Christian Dreis of Lorch

The above material was kindly provided by Maureen Crawley

The following was compiled by Jenny Paterson:

DREIS. Christian 36 rel: Cath. 1855 Aurora (Moreton Bay)
occ: vinedresser, assisted.
fr. Lorch, Nassau [now in Rheingau-Taunus district, Hesse]
par: Johann/Anna Maria (mother living Lorch)
wife Catharina MOHR, 21, rel: Cath.,
fr. Lorch
Par: Elias/Juliana (both dead)

ch: Margaretha b. Lorch (1 in 1855)
ch: Mary (Trice) b. 1859 reg. no. 9481 (Maryborough/Wide Bay)

Listed in Wolf-Heino Struck's Die Auswanderung aus dem Herzogtum Nassau (1806-1866) (Emigration from the Duchy of Nassau), 1966. The date of his emigration advertisement in the Nassau gazette was 18 Sep 1854.

The employers of Christian Dreiss [sic] were Henry and Thomas Herbert, Burnett. They had only applied for one family. Henry and Thomas Herbert are on the 1851 and 1857 lists of NSW magistrates with the address 'the Burnett' and 'Burnett' (a river/region).

Source: State Records NSW
CGS 5295
Box: 9/6173 (part) Papers relating to German immigration 1855-56
Document: "Return of all sums collected by the Agent for Immigration on account of passages to the Colony of Assisted Immigrants who have arrived in the Ship Aurora, showing the proportion actually paid to the Agent, and the balance of Amount of Bonds received in Promissory Notes, at 12 months date, in accordance with the Regulations of the Government, as published in the Government Gazette, of the 11th July 1854".

Listed in Wolf-Heino Struck's Die Auswanderung aus dem Herzogtum Nassau (1806-1866) (Emigration from the Duchy of Nassau), 1966. The date of his emigration advertisement in the Nassau gazette was 18 Sep 1854.

Queensland Oaths of Allegiance 1858-1903 extracts (comp. by Eileen B. Johnson 1994), p. 8:
QSA Z 2171 no. 20 5 Mar 1861
name: Christian Dreis
age:
occupation: -
origin: -
residence: -
oath taken by: Edw. Fielding Palmer

The Shipwreck

From Chris Wright comes this shipwreck record:

The 'Aurora', a 3 masted wooden barque built in Stretton in 1852 was wrecked in the South Passage (off Stradbroke Island) in March 1855. All 300 Passengers landed safely. (Margaret Jenner), from Hamburg (100 Assisted and 108 Unassisted passengers - 2 deaths assisted) AO Reel 2468.

Moreton Bay Free Press, Monday March 25 1855

The German Immigrant Ships - A report reached Brisbane on Saturday morning, that one of the German Immigrant ships which have been for some time expected, had run on shore while attempting to enter the bay by the southern passage, and that the other had safely reached anchorage. The report turned out to be substantially correct. The Aurora from Hamburg, with 300 immigrants, was off the south passage to the bay on Wednesday. It appears that there was no chart of the coast on board, and that the captain was ignorant that there was any other entrance. Several guns were fired, and signals made, to attract attention, but as there was no appearance of any assistance, it was determined to attempt the passage into the bay. In running in it was found that to prevent a total wreck on the shoal on which the steamer Sovereign perished, and to save the lives of those on board, the only course left was to run the ship on shore. All sail was accordingly crowded on her, and she was run high upon the sand, on the sea side end of Moreton Island. She stands quite upright, and is accessible at half ebb, being dry at her bows. It is not expected that she will be got off. The females and children on board have been removed to Cleveland, and the crew and immigrants are in good health and condition. The other vessel, also from Hamburg, the Marbz entered the bay on Friday by the northern passage, and reached the anchorage without any mishap. She had, we believe, 250 immigrants on board when she sailed, but 47 in all, children and adults, died during the voyage from fever, measles and cholera. The Health Officer, Dr. Hobbs, proceeded to the bay on Saturday, and found the immigrants on board of both ships in a fit state to be landed, the disease on board the Marbz having occurred at an early period of the voyage, when much cold weather was encountered. The scale of the diet on board of this last vessel is stated to have been utterly insufficient. Owing to the distance, the guns fired by the Aurora could not have been heard at the pilot station, but it is unaccountable why such a voyage was undertaken without a chart of the coast being on board. The immigrants will be brought up to Brisbane by the brig Palermo, which proceeds to the Bay tomorrow for that purpose. The Aurora is a very fine ship, only two years old. Both vessels, we believe, have cargo on board. The above are all the particulars we can find room for at present, but, so far as they go, we believe they can be relied on.

Descendants

Colleen Yuke of Queensland adds (August 2001):
I believe I have a record of a member of the family of Christian Dreiss & Catherine Moore. My g.g. g'father Richard Orrell had a son born circa 1858 in England his name was John Thomas Orrell, he immigrated to Queensland, Australia. John Thomas Orrell married Clara Dreiss on 21 June 1880 in Queensland, sadly Clara died 10 February 1882, her parents are named as Christian Dreiss & Catherine Moore in Queensland State records. I have searched for children of this couple without result, I do not have a death certificate for Clara. From your internet site it would appear that perhaps Clara was a 'pet' name for one of Christian & Catherine's daughters. The spelling of the names are per Queensland records. Perhaps you would know if Clara had any children, or what her correct name might have been?

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