I am trying to find out what happened to my 2x great grandmother's sister, Catherine Driscoll, and her family.

Catherine Driscoll married Frederick Behrens (recorded as Behrins) at Sydney on 3 August, 1865. The couple appear to have had only 1 child named Mary who was born in 1866 but died in 1867. Death notices for the child were published in the SMH and that is the last trace I can find for this family. Does anyone have any ideas on what became of Frederick and Catherine?

Death QLD

BEHRENS, Fredrich Julius Franz 1900/C3544
parents Fredrich Ludwig BEHRENS and Catherine.

Do you have ages, parents names for Frederick and Catherine
please...the better to find a death record?

Hi fryerning

The only information I have for Frederick Behrens comes from a transcript of the couples marriage which took place in Sydney on 3 August, 1865 -

Groom - Frederick Behrens,
Status - Bachelor,
Place of Birth - Germany,
Occupation - Butcher,
Age - 28,
Usual Residence - Sydney.

Based on that information his year of birth would be 1836 or 1837. Unfortunately no details of his parents were recorded at the time of the marriage.

Catherine Behrens nee Driscoll was born c1842/3 in Ireland and her parents were John and Catherine Driscoll nee McCarthy.

Now this has me puzzled - while searching I came across another Catherine Driscoll who happens to have a lot of details in common with my Catherine. This other Catherine Driscoll married Joseph Worsley at Springsure Qld on 17 November, 1869. According to their marriage certificate this Catherine was a 25 year old spinster from Cork, Ireland the daughter of John Driscoll and Catherine Carty. Then later according to her 1917 death certificate, she was aged 75 at the time of her death (so born c1842) born at Banden (Bandon?) Cork Ireland to father ? Driscoll and mother Catherine McCarthy.

Could both Catherines be one in the same? The marriage certificate for Catherine Worsley nee Driscoll states that she was a spinster but could she have lied?

I was hoping to find some trace of the Behrens couple to eliminate the 2nd Catherine Driscoll who has appeared in Qld.

It certainly looks sounds the same woman.

Do you mean that the transcript of marriage cert. Sydney 1865 has parents for Catherine, but not for Frederick?

Do you have names of witnesses on both marriage cert. that you have...1865 and 1869?

Those names might lead to close family relatives for Catherine to support her being sister of your ancestor.

Or family of Frederick, the better to possibly locate a death.

If the first marriage ended in divorce you would expect to find mention in the newspaper. I wonder if that marriage was annulled?.

Where did Catherine's sister, your gggrandmother, marry/live/die.

You might find mention of Catherine in the death notice of a sibling, years later?.

What do you know of the Driscolls...did any of this family live in north Queensland? Might account how/why Catherine goes such a distance from Sydney.

Hiya,
I think both Catherines are one in the same..

There is a Frederick BEHRENS who arrives at Moreton Bay (NSW and QLD) 1855...

Have you looked theough NSW and QLD for naturalisation records for him?

Kellie

Hi Kellie,

I don't think the Frederick Behrens who arrived at Moreton Bay in 1855 is the 28 year old Frederick who married Catherine Driscoll in Sydney in 1865. According to shipping records, the Frederick that arrived at Moreton Bay was a 26 year old (so born c1829) shepherd born in Braunschweig Germany with parents named Ludwig and Johanna. This Frederick would have been about 36 years old at the time of Catherine’s marriage. Also, he arrived at Moreton Bay accompanied by his 23 year old wife Louise, a housekeeper also from Braunschweig. It appears this couple absconded from hired service and warrants were issued for their arrest - according to newspaper advertisements appearing in “The Moreton Bay Courier” during December 1856. I’m not sure what became of them after this.

I suspect the Frederick Behrens I am looking for might be the 25 year old that arrived in Melbourne, Victoria on 19 Novenber, 1863 aboard the “Linda”. He appears to be the closest match I can find.

I’ve checked for naturalisation records at NSW State Archives and the National Archives of Australia but haven’t found anything for Frederick. Are the Queensland naturalisation records available online?

Regards
Karen

Hi fryerning

The marriage certificate for Frederick and Catherine did not record the parent’s names for either party. I have assumed that Catherine is the daughter of John and Catherine Driscoll nee McCarthy based on the following –

1. Catherine Driscoll nee McCarthy and Mary Behrens died at the same address. The death notice published in the SMH on 29 July, 1871 for Catherine Driscoll nee McCarthy states that she was the widow of John Driscoll and that she died at her late residence “4 Sarah Ann Street Strawberry Hills”. The death notice for Mary Behrens, the child of Frederick and Catherine Behrens nee Driscoll, published in the SMH on 14 May, 1867 states “On the 7th instant, at her parents' residence, No. 4, Sarah Ann-street, Strawberry Hills, MARY, the only beloved child of FREDERICK and CATHERINE BEHRENS, aged six months.”

2. Mary Behrens is buried at Rookwood cemetery (surname recorded as Behrins) and shares a grave with Mary Sullivan (1870-1872) who was the daughter of Patrick and Ellen Sullivan nee Driscoll. Ellen was my gg grandmother and would have been Catherine Behrens’ sister.

3. Catherine Driscoll nee McCarthy died on 27 July, 1871 and details for her death certificate were supplied by her daughter Mary. The certificate states that at the time of her death, Catherine had 4 daughters living and 1 son deceased. Unfortunately the children were not named. The certificate also states that Catherine had lived in NSW for 10 years. Based on this information I believe she arrived in Sydney on 15 December, 1860 aboard the “Lady McDonald”. Appearing under the heading “Widows and Families” and transcribed as “Driscole” by ancestry.com were – Catherine – widow aged 45, with Catherine aged 18 and Ellen aged 20.

The witnesses to the 1865 marriage of Frederick Behrens and Catherine Driscoll were William Jones and Jane Jones. I do not know who these people were or whether they may have been related to the bridal party. The witnesses to the 1869 marriage of Joseph Worsley and Catherine Driscoll were Thomas Morris and Margaret Curtis Tanant(?). Again, I don’t know who these people were or whether they were related to the bridal party.

I can’t find any newspaper records suggesting that Frederick and Catherine Behrens were divorced or had their marriage annulled.

Catherine Behrens’ sisters were Ellen Sullivan nee Driscoll (c1843–1922) and Mary Freeman nee Driscoll (c1839-1894). I believe the 3rd sister was named Margaret Finn nee Driscoll (c1833-after 1911) and she never came to Australia but lived in Cornwall then later in Wales. Both Ellen (my gg grandmother) and Mary lived, married and died in Sydney with no connection to Queensland as far as I can see. I’ve looked through family newspaper notices and have never found any mention of the Behrens name in connection to known family members. The only notice found was for the death of their first (possibly only) child Mary in 1867.

So now I am stuck and not sure where to look next. Any ideas?

Regards
Karen

Hi,

The Brisbane Courier, Qld, Thursday 21 June 1900 Page 4.

A magisterial inquiry was held yesterday at South Brisbane by Mr. R. D. Neilson, J.P., Into the circumstances attending the death of Frederick Julius Franz Behrens, a butcher, of Oxley. Deceased, who was aged 72 years and 6 months, and had been a colonist of forty-six years' standing, was found dead in bed at his residence on the 8th. Instant. The evidence taken showed that death was due to cerebral hemorrhage.

Here is the death of one of his sons, on 08.01.1946 in Qld:

1946/B4869
Julius Franz Behrens
Father: Friedrich Julius Franz
Mother: Louise Marie Dohna

Mary

Hi,

Qld State Records:

Insolvency File

BEHRENS, Fridrich Juligus Franz

3016/1890


Mary

Hi Karen,
Pre 1896 NSW marriage certs didn't require parents names etc BUT the church was obliged to record them.
The parents names should be recorded on the actual church records.

You seem to have everything else sorted out.

Not all newspapers and/or notices are online yet...so not finding a divorce notice isn't uncommon.
Some people never divorced,,,,Just decided to go different ways and divorce was sooo expensive.

Kellie