Hans HAUSSLER
Born 6 August 1869 in Ulm, Wuttenberg, Germany [30]
Son of Johann HÄUSSLER and Ann KAUFMAN [15] [30]
Married Mathilve HEYBERGER [P87]
Resided in Burma and India and later in London, England 1889-1913 [30]
From London he made arrangements to purchase one of the Midland Railway Company's Ready-Made Farms in Winchester [34]
He paid a £404/10/- deposit to the Midland Railway Company to purchase 899 acres of land in Winchester, Western Australia [34]
On the same day also paid the Company £162/10/- to seed 130 acres of crop and £48 to fallow an additional 120 acres [34]
Shipped his family's personal effects from London to Fremantle, Western Australia on the steamship Ashburton in August 1913 [34]
The Midland Railway Company collected their effects, trained them to Winchester and stored them in the house on his farm [34]
The farm was one of the Company's Ready-Made Farms, which came partially cleared, fenced, with a house and water supply [34]
Departed Marseilles, France with his wife and daughter on the Mooltan and arrived in Western Australia on 16 December 1913 [70]
Four days later, on 20 December 1913, signed a contract with the Midland Railway Company to purchase the farm for £4,045 [27]
The farm, which was payable by instalments, was 899 acres and consisted of Lots M918 and M919 of Victoria Location 1936 [27]
Farmer of Gregorfields Farm in Winchester 1913-1931 [23: 13-Aug-1931]
Before being cleared the property had been timbered with Salmon and York Gum, Gimlet, Jam and Tamar scrub [81: 3-May-1931]
Took out assistance under the Industries Assistance Board while establishing his farm [34]
In 1914 or 1915 purchased a tractor from the Diamond Drilling Company for £800 [34]
During his first four years on the farm he only harvested one crop due to drought conditions [7: page 58]
He was described in 1914 as "a German farmer of scientific attainments" [120: 8-May-1914]
Extended Gregorfields to 4,003 acres with another two purchases of land from the Midland Railway Company [27]
He purchased 2,030 acres of land for £1015 on 2 December 1914 (Lot M1056 of Victoria Location 1936) [27]
His wife purchased 1,074 acres for £617 on 30 August 1920 (Lot M1268 of Victoria Location 1936) [27]
Once developed his farm was referred to "as a first class wheat and sheep property in a proved district" [81: 3-May-1931]
Despite Winchester being considered a waterless district, a bore struck water on his farm at 70 feet in July 1914 [86: 21-Jul-1914]
Advertised during September 1915 that he wanted to buy a table-top wagon of 6-7 tons with five-inch wheels [39: 9-Sep-1915]
From his 1915 crop he harvested a total of 500 bags of wheat [34]
Grew 680 acres of wheat crop in 1916, and 500 acres in 1917 [10: 19-Jun-1917] [34]
At certain stages of his crop he would put sheep into the crop, and at the right time take them out again [34]
In 1916 contract seeded for the Midland Railway Company a crop on their Lot M916 for 16/- per acre including seed and super [34]
One year he had 400 acres of record crop that was destroyed by rust within 48 hours [23: 13-Aug-1931]
Sold the Midland Railway Company 37 bags of Firbanks seed wheat for £27.13.7 in 1916 [34]
In August 1916 signed a petition which was sent to the Midland Railway Company requesting the price of their farms be reduced [34]
After much petitioning the prices were reduced and the price of his original 899 acres dropped from £4,045 to £2,427 [27] [34]
Member of the Winchester-Carnamah branch of the Farmers & Settlers' Association in 1917 [34]
During the war he and his family had to report to Donald MACPHERSON JP once a month because of their German origins [7: page 58]
Signed the petition and financial guarantee in 1917 for the Midland Railway Company to provide a resident doctor at Three Springs [34]
In September 1919 applied with the Midland Railway Company to lease 20,000 acres of their land in a pastoral lease [34]
The 20,000 acres was to be in East Winchester, including Billeroo Well; it is not known if he ended up leasing the land or not [34]
Became a naturalised Australian citizen on 10 July 1922 [30: item 42015]
He received references for naturalisation from Isaac W. KNIGHT of Winchester and from Donald MACPHERSON of Carnamah [30]
In the 1920s used a stamp on his letterhead that read: H. Häussler, "Gregorfields," Winchester, Mid. Rail. W.A. [30]
Member of the Winchester Tennis Club [7: page 59]
In March 1925 he was one of 32 farmers in Western Australia who purchased a Case tractor from Westralian Farmers [39: 21-Apr-1925]
Employed Harry ZUEGG as a farmhand for a short time in the early 1920s [12: 13-Aug-1931]
Farmer of Gregorfields Farm in Winchester in partnership with Harry ZUEGG from the 1920s until 1931 [7: page 58] [12: 13-Aug-1931]
They farmed his 4,003 acres in size and consisted of his Lots M918, M919, M1056 and M1268 [3] [4: 2-Feb-1929]
At an unknown date he and Harry also acquired the 4,999 acre Victoria Location 8115 in Winchester [3]
They also began developing a farm in Coorow, which was the 5,000 acre Victoria Location 8047 held in his name [3]
Presumably they also farmed or grazed livestock on his daughter's 4,982 acre Victoria Location 8194 in Winchester [3]
Haussler & Zuegg won 1st for the Best Fleece of Fine Wool at the Carnamah Agricultural Show in 1926 [9: 15-Oct-1926]
They were referred to as "good, solid, honest workers" in May 1927 when their cropping was progressing well [4: 7-May-1927]
In 1927 Haussler & Zuegg were the owners of a new Oldsmobile Six car [4: 7-May-1927]
Their car was registered with the Carnamah District Road Board and contained license plate CA-203 [325]
They won 1st prizes for Fine Wool, Medium Wool and Strong Wool at the Carnamah Agricultural Show in 1927 [9: 21-Oct-1927]
A year later, in 1928, they again won 1st prize for Wine Wool at the Carnamah Show & Sports Carnival in Carnamah [4: 13-Oct-1928]
In 1928 their wheat crops averaged eight bags and they ran a total of 1,300 head of sheep on their farm [4: 8-Dec-1928]
They were early growers of barley, cropping 250 acres of Prior's Malting Barley in 1928, which averaged 12 bags [4: 8-Dec-1928]
They hosted a Massey Harris Wallis tractor demonstration on Gregorfields Farm in Winchester on 31 January 1929 [4: 2-Feb-1929]
In November 1929 they purchased a large Hannaford Wheat Pickler and Grader from local dealer Ray WYLIE [4: 23-Nov-1929]
During the year 1929 they had 2,500 sheep on their farm and planted 1,000 acres of barley on their Coorow farm [4: 2-Feb-1929]
Among their machinery in 1929 were a Wallis tractor, 12-disc McKay scrub plough, Girsch scarifier and 44 Barger disc cultivator [4]
Haussler & Zuegg won 1st prize for Lettuce in the Vegetable section of the Carnamah Agricultural Show in 1929 [4: 28-Sep-1929]
They had an account with Carnamah blacksmith, wheelwright and motor mechanics Henry Parkin & Son [53]
By 1931 they'd cleared 3,000 of the the farm's 4,003 acres and had subdivided it into 15 paddocks with 23 miles of fencing [81]
Their farm contained three wells and had water connected to the house, sheep yards and dip [81: 3-May-1931]
They had a three-room weatherboard house, stable, barn, machinery shed, blacksmith's shop and two-room men's quarters [81]
His partner in the farm, Harry ZUEGG, married his daughter Kathleen in 1928 [12: 13-Aug-1931] [7: page 59]
Attended Charles ROBERTSON and Winifred LANG's wedding and reception in Carnamah on 27 March 1928 [4: 31-Mar-1928]
Attended the wedding dance for Alexander J. F. BROWN and Clara V. BERRIGAN in Carnamah on 28 August 1928 [4: 8-Sep-1928]
He was among the 400 people who attended the Matrons and Benedicts Ball held in Three Springs on 31 August 1928 [4: 8-Sep-1928]
Attended a meeting at the Carnamah Hall on 19 April 1929 to discuss the establishment of flour mills in Carnamah [86: 20-Apr-1929]
Member in 1929 and Vice President in 1930 of the Carnamah Race Club [4: 6-Apr-1929 & 21-Dec-1929]
Father of Kath [P87]
Died 6 July 1931 in Winchester; buried at Winchester Cemetery in Carnamah, Western Australia (Row B, Plot 1) [1]
Said to have died of a "broken heart" following the death of his wife and also on Elders foreclosing on his farm [7: page 58]
The Winchester Cemetery's interment book states his cause of death was Angina Pectoris [1]
Undertaker of his funeral was Henry Parkin & Son of Carnamah and the officiating ministers were Revs. CURTIS and JAQUET [1]
Following his death Elder Smith & Co Ltd repossessed Gregorfields and sold it to LEISHMAN Bros [7: page 58]
On 15 January 1916 and 2 February 1916 Hans wrote to Robert L. GILBERT of the Midland Railway Company:
"It would be idle to disguise the fact that the 1914 drought and the 1915 dry blight... have hit me very badly. At the same time I consider it not more than fair to my interest to mention that the acreage ready for cultivation compares very favourable with any of my neighbours. I have now in crop 620 acres, fallowed 120 acres, half cleared 80 acres, a total of 820 acres of which I intend seeding 700 acres in 1916 and fallowing 120 acres for 1917 crop. Besides the latter, I intend, weather permitting to plow in & fallow another 500 acres scrubland. Therefore with all my acreage & given a couple of normal seasons there can be no doubt of my ability to put my finances not only straight, but also safe. The land has shown what it can do & it is that, which in spite of the bitterness created by the last disappointment, still fires me this conviction & the courage & determination to succeed... Expected Return Season 1915: 150 tons chaff, 300 bags oats @ 7/-, 30 bags barley @ 8/- and 500 bags wheat (1500 bushels) @ 4/-. Total £717. Estimated expenditure of putting in and taking off crop 1916: Living expenses (stores etc) £200, Wages £250, Super for 700 acres (incl freight) £150, Tractor oil [petrol] £90, Machinery instalments £130, spare parts £50, Clearing 80 acres @ 23/6 £100, Contingencies £72."
From The Irwin Index newspaper, Saturday 11 July 1931:
Obituary - Sudden Death at Winchester - Mr Hans Haussler
"Quite a gloom was cast over the Carnamah district on Monday last when it became known that there had passed away suddenly an old and highly respected resident in the person of Mr. Hans Haussler, of "Gregorfields," Winchester. The funeral took place in the Winchester Cemetery on the following afternoon and was largely attended, the last burial rites being conducted by the Rev. E. G. Jaquet (Three Springs) and the Rev. A. W. Curtis (Coorow). The pall-bearers were Messrs J. Bowman, J. Lawson, F. Hamilton, J. Lang, sen., J. M. Haig, C. Kroschel, J. S. Rooke and L. P. Parker. Among those present at the graveside were D. Rosenthal, Rev. J. H. Traeger, Messrs H. W. Bothe, J. M. Haig, P. K. Haig, L. Parker, J. Colpitts, L. P. Parker, J. L. Adams, H. Chappel, W. Pethick, J. Armstrong, J. Hunter, J. Straiton, B. Brokenshire, Chave, M. Clune, E. L. Huf, H. Brady, J. Lawson, F. Bowra, T. Poole, S. G. Gentley, S. Kite, H. Dowding, R. Diamond, L. Lightfoot, R. Woodhouse, F. C. Hamilton, D. Walker, R. Clark, J. Lang, jun., J. Lang, sen., W. Sargent, I. Johnson, F. Badrick, W. G. Mulligan, J. McIntosh, J. Bowman, H. J. Fowler, W. Lawson, L. Critch, G. Raffan, C. Ninehan, A. Potts, G. Brown, F. Rooke, J. Rooke, C. Robertson, C. Kroschel, T. Berrigan, W. Chapman, T. White, N. Graham, J. Burns, Mesdames Arndt, Colpitts, Allan, Bowra, Brady, Simpson, Dowding, Hunter, Straiton, R. Clarke, N. Graham, Misses Pethick (2), and others. The mortuary arrangements were carried out by Messrs Henry Parkin & Son, of Carnamah."
From The Midlands Advocate newspaper, Thursday 13 August 1931:
Hans Haussler of Winchester - A Story That Ought To Be Read
"So far we have read nothing about the life of Hans Haussler, which closed recently at Winchester, after long years of battle with adverse circumstances. Hans Haussler won for himself a large place in the affections of those who came to know him during his eighteen years residence in the Midlands. From his boyhood he had he had lived under the British flag, and spent a considerable portion of his life in India and Burma managing different commercial concerns for British companies. His prolonged residence in the tropics did not agree with his wife's health. One evening as he was walking through the city of London his attention was attracted by a brilliantly lighted advertisement of the Midland Railway Company's Ready Made Farm Scheme in Western Australia. After going into the matter with his wife and the officials in London, he decided to come to Western Australia with his wife and young daughter. Arriving at Winchester he threw himself into his new work with all the energy and zeal he was capable of. In this respect he was ably assisted by his wife, a woman of great personal charm. She not only attended to the domestic part of the farm life but she helped during the busy periods with the field activities. They were joyous days. The land was to them a new found love. Mrs. Haussler was one who never knew the necessity of performing menial tasks. She had had no training in domestic affairs and her life in India and Burma where labour and domestic help was so easily procured had not helped in the preparation for her life in West Australia. Her part in the rough pioneering work is an epic of the ???? which finds its parallel in those hardy settlers who arrived here at the dawn of West Australia's history. This beautiful and gifted lady was an ideal host who was ever ready with her cheery word and hearty welcome, and attendance upon the smallest wish of her guests. "Gregorfields" became known throughout the State as a home whose glory was hospitality. Her life was devoted to the service of mankind. To her the weary came and were refreshed. The sick and the sad and the needy knew her for the best thing God had made. Her sympathy embraced all things that had life. Bird and beast and flower found in her a friend. She was one with nature. Her friendships grew and deepened. The lowly and the great came to the home of Hans Haussler and his wonderful wife. Such is the effect of true refinement. There was no searching for guests, and no striving after effect. The friends who came to know the Haussler's valued them for their innate refinement. There was no tinsol about them. There was no display. There was no showing off. They were gentle folk, and others who were judges of the real from the false took their measure quickly. They were joyous days. We are tempted to repeat it. And like every other record the narrative is suddenly pulled up with this sentence:-"Then came the War." And they were Germans. Though Hans Haussler had lived most of his life in British countries, it was Germany that gave him his birth and infant nurture. His true friends never wavered. They were sure of the Haussler's. But the old joy departed from "Gregorfields." A cloud had descended upon them. And they never embarrassed their friends. Yet it was so difficult to carry on. The capital needed for their work was swept away. The source from which it flowed disappeared, for his capital was confiscated by the Fatherland. Labour was hard to get in any case in 1915 when every able bodied man was being called upon to defend the Empire. Apart from this there was so little money to spare. Yet these two people suffered in silence. But Hans Haussler and his wife laboured on. It was a fight for existence. They were no weaklings. Man and wife looked after the stock and put the crop in. And the crop promised well. Then in 48 hours they saw 400 acres of record crop utterly destroyed by rust and septoria. Nevertheless, the motto of the Haussler's was "Onward, ever Onward." They still went on making plans for the future development of their home. They and the soil were one. Some day the cloud would lift. And the man worth while showed that he could smile when everything went dead wrong. A young engineer who had been employed on the farm for a little while revealed that he had a little capital and more brains. He entered into a partnership with Hans Haussler. It was then known as Haussler and Zuegg. That helped things. Then came the unkindest cut of all. Mrs. Haussler died. Hitherto she had shared every interest in the farm's activities. Still he carried on. His partner, Mr. Zuegg married Miss Haussler. Then Hans Haussler began to know failing health. The financial slump of the recent year added considerably to his worry, and on Sunday July 1st he passed away to his rest in his sleep. It was nature's anodyne to a life of struggle. All his old friends met to pay tribute to one who was of enemy birth, but of whom they felt sure that there was no one who loved Western Australia more than he."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Hans Haussler' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 25 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/hans-haussler [reference list] |
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