Wenck burying ground

Information provided by Jennifer Crockett (http://colston-wenck.com)

History

This is a very small old family burying ground at Minden/Coolana. It is located at 115 Zabel’s Road, Minden. The problem is, there is only a jumble of broken headstones remaining, but the identity of the 6 people buried there is known (see below). It is of my (Jennifer Crockett) grand and great grandparents and other family members, six in total.

It was set up as a cemetery under a trust in 1900. It is on a separate title, and was in a corner of the Wenck family farm in Zabels road, Coolana. The farm was sold in 1941, but not the cemetery. The land was sold in 1990 by the Esk council (not to the current owners) to recoup unpaid rates. They said they attempted to contact family members, but the family didn’t know about it until after it had been sold, much to their dismay. The original trust members had all passed on, and it was not known that rates were payable on the land. It is now privately owned. The current owners are happy to have the half acre as part of their 3 acre property and have assured me they will take care of what is left there.

The headstones were damaged in the 1970s when a farmer ploughed over the graves. A descendant was passing at the time and asked why he had done it, to which the farmer replied he hadn't seen them in the long grass. After that, descendants arranged for a fence to be erected around the graves and a plaque placed on the fence to indicate who was buried there. The plaque has since disappeared and all that remains of the fence is a few star pickets.

Jennifer has not personally been to see the burying ground since 1993, when the photos were taken. When speaking to the owners on the phone earlier this year (2005), they said there were still parts of headstones there.

Burials

Adolph George Christian WENCK, born 1 May, Kluesfeld, Bau, Schleswig Holstein, Germany. Died 20 April 1941. aged 66 years at Coolana.
The original headstone read “In loving memory of our dear father ADOLPH WENCK, died April 20 1941, aged 66 years, at rest”
His father Reimer WENCK, born 12 Dec 1834, Tiebensee, Ditmarsh, Holstein. Died 3 May 1903, aged 68 years at Hillside (later named Coolana)
His mother Catherine WENCK nee Paysen, born¹ 28 June 1836, Stedesand, Tondern, Schleswig Holstein. Died 26 September 1897, aged 61 years at Minden.
His brother Carl Heinrich Wilhelm WENCK, born 22 July 1898, Bau, Schleswig Holstein, Prussia, died 10 November 1900, aged 32 years at Englesburg
Two infant nephews, sons of Theodor and Christina Wenck:
Gustav Theodor Walter WENCK, born 5 September 1898 at Englesburg, Qld. Died 30 March 1899, aged 6 months at Englesburg, Qld
Wallace Andrew Adolph WENCK, born 18 September 1899 at Englesburg, Qld. Died 11 November 1901, aged 2 years at Dalby, Qld

¹or 2 July 1836 calculated from the death certificate which gave the age on 26 Sep 1897 as 61 years 2 months
24 days.