Another one off the bucket list of towns my ancestors left to come to Australia.... This time it's Anton Gersbach (1823 to 1909) and Margaretha Songen (1830 to 1911). Anton was born in Eltville and Margaretha close by in Winkel. They married on 18 February 1855 at the Catholic Church in Eltville. Within a few months, they made their way possibly by train to Hamburg for their new life in Australia as part of an assisted immigration scheme. On 1 May 1855, they departed Hamburg on the Wilhelmsburg and arrived in Sydney on 22 September 1855.
Anton's brother, Johann, and his wife, Clara, had arrived 6 months earlier. Valenite, "a cousin", had arrived in 1853. Joseph, Valenine's brother, and Margaretha, Joseph's wife, came with Anton and Margaretha. All the boys went their separate way's - Johann in St Marys, Anton in Kempsey and Jospeh in Orange. Valenine was not married and settled in Northern NSW around Murrurundi.
My DNA matches in NSW and Queensland show there were many other family connections with the immigrants who arrived from the Eltville region in the 1850s.
Anton and Margaretha are my 2nd great-grandparents. Here's a page from my great-grandfather's bible with their photos and details of their marriage.
My trip here was not as long but was eventful via Singapore and Copenhagen to Frankfurt with a short 30 minute drive to Eltville. A week before I was due to leave, Scandinavian Airline pilots went on strike. I was flying SAS from Copenhagen to Frankfurt! Much monitoring and consideration of alternatives followed during the week but the strike was called off 3 hours before I left home.
Celebration at the airport when I had 3 boarding passes and luggage booked though to Frankfurt! However, after a long delay in Singapore, it was obvious that I wasn't going to be on that SAS flight after all! Thanks to a slightly later Lufthansa flight, I was reunited with my luggage at Frankfurt and on my way in a very comfortable Mercedes to Eltville!
My accommodation is in the old town...quaint... 4 "apartments" above an Italian restaurant. The first sound I heard when I settled was the bells from the Catholic Church where Anton and Margaretha were married...2 minutes walk down cobble stoned streets.
My first stop was for much need refreshments...2 minutes in the other direction!
Well nourished, I was off to St Peter and Paul's Catholic Church which dates from the 10th Century and dominates the old city - it can be seen and heard everywhere! I'm waiting for the first bells on Sunday morning now.
The precinct around the church is wonderful with the side entrance set around a square of well restored buildings.
The first person I met was the parish priest! He was able tell me that no documents from the 1800 existed and that I should attend the vigil mass as Sunday is First Communion. He greeted me warmly after mass last night. Seems that when I arrived in the afternoon, there was "rehearsal" for the special mass today with guitars, singers and illuminations. It was much more traditional feel when I arrived for mass...organ and lead soloist with no illuminations and altar girls in the old style black and white robes.
My last stop for the afternoon was The Electoral Castle followed by a walk along The Rhine back to my accommodation.
And one for Frank, my Dad, whose hydrangeas are still flowering at 39a and who shared so many Gersbach stories with us!
