The Branching out online course is curated by the Family History Team from State Library Victoria (SLV), who guide participants through the processes involved in family history research. Participants learn about the wonderful online resources available for researching Victorian family history, and are provided with support and interaction in a friendly forum environment.

Our special guest blogger, Mandy, completed the course in early 2019. She shares her experience and some of her family history findings below.


Peter Johannsen: my great-grandfather

Peter Johannsen.
(Image supplied by author)

The Branching out course was a wonderful time of new discoveries and exponential learning for me. From a basic knowledge of some of the important dates in my great-grandfather Peter’s life, I have been able to fill in a lot of the gaps and questions I had when I started the course. Peter and his wider family have come to life for me. Along the way I have also increased my knowledge of the times in which he lived, the movements of members of his extended family and the socio-historical circumstances (such as the gold rush and First World War) which would have impacted their lives.

Peter was born in Smythesdale, Victoria in 1862. His parents, Johann and Magdalena Johannsen (née Kniphals) arrived from Germany in 1855 and 1858 respectively, and married in Melbourne in the German Church in 1858. Peter’s early life was in the Piggoreet and Smythesdale area. Aside from his Piggoreet school enrolment, I can find no further mention of him around this time other than on his younger siblings’ birth records. I discovered that his father, Johann, was involved in several gold mining ventures, was in business as Japp & Johannsen Builders in Piggoreet and later had his own business as John Johannsen Undertaker.

Johannsen & Son, Parkin Street, Allendale.
(Image supplied by author)

There is a period from about 1877-1886 where I can find no sure mention of Peter, until his marriage to Sabina Hale in Melbourne in 1886. At the time of his marriage he was living in Clifton Hill and working as a grocer’s assistant, so it may be that he had come to Melbourne before that time. In the 1886 rate records I found an entry for a Peter Johannsen, labourer, who was working for a carrier in South Melbourne. I wonder if this was my great-grandfather.

City of South Melbourne rate book, 1886, page 163.
(Sourced from Ancestry Library Edition)


The birth records of his first 3 children show he lived in Burwood Road Hawthorn and worked as a grocer. I will look further into SLV records that mention grocer’s assistants and also local directories which may mention businesses in the Hawthorn area.

Rate records have enabled me to see that Peter’s father had moved to Allendale by 1882 and that he and his older son Johann were working as cabinet makers. The following year they were owners of a store. Following his father’s death in 1892, Peter returned with his family to live in Allendale. In rate records, I found that he went into the family business with his older brother, which became known as Johannsen Bros, Carpenters. They turned their hands to many things including carpentry, building and undertaking. Peter and his family resided in Allendale for many years.

The Johannsen house in Allendale, Victoria [1903-1904].
(Image supplied by author)


I found many newspaper articles showing that during this time he held positions of office in a number of local organizations – including the Methodist Church (where he was a lay preacher and Sunday school teacher), the Allendale Relief Fund, IOOF and the Catholic Young Men’s Society. In 1918 he was involved with the running of ‘Our Boys Day’ which was a special effort for augmenting the fund of the State War Council for the assistance of soldiers. He was clearly a civic-minded person! As these organizations held regular meetings, his life would have been a busy one (especially as he had 7 children!).

Methodist Church and School, Allendale. [ca. 1908]
H96.200/1628, Pictures Collection, State Library Victoria.


By 1920, a number of Peter & Sabina’s adult children were living in Melbourne. An article from The Argus on the 4th November 1920 mentions a farewell and presentation to Peter upon the impending move of the family to Preston. In 1922, the electoral roll shows that Peter & Sabina were living at the same address in Preston with two of their children. His brother Johann died in 1920 and I can find no mention of the family business after that time.

1922 electoral roll, showing Peter and Sabina living in Preston, Victoria.
(Sourced from Ancestry Library Edition)


From a land title search I was able to find that the house they moved to in Preston was owned by one of their sons and later transferred into one of their daughter’s names. It remained in the family until 1950, and to this day the house has a nameplate beside the front door with the inscription ‘Allendale’ – their time in Allendale must have been a happy one.

Following his wife’s death in 1930 Peter moved to Canterbury where he lived with his sisters Wilhelmina & Ellen. He remained there until he died in 1938. Peter and Sabina are both buried in the Box Hill Cemetery.

I would have liked to have known my great-grandparents. My grandmother Jessie was a truly lovely person so I imagine that her father Peter and her mother Sabina would have been too.

From the research I have done, I feel I have been able to form a good impression of my great-grandfather and his life. It is interesting when reflecting on all of this, that had I chosen to research my great-grandmother, I would have found little information, as her role was one of supporting her husband in his busy life which included many civic duties. She would have been a homemaker and I imagine that her life would have been one of caring for her husband, her 7 children and other family members. She would have been very busy!

The Branching out course has given me the opportunity to explore so many resources I didn’t know existed. I have especially enjoyed using the SLV research guides, Trove, Public Records Office Victoria, and rate books and electoral rolls on Ancestry Library Edition. These resources have led me on many side journeys which uncovered all sorts of information about Peter, his wider family and the times in which they lived.

Pitfield, Woady Yallock. [1859?]
H2013.345/90, Pictures Collection, State Library Victoria.


Visits to the Woady Yaloak Historical Society in Smythesdale, the Colac & District Family History Group in Colac and to the Newspapers and Family History Reading Rooms at SLV have been informative and enjoyable new experiences for me. I still have much to learn and plan to visit the SLV to learn about and view their physical records.

The course continues to benefit my research even after it has ended – the final module explored how to use the Internet and social media to further family history research. This gave me the confidence to reach out to a family history group in Germany. This group has researched and provided records for me which trace my ancestors back to 1650. I have also been able to contact 2 distant relatives in Germany who have been able to provide me with further information. This has been a very rewarding time. My correspondence with these people continues.

I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to be part of the Branching out course and thank all of the SLV staff who have assisted me. Your knowledge and generosity have been greatly valued.


Want to find out more about your own family’s story? Register now for the free Branching out online course!

This article has 25 comments

  1. Charmian Corbett

    Will you be having the on-line Family History course in 2020? If so when do the courses start? Do these courses only assist with Victorian research, or do they also assist with research in other states of Australia, New Zealand and UK?

    • Hi Charmian,
      Apologies for the late response to your comment! Yes, we intend to run Branching out again in early 2020, so keep an eye on the Library’s What’s On page in the New Year. At this stage the online course focuses only on Victorian ancestors and resources. You can find some information on researching ancestors from other states and countries in our family history research guides.
      Best of luck with your research!
      Kind regards,
      Kate

  2. Hello Kate , thank you for publishing the information on Johannsen family. Clara (minnie Tysnas) Johannsen was my Great grandmother. My grandfather was Stuart Alfred Driscoll who married Elsie may Sullivan . My mother was born Elsie may Driscoll. If you have any more information on our family line then i would love to access it.
    Charles Price.

    • Hello Charles. I’m glad you enjoyed the blog, and what a coincidence! It was written by a guest – a participant in our online family history research course Branching out. I have transferred your enquiry to our deferred enquiry service and a librarian will respond soon with some research tips for researching your own branch of the Johannsen family! All the best, Kate

  3. Hello

    My frandfather was John Johannsen born in Allendale that moved to NZ . I have had the assistance of a member of the Creswick society . Just amazing to finally find out my family history

  4. My grandfather John William Johannsen was born in Allendale . His parents were Mary and John . He moved to NZ around 1912
    I have done lots of research and visited creswick include the grave site
    Maureen

    • Hello Maureen
      very exciting to read your comments about John William Johannsen.
      I was aware that he had moved to NZ and would love to fill in some more gaps in the Johannsen family story.
      I would be good if we could be in contact with each other.

  5. Thanks for a great article. Similar to previous poster Charmian Corbett, will there be a course in 2021?

    Like MANY others is there any assistance/guidance in family history research for other countries (UK, Ireland, Canada, USA, etc) as there was great movement between countries during wars, Irish famines, 10 pound POMS arriving etc and Australia being a multi cultural country is not just from convict days.

    Also will there be any guest speakers or courses to assist with today’s genealogical research through DNA tests? This would be of great assistance to those with little/no family name knowledge and/or who have adoption/workhouse family history as well.

    Any special speakers/courses and assistance/guidance in these areas would be greatly welcomed?

    • Thanks for your question Noah. I’ve transferred your inquiry to our Ask-a-librarian service.
      You’ll be hearing from us soon.

      Paul

  6. Hello Mandy I was excited to read your history of the Johannsen family from Smythesdale and Allandale. I have the same photo of the family business and a photo of Ernst and Herbert. I have furniture that was made by Herbert. Herbert was my great grandfather. My grandmother was commonly known as little Ann and her aunt (Herbert’s sister) was known as big Ann. My grandmother was born in Allendale she told me that her grandfather owned the shop. Ernst has his name on the gate too. I have letters and photos from him from WW1. We are clearly related and I would like to make contact with you. I am sure we could have a great conversation about our family.

    • Hello Jenny
      I have just seen your email.
      I would love to chat with you.
      I’m not sure how we make contact with each other.

      Mandy

      • Hello Mandy I have just seen your reply to my note to you that I wrote in 2021. Sorry for such a late reply. I have a large hand coloured photo of Peter that was in your history of our family. I live at Yabba North near Shepparton. Where do you live. I have visited Allendale and saw where the the shop was situated. My grandmother Anne was born there. My great grandfather Herbert I believe is in the photo of the shop. I have a photo of Herbert and myself taken at Yabba North. I have quite a lot of family members that I am in close contact with. I am looking forward to having contact with you.

        • Telse Johannsen

          Hallo Jenny, I send you wishes from Germany. My name is Telse Johannsen, and I live in Germany. My great great great grandfather was Jürgen Johannsen a brother from Johann and Peter Johannsen.

          • Hello Telse I am excited to hear from you and clearly we are related. Where in Germany do you live and is this where my great great grandfather Peter came from?

      • Hello Mandy
        I hope you are able to find time to reply to me.
        Regards
        Jenny

        • Hi Jenny
          It would be good to get in touch. After a break I have just got back to exploring our family history.
          Not sure of the best way to contact each other.
          Hope we can.
          Mandy

        • Hello again Jenny
          I have just read your post again.
          I do hope that we can get in contact with each other.
          I realize that yours is the side of the family that I have been unable to trace. If I am correct your great great grandfather Peter and my great great grandfather Johann Niemann Johannsen were brothers.
          Was your great grandfather Herbert Dunmo Johannsen?
          I wonder if we might be able to get in touch with each other through the State library. I will ring them tomorrow to see if they can put us in touch with each other.
          I live near Geelong.
          Mandy

      • Ginine Johannsen-Weston

        Hi Mandy,
        We’re related! My name is Ginine Johannsen -Weston, daughter of Robert Frederick Johannsen – Grand daughter of Neiman Johannsen & it goes on.. Would love to chat … My son Rhys looks like your Great great ( great ) Peter…

  7. How often is “Branching out: Researching your Family Tree” run and can names be put down on a waiting list?

    • Hi Lee, thanks for your comment. We have been running Branching Out every quarter, but after our last workshop in October it’s going on a bit of a break while we prepare a new product. We hope to have this running mid-2023. In the meantime, I’d recommend having a look at our other workshops, in particular Finding Families: https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/whats-on/filter?type=1018 I hope that’s helpful!

  8. Glennis Slack-Smith

    Fascinating records.

  9. Greetings from Germany,
    I’m searching for the Johannsen family in Australia

  10. I ask you to register my email adress.
    I am living in Germany and making a Johannsen family tree.
    I visit Australia in Aprl 2023 an was the guest of Mandy an her family.
    With registration I can contact the other Johannsen descendants.

    Thank you
    Telse Johannsen

    • Hi Telse, we don’t have a registration system in place to contact descendants. However, if you would like to contact a specific person from this blog, let us know and we will email them on your behalf to see if they would like to connect.

      Kind regards,
      Carmen

    • Hello Telse
      My name is Jenny and I am Peter Johannsen’s great great granddaughter. Mandy and myself have been in contact and are going to meet soon. Mandy is going to send you my address so we can be in contact. My cousin Barbara now lives in Germany and is also Peter’s great great granddaughter.
      Looking forward to hearing from you
      Jenny Heaps

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