Franz Xavier Carl Wilhelm d'Fregeneau Martin (1860 - 1943)

Born 1 May 1860 in Staufen, Freiburg, Baden, Germany

Husband of Caroline Mary (Pick) Martin — married 8 Jun 1891 (to 1943) in Res. of Bride's fatherSummerhill near Mt Gambier SA

Descendants

Died 20 Sep 1943 at age 83 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

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Biography

Born 1860 in Staufen, Frieburg Baden South West Germany near border of France. Parents were Karl Virgil Martin and Anna Catharine Barbara Fregeneau. FX Martin left home aged about 17 and travelled to Victoria Australia on the "Kent" in 1877. His age was listed as 20. Stayed in Melbourne for some time before travelling to Mt Gambier area in SA. Worked at Bethesda Mission Station at Killalpaninna on Coopers Creek for 2 Years 1882-1884 and was given valuable Diari language notes by Pastor Meyer. He later donated these notes to SA Museum. In 1885, he went to Broken Hill to work for BHP Company. He transferred to Port Pirie in SA in 1888 when BHP established their Smelting Works in that town. On June 8 1891 he married Caroline Mary Pick at residence of bride's father, Summerhill near Mt Gambier. They lived in Agnes St Ellendale Port Pirie where FX continued to work for BHP until his retirement in 1915 after 30 years of service. He was an early member of St John Ambulance in that town as well as being an active member of the Literary and Debating Society and the Rifle Club as well as the Philatelic Society. He and his wife left Port Pirie in late 1937 to take up residence in Adelaide. FX Martin died in 1943 and his widow Caroline died in 1951. They are buried at North Road Cemetery in Adelaide.

Multiple first names as usual in 19th C Germany and various order of those names but common use names were Franz Xavier and he always used the initials FX. The d' Fregeneaux part is matrynomic after his mother's maiden name.

Sources

• Germany Select Births and Baptisms 1558-1898 ( image attached)
• Victoria passenger list unassisted immigrants from Great Britain
• SA Museum original Diari Language Notes Pastor Meyer Bethesda Mission Killalpaninna 1880s and correspondence 1930s
• NLA Newspapers Port Pirie Recorder article just prior to FX Martin leaving to live in Adelaide.
• SA BDM ( marriage record) records his Father's name as Virgil
• Ancestry Germany Select Births & Baptisms
• German- Australian Aliens of Militarism list online