The Griebel Family of Ohoka

The Griebel family were in-laws to my ancestors the Meng family.  I don't know much about them so have tried to research them a bit on papers past and other websites.  This is what I have so far.  If there are mistakes or you have additions, then please let me know.

Immigration

Peter Griebel came to New Zealand on the ship Zealandia arriving 23 December 1870 with his sister Marie Griebel from the village of Kindenheim.  Emilie Bratz arrived on the ship Friedeburg, 30 August 1872 as a single 18 year old general maid servant along with a lot of other Polish, Scandanavian and German immigrants.  The ship sailed from Hamburg.

Marriage

Peter married Emilie Ernestine Bratz in 1873 in St Pauls Church, Flaxton, New Zealand.

Children

They had the following children:

Biena Griebel                           born 23-09-1874 (spelt Birna: BDM website) - died 27-04-1943
Rose Amelia June Griebel        born 1876 - died 1960 (Rosa Amelia Brown on BDM website)
John Frederick Griebel             born 1878 - died 1949
Adelina Christina Griebel         born 1879 - died 1884

Mary Mabel Griebel                 born 1882 - died 1943 (Mary Mabel Kennett on BDM website)

Jacob Andreas Griebel              born 1884 - died 1952 in Timaru

Peter Leopold Griebel               born 1884 - died 1904

Ida Clara Margareta Griebel     born 1886 (surname spelt Griebal: BDM website) - unknown
Rachel Olga Cordelia Griebel   born 1889 - died 22-06-1951

Reuben Charles Griebel            born 1892 - died 1946

George Julius Griebel               born 1897 - died 05-04-1918 Beaumont-Hamel, France

Biena Griebel married Robert Andrew Clarke in 1893 and had at least seven children.

Rose Amelia June Griebel married Richard Brown in 1894.

John Frederick Griebel married Grace Hannah Ward in 1900 and they had three children, but she died in 1925.  Looks like Grace had a bit of a temper:



Adelina Christina Griebel died aged about 4 years in 1884, and is buried at Kaiapoi Public Cemetery (Plot 0290).

John Frederick Griebel married Mary Henrietta Brown in 1893 after Grace's death.

Mary Mabel Griebel had a daughter Henrietta Elsie Griebel in 1902, but no father is listed. She was married to Harry Kennett in 1907.

Jacob Andreas Griebel married Nora Rubena Clarke in 1920.

Peter Leopold Griebel died young in 1904.

Ida Clara Margareta Griebel, there is no further information at this stage.

Rachel Olga Cordelia Griebel married Herbert Ward in 1907 (he was the brother of Grace Hannah Ward, see above).  They had ten children as follows:

Leslie 1907
Leonard Herbert Ward 1908
Stanley 1910
Pearl Constance and
Ruby Marie 1911 (twins)
Evelyn Mavis 1912
Doris Rubeina 1914
Ronald Andrew 1915
Irene Thelma 1917
Olga Sunbeam 1919


Leslie Holland died young aged 9 years and 11 months on 11 December 1916 and is buried in Kaiapoi.  This is a photo of his headstone:

Rachel died on 22 June 1951 and is buried at Linwood Cemetery, block 31A.  Plot 2A.  She was 62 years old and lived at 73 Jeffreys Road when she died.  Herbert Ward who was born in 1883, died on 25 November 1918 and was burned in the Church of England Cemetery.  A photo of her is below:

Reuben Charles Griebel married Emily Smith in 1912.

George Julius Griebel died in 1918 in WWI.

Bankruptcy and Property

Peter Griebel farmer at Ohoka went bankrupt in about 1879.  It was advertised on 13 June 1879 in the Press.  The poor guy didn't get off to a great start in New Zealand financially.  I knew the Griebel family lived at Ohoka, the same as my Meng ancestors, as we have cards written by them and they are signed off, "Ohoka."  It appears they did own some land at one stage.  I definitely know they leased land from advertisements in historic local newspapers.  Where their land was I am not too sure but the following appeared in the Press 9 Feb 1893:

"Mr Peter Griebel handed in a petition signed by Messrs George Brown and Michal Lynskey to clean out and deepen Greigg's road drain. Resolved—That the Surveyor be authorised to have the work done at the same price as tendered for last year, failing that we invite tenders for the work at next." 

This suggests that they lived in the Greigg's Road area at this time.

On 5 February 1896 a "P. Gribel" was a witness to some pigs getting into six acres of peas and destroying them.  He gave evidence in the case where the farmer was given 5 pounds compensation for loss of crop.

An Early Death

Tragically, their son, Peter Griebel junior, aged 19 years, died on 5 September 1904 at Ohoka after a long illness.

A Day in Court

This article from the Press, 1 May 1906, suggests Peter Griebel senior was charged with not sending a child to school.  There is no reason given for this.  He may have had a very good reason, but we don't know.

"This constitutes a record. At the Kaiapoi Magistrate's Court yesterday, Mr V. G. Day, S.M., presiding, P. Griebel, charged by Mr Blank, truant officer for the .Education Heard, with neglecting to send his child regularly to the Ohoka School, was convicted and discharged."

A Clearing Sale, Lost Livestock and Other Happenings

On 30 March 1909 the farm that Peter Griebel was leasing on Ohoka Road was being sold.  It consisted of 13 acres 15 perches and a four bedroom house and outbuildings.  Peter ended up moving farms.

On 8 February 1911 it was advertised in the Press that Mr Herbert Russel was selling or leasing his farm at Ohoka of 26 acres and that the farm was currently leased to Mr Peter Griebel.  Soon after in the Press dated 8 April 1911 Peter Griebel advertised a clearing sale at his Ohoka farm, maybe retiring from farming for good. The following ad shows what he had on the farm:

In the Press on 5 March 1912.  "LOST, on the night of March 1st, from my place, fst, a Bay Draught GELDING, one white hind foot, white star on forehead, end Bhod all round. J. A. Griebel."

In 1913, John Griebel's daughter Florence Griebel, born in 1901, received a prize for Kaiapoi Primary School. 

On a list of land sales from 1 August 1915, P. Griebel sold 10 acres at Ohoka.

In the Press on 9 Sept 1916, "Messrs Joynt and Andrews were instructed to go on with the business in connexion with the purchase of land from P. Greibel."  And on 18 Jan 1917, Press, Mr F Griebel had a tender accepted for cleaning out Burgess's creek.

From talking to a Griebel descendant the family lived at one stage in a cottage at the corner of Mill Road and Bradleys Road, Ohoka.  This was across Mill Road from the Meng farm.  And easy way to describe the location is the NW corner of Mill and Bradleys Road.  The cottage is still there hidden behind trees and is now apparently painted red.

That same year on 11 December 1916 Leslie Rolland Ward, son of Rachel Olga and Herbert Ward, died and was buried at St Bartholomew's Kaiapoi, aged only 9 years and 11 months.  How very tragic for the parents.

Peter Griebel's Death

In the Press dated 22 August 1917, Mrs E Griebel thanks her friends and family for all the floral tributes, letters and telegrams and sympathies after a family bereavement.  This was the death of her husband Peter.  The next year, Emilie had tragedy again when Private G. G. Griebel of Ohoka died in action and this was published in the Ashburton Guardian on 19 April 1918.  (also listed as G. J. Griebel of (E. P. Griebel, Ohoka).  He had a medical examination for enlisting 11 May 1916 and passed.  His name appears on the war memorial in front of Harewood Primary School, Harewood Road, Christchurch to this day.  More information about George on another website.  Click here.

WWI Casualty

"Private George Griebel (killed) was the youngest son of Mrs Griebel and the late Peter Griebel, of Ohoka. He was 21 years of age, was born at Ohoka, and educated at the Ohoka School. At the time he enlisted he was working on the farm of his brother-in-law, Mr Clark at Russley. His brother, Jacob Griebel, who went with the Main Body, was on Gallipoli, and has been through most of the big fights with the New Zealanders in France. So far he has not been wounded." (Press, 24 April 1918)  But Emilie had good news very soon after with the following: "Mr R. Griebel, has been advised that his brother Private J. A. Griebel, who left with the Main Body, is returning home. (Press, 16 Oct 1918).

There was an amazing letter published in the Press dated 31 August 1918 as follows:

After all the tragedy in the family, Emilie, herself, kept on living and died in 1934, aged 89.

If anyone has even one photo of the Griebel family I would love to see it, as our family has a large photo collection and I'm sure the Griebel family are in this collection more than once.  I just don't know which photos as my ancestors decided not to label a single photo!!  Very frustrating.  Please email me or post a comment to get in contact.

The following photo definitely has some Griebel's in it.  Marie Ellenberger nee Griebel is there with her husband.  It would be great if her brother Peter Griebel is there too.  This is possible since the wedding was in the local area.  It is the marriage of Marie Christina Ellenberger (niece of Peter Griebel) to Robert William Fisher 11 December 1902.  Please help me in my desperate attempt to name some of the people in this photo!

 
Top Row:  ?, ?, ?, Ellenberger,?,?,?,?,?, Edwin Lord
Middle Row: ?, Ellenberger, Ellenberger, ?,?,?, McIntosh, Kate McIntosh, ?, ?,?, Mary Lord (nee Meng)
Front Row: ?, Sarah Winfield Meng (formerly Potts, nee Brown), ?, Ellenberger, Robert William Fisher, Marie Ellenberger, ?, Emma Elise Ellenberger, Jacob Nathanael Ellenberger and wife Marie Ellenberger (nee Griebel).
Children sitting:  Don't know!

Edwin Lord's Notebook

I love this notebook.  It was given to my great great grandfather Edwin Lord by his older brother Ira Spencer Lord..  The inscription says "Edwin Lord.  A  Present from his brother Ira on his 12th Birthday.  March 31st 1877."

The secret of this book is in the last page.  There is a secret pocket.  One day I found a lock of hair in the pocket.  It matches the colour of my great great grandmother's hair, Mary Meng.  A beautiful golden colour which both myself and my baby boy inherited.  Mary married Edwin in 1896.

There is no writing in the notebook which is a shame.

A Shooting at Courtenay - Jabez Lord as witness!

The following article was in the Press dated 21 August 1872 and has my ancestor Jabez Lord giving evidence.

Maliciously Wounding Cattle. — Martin Kemp and William Kingdon, surrendered to their bail, to answer further to this charge. Mr Joynt appeared for the defence. Peter Pender, Inspector of Police, deposed—On the l5th instant, I proceeded to the house of prisoner Kingdon's father, and where the two prisoners live. In the kitchen I found the gun produced. It appeared to have been recently discharged. I had it taken to Christchurch, and examined by Mr Manning, the gunsmith. It was the only gun I could find in the house. The inmates of the house denied that there was any other gun there. I searched for ammunition, but only found some powder. On the morning of the 16th, I took the distances from Davies' house to the house of a man named Williams, who lives on the opposite side of the road from Kingdon's paddock. It is thirty chains from Davies' house to Williams', which is opposite Kingdon's paddock. There is only a road and a small garden between them. The distance from Williams, to Kingdon's house is about eight or nine chains. The public pound is close to Kingdon's paddock. I examined the outside of Williams' house and found that the end of it fronts to Kingdon's. There were marks on Williams' house, which might have been caused by shot, but I will not say they had been. I saw a boy named John Knapp at Kingdon's house, and I had the boy taken away by the father. The lad will be called as a witness. By Mr Joynt — There seemed to be a fresh, appearance of smoke about the nipple and hammer. The broken cap was on the nipple, but I do not give that as a reason. The gap in the fence is not in a direct line between Kingdon's and Williams' house. The houses are nearly opposite, one on the right and the other on the left of the road. The gap in the fence is at the furthest corner from the house in Kingdon's paddock, and next to the road. The fence of the paddock along the road and the one which divides the paddock from the adjoining land run from the gap. The fence along the road is an ordinary sod fence, about three or four feet high. If it was shot that struck the side of Williams' house it must have been spent shot. The marks were very slight, and that is why I cannot swear that the marks were made by shot. I did see other marks on the side of the house of a somewhat similar character near the corner; a gun might have been fired from Mr Kingdon's paddock so as to strike both sides of the house. I saw no marks that I could positively swear to as being the marks of shot. A boy named John Knapp, ten years of age, was called, but his Worship, after putting several questions to whether he understood the nature of an oath, refused to take his evidence, as he clearly did not understand the obligations of an oath. Ann Dahlia Williams, the wife of Henry Williams, poundkeeper at Courtenay, deposed— I live a short distance on this side of Mr Watson's accommodation house. The two prisoners live at Mr Kingdon's. On Tuesday morning, the 13th inst., I was disturbed by the report of two guns. I was in bed awake. It was first at daylight, I heard one gun discharged, and the second one quickly afterwards. I was sleeping in that part of the house near the road and closest to Kingdon's house and paddock. I was sleeping in the end of the house. The reports came from across the road towards Mr Kingdon's. It appeared to come straight across. I heard something rattling against the house, and took it to be shot. I heard the noise against the house after both the shots. It was almost at the same time. By Mr Joynt-The reports were loud and sharp. I cannot say whether they were in the road or not. I am certain something rattled against the house like peas. It was just daylight. I could see anything in the room. Henry Williams, husband of the last witness, deposed —I know the two horses of Mr. Davies'. One is a bay mare, and the other is a chesnut gelding. They have been in the pound two or three times. Mr Kingdon impounded them. They were chiefly impounded by William Kingdon, the prisoner, for trespassing on their land sometimes for trespassing on the land near the house, and in the paddock opposite the house. On Tuesday morning last I was awakened about day-break by some noise against the house. I could not say what it was. I afterwards saw the fwo horses about nine o'clock that morning at Jason Davies'; they were both shot, I could feel shot in the skin of the horses. They had been shot at. Before I saw the horses I was with a man named Lord. I know a gap in Mr Kingdon's paddock. Lord and myself went together to see the horses, and we passed along the road by the gap; soon after we passed the ground we saw blood on the snow, there were also the tracks of two horses in the snow. We traced back the blood and tracks to the gap leading into Kingdon's paddock, but went no further. We then went to Davies' and traced the blood and tracks to about opposite the pound. After we saw the horses, we came back and traced the blood and tracks about five yards inside the gap in Kingdon's paddock. At this time Arthur Davies was with us. The horse tracks lead from out of Kingdon's paddock towards Davies' house. We did not trace the tracks in paddock beyond about five yards, because we thought we had no right to go further. By Mr Joynt—-I don't know now what it was that rattled against the house. I don't recollect any other person than prisoner (Kingdon) impounding the horses. I knew the bay mare well before Davies' had her. I did not know the other horse so well. I should have known him if I saw him. I did not know he was a gelding. I saw some shot in the horse cloth on one of the horses. They were very small. Jabez Lord deposed —I am a farmer, living near Watson's, at Courtenay. I recollect the morning of Tuesday last. I saw Davies' horses ; one is a little bay mare, and a sort of a brown gelding. They had been shot. I could see the shots in them, and they were bleeding a little. I think I must have seen them the evening before on the reserve in front of my own place. The reserve is between Kingdon's paddock and Davies'. After I had seen the horses I went to Mr Anderson's [Anderton's] beyond Kingdon's. There was snow on the ground. In coming back from Mr Anderson's [Anderton's] I met Mr Williams near his own gate, I noticed blood on the road. I turned back and traced it into Kingdon's paddock. The tracks were down the fence side. They were about five or six yards in the paddock. They were the tracks of two horses. We then traced the tracks and blood along the road towards Davies'; there was a great difference in the size of the tracks. Considering the direction in which the tracks were coming, the shots from Kingdon's paddock might have struck Williams' house. By Mr Joynt—I saw the blood on the road, in drops here and there; in some places three or four yards apart. Both the horses were bleeding from the head; they were both wounded in the head. One horse had a cloth on. I cannot say positively that I saw the horses the evening before. I don't know where  the horses were the night before. I saw Jason Davies the night before (Monday). I parted with him at Watson's after eleven o'clock ; I was home before twelve o'clock. I think I left Davies there. I heard nothing about the horses being tied up the night before. I went home by myself. I was sober when I left Davies at the Halfway house. Joseph Allen deposed—I am a veterinary surgeon living in Christchurch. I went up to Courtenay on Wednesday, the 14th inst. I examined one chesnut gelding and one bay mare, the property of Jason Davies'. They had been severely injured by shot. There were about fifty shot in the two horses. I extracted fifteen shot on the Wednesday. I produce them. Some of the shot had gone in an inch and a half into the muscular fibre. I took nineteen shot out of the horses this morning. The chesnut gelding had been shot in the eye and in the chest. They had not been shot broadside. They were injured on the off side, the shot penetrated obliquely. The horses must have been facing the man when shot at. Both the horses are to a certain extent permanently injured. I extracted a shot from the bay mare's leg. By Mr Joynt— The horses will always be sore when worked. The gun produced I think would not do all the injury at one shot. The shot in both the animals took the same direction. I would consider from the appearance of the wounds that the person who shot at them was standing about eight or nine yards. Harry Daniel Manning, gunmaker, Christchurch, deposed—I examined the gun produced on Saturday last. It appears to have been discharged a few days before. It would kill a duck at eighty or ninety yards. Spent shot would go further. By Mr Joynt—The gun was discharged within a week before Saturday. The breech was partly dry when I examined it. When a gun is discharged the breech is damp and then it gets dry, it again gets damp, and after drying again it rusts. I don't think the weather would affect the dampness of the breech. I don't think the damp would dry quicker in summer. I had the gun in my possession about an hour. The mould occurs in the breech after the second damp, about ten days afterwards. I have had considerable experience in guns. I could not say to a day or two when a gun is discharged. William Shipley deposed—I live at Courtenay at Mr Davies'. On Tuesday last the two horses came home in the morning. I first saw them whilst I was at the " Half-way house." I turned them loose on the night previous. I did not bring them back again. I next saw them on the Tuesday morniug, when they were injured. Mr Pender here again called the attention of the Beiach to the boy Knapp, and asked if he might give evidence without being sworn. His Worship said he could not allow this; the law requires that the witness should understand the nature of an oath before his evidence could be taken. The Inspector then asked that the case might be adjourned, in order that the boy might be taught, as he was in a position to state that the boy's evidence would bring the charge distinctly home to the two prisoners. Mr Joynt stated that when such a statement was made the Court should only be too careful in allowing a lad who was in such a state of ignorance as to the nature of an oath to give evidence. Mr Pender stated that the boy told him in his father's presence that he was not to say anything. On being further questioned by His Worship the boy staged that Mrs Kingdon had told him not to say anything. His Worship said that he was very loath to shut out any evidence, but he really could not swear the boy, as he could not answer correctly the simplest question as to his religious duties. Mr Pender next called John Kingdon, a brother of one of the prisoners, who deposed—l live with my father at Courtenay. I know Jason Davies' horses. I get up about a quarter to seven. Kemp and my brother slept in the same room. I did not hear any shot fired. The gun produced belongs to Mr Anderson. I had borrowed it. Folston's gan was in our house some time back, but he took it away some few days ago and sold it. I saw no horses in the paddock that morning. By Mr Joynt—It was broad daylight when I got up : the gun was last fired at a sea-gull. We have not had any shot in the house for some time. My brother and Kemp were with mc from the time my father called until we went to breakfast. We went into the stable, and all remained there till we were called for breakfast. I heard no shots fired. I did not get up till a quarter to seven. Jonathan Kingdon, the father of last witness, deposed—I have had occasion to have Davies' horses impounded. They were in my paddock again on Monday, and I cautioned Davies. I have not seen the horses since. My son William and the two prisoners all got up together at about a quarter to seven. I had called them before that, and my son said it was a quarter to four. I did not see them with any gun that morning. I know the gun produced. It was not loaded. Folston had taken his gun away. There was no other gun in the house. I heard no other shots fired. On Thursday night last my son went to Folston about some cattle. By Mr Joynt—l have often called the boys before four, to know what time it was. There was no shot in the house or caps either. I did not hear any gun fired that morning. I had no quarrel with Jason Davies. This closed the case for the prosecution. Mr Joynt contended that no evidence h a d beep adduced to conn.pt the prisoner with the charge, pis Worship dismissed the information.