Hans Heinrich VOGT
| First name | Hans Heinrich |
|---|---|
| Last name | VOGT |
| Country of Origin | Germany |
| Date of Birth | 1840 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1858 circa |
| Submitted by | Geoff Bolton |
Story
My great-grandfather HHV grew up near Hamburg in Holstein duchy (now in state Schleswig-Holstein) in a farming family. We believe he left because of the impending Prussian-Denmark war, for which the local count supported Denmark & forced local ethnic Germans to fight for Denmark against Prussia. At about 18 he would have been at risk of being conscripted.
He migrated secretly to Victoria about 1858-59, living thereafter in Bendigo region, attracted by the gold rush and presumed work opportunities. He married Elizabeth Anderson (from Adelaide) in 1870 at Tarnagulla and they eventually had 11 children. HHV took Australian citizenship in 1908, probably to gain a pension.
During the recession of the 1890s his sons (including my grandfather Frederick John Vogt) moved to New Zealand for better work opportunities. Elizabeth died in Melbourne in 1922, Hans Heinrich/Henry in 1927. His descendents are spread across Australia & New Zealand.