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Gottlieb Frederick Wegner
(or Wagner) was born in Prussia to Frederick Wegner (a
blacksmith) and Elizabeth (née Germain) Wegner about
1845. He married Johanna O’Sullivan near Ballarat
in 1873. Their children Albert (b. 1874) and Mary Julia
(b. 1876; d. 7 July 1886), were born in Mount Egerton, a
gold mining district in Victoria.
Gottlieb and Johanna’s other children, all born in
Queensland, were: Catherine (b. 29 July 1879), Dora (b.
12 July 1881; d. 20 July 1933), Johanna (b. 25 December
1885; d. 24 February 1886), Eva Elizabeth (b. 17 June
1883; d. 10 July 1883), Godfrey Frederick (b. 16
February 1888) and Edward (b. 8 March 1890).
Gottlieb (known as Godfrey) pursued various callings
after the family moved to Queensland—farmer, stockman
with the Darling Downs and Western Land Company, and
labourer with the Harbour and Rivers Department. Sadly,
while working on the retaining wall in the Hamilton
Reach of the Brisbane River, he was drowned aged 54 on
22 September 1898. The family were living in Annie
Street, New Farm, at that time. A magisterial enquiry
into the circumstances of his death was conducted by
George M Murray. Gottlieb’s remains were laid to rest on
24 September 1898 in the Toowong Cemetery in a Roman
Catholic service conducted by ‘the apostle of Brisbane’,
Father Joseph Augustine Canali, in the presence of JT
Smith (undertaker) and John Melville and Thomas H Brown
(witnesses).
Johanna died on 5 August 1926 aged 73 and was buried in
the plot that had already received her husband’s remains
(7A 66 1/2). This is also the burial place of their
daughter Dora who died aged 48 on 20 July 1933.
Maria Matilda Graham,
the daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth (née Coulter)
Graham was born in Kesh, County Fermanagh, Ireland. She
married Albert Wagner, the son of Gottlieb
Frederick and Johanna (née O’Sullivan) Wagner, on 13
April 1897 in the Holy Trinity Church, Woolloongabba. At
the time of the marriage both bride and groom were
living at Cooper’s Plains. Maria Matilda was then 21 and
Albert was 22. The Reverend Hugh Simmons conducted the
service.
Their children were as follows: Stanley Godfrey (b. 2
May 1897), Cecil John Alexander (b. 22 July 1898),
Albert Henry (b. 20 July 1902), and Rebecca Elizabeth
(b. 17 April 1904).
Private Albert Wagner (a labourer) served in the Boer
War with the Queensland Imperial Bushmen (4th
contingent) between 18 May 1900 and 5 August 1901. He
died aged 62 on 24 June 1939 and was buried in the
Toowong Cemetery (10 76 51) four days later.
After her husband’s death, Maria moved to George Street,
West Bundaberg, where she resided with her son Albert
Henry. She died at the age of 83 years in the General
Hospital, Bundaberg, on 10 January 1957 and was cremated
at the Mount Thompson Crematorium four days later. Her
ashes were placed in God’s Acre—the burial place of both
of her parents. For more details on the Graham family,
see the entry under their names.
Rebecca Elizabeth (Dorrie) Wagner, who had worked as a
saleswoman, predeceased both of her parents. She died in
the Victoria Private Hospital, South Brisbane, on 29 May
1922 and was buried in the Cooper’s Plains Cemetery two
days later. Those present at the graveside in an
official capacity were: John W Hislop (undertaker), the
Reverend JP Parker (Church of England), Tom William
Spring and WE Spicer (witnesses).
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