Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark, SA : 1913 - 1942) Friday 25 April 193026893

PIONEER WOMAN PASSES
 
Death of Mrs. Elizabeth Teschner    
Old hands will regret to learn that
Mrs. Elizabeth Teschner, one of the
river's oldest pioneer women, passed
away in the Renmark Hospital at 8
a.m. on Tuesday.
Mrs. Teschner was from at Mount
Lofty in 1847, being one of the first  
children born in that locality. In 1869
she came on to the Murray, and took a
position at Perkins' Ral Ral hotel.
Four years later she married William
Teschner, a well known stockman and
bush worker of his day. The couple
were the first to be married in the
Church of England at Wentworth.
The Rev. Mr. Cox officiated. George
Raynor drove the couple in an old stage
coach.  
Mr. and Mrs. Teschner settled at
Littra working for Mr. McLeod. They
then worked for the Robertson's at
Chowilla, moving from there to Over-
land Corner. Mrs. Teschner was for
some time manageress of the Lake
Bonney hotel for Mr. W. Napper.
Then the couple came up river again,
and in 1878 Mr. Teschner built "Tesch
ner's" yards on Ral Ral Creek. After
a time they moved to Ral Ral hotel and
lived there for 16 years.
In the early days of Renmark Mr.
Teschner opened a butcher's shop, and
it was commonly said that Mrs. Tesch-
ner, a kind hearted woman, gave as
much meat away as was sold over the
counter. Times were very hard, and
the old bush people had generous
hearts. Later-they started a dairy
in the town which Mrs. Teschner ran
for over 20 years, continuing it after
Mr. Teschner's death. When the old
lady heard that a woman with a large
family was hard up, the pints of milk
supplied them were "long" pints. "For
the very poor, I always have some
milk," she said on many occasions.
Death dealt gently with old lady
Teschner. She smiled and died with
her family gathered around her. There
names are Alpha, Mrs. Sam Taylor
(Chaffey), Robert, Mrs. J. Bland (Bar-
mera), David, Mrs. T. Higgins (Ade  
laidel), Harry (Adelaide).
THE FUNERAL
The funeral took place on Wednesday
afternoon. The first service was held
in the late Mrs. Teschner's house in
Renmark. There was a good attend-
ance, many old hands being noticed in
the crowd.
The Rev. A. L. Bulbeck in a short
address said that the pioneer woman
whom they mourned had met the
common lot of all. It was natural
that they should be loath to say good
bye to one they loved. Mrs. Teschner
had been the oldest pioneer woman on
the Murray. She was one of those who
in the very early days had met hard-
ships with undaunted courage. Such
as she had helped blaze the trail. He
knew she had done many acts of mercy
during her long life, and they could
leave her with Him who understood
human frailty. It was, however, neces-
sary, said the clergyman, for all to
turn to God during this life. They
could not afford to- leave the spiritual
side of their life uncultivated. It was
Easter time, and tliey all knew what
that meant. Christ had died and risen
from the dead. He had saved the
world.
At the cemetery there was another  
short service. Floral tributes covered  
the coffin.  
Among those noticed standing round  
the grave was Mr Shueard of Cobdog-
la. His father, Mr. Robert Shueard.
is a brother to the late Mrs. Teschner.
Mr. Shueard is the pioneer settler in
the Hills district.
Funeral arrangements were in Mr.
R. Douglass' hands.

Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954) Thursday 1 May 193026892

MRS. E. TESCHNER

Mrs. Elizabeth Teschner, one of the
oldest settlers on the River Murray,
died at the district hospital, Renmark,
on Tuesday, April 22, at the age of
83. She had been a resident of Ren-
mark from its earliest days, and first
took a situation at the Ral Ral Hotel.
A few years later she married Mr.
William Teschner, a well known stock-
man and bush worker. They were
the first couple to be married in the
Church of England at Wentworth. Mr.
and Mrs, Teschner then settled at the
Littra Crossing, at the boundary of
South Australia and New South Wales,
and on Chevilla Station. Subsequently
the couple moved to Overland Corner,
and later Mrs. Teschner took charge
for some years of the Lake Bonney
Hotel for Mr. W. Napper. Returning
to the river, Mr. Teschner in 1878
constructed a fine lot of stock yards
on Ral Ral Creek, still known as
'Teschner's' yards. Subsequently for
sixteen years they lived at the Ral Ral
Hotel, built on the Ral Ral mail
change reserve. When Renmark star
ted Mr. Teschner opened a butcher's
shop there, and for 20 years conducted
a dairy in the town. Mrs. Teschner
was of very kindly disposition, particu-
larly to people of poor circumstances.
Her husband predeceased her by some
years. She is survived by three sons
and four daughters— Mrs. Wheeler, of
Western Australia; Mrs. Sam Taylor,
Chaffey; Mrs. J. Bland Barmera; Mrs.
T. Higgins. Adelaide; Robert Teschner,
David Teschner, Renmark; and Harry
Teschner, Adelaide.