Biographies G-H-I

Name Abstract
Graf, Johann Br. (1873-1951)


Gsell, Francis Xavier Ep. (1872-1960)

Fr. Gsell MCS headed the Catholic mission at Bathurst Island (1911-1938) and became Bishop of Darwin (1938-1948). His autobiography calls him the 'Bishop with the 150 wives' and his response to indigenous marriage customs became strongly contested.

Günther, Jakob Wilhelm (1806-1879)

James Günther was assigned to the CMS mission near Mudgee which showed up deep resentments between German and English-speaking Protestants. He trained as a missionary at Basel and London, and remained for six years at the Wellington Valley mission. In 1843 the New South Wales government withdrew all support for its missions, both of which were staffed by Germans (Zion Hill and Wellington Valley).

Handt, Johann Christian Simon (1793-1863)

Reverend Handt was the first Basel candidate in Australia, and the first missionary in Queensland. He became a victim of the wrangle between the Anglican state church and other Protestant denominations. He had three years’ missionary experience in West Africa before coming to New South Wales in 1831, and worked at Wellington Valley mission (1832-36), Moreton Bay convict settlement (1837-43), as a teacher at Lindfield near Sydney (1842-1854) and as prison chaplain at Geelong (1854-1863).

Hanke, Franz Br. (1904-1957)

One of three Pallottine workers who came down with a form of leprosy at Tardun.

Hausmann, Johann Gottfried (1811-1901)

During his ninety years Godfrey Haussmann (as he was later called ) maintained a passionate interest in mission work, and was at times the sole advocate of Aboriginal mission work in Queensland. He insisted that ‘these people are meant to be saved’ and that the German Lutherans in Queensland had a ‘moral responsibility’ to do so. He was one of the first Gossner disciples, and like Gossner, he attempted to draw on the loyalty of his surrounding German community. He sought to combine the successful settlement of German migrants with productive enterprise into which Aboriginal people might be drawn. He was instrumental in settling a new wave of German immigrants in the Beenleigh and Logan areas in the 1860s and became the patriarch of the German settlers in southern Queensland. Although not well educated himself, his written English was entirely creditable.

Helmprecht, Anton, Br. (1874-1939)

Br. Anton was a Pallottine teamster and builder in the Kimberley for 35 years and a pioneer of Lombadina.

Herholz, Franz Br. (1901-?)

Pallottine Brother at Beagle Bay 1927-1933, later left the Pallottine Society.

Herold, Johann Fr. (1903-1975)

Ministered at Pallottine missions Beagle Bay (1934-37), Rockhole (1937-39) Broome (1939-40) and Lombadina (1947-50, 1952-59).

Herrmann, Alfons, Br. (1874-1962)

Br. Alfons was a locksmith at Lombadina from 1904 to about 1907. He was posted to Cameroon (1911-1914), interned during the war, and left the Pallottine Society in 1921 and later married.

Hey, Nikolaus (1862-1951)

From an impoverished background Hey rose to become an influential and often controversial figure in Aboriginal policy in North Queensland, earning the enmity of those who vied with the missions in recruiting Aboriginal labour. He pursued a morally rigid pietist style of governance, along the Moravian model of socially segregated spaces on the mission. As a Moravian, Hey is a somewhat unusual figure, because he did not come from a Moravian community, but rather asked for admission to the Unity of Brethren when he was already past his youth. Without the benefit of a fine Moravian school education, he was thrust into a position of responsibility when the leader of the mission died after a short period at Mapoon.

Hoffman, Bernhard Br. (1872-1953)

Pallottine carpenter at Beagle Bay from 1902 to 1906. It seems likely that ‘Bernard Well’, one of the picnic spots for Beagle Bay excursions, was named after him. Was dismissed from the Pallottine Society in 1926.

Hörlein, Johann Sebastian (1871-1908)

Hörlein was one of two successive Lutheran missionaries who completely foundered on the challenges of missionising at Bloomfield. He arrived bristling with vigour and enthusiasm, full of innovative, renovative, missionary zeal. After ten years at the mission, he was broken in health and spirit, and he died seven years later at age 37. His frank, long and frequent letters make agonising reading.

Hornung, Leo Fr. (1912-1999)

Spent ten years in the Kimberley as rector of Wandering, LaGrange and Beagle Bay. Was briefly interned in 1940. Better known for his work among postwar German migrants in Victoria.

Hügel, Franz Fr, (1902-1991)

Fr. Francis spent 21 years at Beagle Bay, and altogether 50 years in the Kimberley including Rockhole (1934-37), Lombadina (1945-47), Broome (1947-48), Derby (1951-54), and LaGrange and Balgo (1955-61).