Harald Hoffensetz

[Dunganess]

Harald Hoffensetz left Australia about 1892 and disappeared presumed dead either in New Guinea or the Solomon Islands. Harald is my Great Grand father on my mothers, mothers side.
He was  born 15 June 1850 in Vordingborg, Denmark. Emigrated 15 December 1870 from Hamburg, Germany and arrived on 24 March 1871 in Keppel Bay, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australian 1880. Harald disappeared and was not present at the birth of his last child.
Does anyone have and information about what became of Harald.

[whiteout7]

Maybe this thread should be moved to the Queensland, Australia board

How would we find Harald Hoffensetz in the Solomons/PNG?

[nanny jan]

I have asked a moderator to move this.

[whiteout7]

Harald Hoffensetz left Australia about 1892 and disappeared presumed dead either in New Guinea or the Solomon Islands. Harald is my Great Grand father on my mothers, mothers side.
He was  born 15 June 1850 in Vordingborg, Denmark. Emigrated 15 December 1870 from Hamburg, Germany and arrived on 24 March 1871 in Keppel Bay, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australian 1880. Harald disappeared and was not present at the birth of his last child.
Does anyone have and information about what became of Harald.

He seems to have been aged about 42/43 years by your notes. Have you heard of 'Black Birding' or bringing back slave labour from the Solomons and PNG? Maybe he went a bit late to be involved with this. Just a suggestion, do you know what he was actually doing out there?? Or were they planting out there??

[rosball]

Hi Dunganess,
   I guess you have seen this obit for his widow Augusta http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60941991

   Have you contacted Queensland State Archives.?  http://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/Search/BasicSearch.aspx

   I did a basic search of the archives and see that Harold/Harald Ingward HOFFENSETZ owned land/property in Queensland and there may been a search for confirmation of his death to settle probate of the estate at some point.

Ros

[giblet]

Dunganess, Do any of the kids birth cert. state his occupation?

His wife's obit states he was a fencing contractor in earlier years and wondering why a fencing contractor would be going to New Guinea or the Solomon Islands. Makes you wonder if he could afford to.

[Jamjar]

Looks like he may have had islander labour connections, 1st column:

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138024191

The last child born to Augusta, 1896, is shown on QLD without father’s name so may not be child of Harald. The last child with his name is 1890.

He’s mentioned here. He was a sugar cane farmer:

https://interpretinginghamhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Hoffensetz

Jamjar

[Dunganess]

While being processed through immigration he met Augusta Petrine Pedersen, a Norwegian girl who had just arrived in Australia from Oslo. She was born in 1853 at Christiania. Norway. Augusta was travelling with Mr John Alm and his future bride Ann Pretorius.
Harald and Augusta married on 17th April 1872 and made their way north to the Herbert River district to work on land taken up by Mr William Hull of Blackrock. Here they grew tobacco but were unsuccessful. Harald then took up contract fencing with a partner, John Alm. He continuer contract fencing until 1876 when he moved to Ripple Creek where he cleared scrub on property belonging to Mr Arnott for the purpose of growing sugar cane. 1880 Harald took up land at Gentle Annie Creek and established his own cane farm with wife Augusta and their children. He called his farm Rest Downs which was situated at Mona Landing.
1881 Harald was instrumental in forming the Planters Club, a group representing the independent cane growers which later became the Australian Sugar Producers Association. He was the architect of the early Church of England church in Halifax and also the construction of the first school.
1888 the family left Gentle Annie and moved to the Atherton Tablelands area. Between January and July 1892 Harald disappeared and was not present at the birth of his last child.  I believe he traveled to New Guinea and the Pacific Islands in search of new varieties of Sugar Cane and tropical fruits.

[Dunganess]

Augusta alone with 4 children and pregnant with Ivy met Karl Beck who offered to look after her and her children. He took the family to Carbeen Siding on the banks of Stony Creek, between Atherton and Mareeba.

Karl Beck, a cabinet maker, arrived in Brisbane on the ‘Merkara’ on 15/12/1882.
Karl and Augusta’s first son Hans was born 13/03/1894, Second Carl jr 14/12/1895 ( Killed at Beersheba). From letters in Carl Beck army record A.P. Hoffensetz wrote from Halifax that Carl's Father being German had no claim to Carl, her son's possessions. Augusts claimed a war pension being the mother of a deceased soldier in June 1920. At this time she had moved back to Halifax to live with her daughter.

Karl Beck snr died 8/11/1924 Sbout age 69 at Atherton and buried at the old Atherton Cemetery.

1916 Augusta moved back to Halifax where she died in 1926 aged 76 .