The Voss family married into our Piltz line, and their surname has been regularly mentioned in family stories and occasions from our time around Walla Walla and Culcairn NSW.
Sisters, (our Little Grandma) Hulda Auguste Hoffmann (nee Piltz) was the second child while (Lena) Sophia Pauline Voss (nee Piltz) was the 16th and youngest sibling.
The following was in the Albury Banner and Wodonga Express from Friday 3rd December 1937:
Death of a Walla PioneerThe death occurred of Mrs. S. P. Voss at her home, Commercial-street Walla, on November 30.
Mrs. Voss was a very old resident of the district, being born there in 1873. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Piltz, of Walla, and in 1891 she married Johann Friedrich Voss, who predeceased her in 1933. , She had four children — two sons and two daughters. One daughter died in childhood. Mr. E. Voss and Mrs. B. Schulz were the chief mourners at the funeral, which took place on Wednesday afternoon.
Pastor J. Stolz conducted the burial service. There were many floral tributes
Walla correspondent.
All the Voss sons were given the first middle name of ‘Heinrich’. The eldest, Johann Heinrich Friedrich Voss is the one that went by this name; Heinrich, Henry or Harry. Interesting that in the above obituary of his wife, this name is omitted.
The best information I have on Lena and Harry comes from the Hanckel family history,
N.B. The Obituary of his father refers to JHF as ‘Henry’, but the Hanckel book calls him ‘Harry’
There are some great family memories included, a basic summary appears below:
Harry (JHF) Voss and Lena Piltz married on the 2nd of November 1891 at Walla. They moved to Henty where they ran the general store while they had an interest in another store at The Rock. Possibly where his father (Johann Heinrich Christian Voss) had settled after coming across to NSW.
According to an article in the ‘ The Henty Observer and Culcairn Shire Register’ (1948), it talks of the first building in Henty being a small store, and was owned by the late H. Rosier. In 1894, H. Voss built a similar store.
In 1899 their Henty premises burned down and Harry moved to the The Rock store to work. Unfortunately there were no living quarters at this location so Lena moved back to the Piltz family home (south of Walla) with their 3 children. Her mother was very unwell and needed constant care. It is mentioned that Harry visited the home whenever he could.
I could not find reference to the fire, but there was also a fire that destroyed the Haberecht’s residence at Henty in October 1899 as well. The article mentions 3 fire outbreaks.
Lena built her own home, close to the Piltz property most likely after her mother died in 1905. It would seem that the physical separation between Harry and Lena continued.
Around 1919, the Piltz property was divided up and Lena moved into the Walla township (Grand daughter Rita and Ted Scholz owned this property later). In 1926 Lena built a butcher shop in Walla. She eventually lived in a house close to this shop until her death.
Harry at some point sold the shop at The Rock and went share farming with his brother Alfred. Harry suffered badly from asthma and eventually needed constant care going to live with Millie, his daughter and family (Mildred Adeline Voss married Herman Benno Schulz in 1911) at ‘Sunshine’. He eventually passed in 1933.
Some earlier history:
Harry Voss’s father (Johann Heinrich Christian), came to Australia as a Bachelor at the age of 28. J.H.C Voss immigrated on the ‘Helene’ in 1859 with his 18 year old sister (Anna Catharine Maria) and his parents Friedrich Wilhelm (a Landmann from Besitz Mecklenburg Schwerin) and Maria. I have no record of where the parents are buried.
The sister (ACM Voss) married Carl Friedrich August Schmelzkoph (b c1834 and immigrating on the ‘Sophie’ in 1858).
On arriving in South Australia J.H.C married fellow ‘Helene’ passenger Anna Marie Dorothea (nee Woehlcke)(or Wolke). In Daveyston in SA 20 Nov 1861, their son Harry (Johann Heinrich Friedrich Voss) was born. The 9 siblings in order seem to be:
- Johann Heinrich Friedrich born 20 Nov 1861 – Daveyston SA
- Carl Heinrich Christian Voss born 6 Apr 1864 – New Mecklenburg SA
- Wilhelm Heinrich Gustav born 21 Feb 1866 – Daveyston SA
- Alfred Heinrich Eduard born 16 Apr 1868 – Daveyston SA
- Johanna Louise Dorothea born 17 Dec 1870 – Daveyston SA (married Edmond Simmons Carbis in Norwood SA 15 Apr 1896 – they moved around the Sydney area NSW – Johanna died in Ashfield NSW in 1917 )
- Otto Heinrich Gustav born 26 Jul 1873 – Daveyston SA
- Paul Heinrich Benno born 15 Jun 1875 – Daveyston SA – died 22 Feb 1878 Daveyston SA
- Johann Heinrich Hermann born 12 Aug 1877 – Daveyston SA – died 03 Mar 1878 Daveyston SA
- Anna Dorothea Katharina 9 Jun 1880 – Daveyston SA – died 03 Apr 1882 Daveyston SA
It is likely the last 3 children are buried at Nain Lutheran Cemetery.
JHC Voss was naturalised as a storekeeper at Daveyston SA in 1865.
There is a small stone building that JHC Voss built at Daveyston that is of historical significance:
It was built in the 1860s by J.H.C. Voss prior to his purchase of the land in 1868. (Voss held a moiety on the land prior to 1868) . At this time the building was a general store and residence serving the bullock teams and travellers on the copper route to Kapunda. In 1890 it was purchased by the present owner, Mrs. Thiel’s family and in 1905 transferred as a gift to Ernstine Caroline Mattschoss (Mrs. Thiel ‘ s mother). From this time it was no longer used as a shop, but remained a residence.
I have no record of where wife/mother is buried – (I have a death listing on 24 Jun 1895 at Manoora SA). It is possible that the mother stayed in SA with her daughter Johanna Louise Dorothea while father JHC Voss and his 5 sons moved from the Barossa to the NSW Riverina around 1890.
JHC Voss’s obituary appeared in the Albury Banner and Wodonga Express Friday 17th October 1919:
The death took place at Walla Walla recently of a very old colonist and resident of the district in the person of Mr. J. H. C. Voss.. The late Mr. Voss, who was a native of Hanover (Germany), came to Australia over 60 years ago, and settled in South Australia, commencing in business as a storekeeper, in which he prospered. After a few years he came to this district, and had lived in Walla Walla for many years with one of his sons, Mr. Alf. Voss. The deceased gentleman was 89 years of age at the time of his death.
He was highly esteemed by a wide circle of friends. The funeral took place on Friday at the Walla Walla cemetery, and was largely attended, the Rev. Mr. Simpfendorfer officiating at the graveside.
Sons of the deceased who are well-known in the district are:- Messrs. Alfred and Henry (Walla), Otto (Culcairn), and Charles (Uranquinty).
Johann Heinrich Christian Voss is buried at Walla Walla (8 Oct 1919).
His probate notice mentions that JHC Voss was of ‘The Rock, lately of Walla’ and names ‘Alfred Heinrich Edward Voss’ and ‘Carl Heinrich Christian Voss of Uranquinty’ as executors.
Both Harry (d: 17 Apr 1933) and Lena (d: 30 Nov 1937) are also buried a Walla Walla.
The other Voss brothers:
Carl Heinrich Christian Voss (b 1862), died at Wagga Base Hospital 19th June 1946 he had been living at Uranquinty NSW since 1906 and is buried at the Uranquinty Cemetery.
Otto Heinrich Gustav Voss (b26 Jan 1873) lived at Culcairn and moved to Tempe NSW where he passed away on the 25 Jun 1946 at Auburn Hospital, Sydney. He is buried at the Church of England Cemetery, Woronora. His wife Elizabeth ‘May’ Emilie Auguste (nee Bohlsen) and son Douglas Otto are also buried there. (it would seem he died a few days after his brother Charlie)
Wilhelm Heinrich Gustav Voss (born 21 Feb 1866). Married Anna (Annie) Helene Wiese at Edgehill NSW on the 14th Feb 1901. They had 2x children. He died in 1917 listed at Holbrook NSW. I have no record of where he is buried. The following is from the Albury Banner and Wodonga Express Fri 17 Aug 1917 Page 2:
CULCAIRNI regret to announce the death on Friday night of Mr. William Voss, who has been seriously ill for some time past, and who went to Sydney for expert medical attention. The funeral took place on Monday afternoon, the Rev. J. N. Ward officiating at the graveside. The deceased leaves a widow and three young children to mourn their loss