J. CHRISTIAN PFEIFFER
| Town/City | Tanunda |
|---|---|
| First name | J. CHRISTIAN |
| Last name | PFEIFFER |
| Country of Origin | GERMANY |
| Date of Birth | 18/10/1812 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1838 |
| Submitted by | PAULINE FROMM |
Story
J. CHRISTIAN PFEIFFER
Early Family Life
Johan Christian Pfeiffer (known as Christian) was born on October 18 1812 the 2nd child of his parents Johan Georg and Christiane. The father\’s first name was also used for his other sons. The family comprised Eleanore, Christian, Elizabeth, Gottlieb and Wilhelm. They lived in the tiny village of Rakau north of the Oder River in Prussia. Johan was a farmer with land on a manor house property. Now known as Rakow it is again part of Poland.
Reasons for Emigration
Our ancestors decided to emigrate when the Prussian King decreed that a new ‘Union’ Church be created to incorporate all Protestants. Lutherans could no longer freely practise their traditional worship so in July 1838 the family left on a river barge for Hamburg where they boarded the ‘Zebra’ on July 28. On August 1 a steam launch drew them out of Hamburg and the ship finally set sail on August 21 with 199 passengers (38 families). The ‘Zebra’ was the 3rd ship of emigrants from Prussia. Christian turned 26 on the voyage.
The Journey
The heat was unbearable in the tropics. Typhus broke out and 12 people died. The ‘Zebra’ anchored at Holdfast Bay in SA on December 28 1838 after 128 days at sea. 187 disembarked on January 2 1839 at Port Misery (Port Adelaide). The men made ashore as best they could and the women and children were carried. The group joined other families who had settled earlier at Klemzig. The camp was overcrowded and huts were alive with vermin. In January a party inspected land near Mt Barker and Captain Hahn of the ‘Zebra’ organised a contract for 150 acres. 52 Families later settled at Hahndorf which was named in his honour.
New Life
On the 20-mile trek to Hahndorf some carried belongings others took handcarts and bullock wagons. Christian and his family settled on an allotment which is now 23 English Street. Sickness in the early months was due to lack of nourishing food. Supplements were native animals, birds, berry fruits and roots. Huts were built of bark, stone, mud, grass and other material. Land was cleared for vegetables, wheat and barley. Hand-made ploughs and forked branches were used to turn the soil. Implements were drawn by bullock, cow or horse. In 1840 the first church of wood and mud walls was built and upgraded in 1858. St Michael\’s as it was known still stands today. On Sunday mornings the women wore their best dresses and bonnets and the men long coats and boots. Schooling was conducted in private homes until a school was built c. 1860. The early settlers prospered and Hahndorf flourished.
Marriage & Family Life
On April 21 1840 Christian married Louise Hoffmann. Christian\’s farm produced wheat, barley and potatoes. He owned 3 head of cattle and 1 pig. A daughter Anna was born on February 23 1841 followed by 3 sons and 2 daughters. The 2nd child died in 1843.
Barossa Valley
In November 1852 Christian bought 20 acres of land for 60 pounds and the family moved to Light Pass where they lived in a thatched cottage built of pug and wood with two main rooms and a barn. The rich sandy soil was ideal for vegetables. Apples and vines flourished later. Records noted Christian\’s occupation as farmer and collector of donations for the poor.
By 1857 Christian had built a larger house near the original cottage with wood and pug walls, floors of stone, lime and concrete and a single gable roof of wooden rafters thatched with plaited straw. A large brick oven was used to bake bread and Kuchen (cake). Cream, butter, eggs, ham and produce were stored in an underground cellar. Weddings, baptisms and festive occasions were celebrated in the large dining room.
In 1853 the eldest daughter died aged 12 and a 7th child was born. In 1854 the 4th child died. The 8th child was born in 1855 and died in 1856. The 9th child was born in 1857 and the 10th in 1859.
Christian died on February 27 1888 (75 years) and Louise on September 6 1892 (75 years).
It was with great determination and deep commitment that our ancestors undertook a long and hazardous journey to an unknown land. In the colony of South Australia they were pioneers in farming, agriculture and viticulture. Traditional cooking skills and recipes have been handed down over the years.
As a great-great-granddaughter of Christian I am both inspired and challenged by his life and the legacy he left his many descendants.