Born: 25 July 1839, Wedel, Schleswig-Holstein Germany
Died: 30 June 1915, Mount Gambier, South Australia
Parents: Joachim Ernest Jens and Lucia Dickmann.
Siblings: Margaretha Elisabeth, Joachim Ernest, Lucia, Johanna Catherina, Heinrich, Lucia (aka Luci),
Spouse: Anastasia Quigley
Children: Lucia, Margaret Hilda, Henry Ernst, Lucy Maria (Lucy Mary), Catherine Johanna (Katie aka Katrina Johanna), Albert Michael
Johannes departed Germany on 21 May 1864 per the Harlequin for England before arriving in Australia several months later. On Sunday 11th September 1864 he arrived in Port Adelaide per the steamer Penola. After a short period, Johannes travelled to Mt Gambier via Port MacDonnell where he was engaged in farm work including working for Mr E Patzel at OB Flat before being employed by Mrs Robert Long at the South Australian Hotel.
In November 1871 he married Miss Anastasia Quigley who was also employed at the same hotel and in January 1872 took up the lease on the Victoria Hotel at Port MacDonnell. On the 4 June 1874 Johannes took an oath of allegiance to become a naturalised citizen. In 1880 he became the licensee of the Globe Hotel and while there he purchased Jack Allen’s Corner” where the first hotel in the town stood and by 1884, he had erected the Town Hall Hotel (Jens).
Johannes was a friend and supporter of various sports and certain movements for the advancement of the town and district, a member of the Freemasons Lodge and was connected to the Order of Odd fellows. He was described as a model hotelkeeper, a man of the strictest integrity and was highly respected. He & his wife Anastasia were great Christian people & wonderful benefactors to the people of Mount Gambier. Johanne built his wife a beautiful home they called Holstein, which is in Hedley St, but sadly she never lived to see it completed.
He died 30 years exactly to the day of the Hotels opening. On the morning of his death, Mr Jens at his own request was received into the Catholic Church of which his family are members. He was baptised by Rev Father James and died in his arms surrounded by his family.
Source:
Adelaide Express (SA: 1863-1866), Monday 12 September 1864
Births Deaths Marriages Victoria. Registration No 4132
Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861-1954), Wednesday 3 February 1915 page 2
Southern Cross (Adelaide, SA : 1889-1954), Friday 5 February 1915 page 17
Verzeichniss (passenger list) Harlequin 21 May 1864
Dansk Demografish Database
Familysearch.org./Johannes Mathias Jens
