The WEDEMEYERs of Eastern Australia, Chapter 3
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GHL in Gayndah
GHL WEDEMEYER's farm: Burnett River, Gayndah. See arrow and highlight. Photo: PD Strong, 2004The image to the left shows Burnett River & Gayndah, in a direction ESE and 6 km from Mt Gayndah (345m). GHL's 165 acre farm is on a river meander & is highlighted and arrowed.
On the Emigration page GHL's purchase of Crown Land in the Gayndah District was mentioned. GHL made two purchases in the Crown Land sale on 25 May 1858. He forfeited his deposit on one lot on the corner of Fielding St and Burnett Terrace. The purchase of his other lot was completed. This formed part of the present-day Primary School in Meson St in the centre of Gayndah. He paid £37-10-0 for this area of 1 acre and 1 rood. Accordingly the 1860 Electoral Roll described GHL as a Freeholder in distinction from a mere leaseholder. His interests diversified.
Gayndah school residence on GHL's lodging-house land. Photo: PD Strong, 2004The image to the right shows the Gayndah school residence, which is located on GHL's lodging-house land. Note the red roof of the school, on the left of the residence.
In 1862 in several court cases, GHL described himself as: "I am a shoe maker residing in Gayndah and I also keep a lodging house (in Meson St)....". Transcriptions of these cases give some insight into GHL’s life as a meticulous record keeper,as well as the rough nature of life at that time. We are also told of GHL as a significant employer …… one employee was Caroline JOHAN, who had been in GHL's "service for the last three years", which suggests that his lodging house started operation in 1859. Significantly for my branch of the WEDEMEYER family, the court reporter nearly always gave a phonetic type spelling of GHL's surname to a "WEDEYMERE" which must have been how GHL's neighbours and employees pronounced it. See the further discussion of the pronunciation of our family name here. GHL made prominent front-page advertising for his bootmaking in 1866 and 1867 in the "Burnett Argus", see this sample here, taken from the 5 Jan 1867 issue. Louis WEDEMEYER must have been a smart businessman, his concept of "small profits and quick returns" in this advertisement, predated Woolworth's concept.
The "Burnett Argus" Sat, Jan 26, 1867 described a milestone in Gayndah: "The first election of aldermen to our recently proclaimed municipality took place on last Wednesday (Jan 23, 1867)…… we believe the 43 voters have acted wisely in their selection". The "Rate and Valuation Book- Gayndah 1867- 1877" listed L. WEDEMEYER owning a House/garden in 1867 on Section 13, allotment 4 in the town of Gayndah. Then in 1877 the same block was still owned by L. WEDEMEYER, but now it was described a Boarding House. The same year the block was subsequently described as a "Government School".
GHL followed the business strategy of diversification from an early date. As well as bootmaking and lodging house keeping, GHL had started his family's interest in horses, which continues to the present date. Some of GHL's livestock were described in an advertisement in the Burnett Argus on June 19, 1862:
"£5 REWARD. Lost from Eastern Creek, a chesnut (sic) mare branded 33 off neck, J8 near shoulder, and a bay foal also, a chesnut mare branded (two inverted J marks) off shoulder. Any person will receive the above reward by delivering the same to Louis WEDEMEYER, Gayndah. FR. KLEICKER".
GHL WEDEMEYER & Elizabeth DAVISPhoto: Courtesy B & Y Kemp
On 27 Sep 1862 when GHL was 37, he married Elizabeth DAVIS, daughter of John DAVIS & Ellen CREEVY, in "House of Mr WEDEMEYER", Gayndah. Elizabeth was born in 1839 in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, Ireland. Details of her story are given in the next chapter
On 29 Sep 1869 and 1 Jan 1871, GHL purchased 165 acres of leasehold fronting the Burnett River with an annual rental of £18/3/6d and spent £261/3/- in improvements up to 188. The photo at the top of this page shows that land such as GHL's is now used for citrus orchards and are irrigated from the river level, which is raised by weirs.The position of his farm is highlighted and arrowed in that photo, while the photo beneath shows the tranquillity of the Burnett River next to his property.
There were many letters written by GHL about this leasehold to the Minister for Lands.
GHL’s farm (right) fronting the Burnett RiverPhoto: PD Strong, 2005
He commented after a land Sale on 18 May 1870 was that he wanted to take up a further 3 portions but had already spent all his available capital on the land. One of the more legible letters can be seen here to illustrate his style of correspondence. Note the two vertical strokes over the "Y" in WEDEMEYER. This is ornamentation without function, which was often seen in Germany in the 1700's, and was also used to record the WEDEMEYER name in the Goslar church registers in the early 1800's.
The Story Continues
- Chapter 4: GHL's business interests in Drummers Creek & nearby Yarrol Reef.