Wilhelm SCHUBART 1825-1886

[Franz] Wilhelm SCHUBART is my ggg-grandfather.

He was born 14 June 1825 and baptised 17 June 1825 in Epfenbach, Baden, Germany.

Similar to other children of poor German families born around this time, Wilhelm was born illegitimate.  The government had made it too expensive for poor couples to marry.

Wilhelm’s birth entry in the church register tells the story:

In the year of Christ one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five, on the fourteenth of June, in the morning at two o’clock was born in Epfenbach, and on the seventeenth of June in the evening at six o’clock baptised: Franz Wilhelm EHRHARD (illegitimate).  His mother is called Maria Margaretha EHRHARD, legitimate unmarried daughter of the resident in Epfenbach Peter EHRHARD and his wife Eva Margaretha nee SEEL.

Baptismal sponsors: Wilhelm EHRHARD, unmarried, from Epfenbach and Franz HOFMANN, unmarried, from the same.

Epfenbach, the 17th June 1825.  J. B. ULLMANN, pastor.

Notation in left margin:

As father of the child Georg Josef SCHUBART acknowledged himself, born at the Oberhof near Schatthausen, whose father is called Josef SCHUBART, day labourer.  Epfenbach, the 29th August 1825, J.B. ULLMANN.

For the same reason as his parents, Wilhelm himself was not married when Eva Catharina MARTIN gave birth to their first son, Georg.  Wilhelm, Catharina and Georg were due to emigrate from Hamburg in 1852 when the New South Wales government tightened the criteria for German emigrant families – insisting that the couples be married.  Consequently Wilhelm and Catharina were married in a Catholic church in Hamburg just four days before the ship’s departure.  They were one of 19 couples to marry in this church on the same day – all travelling on the ship Triton to New South Wales.

Wilhelm died at Pampoolah, New South Wales on 21 September 1886.