She is a very clever girl and, in the nature of the Colonial native, is one head higher than her mother. Two of my eldest sons are working in the deep gold mines. They work in company with several men who work in a part of the mine on their own and give a percentage to the Company who is the owner of the mines.
Three months ago I was very ill (pneumonia) and since then have not worked in the mines. And, what do you think, dear Uncle, I am doing now? You would wait a long time before you guess! I give teaching in music and tune pianos! The latter is my biggest employment. In Clunes, and in each little town where people make money in the mines, in nearly every house you find a piano, or at least, a little American house-organ. Many people in Clunes have German pianos, they are built in Berlin by Schwechten or in Stuttgart by Lipp and Son. The pianos cost 60 to 80 pounds. For piano tuning I get ten and a half marks for one piano. Also, I repair pianos, violins and harmoniums.
At the moment we have here a great fine-art exhibition. To give everyone from all parts of the Colony the chance to visit it, there are cheap rail fares to Melbourne. Next week we will have an extra train from Clunes to Melbourne and people can return within eight days for the usual fare.
Last Christmas, the elder daughters of Eduard Nicolai visited Ernst Eberhardt of Marburg [both Nicolai and Eberhardt were passengers on 'Undine']. I spoke sometimes with them. Eduard himself I have not seen for many years. Robert Nicolai is in New Zealand. Two years ago I wrote to him but never got an answer.
I end this letter with the hope that you are in good health.
Dear Uncle, we send you many greetings, also to the others of our family.
Your loving nephew,
Jakob Steinhäuser