MARY AGNES SCHONBOHM was born on 12 December 1867 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
the early story of Mary Agnes Schonbohm

* Mary Agnes Schonbohm married Francis Walter FUNNELL (1858-1891) on 21 Feb 1887. He died of Influenza on 11 Nov 1891 aged 33 at the residence of Mrs Carter, Bell Street, Wanganui
* the 'residence of Mrs Carter was that of Mary Agnes's mother Margaretha Catharina, nee SPIERING, formerly SCHONBOHM ...

about MARGARETHA CATHARINA SPIERING
Margaretha Catharina SPIERING was born on the 24 April 1843 at Klein, Barnitz,
* she was a daughter of Claus Friedrich SPIERING & Anna Margaretha FOCK

On 17 April 1863, Margaretha married George Friedrich 'Fritz' Heinrich SCHONBOHM, at Klein Wesenberg
- he was from Neustadt, an der Weinstra?e aged 31 years 7 months.
* he was a son of Johan Joachim Christoph SCHONBOHM and Dorothea Margaretha Friederica nee SCHULZ

Frederick & Margaretha went to Neustadt, Hamburg, where he worked as a miller.

On May 1st 1865, Frederick & Margaretha sailed from Hamburg to Melbourne on board the 'Catherina'
- there were 27 other passengers and a crew of 12

On the 27 July 1865 Margaretha gave birth to a daughter, Eda Schonbohm, born off the West Coast of Australia

Not known how long they stayed in Melbourne but about 1867 Frederick 'Fritz' later sailed to the gold fields in Westland, New Zealand. Margaretha and the children stayed in Melbourne

On the 12 December 1867, in Collingwood, Margaretha gave birth to another daughter, Mary Agnes Schonbohm.

On 23 December 1871 Margaretha (listed as Mrs SCHONBOHN) and her two daughters, Eda aged 6? & Mary Agnes who had just turned 4, sailed from Melbourne aboard the Rangitoto, arriving at Hokitika, West Coast on 30 Dec 1871.

* (from PapersPast) THE SUEZ MAIL - INWARDS, The steamer Rangitoto, s.s. 579 tons, H. Mackie Commander, from Melbourne. D. GIRDWOOD & Co., Agents, with the Suez mail on board, arrived at Hokitika this morning, 30 December 1871
... inward PASSENGERS per Rangitoto;
CABIN - Mrs FOWLER, Rev James LAURIE, Miss WILMOTT, Mr and Mrs WILSON and 2 children, Dr DAKING, Messrs WATERHOUSE, GRESLEY, DILLON, EDWARDS, and THORPE
SALOON - Miss A. MOORE, Mrs JEFFERSON, Hon. J. J. CASSEY, Nessrs R. A. BILLING, THOMPSON, MOORE, Maurice MORAN, W. J. MOORE, Frewin THOMPSON, J. WILSON and William DRUMMOND
STEERAGE - ?? not listed still researching

(For some reason Eda was listed as Jane SCHONBOHN and Mary was listed as Emily SCHONBOHN on the passenger list) - big thank you to Peter Carter for supplying that info

Margaretha and her daughters travelled by steamer (very probably the s.s. Waipara) from Hokitika to Okarito (on the wild, western coast of the South Island), 37km NW from Franz Josef Glacier), arriving about the first week of January 1872. NOTE - today, the permanent population of Okarito is about 35 people

In Okarito Margaretha (who spoke very little English) became friends with an English woman named Catherine RALFE

On 2 December 1872, Margaretha gave birth to a son at Okarito whom she named Henry Hawthorne Ralfe Schonbohm after a nephew of Miss Ralfe. He died 10 August 1974 aged 20 months, possibly at Hokitika

In mid 1873, Frederick Schonbohm became ill with tuberculosis. He was taken to Hokitika Hospital by Miss Ralfe and three of her nieces.
In June 1873 Margaretha and the children collected the dying Frederick from Hokitika Hospital and accompanied Mrs Henry Ralfe and the rest of her family to Ross, West Coast

* Frederick Schonbohm died in 22 November 1873

On 5 January 1875 at Hokitika, Margaretha remarried
* His name was William Edward Laskey CARTER (1832-1882). William was born in Flushing, Cornwall 27 January 1832, (although his age at death was given as 57 in 1992 therefore making a birthdate of 1825?)
- he was 1 of 7 known children of John CARTER & Phillis James LASKEY.
- (interestingly, Margaretha's daughter with Frederick Schonbohm, Mary Agnes, was to have a daughter - Dorothea Mae James Wycherley whom she gave the middle name James, like Mary's step-grandmother)
- William's father was a coastguard in Torquay
He had been a merchant seaman, firstly in British trade, but then for several years was employed aboard Trans-Tasman sailing ships, eventually being promoted to 1st Mate on the brig 'Heather Bell', before succumbing to the temptation to try his own luck, unsuccessfully, at the New Zealand diggings and jumped ship


A HUGE THANK YOU to PETER CARTER for supplying a lot of the above information to what had become my brick wall while researching for ejc111 see page 1 for her request. I did not know how George 'Frederick' & Margaretha Schonbohm had come to New Zealand or how and why Margaretha had ended up in the North Island. There was practically no information on the net about this couple so finding Peter Carter was a blessing indeed and he kindly shared with me what he had. His lead enabled me to continue with my research and I was able to create these journals for the many branches of this family and share them on the net with any other ancestors who may also be looking, which is what genealogy is all about. THANK YOU PETER and my deepest apologies for not mentioning you as a source earlier ...


Margaretha and William had 3 sons:
I/ ... William Edward Carter
- born 16 Oct.1875 in Hokitika, Westland
- died 1 April 1897 in Wanganui

II/ ... Henry Frederick Carter
- born 23 April 1877 in Hokitika, Westland
- died 26 May 1899 in Ashhurst

III/ ... James Laskey Carter
- born 12 October 1880 in Stafford, Westland
- died 31 August 1952 in Whangamata, Thames
... more on these sons below ...

Margaretha's 2nd husband, William Edward Laskey Carter, died at Kumara, Westland on 13 March 1882 aged 57 and was buried at Kumara Cemetery

Margaretha & her 5 children, Eda aged 17, Mary Agnes aged 15, William aged 6, Henry aged 5 & James "Jimmy" aged 2 sailed for Wanganui aboard the 141 ton steamer 'Charles Edwards' leaving Westland for the major riverport town of Wanganui

the 5 children of Margaretha Catherina Schonbohm/Carter
1/ ... 1865 - 1948 EDA SCHONBOHM
- Eda Schonbohm married John HARRISON (1866-1935) on 13 March 1895,
- (13 years to the day after the death of her step-father)
- Eda was a Brethren
- John was a Methodist
- they were Farmers
- John died 11 Feb 1935 agd 69
- he had been living at 418 Albert St, Palmerston North
- Eda died 7 April 1948 aged 82
- she had been living at 380 Albert St, Palmerston North
- they are buried Plot 023, Block 005, Area C at Kelvin Grove cemetery

the 3 children of Eda & John Harrison
I .. 1897 - 1977 Clara Margaret Harrison
- Clara married Arthur William SANKEY (1890-1946) in 1922
- Arthur was 1 of at least 11 children of Henry & Jessie SANKEY of Auckland. Arthur served in WWI as Lance Corporal 70128

II .. 1898 - 1971 Ida Netta Harrison
- Ida Netta was living at 380 Albert St, Palmrston North. She died aged 72 as a 'widow' although she was buried as a Harrison. She is buried Plot 080, Block 014, Area Q at Kelvin Grove

III .. 1902 - Richmond Escolme Harrison
- Richmond married Grace Margaret Wycherley, daughter of Henry Sparrow Wycherley (see child 5/ at Wycherley link below)


2/ ... 1868 - 1916 MARY AGNES SCHONBOHM
- married Charles Joseph Wycherley, see link below

3/ ... 1875 - 1897 WILLIAM EDWARD CARTER
- William died of consumption aged 21
DEATH - CARTER, On the 1st April 1897, at his mother's residence, Barrak Street, Wanganui, William Edward Carter, aged 21 years. We regret to have to record the death of Mr William Edward Carter at his mother's residence, Barrack Street. the deceased, who was only 21 years of age, was at one time in the employ of Mr W. Bruce, grocer, and was a most opular and obliging young man. Friends are informed that the funeral will leave Barrack Street on Saturday, at 2.30p.m. - S. GARNER, Undertaker

4/ ... 1877 - 1899 HENRY FREDERICK CARTER
- Henry was a 'Saddler'. He died of consumption aged 22
DEATH - CARTER, At Ashhurst, on 26th May 1899, Henry F. Carter; age 22 years. It is with deep regret that we learn of the death of Mr. Henry F. Carter, late of the 'Eastown Workshops', which took place a few days ago at Ashhurst. The deceased, who was also a most promising student in the engineering section of the Technical School, succumbed to the attack of that fell disease consumption, which carried off his brother, the late Mr. W. E. Carter, some two years ago. We tender our sincerest sympathy to the bereaved relatives in their sorrow.
- he is buried Plot 035, BLock 025 at Terrace End


5/ ... 1880 - 1953 JAMES LASKEY 'Jimmy' CARTER
Jimmy and his mother went to live with the Harrisons at Coal Creek, Manawatu. This Plymouth Brethren family lived an extremely austere religious life-style.
Jimmy was educated with the children of his stepsister, Eda
- James married Edith Mabel HUMPHRIES (1883-1957) in 1902
- in 1917 James was a Railway Guard in Hawera and was listed as a 'Reservist' with 4 or more children

the known children of James & Edith:
1904 - Doris Ada Apiring Carter
1907 - 1978 Stanley James Laskey Carter
1908 - Edith Mary Carter
15 Feb 1910 - 1952 James Laskey Carter
15 Feb 1910 - 1982 William Henry Laskey

Margaretha died on 22 May 1919 aged 76
At the time of her death she had been living at 148 Scandia Street, Palmerston North (now named Albert street). She was a Lutheran
- she is buried with daughter Mary at Terrace End cemetery, Palmerston North

13 months after the death of her husband Frances Walter Funnell, MARY AGNES married Charles Joseph WYCHERLEY, Christmas Eve 1892

- the later story of Mary Agnes Schonbohm/Funnell
the WYCHERLEY FAMILY

PHOTO
the grave of Mary Agnes & her mother Margaretha
- Terrace End, Palmerston North -