Sulzberger Family History

The Sulzberger family derived its name from the town of Sulzberg, near Ratisbon, in
Bavaria. The first known member of the family was Eleazar Sussman Sulzberger,
c1600. This family had several members who were Rabbis. Their descendants
arrived in the United States in August of 1849. These Sulzbergers settled in
Philadelphia where they joined a paternal uncle who had emigrated to Philadelphia
eleven years earlier in 1838. This is the line of the Sulzberger family of the New York
Time's fame. But there were more members of the family who were also motivated
to migrate.

One of these was Jakob Johann Sulzberger, born in 1815, who had also lived
through the 1848 revolutions, (Wurttemberg traditionally favoured the French or
Austrian over the Prussians). He was a coach builder from Grossbottwar, a small
town, north of Stuttgart, in the wine district.
He and his second wife Barbara Regina nee Nesper and four children, (Johan
Jacob, 9 yrs from his first marriage, Gottlieb Conrad, 7yrs, Gottfried Christian, 5yrs,
Christina Fredericka, 1 yr ) were a Lutheran branch of the family who immigrated to
Tasmania in 1855. Why they chose Australia over America is uncertain as this
would have been a pull factor for them and would have provided a ready made base
for them. Perhaps religion was the difference or perhaps they had lost contact if
indeed there had ever been any.

The American branch of the family departed under their own devices to escape the
uncertainty of life under the Prussians, whereas the Australian branch were enticed
by Mr James Herbert, the agent for Mr William Pritchard Weston of Hythe, Longford.
JJ Sulzberger signed a Memorandum of Agreement on the 20th March 1855
agreeing to serve Mr Weston in VDL for two years from the date of his arrival. His
duties were described as "farm labourer and when not engaged therein to assist in
any other lawful work, and is at all times to obey all the lawful and reasonable
commands of the said WP Weston". In return Johann was paid 20 pounds per
annum, supply a hut and weekly rations of "10 pounds of beef or mutton, 10 pounds
flour 2 pounds of sugar and a quarter pound of tea or half pound raw coffee".

Memorandum of Contract

But this description of farm labourer as many would know of
the Bounty immigrants was misleading. Both Jakob and
Regina could read and write as well as their three sons.
Under Australian Government Emigration regulations a
family could not comprise of more than four children under
the age of 12 years old and so the family fitted the correct
description. Sufficient clothing, luggage and good health
were all prerequisites for the voyage and families were
inspected prior to disembarking.
Jakob was in fact a coach builder as evidenced from the
German records of immigration. But further evidence comes
from the 'tools of trade' he brought with him to Tasmania.

The family arrived in Launceston on the 29th June 1855
departing on Sunday 1st April from Liverpool aboard the
Montmorency of the Black ball line. It would appear that the
families travelled from their towns to Hamburg and then to
England. The fare cost eighteen pounds for each adult, nine
pounds, nine shillings and nine pence for each child and
four pounds one shilling for the baby. The voyage had taken
80 days and there were many other German families to
keep them company on the voyage 168 Germans all told -
including the Erb, Kelb and Dornauf families. The Germans
occupied the forepart of the ship below and were described
by the Rev James Buck as being "apparently satisfied with
their accommodation and treatment."

Some artefacts from this journey survive to this day
including a butter container, and each person carried their
personal 1823 Lutheran Bible. Other families
accompanying them brought with them their passports,
memorabilia, guns etc

Although the Bibles survive, the religion did not, much to the
consternation of a travelling Lutheran pastor from SA who
later bemoaned the fact that although there were many
German families settling in Tasmania there was no
inclination to establish a church.

By 1857 Mary Fanny was born registered from Hythe and
two years later in 1859 Charles Edward was born while still
at Longford. Both children had anglicised names and he
family were members of the local Protestant church.

By 1867 J Sulzberger was leasing 40 acres from WP
Weston and had also taken up land in the Lilydale area, ne
of L'ton. But it was not until a further 16 years before the
family held the deeds for their land once they were
naturalised. However Jakob's name dos not appear on the
AOT list of persons applying for naturalization papers
1861-1903.

By 1888, the family owned a considerable amount of
property in various tracts amounting to 687 acres, five
houses, two huts, a store and a licensed house. The total
value was estimated at one hundred and seventy two
pounds.

Although now settled at Lilydale, the Sulzberger men and
youths walked approximately fifty kilometres to Longford at
harvest time for employment in the established agricultural
districts to supplement the income from their own farms.
Produce of their farms was sold at the market in
Launceston or carried to gold miners at Lisle, near Mt.
Arthur. Jacob had a reputation of being very clever and his
farm always seemed to flourish. Although he had a
smattering of English, Jacob continued to speak
predominantly in German until he died on the 19th
September 1894 at seventy nine years of age. Barbara had
died earlier in 1889. This was timely because by WW1 they
would have been registered as aliens under the War
Precaution Act.

The son from the first marriage Johan (jnr) is the subject of
another migration story. Johan married Jeannie (nee
Phillips) and decided to migrate to NZ in 1897 with their
family excepting one daughter who had married a
Grandfield. (The Phillips arrived on the Katherine Shearer
which was shipwrecked in Hobart Harbour in 1855. They
had sailed from Scotland and Jeannie was only 10 days old
when the ship foundered.) Johan's family of eight children
settled in the Taranaki district where their name is as
synonymous with the district as it is with Lilydale in
Tasmania.

By one generation, religion and language had been
assimilated as evidenced by church membership with local
protestant religions, naming of children, loss of language
and no evidence of correspondence with their German
cousins. But what of their cultural baggage they brought with
them:

The publication of “Lilydale, a German Legacy,” prompted
discussions between Amy Beech, nee Sulzberger and her
family. These have been recorded and are the basis of this
document.

Reference: A German Legacy, page 23 details John Jacob
junior marrying Jane Phillips in 1873 at Launceston.
Furthermore it mentions John and Jane choosing to leave
Tasmania with eight of their children and travelling to New
Zealand.

Jane Phillips was born 30 May1885 on board the boat her
parents travelled on from Scotland to Tasmanaia. The boat
had a cargo of kerosene and about three miles offshore it
caught fire and the family lost all their belongings. It is
understood they waded ashore. The people of Tasmania
were extremely kind and donated things to replace what had
been lost. Jane grew up in Tasmania with her two brothers
James and Thomas. She married John Jacob 19 June
1873 when she was 18. John Jacob was 10 years older.
Their family of eight children comprised four sons and four
daughters.

Albert Thomas, the eldest, travelled to New Zealand when
he was about 20 years old. The reason he came was
because there was “nothing over there to do” and no
prospects. He travelled by boat and landed in Wellington
with three pound in his pocket about 1896.
He went to Taranaki and started work as a bushman felling
trees at Rawhitiroa, east of Eltham. After a few years he
went back to Tasmania for a trip and said that New Zealand
had great potential. He then returned to New Zealand with
his parents and five of his siblings. Their names were
Jacob John known as Jake, Earnest James usually called
Earn, Robert Richard called Bob, May Marion and Amy.

Two of the family Margaret Catherine, known as Maggie,
and Jean Christina known as Jean remained in Tasmania
as they were married. Jean moved to Perth but later when
widowed came to New Zealand and settled in Eltham. He
married name was Jean Cross.

John Jacob and Jane bought land 171 acres on the Upper
Duthie road near Mangatoki. (It was later sold to the
Andersons)

The family worked the farm. The girls May Marion, and Amy
had finished school but Earnest and Robert Richard went to
Mangatoki School. Their teacher was Jimmy Nairn.
None of the family went to High School.

On his return to New Zealand Albert Thomas worked in
Eltham for C A Wilkinson. He worked in the seed store
operating the crushing and milling machine using oats for
horse feed.

John Jacob and Jane continued farming the Upper Duthie
Road farm but as each of the of the sons working at home
got married, the farm was subsequently divided into three
blocks of 57 acres. Jacob John and Ida nee Dawbin on one
block, Earnest James and Alice Elizabeth nee Marx on
another and Robert Richard and Annie nee Law on another.

May Marion married John Peter Marx and lived at
Managatoki and Amy Louisa married Harold Fredrick
Haycock and lived in Cambridge.

Eventually John Jacob and Jane (the parents) purchased 14
acres on the main road Eltham - Stratford south of Ngarere
on the school side where they retired.

While Albert Thomas was working for C A Wilkinson he had
leased land on Hastings at Lowgarth with right of purchase.
It was 123 acres and later to become Len and Ivys farm and
Stans and Mays and Brians and Judy. It remained in
Sulzberger ownership many years.

The land had been cleared and had an old race styled
cowshed. The land was leased of Mr Chair. In the race cow
shed the cows stood one behind each other. Albert Thomas
was at the place one or two years before he married
Hansina Alma Perger in 1902 in his parents home at Upper
Duthie road.

Albert known as Bert and Alma had four children.
Leonard and Stanley Jacob were born at the farm. Amy and
Jeff were born in Eltham at the old Methodist Parsonage
which was a private hospital.

Draft Prepared By Lloyd Beech 26.1.05

The children and descendants of Johan and Barbara went on to provide Tasmania
and NZ rural districts with innovative farming practices, civic responsibility and
community spirit - first PO mail service, threshing machines imported from Britain,
organisers of rural shows, road trust members, church wardens, Secretary of the
Board of Agriculture and a member of the Lilydale Farmers and Fruit growers'
Association, instrumental in building the first school, supporters of Bush Nursing
Association, pound keeper, shop keeper, local vet, hotelier, and in the tradition of
Grossbottwar the keeper of illegal stills and famous wine and cider makers. But
they had congregated in Lilydale with other German families.

Marilyn Lake wrote of a Divided Society by concentrating on instances of conflict and
racial hatred during WW1 but if we look closer at the Tasmania landscape and
delve into the little known rural districts we will find many stories of German families
that wanted to be part of a new world melting pot. However although they became
invisible via their assimilation, remnants of German culture still survive.
Micro-histories providing thick description can help find and understand these
indicators of what is was like to be German in Tasmania in the nineteenth century.
You can still see the high pitched roofs on outbuildings, occasional carved fretwork
around verandahs and the names are still synonymous with the district.

Copyright (c) 2004, Marita Bardenhagen

The Current German Connection
Contributed by Neil Fleming
flemingn@ihug,co,nz

Werner’s family was originally contacted by a Tasmanian relative. Marlene White’s father (Charlie Sulzberger) contacted them
and she visited Werner's parents in Stuttgart in about 1967 when Werner was only young. Marita says. “I think Charlie just
looked them up when he was over there. A lot of the Sulzbergers did not speak English back then”.

Werner Sulzberger said that, according to his grandmother, his grandfather (William Sulzberger) made regular visits to
Grossbottwar. He used to buy local wines. From this, Werner presumed that there was a connection to that part of Germany
and that group of Sulzbergers. Werner has not gone back further than this in his family tree.   Many Germans do not want to
talk about the past and are surprised when we go searching for roots but it would be nice to be able to pinpoint the homes
where they lived in Germany or even connect to other families.
The Name
The name Sulzberger is a composite of a regional or landscape name (berg = mountain) and an occupational name “sulze”.
“Sulze” is a pressed meat loaf similar to English brawn and it is possible that the very early Sulzbergers were butchers or
makers of that product. The “berg” part of their name could have been a landscape identifier to separate them from other
“sulze” makers. The Tasmanian were often called “Suzies” and they were wheelwrights, carpenters and “wagoners”.

As with most names there is not a single source at least as far back as we can reasonably go. Werner was able to name at
least three areas in southern Germany where Sulzberger was a prominent name and there appeared to be no connection
between them. We will call these “tribes” in what follows.

The North American Sulzbergers
It is suggested that one of these tribes may have converted to Judaism and were the forbears of the American Jewish
Sulzbergers. They migrated earlier. It is assumed they are related somewhere way back.   One of these a founded a dynasty
associated with the editorship of the New York Times newspaper. There is a huge website and library collection in the States
about the New Yorkers. Marita Bardenhagen writes. “Although our mob were Lutheran my grandmother (eldest child of the
eldest child of Gottlieb) always told me there was "Jewish blood". When one of the New Yorkers visited Australia, a cousin
made contact and there was a loose reference (assumed) that they were cousins just as we assume Werner's family are
related "way back".

“The Sulzbergers were a modest clan from the South German region that borders Switzerland and the lake of Konstanz. In the
first half of the 19th century they came to the United States and settled as far apart as Philadelphia and Arkansas. “The
snobbish Hayes family thought it a comedown when one of them married my grandmother. “” From “A Long Row of Candles”
Memoirs and Diaries (1934-54) C.L. Sulzberger. The Macmillan Company, 1969 page 3.

Some of the other German Sulzberger tribes were Lutheran and made up a large group of Sulzbergers who not only emigrated
to various parts of the “new’ world but also remained as significant groups in Germany.

MYTHS
Thee are a number of unsubstantiated stories about the Sulzbergers. These are some of them. You can send me more!

No 1
A US (Chicago) branch of the family were charged with supplying inferior meat to the UK during WWII and were involved in
some legal challenges. They wrote to relatives in Tasmania and asked for financial support to defend their case. Interestingly,
a number of the Tasmanian Sulzbergers were involved in the butchery trade but, of course, that was a popular and common
small business in those days.

No 2
The Tasmanian immigrants went by train to Hamburg then by "packet steamer" to England. In Liverpool they hoped to board a
ship bound for their new land. They had been sponsored by a Tasmanian wheat farmer, Mr Weston. The older boys in Johan’
s family were employed in the UK by local tradesmen while they waited for their ship (Brsitol is suggested as the port). The
ship left without one of the boys (“he missed the boat”) who then set off for the USA and is the founder of a branch there.

No 3        Romanticism Gone Astray
For the New Zealand descendants of immigrant Johan Jacob, one could create a dramatic Mills and Boon story (Americans
read Harlequin) by suggesting the following scenario. The Sulzbergers arrived in Hobart in 1855 and they had to stay there for
a few months before travelling north to Launceston by coach to their sponsor (Mr Weston of Longford). When they did finally
board the coach they found their fellow travellers were the Phillips family newly arrived in Hobart on the Catherine Shearer
(December). On June 11 1855 the ship Catherine Shearer sank in the waters of the Derwent estuary. 74 years later a diver
found English pickles. The ship was a cargo tramp with four families of immigrants seeking a new life in the Antipodes. They
held high hopes of their adoption. One of the sailors had a grudge against the Captain and owner of the ship and he started
the fire. There were 10 tons of gunpowder and it was early morning. They jumped off the ship into boats and rowed to land
which was not far away and then there was a huge explosion. They were penniless. Those with children went to Hobart to beg
for clothing for those left on the beach. The Phillips family from Edinburgh were on their way to a big sheep station known as
“Monavale” in the Midlands of Tasmania where they remained for a number of years. Their son James Phillips had his
second birthday on the day of the landing.   He spent his early manhood in Tasmania where he married and was farming on
his own account before moving to Taranaki. He died aged 77 and was a J.P.

So, in the coach were the two families. There was a Sulzberger boy, Johan Jacob (junior) and Jane (Jeannie) Phillips (born at
sea 30 May 1855 and sister to James above) who were later to marry and move to Taranaki, New Zealand.

A good idea for a novel not yet written and, unfortunately, incorrect! The Phillips family arrived after the Sulzbergers and
although they too went to Launceston young Jeannie who was born on the boat coming out would have been only months old.
But they did meet – later.

Historical note about Johan Jacob Sulzberger
By Neil Fleming

This is what Clarrie (Clarence Brooks) wrote about his Sulzberger ancestors to his first cousin Amy. Clarrie was a son to
Frederieke Christina Brooks (nee Sulzberger, eldest daughter of Johan Jacob). Amy was a daughter to Mary Fanny Hill (nee
Sulzberger, youngest daughter of Johan Jacob):

Great Grandfather Sulzberger was

mayor

Wurt

emb

rg.

In regards to grandfather Sulzberger leaving Germany my mother told me he was very angry when he left, as the taxes

were very heavy. Most of the taxes went for war purposes and a tenth of all that was grown on the land was taken for the

poor so Grandfather sold all he had and boarded a ship for London and then transferred to the sailing vessel

Montmorency with his family – Jacob, Godlieb, Godfried and Christina (my mother) who was born May 25, 1854 and

was a fortnight old when they left Germany. It took them nine months sailing to go to Launceston from where they went

to Bishopsbourne and worked for a Mr Weston. It was there your mother (Amy’s mother was Mary Fanny Hill) and

Charles was born. They continued there for 15 or 16 years and then came to Lilydale.

[Note: No direct evidence that Johan Jacob was a mayor somewhere in Wurttemberg has been found. Marita]

When did the Taranaki Sulzbergers (John Jacob and family) arrive in New Zealand?
(Contributed by Neil Fleming)

Note from Neil Feming,

7 July 2005 - "Problem solved!"

At the Reunion for the Sulzberger family held atLaunceston, Tasmania

in June 2005 one of the descendants (Rod Hill) produced a hand-

written original diary for the year 1902 and there, on the 29 May was

the entry "Johan Jacob and family left for New Zealand". Rod Hill

was aged 89 and is the grandson of Johan Jacob's, Australian-born

daughter (Fanny Mary) who married a William Hill. His father was also

William Hill.

Somebody may have some definite information on this question but at present it remains a question. John Jacob sold his
farm in Lilydale and left with his family (Bert, Jake, Marion May, Amy Louisa, Ernest and Bob). Two daughters, Jane and
Maggie stayed in Tasmania. Jane stayed with her sister Maggie who had married William Grandfield in 1897. We have some
information and some clues:

It snowed in November at Mangatoki, Taranaki in the year that they arrived.
As Jane stayed with her married older sister, Maggie, it was probably after Maggie’s marriage to William Grandfield in
1897.
John Jacob was a witness at the death of his father-in-law Matthew Phillips in 30 April 1899 in Lilydale so they were
still in Lilydale in 1899.
Oral evidence says that daughter Marion May was 16 years of age when they arrived. She was born on 1 May 1884 so
that would mean a date of at least 1 May 1900 and before 1 May 1901.
Oral evidence says the youngest two boys went to school in Mangatoki after they arrived. Ernest was born on 23
August 1889 so he would be 11 in 1900. Bob was born on 16 August 1890 so he would be 10 in 1900.
Oral evidence says that Jack Marx followed Bert Sulzberger to Taranaki in mid 1890s and worked cutting bush before
returning to Lilydale and telling the family they should move to Taranaki. Camped in the bush they were good mates.
Jack later married Bert’s sister Marion May.
Oral evidence from Syd Marx says that the family came in 1903.
Various obituaries put the date at 1900, 1902 and 1903.