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6th Generation
JØrgen
'John' Jans 1843
Son of
Christian Constantine F. Jans & Anna Maria Grau
&Louisa Maria
Hansen
Great
Grandparents of Max
Birth:
JØrgen
'John' Jans was born 20th November
1843, (confirmation 1858), at Ketting Augustenburg Denmark, the son of Christian &
Anna Jans.
Ketting Parish Register entry for
Jorgen Jans birth 1843
Schooling: A daughter of John told the
story of her grandfather Christian being a herdsman at the Danish castle
farmlands. Three princesses at this time were being privately tutored and
Christian's sons were invited to have lessons with the girls to give them
competition. (I find this hard to imagine because the ages of the girls and the
boys were years apart and for there to be competition when John Jans would only
have been 5years old when the Duke and his family fled the castle.) I wonder if
it wasn't John's father and his brothers who were tutored with the princesses
because they were much the same ages.)
A school record book from Augustenburg school exists and there is mention of both John
and his brother Andrew for the years 1854-1856. It states the boys were diligent
students with only a few absent days and always with good reason. In 1856 the
boys were moved to Sebbelau school.
1845 Census County Sonderborg,
District Als Sonder, Parish Ketting, Place Name - Dorf Ketting
Johann Jans (John) then aged 2 years birth
place Ketting, living with his parents Ferdinand Jans (Christian Constantine
Ferdinand) age 30 years (b.Tonning) and Anna Maria Grua (b.Sebloe)
Jørgen 'John' Jans
aged 24years.
Photo taken after his arrival
in Australia and was sent home to Denmark mounted in a golden ivory frame
(right)
Now the photo has found its way back to Australia, compliments of Per Grau MØller.
Denmark to Australia
This is my interpretation of Jørgen "John' Jans
arrival in Australia from information I have on hand. I have found no evidence
of John Jans jumping ship as story has it. Unless this occurrence happened on
the return to Australia from NZ.
Jørgen 'John' was 20years of age when he
sailed to Australia from the port of Hamburg, Germany, aboard the ship
"Dorothea" about January 1863. (This ship is named on John's naturalisation
papers).
Description of the voyage from a
letter written by John Jans shortly after his arrival in 1863 to his family back
home in Alsen Denmark .
The journey lasted 13weeks, occasionally
having bad weather and sometimes no wind. We were blown almost to the coast of
Brazil before rounding South Africa. The letter indicates he was travelling
alone although in company with others from the same area. According to the
passenger list John arrived Melbourne Australia on 10th April 1863. His name is
recorded as Jurgen Jens aged 19yrs from Sebbelow Holstein. There is conflict
with the date of arrival given on the naturalisation memorial, here it's stated
24th August 1863.
Andreas 'Andrew' Jans followed his brother
John to Australia in 1866.
(From
a letter in the possession of
family members in Denmark)
In 1866 Andreas wrote a letter to his family
from Hamburg on his way to leaving for Australia. He tells of his brothers
instructions as to how to get there and who to get in touch with. At that time
John had gone to New Zealand digging for gold. No arrival has been located for
Andrew but he did come to Melbourne. I found him on a Melbourne outwards
passenger list of the ship "Alhambra" bound for New Zealand. He gave his age as
21years, single, and a miner. He arrived at Hokitika on 5th January 1867.
When the brothers returned to Australia is
unknown.
Was National Service the reason why the Jans
brothers left Denmark? This could be explained in the newspaper article below.
Translation from a Danish
Newspaper artical:
Mrs Marie Grau nee Jans comments on the fate of the
Jans brothers.
WENT TO
AUSTRALIA TO BECOME GOLD DIGGERS
No one in the family
would have dreamed that these two brothers (Jorgen & Andreas) would
get such a changed existence. After
the war in 1864 came the turning point in their life.
They were
from a good Danish home, and North Slesvig's inclusion in Prussen
(Germany) gave the people of North Slesvig German citizenship, but
also duties.
The
heaviest was subscription, it had been suspended from 1864 to 1866
but in 1867 began call up for
National Service that frightened the Danish of North Slesvig to be in a situation to bear arms against Denmark.
Thousands of people of
North Slesvig became
refugees, because after only a short stay in Denmark they could be
expelled from North Slesvig. Many went away, and for thousands who
went it was their intention to return to that part of the country.
That was men of hope, strong in their belief and conviction for
the nation. It turned out different for their hopes. The rejoining
with Denmark took a long time, and the result was that they did not
return. This is what happened to the brothers Jans. The two brothers
went to Australia. It was for them the country with rich
possibilities. They would try their luck with digging gold.
The two gold diggers were quiet for many years. Relatives at home
were afraid something was wrong and their mother spoke so often of
her two boys. She was hoping every day that she again would get in
contact with them and it happened.
After several years searching through a Danish paper " the Danish
Pioneer" that was the link between home and abroad the brothers sent
word. They had established a good life. Henceforth a regular contact
was established between North Slesvig and Australia.
Their mother in Augustenborg received photographs of her boys in
Australia. One picture exists no longer, the other illustrated in
this article shows Jorgen Jans at 24 years was photographed shortly
after arriving in Australia. The picture is kept in the original
box, ebony with gold frame. The symbol of his involvement with gold
digging. Both brothers got married in Australia, and of the next
generation one son got to be mayor of Melbourne.
(Has anyone heard of this??)
Mrs Marie Grau nee Jans
said " My father
(Jacob) established the contact, and for him and all of us at home
it was delightful to have contact with them in Australia.
Apparently all
correspondence stopped from Australia from 1876 until 1895, for what
reason nobody knows. It is believed John was mining in the Reefton
area of the Upper Yarra in Victoria about 1880.
Double Wedding
Marriage: John Jans was 38year old when he married 17year old Louise
Marie Hansen on 11th February 1882 in a double wedding
 ceremony with his
34year old brother Andrew Jans and Louisa's young 14year old sister Eleanor
Hansen at 108 Johnson Cresent Emerald Hill (South Melbourne), Victoria
Australia. As the girls were very young they had the permission of their father
Frederick Hansen.
Wife's Birth:
Louisa Maria Hansen's birth was registered in 1864 (No.16557) daughter of Frederick Hansen and Maria Ellen Clark.
Louisa Jans nee Hansen.
This photo above is believed to be a young Louisa Hansen
Naturalization:
John became Naturalized on 5th February 1900. This is a memorial for
letters of naturalization completed by John in September of 1899 showing his age
as 56years, occupation carpenter, place of birth Augustenburg Germany, ship of
arrival Dorothea from the Port of Hamburg.
Hamburg Shipping List
The dates of arrival
differ between John's naturalization and the list but is this a mistake on
John's part after 40 odd years? The spelling of the name on shipping list is
incorrect is this a transcribers mistake?
John is believed to have taken part
working on the diversion of the Yarra River and worked the "Big Peninsular" in
the hope of finding gold.
A report by
Clement Hodgkinson Deputy Surveyor General
"Strike" Company at
McMahons Creek handed over workings to a party of Tributers, who were making a
wage from the reef (1905). The Jans were working on this field along with
C.Sparke and many more.
John leased crown land to build a house
and outbuildings at McMahons Creek. He was responsible for the planting of
avenue of oak trees, some of which were still there some years ago. In later
years they moved to South Melbourne. When Louise died John went to live with his
son Frederick at Traralgon.
Deaths: Louisa's death
is registered at South Melbourne in 1924 aged 60years.
John died
aged 86years on 15th September
1929 at Traralgon West Louisa & John are both buried at
Coburg Cemetery Melbourne, Victoria.
After his wife died
John went to live at Traralgon with his son Fredrick .
Family of John & Louisa Jans
7th Generation
1. William John JANS b.1882
Warburton Victoria d.1950 Ormond 68years m. Nancy Bella (Isobel) Berry
Link to William
John Jans &
Family information pages
2. Harry JANS b.1884
Warburton d.1969 m. 1.Hennrietta Cosham 2. Mary Gingles
Link to
Harry Jans & Family information pages
3. Louise Maria JANS b.1886
Warburton d.1942 Saint Kilda 56years
4. Frederick Christian JANS b.25th August 1888 at Warburton
d.4 Aug.1942 Morwell Vic. aged 54years m. 1919 Ettie Beasley
5. Alice Maude JANS b.1890
Warburton d.1958 Mt Waverly Vic. 68years m. 1910 George Freeman Sparks
6. Janet Katherine JANS b.1895
Warburton d.1985 Elsternwick Victoria 89years. Not married
7. Arthur Samuel JANS
b.1897 m. Lillian Pearl Melynda Colgrave d.1934 Sale Victoria aged 36years Buried Traralgon
Cemetery.
8. Robert George JANS b.1899
d.1984 Ferntree Gully m. Kathleen Hilda Russell
LINKS
7th Generation
Harry Jans & Family
Grandparents of Max
William John Jans
&
Family information pages
This is a work in progress and
in time links will be made to information on the families above.
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Please email
me if you have any queries, any mistakes I've made help me
to correct them, and differences of opinion I welcome
discussion.
 
Copyright
© 2006 Barbara Hollis
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