Hoffnungsthal

On 24th June 1847, German immigrants from Posen recently arrived on the Heloise [6], took up Sections 567 and 568, containing 740 acres, at an annual rental of 6/- per acre [10]. The land was leased from the South Australian Company and George Fife Angas. Joined by some earlier arrivals from Bethany and Klemzig, they established the village of Hoffnungsthal, meaning Valley of Hope. For a few years the settlers lead an idyllic life in Hoffungsthal as recounted GR Juers in The Story of Old Hoffungsthal in South Australia or MacKenzie [12].

The Land Return of September 1847 showed 15 dwelling huts erected, wells dug, a kangaroo fence in progress, 166 acres planted to wheat, 8 to barley, 2.5 to potatoes, 2 to hay, and 16 of garden. Just one year later, in 1848 this had increased substantially with 360 acres being devoted to wheat, 63 to barley and 34 to hay. At its height, the village contained 37 cottages, outhouses, a church, a school and a cemetery.

Some of the families of the Hoffnungsthal settlement during the period 1847-1853 were:

family name	first name	arrival in SA	birthplace or place of origin	departed to
Beinke [7,8]	Johann Friedrich August	Gellert 1847	1810 Posen
	Theodora (nee Kreschevska)	Gellert 1847	1816 Posen
	...Gustav Emil	Gellert 1847	1836 Posen
	...Carl Joseph	Gellert 1847	1839 Posen
	...Anna Julianna	Gellert 1847	1841 Posen
	...Johann Friedrich	Gellert 1847	1843 Posen
	...Carolina	Gellert 1847	1843 Posen
	... Louise Christine	Gellert 1847	1846 Posen
	...Adolph		1848
	...Andreas Edward		1850
	... Nicodemus Wilhelm		1852 Hoffnungsthal, SA
Blaesing [8]	Johann Gottlieb	Skjold 1841	1809 Kuniker Hauland, Posen	Lyndoch, SA
	Anna Dorothea (nee Schenscher)	Skjold 1841	1812 Posen (d 1854)
	...Johanne Juliana	Skjold 1841	1835 Posen
	...Johanna Pauline	-	1842 Bethany, SA
	...Johann Gottlieb	-	1844 SA
	...Ernst Gotthilf	-	1846 SA
	...Johanne Ernestine	-	1848 SA
	...Maria Elisabeth	-	1850 SA
	...Friedrich Wilhelm	-	1852 SA
Brasch	Johann
Giersch	Johann August
	Anna Elizabeth (nee Selge)
	...Carl Julius	-	1848 Hoffnungsthal SA
	...Johann Wilhelm	-	1850 Hoffnungsthal SA
	...Gottlieb Ernst	-	1853 Hoffnungsthal SA
Griesche	Gotthelf	Gellert 1847
	Beate	Gellert 1847
	...Auguste	Gellert 1847
	...Juliane	Gellert 1847
	...Emilie	Gellert 1847
Goile	Heinrich
Hausler [8]	Johann Georg	Heloise 1847	1786 Nekla-Hauland, Posen	Rowland Flat, SA
	Christian (nee Baum)	Heloise 1847	1801 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Johann Friedrich	Heloise 1847	1820 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Gottfried	Heloise 1847	1824 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Anna Rosina	Heloise 1847	1826 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Caroline	Heloise 1847	1832 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	(..Anna Elizabeth) see Lemm
	...Friedrich Wilhelm	Heloise 1847	1836 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Carl August	Heloise 1847	1839 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Christine	Heloise 1847	1840 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Julianne	Heloise 1847	1842 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
Huf	Johann	Heloise 1847	1803 Nekla-Hauland, Posen	Hochkirch, Vic, 185?
	Anna Christina (nee Gruning)	Heloise 1847	1812 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
Koch [3]	Johann Friedrich Wilhelm	Catharina 1839	1793 Rackau, Züllichau, Brandenburg	Rowland Flat, SA
	Anna Dorothea (nee Baum)	Catharina 1839	1802 Rackau, Züllichau, Brandenburg
	...Wilhelm August	Catharina 1839	1823 Rackau, Züllichau, Brandenburg
	...Johann Friedrich Wilhelm	Catharina 1839	1826 Rackau, Züllichau, Brandenburg
	...Johanne Louise	Catharina 1839	1830 Rackau, Züllichau, Brandenburg
	...Johann Gottlieb	Catharina 1839	1833 Rackau, Züllichau, Brandenburg
	...Johann Christian	-	1842 Klemzig, SA
Koenig [2]*	Johann Christian	Leontine 1848	1823 Gross Rosenburg, Magdeberg	Hochkirch, Vic, 1856
	Maria Pauline Amalie (nee Lemm)	Leontine 1848	1830 Potsdam, Brandenburg	Hochkirch, Vic, 1856
	...Johan Christian	-	1850 Hoffnungsthal, SA	Hochkirch, Vic, 1856
	...Friedrich Carl Christian	-	1852 Hoffnungsthal, SA	Hochkirch, Vic, 1856
	...Marie Pauline Bertha	-	1855 Hoffnungsthal, SA	Hochkirch, Vic, 1856
Krieg	Carl Ferdinand	Heloise 1847	1816 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	Anna Elisabeth (nee Leske)	Heloise 1847	1827 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Pauline	Heloise 1847	1844 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Johannes Eduard	-	1848 Lobethal, SA
	...Lydia Emily	-	1850 Hoffnungsthal, SA
Krieg	Johann Christoph	Heloise 1847	Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	Anna Juliane (nee Huf, formerly Hermann)	Heloise 1847	Nekla-Hauland, Posen
Lehmann	Johann Gottlieb	Leontine 1848	1816 Gross Rosenburg, Magdeberg	Schoenborn, SA
	Karoline Sophie Amalie (nee Lemm)	Leontine 1848	1826 Potsdam, Brandenburg
	...Louise Bertha Pauline	Leontine 1848	1826 Potsdam, Brandenburg
	...Johannes Gottlieb	-	1850 Hoffnungsthal, SA
	...Christian Heinrich	-	1851 Hoffnungsthal, SA
	...Maria Martha	-	1853 Hoffnungsthal, SA
Lemm [8]	Christian Friedrich Wilhelm	Leontine 1848	1791 Potsdam, Brandenburg	Schoenborn, SA
	Sophie Amalie (nee Hoff)	Leontine 1848	1798 Potsdam, Brandenburg
	...Heinrich August Wilhelm	Leontine 1848	1823 Potsdam, Brandenburg (d 1858)
	...Karl August	Leontine 1848	1828 Potsdam, Brandenburg
	(...Marie Pauline Amalie) see Koenig
	(...Heinrich Gustav) see below
Lemm [8]	Heinrich Gustav	Leontine 1848	1833, Potsdam, Brandenburg
	Anna Elisabeth (nee Hausler)	Heloise 1847	1834, Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Heinrich Friedrich Wilhelm	-	1854 Hoffnungsthal, SA (d 1854)
	...Heinrich Ausust Wilhelm	-	1855 Hoffnungsthal, SA
Leske	Samuel Gottfried Johann	Heloise 1847	1802 Nekla-Hauland, Posen (d 1857)
	Anna Dorothea (nee Mibus)	Heloise 1847	1801 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Anna Elisabeth	Heloise 1847	1827 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Gottfried Johann	Heloise 1847	1831 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Anna Paulina	Heloise 1847	1836 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Samuel Gottfried Johann	Heloise 1847	1843 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	... Anna Julianna	Heloise 1847	1842 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
Menzel	Christian	Heloise 1847	1791 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Johann Gottlieb	Heloise 1847	1823 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Michael	Heloise 1847	1826 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Johann	Heloise 1847	1829 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Wilhelm	Heloise 1847	1833 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Daniel	Heloise 1847	1834 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	Maria Dorothea (nee Richter)	Heloise 1847	Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Karl August	Heloise 1847	1837 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Anna Elisabeth	Heloise 1847	1839 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Pauline	Heloise 1847	1839 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Emelie	Heloise 1847	1842 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Friedrich	Heloise 1847	1844 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Ludwig	-	1848 Hoffnungsthal, SA
Mibus	Johann	Heloise 1847	1816, Nekla-Hauland, Posen	Hochkirch, Vic, 185?
	Dorothea (nee Huf)	Heloise 1847	1816 Nekla-Hauland, Posen	Hochkirch, Vic, 185?
Mibus	Gottlieb	Heloise 1847	1807 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	Anna Juliane (nee Nuske)	Heloise 1847	1812 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
Noske	Joseph Christian	Heloise 1847	1802 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	Henriette (nee Graeger)	Heloise 1847	1818 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Friedrich	Heloise 1847	1833 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Carl	Heloise 1847	1835 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
Nuske	Christoph	Heloise 1847	1811 Nekla-Hauland, Posen
Oehm	Wilhelm	Gellert 1847
	Helene	Gellert 1847
	...Ferdinand	Gellert 1847
	...August	Gellert 1847
	...Wilhelmine	Gellert 1847
	...Amalie	Gellert 1847
	...Emilie	Gellert 1847
Ossig	Gottfried		Nekla-Hauland, Posen
Roehr	Karl Wilhelm	Skjold 1841
	Dorothea Louise (nee Hampel, formerly Hoffmann)	Skjold 1841
Schultz [5]	Johann Samuel	Heloise 1847	1814, Neu Borui, Posen	Hochkirch, Vic, 1855
	Anna Rosina (nee Mueller)	Heloise 1847	1821, Posen	Hochkirch, Vic, 1855
	...Johanne Juliane	Heloise 1847	1841, Posen	Hochkirch, Vic, 1855
	...Caroline	Heloise 1847	1843, Posen	d 1850, Hoffnungsthal, SA
	...Johann August	Heloise 1847	1845, Pose	Hochkirch, Vic, 1855
	...Johanne Wilhelmine	-	1848, Hoffnungsthal,	Hochkirch, Vic, 1855
	...Johann Gotthilf	-	1848, Hoffnungsthal,	Hochkirch, Vic, 1855
	...Heinrich	-	1854, Hoffnungsthal,	Hochkirch, Vic, 1855
Semmler	Johann	Heloise 1847	Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	Anna Dorothea (nee Seifert)	Heloise 1847	Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Gottlieb	Heloise 1847	Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Ludwig	Heloise 1847	Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Julianna	Heloise 1847	Nekla-Hauland, Posen
	...Friedrich	Heloise 1847	Nekla-Hauland, Posen
Tepper	Johann Christoph	Gellert 1847
	Johanna Wilhelmina (nee Protsch)	Gellert 1847
	...Otto	Gellert 1847
	...Paul	Gellert 1847
	...Nathaniel	Gellert 1847
Zweck	Friedrich	Gellert 1847
	Wilhelmine	Gellert 1847
	...Wilhelm	Gellert 1847

Hoffnungsthal Residents
[1] Mattner, M.; Ross, D.; Coleman, L. The Mattners in Australia 1839-1980 Mattner Family Reubion
Committee: Adelaide, 1981 (pp 28, 20, 245, 246).
[2] Heinrich E. Christian and Karl Koenig and their Descendants in Australia Lutheran Publishing House, Adelaide, 1990 (pp 25-27)
[3] It is not clear that the Koch family were ever resident in Hoffnungsthal. The family were living in Rowland Flat in 1844 [4]. They were, however, members of the Hoffnungsthal congregation.
[4] Koch Connections Koch Family Reunion Committee: Gawler, 1999.
[5] A number of Hoffnungsthal families (Huf, Koenig, Mibus, Schultz) moved to western Victoria to Hochkirch (Tarrington) and are buried in the Hamilton South Lutheran Cemetery. Their stories are recounted in Huf, E. Courage, Patience and Persistence 150 Years of German Settlement in the Western District Sesquicentenary Committee, St Michael's Lutheran Church: Tarrington, Victoria, 2003.
[6] The Heloise with 214 passengers departed Bremerhaven 12 October 1846 under the command of Captain Jan Beckmann and arrived in Port Adelaide, South Australia on 17 March 1847. No official passenger list exists. A list that first appeared in the Adelaide Register on 24 March 1847 is available on line. An expansion on this list, the work of HFW Proeve that originally appeared in The Lutheran Yearbook of 1974, appears in With Pride, The Menzels of Hoffnungsthal 1847-1984 [9].
The South Australian on 19 March 1847 reported "... The Bremen ship Heloise, Captain Beckmann, 155 days from Bremen. Passengers - Dr. Bayer, Physician to the ship, Messrs. Menkens, Doussa, Beddies, Monikes, Pappe, and 198 others, viz: 1 mason, 1 shoemaker, 1 gold and silver smith, 1 butcher and sausage-maker, 1 miller, 1 cloth weaver, 2 cabinet makers, 40 farmers and labourers, 14 miners, 6 female servants, 38 married women and 103 children ..."
A report in the Adelaide Observer on 20 March 1847 states "On board the Heloise from Bremen there were six births and six deaths, namely, four young children, an aged woman named Anna Roena Sighdon (in her 85th year), and a young sailor named Pelser Kerter, aged 20, who fell overboard before the ship was under canvas ..."
[7] The Gellert departed Bremen 28 August 1847 under the command of Captain Ihlder and arrived in Port Adelaide on 21 December 1847. A passenger list for the Gellert appears in The Mattners in Australia 1839-1980 [1].
[8] South Australians 1836-1885 edited by Jan Thomas, South Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society, Inc.: Adelaide, 1990 (Beinke p 49, Bl(a)esing p 64, Hausler p 354, Lemm p 469).
[9] With Pride. The Menzels of Hoffnungsthal 1847-1984, Menzel Family Reunion Committee: Salisbury Downs, SA, 1984.
[10] Signatories to the lease of Section 567 were Johann Krieg, Christoph Noske and Gottfried Ossig. Signatories to the lease of Section 568 were Carl Wilhelm Roehr, Samuel Leske and Christian Noske.
[11] Huf, Elizabeth (editor), Huf 150 Years in Australia 1847-1997, Huf Family Reunion Committee: Adelaide, 1997.
Hoffnungsthal
[12] MacKenzie E.C.V. Hoffnungsthal 1847-1972 MacKenzie E.C.V.: Lyndoch, SA, 1972.
[13] Proeve, H.F.W. A Dwelling Place at Bethany First Edition, Lutheran Publishing House: Adelaide, 1983 (pp 22, 36-39).
[14] Munchenburg, R.S., Proeve, H.F.W., Ross, D.A., Hausler, A., Saegenschnitter, G.B. The Barossa - A Vision Realised Barossa Valley Archives and Historical Trust: Tanunda, 1992 (pp 34, 81, 83, 96).
[15] Ioannou, N. Barossa Journeys Second Edition, New Holland: Sydney, 2000 (pp 38-41).
[16] Hausler, A., Semmler, M. (compilers). Krieg History 1847-1973, Krieg Family Reunion Committee: Adelaide, 1973.