What's in a Name?

Résumé du livre

Carl and Caroline Weiss, with their children, Emilie and Herman emigrated from Klein Perlin, Pommerania in April 1872. Germany's unification promised a prohibition on immigration for all males between 6 and 40 years, industrialisation saw prices for farm products and raw materials drop and investment in farm land became unprofitable forcing many farm labourers to emigrate. Arriving in Queensland, Carl and Caroline carved a 160 acre farm from scrub and swamp land near Cardwell after narrowly avoiding attacks by aborigines. They endured hardship wrought by cyclones, pests, diseases, economic downturns and family tragedies. Forcefully married at age 17 to Ole Martin (27), Emilie (later known as Amelia), fled a violent relationship. She travelled to Cairns with John Murray, the packhorse mailman, to whom she bore twelve children, ten of whom were illegitimate. Before her first husband's death, Amelia and John returned to Cardwell, breeding and breaking horses for others and raising their large family. Amelia's behaviour was seen as "scandalous", but her loyalty to her family and community overshadowed any shame, as on her death she was recognised as a respected pioneer. Described as a "thin specimen of mankind", Herman travelled from Cardwell to Blackallwhere he worked as a shepherd. It was here he was tried, found guilty and sentenced to 3 years hard labour for stealing sheep. After his release, he returned north, was swindled out of a land grant, married Maggie who had also had a humiliating brush with the law and moved to Brisbane. Herman remained in trouble with the law throughout his life, identified as an "absolute pest" by police. Maggie remained as a stabilising influence, maintaining a home for their children and grandchildren. Readers are challenged to draw their own conclusions as to the character of these German ancestors.