As I understand it, Julius Gustav Robert NENKE,(b.1835 in Prussia) his
1st wife Henriette & baby Bertha, arrived in South Australia in 1856 onboard the ship 'August'
I am guessing that Henriette then died, as he married Ellen Besa O'SULLIVAN(b.1836 in Ireland) the next year, 1857, at Tanunda, South Australia. I have heard that he knew no English & she no German, but they apparently fell in love - & he learnt English quickly!
I am attempting to find out where in Ireland she came from, on what
ship, etc.- all I know is that her father's name was Patrick O'SULLIVAN.
Julius was a tinsmith, and they lived at Greenock, S.A. where they went on to apparently have 12 children, 6 of whom survived - about average for the times, so it would seem.
Ellen died in 1896, and Julius in 1913.
Their 2nd daughter, Minnie,(Helene Wilhelmine)b. 1863 went on to become my Great Grandmother, but it would seem that hers was a sad, short life, after marrying at 17 she was dead at 27.
Julius had 4 brothers & 1 sister who also came to Australia.
Researching German ancestors, I have come to realize, would seem easy as they often had 3 or more first or forenames, - but very often they became known by any one of these, or a dimunitive, such as 'Minnie' (as for Wilhelmine) & then often went on to use those in marriage documents. etc rather than their baptismal name...........lots of fun there.