1 My Life’s Story. The First Volume… Written by… Maria Magdalena Dallwitz. (2.7.1) This is the beginning of the Theme I have chosen to write namely my Life Story…. To explain some of those things I remember and have been told in reference to my Forebears; namely Andreas and Anna Mickan; Johann and Sophia Arnold. As a book has been written and published, in reference to both the above-mentioned families, I shall give an abbreviated description, of their History: - The Mickans, were born in the Kingdom of Saxony, Bautzen, Rachel…respectively. They were originally Wends and their churches and schools were conducted in the Wends language. Andreas Mickan, served in the Saxon Army, for three years. Saxony is the Original Homeland of the Anglo Saxons, namely the English People. Two children were born to Andreas and Anna Mickan in Saxony, who left their homeland approximately during the year 1848. They boarded a sailing ship, at the Hamburg seaport, which was situated in the Kingdom of Prussia, at that period of time…with their oldest child Maria, a daughter, who was four years of age and a baby Son, little Johann who was a weak and sickly child. I can still remember my Grandmother Mickan telling me (her Grand daughter) in reference to their baby Johann. He slept quite soundly during the days, but cried and cried all night. Andreas and Anna carried their baby around (trying to pacify the poor little child) all night, both taking their turn, whilst the other slept. Then it happened their little darling died and was buried in the sea… Their daughter Maria told me that this sad event stayed within her memory throughout her long life. After a lengthy voyage, they landed at Port Adelaide, South Australia. As I am writing this script my mind is wandering and thinking. “What hardships those early Pioneers to Australia had to endure.” “How did they wend their way through the bushland?” “How brave they were”. Andreas and Anna Mickan were no exception. Eventually they selected some land approximately 50 miles in a northeasterly direction from Adelaide. Quite a large number of Wends, settled in the same district and they made a decision to name the district Eben – Ezar. The meaning of this is, “Unto here the Lord has helped us”. As it has been mentioned in reference to the book, namely the Mickan History, which explains everything about why the Wends migrated to Australia. As the story goes, a gentleman, namely Mr G. Fife Angas, who was Scottish, was in possession of a station property of approximately 60,000 acres, which was situated in the Barossa Valley district of South Australia. The Wends found employment on this station, clearing the land thereby converting the bush country into very attractive grazing land. Mr Fife Angas assisted the migrants financially, so they in turn were happy to pay their sailing ship debts off as it had been arranged before they left Saxony, their homeland. During the early hours each night, the poor Wends cleared their selections of land, using a lantern. Of course there would be bright moonlight, during opportune times. The migrants earliest dwellings were o so humble indeed, being erected of timber and bark, and taken off the trees on their selections. Only the chipped, and levelled off floor, and bags were their mats. It so happened, Anna Mickan gave birth to twins, a son and a daughter, in one of those dwellings mentioned, and were the first of the Mickan family to be born in Australia.
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