There are some, perhaps many, people buried in God’s Acre whose names and family details are as yet unknown. For this reason, as stated in the introduction, this book is a work in progress. If Mussig family tradition accords with the facts, there is at least one of their forebears interred in the Cooper’s Plains Cemetery—a stillborn child whose date of death is noted in BDM records as 29 September 1888.

This child was a descendant of two German immigrants, Johann Ludwig Mussig, the son of Michael and Katharina (née Fohner) Mussig), and Henrietta Louisa Kohler (the daughter of August Ferdinand and Wilhelmina (née Rosentreiter) Kohler, who were married in Brisbane on 24 September 1865. They became the parents of: John Franz (b. 28 July 1866; d. 22 September 1867), Catherine Louisa (b. 9 May 1868; d. 6 July 1963), Anna Henrietta (b. 12 May 1870; d. 24 June 1956), Johann George (b. 27 May 1872; d. 14 November 1921), Emma Caroline (b. 31 August 1874; d. 18 December 1962), Julia Wilhelmina (b. 10 January 1877; d. 21 June 1949), Francis Frederick (b. 5 May 1878; d. 22 February 1972), Charles Adolf (b. 9 August 1880; d. 13 December 1965), Ludwig William (b. 21 January 1882; d. 2 October 1901), and May Mary Jane (b. 15 May 1885; d. 12 January 1967). Taking the marriage dates of their children into account, it would seem most likely that Johann and Henrietta were themselves the parents of the unnamed child.

Johann Mussig, a vinedresser in his youth in his native Hohenhaslach, Württemberg, left Hamburg on 7 November 1863 on board the 410-ton Johann Cesar (Captain JH Falck) which arrived at anchorage in Moreton Bay on 25 April 1864. He settled initially at the German Station, Nundah; but in time he purchased land in what is now the suburb of Capalaba and supported his large family as a farmer. Johann Mussig passed away on 20 August 1908 and was laid to rest in the Hemmant Cemetery (A 3 25).

Henrietta Mussig, from Schneidemühl in Prussia (now Pila in the north-west of Poland), arrived in Brisbane with her parents and six siblings on the 1,100-ton Susanne Godeffroy (Captain Müller) on 6 September 1865. This was the second and last voyage of this immigrant vessel from Hamburg to Australia. Henrietta died on 14 September 1934 and was laid to rest beside her husband (A 3 26).