Clara Emily (Leis) Day (1855 - 1926)

Born 1 Apr 1855 in Clarence River, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Wife of Michael Day — married 15 Jul 1873 in Tenterfield, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 2 Aug 1926 at age 71 in Allora, Queensland, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Paul Middleton [send private message]

Biography

No birth certificate exists for Clara Leis (sometimes spelt Leiss), but it is known from other sources she was born on 1 April 1855 in the Clarence River region of New South Wales. She was the third of nine children and the first born in Australia. Her parents were German immigrants, Franz Carl (Charles) and Rosina Barbara Leis.

Before the family left Germany, Charles was described on the Family Register as a Wagner (Coach Builder). They probably left Germany for economic reasons. Between the 1820s and the 1850s, inflation outstripped wages by 50% and many young Germans looked for better opportunities elsewhere. Most went to America, but some came to Australia.

Religion may have also been a factor in the decision to emigrate. Charles was Catholic and Rosina was Lutheran, and they probably faced family opposition to their relationship. An abstract for a 2019 academic article about mixed marriage in Imperial Germany stated:

Across the German states in the mid-nineteenth century, marriage between members of different religions frequently proved impossible. Until various civil marriage laws were introduced between the 1840s and 1870s, marriage remained within the remit of the church. As a consequence, marrying across confessional lines was rarely permitted. The implications were clear: marriage was seen as the embodiment of one’s culture – defined primarily in confessional (alongside socio-economic) terms, and it was also viewed as a key transmitter of culture by producing new generations of faithful observers of particular denominations.

To complicate matters further, Charles and Rosina’s first child, Karoline Helene, was born out of wedlock in December 1849. Given this fact and Charles and Rosina’s different religious traditions, it is surprising that a Catholic priest agreed to marry them in Charles’ home city of Neckarsulm in southwest Germany in September 1851. Both Charles and Rosina certified that all children of the relationship would be brought up Catholic. Another child, Franz Carl, named after his father, but known as Franz, was born in Germany in February 1853 before the family departed on 3 November 1854. On their immigration papers, they stated they had no relatives living in Australia, so their decision to migrate was very much a leap of faith. Charles’ parents were listed as Franz, deceased, and Franziska (nee Herold), still alive in Germany. Rosina’s parents were listed as Christian and Katharina Barbara (nee Hessen) Hermann, both still alive in Germany. The ship’s record stated that Charles and Rosina could both read and write. It also stated the whole family was in good health upon arrival in Australia and that they had no complaints regarding their treatment on the ship. Charles’ occupation was listed as vine dresser and wheelwright.

The family disembarked in Sydney on 12 February 1855, less than seven weeks before Clara was born. From Sydney, they had to make their way north to Sandilands Station near Tabulam in northern New South Wales, where Charles was indentured to work for two years for the owners of the station, the Robertson brothers. According to oral family history, the family waited a short time in Sydney before taking another ship up the coast and into the Clarence River and then disembarking at the small settlement of Lawrence. The distance by road today from Sydney to Lawrence is about 650 kilometres and the family would have travelled a similar distance by sea, probably taking several days. From Lawrence, they had to travel overland to Sandilands Station, a distance of well over 100 kilometres. However, it is likely the family waited in Lawrence for Rosina to give birth to Clara, rather than risking an arduous overland journey for a heavily pregnant woman. Clara was not a family name in either of her parent’s families, so she was probably named after the Clarence River on which she was born.

The overland journey to Sandilands Station would have presented many challenges. Another pair of my great great grandparents made a similar overland journey with three small children to Unumgar Station on the Richmond River less than a decade later. Their experience may provide some insight into the Leis family’s overland experiences. My great grandmother, who was a small child at the time, recalled one of the biggest hazards was straying bullocks at a time when much of the country was unfenced. She said when menaced by bullocks, her mother would crouch in the long grass, pressing her three children under cover until the danger had passed. The household goods were carried by bullock dray and the women rode horseback, carrying as many children as it was possible to hold.

Clara and her family spent the next two years at Sandilands Station. The property was primarily used for dairy cattle. Charles’ skills as a wheelwright would no doubt have been useful, but he probably did whatever was required around the station, perhaps even employing his vine dressing skills. A fourth child, Thomas, was born in March 1857, shortly before the family moved to Tenterfield. In Tenterfield, Charles initially established himself as a wheelwright and builder and also tried his hand at timber getting. He and Rosina later became successful farmers, draught horse breeders, hoteliers and landholders in the Tenterfield District.

Clara spent the rest of her childhood in Tenterfield. Little is known of her life during that time, but she probably took on a caring role for her numerous younger brothers and sisters, as her only older sister Karolina married and left home when Clara was only 11 years old. It is not known whether Clara attended school, as the first school in Tenterfield did not open until some time into the 1860s. There is also a question about whether she was literate. It appears an “X” was placed beside her name on her marriage certificate, indicating illiteracy. However, her parents’ 1855 migration record stated both could read and write, albeit possibly only in German at the time, and it would be surprising if they did not pass on those skills to Clara.

Clara Leis married Michael Day in Tenterfield on 15 July 1873. She was 18 and Michael was nearly 34. Michael was born in Sydney to Irish parents. This was a bigamous marriage, as Michael was still legally married to a woman named Elizabeth Dangerfield, although Clara was probably not aware of this. You can read more about Michael's colourful life in the biography on his Wikitree profile at https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Day-1354.

Clara and Michael spent the first few years of their marriage in the Tenterfield region, where Michael worked as a tin miner. His obituary stated he worked in the tin mines in the Granite Belt for several years. These mines were located on both sides of the Queensland / New South Wales border between Stanthorpe and Tenterfield. They were discovered in 1852, but not actually worked until 1872. Michael must have been among the first to mine the region, as he was already working as a miner when he married in 1873. Clara and Michael’s first five children were born in New South Wales between 1874 and 1882. On one of those birth records, the family’s address was recorded as 4 Mile. This appears to refer to a place then known as Four-Mile Creek, near Bookookoorara, just east of the state border and in the centre of the tin mining region. It was evidently a rough and ready place to live. The Clarence and Richmond Examiner and New England Advertiser published the following short article about Four Mile Creek on 29 April 1873:

“COURT HOUSE &c.. AT THE TIN MINES – We understand that it is the intention of the Government to erect a Court House and Lockup at the Four-Mile Creek, near Bookookoorara, in order to keep the exuberant spirits of the tin miners somewhat in check. A police station is already in existence at that locality.”

Although no birth record exists, Clara and Michael’s first child was a girl, probably born in 1874 and, following German or Irish naming conventions, probably named Rose after her maternal grandmother, Rosina, or Margaret after her paternal grandmother. She died in infancy. The next four children, Charles, Rose, Catherine and John, were born in New South Wales between 1875 and 1882 before the family moved across the border to Queensland.

In 1881, Michael took up a selection of 160 acres of land at Bald Mountain, 4km northwest of Wallangarra in Queensland. The area was known as Tenterfield North at the time, with the town of Wallangarra not being established until 1885. The family evidently remained living in New South Wales at least until 1882, as their address on John’s birth record in July 1882 was recorded as Clarence, New South Wales. They were probably waiting for a house to be completed before they could move to Bald Mountain. Michael was formally granted the land in 1886 after paying rent for five years. The district grew rapidly, with a railway line, a post office, a school, a police station and various churches, hotels and businesses being established in the first few years. Three of Clara and Michael’s older children were foundation students at the Wallangarra State School, established in 1888.

Clara and Michael had six more children between 1884 and 1896 while living at Bald Mountain – Hugh, Louisa, George, Michael junior, Clara junior and Elma (Ellie). Hugh died in infancy.

Michael and Clara grazed sheep on their property. Like other selectors in the area, they also grew wheat and had it taken to their nearest mill in Tenterfield to have it made into flour, breakfast meal and fowl feed. This cross border situation caused import duty complications for the wheat growers on the Queensland side of the border and Michael Day took up the cause on behalf of his fellow growers. The Stanthorpe Border Post reported on 21 May 1898:

“Wheat Crossing the Border

For some time past, the Wheat Growers of Accommodation Creek and Wallangarra have been suffering under disability in regard to the milling of their grain. Tenterfield is their nearest mill, but if they brought the wheat over the border to be gristed they could not bring their flour back without paying the usual import duty of £1 per ton. A petition was recently got up and forwarded to the Hon JFG Foxton asking that the import duty might be suspended in the case of Wallangarra and Accommodation Creek growers who had to take their grain over the border to be gristed. Mr Day, has, we understand, received a letter from Mr Foxton stating that the request of the petitioners has been granted. This will be a great benefit to the growers concerned.”

Michael appears to have been something of a local identity around Bald Mountain, not just because of his lobbying efforts on behalf of local farmers. He was described in a photo taken in the early 1900s at one of his children’s weddings as a violinist and butcher, so he was evidently a man of many skills. In the book “Wallangarra Jennings 1888 – 1988, The Town – The Schools and the People”, the author described the early days of Bald Mountain:

“Living in the Bald Mountain area at this time were the families of McCalls, Reids, Saxbys, McMenimans, Days, etc and one can visualise the happy gatherings on a Sunday night when the children of these families danced to the music of Michael Day’s violin. They were happy times and I’m sure that many a time the adults joined in the dancing.”

The Day family stayed at Bald Mountain until at least 1900, when second youngest daughter Clara started school at Wallangarra State School. By 1903, the family had moved to another property at Wyberba, very close to the present day Girraween National Park. From the time of the 1903 electoral roll, Michael was described as a grazier, so he probably continued sheep farming after his move to Wyberba, and may have had cattle as well. He probably butchered his own animals, given his background as a butcher.

Social life in the community probably revolved around dances and sporting events. The Wallangarra Jennings centenary book described earlier includes a 1910 photograph of a large group of people who had gathered at Wyberba for a tennis competition between Wyberba and Wallangarra. There are several members of the Day family named in the photograph, including Clara senior.

On 4 April 1918, Michael Day died at the reported age of 81, although he was actually 78. His death certificate states he died at home at Wyberba from bowel cancer. However, his obituary stated he had been in poor health for six years after suffering a stroke. Clara probably looked after him at home over that period.

Clara continued to live in Wyberba with her unmarried son, Michael junior. When Michael married in November 1920, his new wife Amy joined the household as did their children Laura born in 1921 and Kevin born in 1923.

On 14 February 1924, life at Wyberba was turned upside down with the sudden and tragic death of Amy. Amy was ironing with a benzine iron when her clothing ignited. She suffered horrendous burns and died that day. Contemporary newspaper reports state she was home alone, but according to oral family history, Clara was home at the time and was unable to help her daughter-in-law. Clara was deeply traumatised by the events, as of course was her son, Michael. Not long afterwards, Clara moved to Allora to live with her daughter Ellie and her husband Jack Middleton. Ellie and Jack had no children, but also living in the Allora district were Clara’s daughter, Clara junior, her husband Tom Middleton (Jack’s brother) and their first five children.

Clara senior died in Allora 2 ½ years later on 2 August 1926. Her death certificate stated she died from bowel obstruction, vomiting, coma and heart failure.

Her obituary was published in the Warwick Daily News on 14 August 1926. It stated in part:

“The deceased lady was widely known as of a generous and kindly disposition and will be very much missed by a numerous circle of friends. … the funeral was held to the Stanthorpe cemetery and was largely attended, a number of Allora friends sending in floral tributes.”

Towards the end of her life, Clara adopted the middle name Emily. She didn’t use that name on her marriage certificate in 1873 or the birth certificates of her children between 1875 and 1896, but it was used on her husband Michael’s death certificate in 1918 and on her own death certificate in 1926.

Sources

• Queensland and New South Wales birth registrations of Clara (Leis) Day’s children Rose, John, Hugh, Louisa, George, Michael, Clara and Elma from 1877 to 1896 giving Clara’s place of birth generically as Clarence River;
• Obituary of Charles Leis, Tenterfield Star, 4 Apr 1905 stating he was buried on 1 April and stated this was the birthday of his second daughter, who was Clara;
• Queensland death reg. 1926/C/3876 - Clara Emily Day nee Leis;
• Assisted Immigrants Index 1839-1896 – migration of Franz Leiss aged 27, Rosina Leiss aged 27, Caroline Leiss aged 5 and Franz Leiss aged 2, arrived in Sydney and/or Newcastle on the Undine, 12 February 1855, New South Wales State Archives;
• Family Register of Franz Carl Leiss and Rosine Herrmann (her name was incorrectly recorded as Caroline Helene, but she signed the document as Rosine);
• https://www.germanaustralia.com/e/why-emi.htm;
• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1081602X.2019.1598461?scroll=top&needAccess=true&role=tab;
• New South Wales death reg. 6887/1905 – Francis C. Leis, Tenterfield;
• Leis oral family history;
• Early Celebrities, an Article about Ellen (Callaghan) Fitzgerald in The Gatton Mail and Lockyer Record, including details of her family’s overland journey to Unumgar Station on the Richmond River in 1864, published 12 Mar 1948;
• Article about Sandilands Station in the Northern Star Newspaper, Lismore, 27 Jul 1939, p.6;
• The History of the Leis Family, compiled by Maree and Bill Stanley, published by Terri Lynch, Bob Johnson and Deann Szagmeister, circa 2000;
• Historic timber licenses granted to Charles Leis of Tenterfield, 1863, 1869 and 1870, New South Wales State Archives;
• Charles Leis’ obituary, Tenterfield Star Newspaper, April 1905;
• Greville’s Post Office Directory 1872, Charles Leis, Wheelwright, Tenterfield;
• New South Wales marriage reg. 3087/1867 – Caroline Leis and Louis Krahe;
• https://www.visittenterfield.com.au/things-to-do/history-heritage/history-of-tenterfield;
• New South Wales marriage registration 4047/1873, Michael Dey and Clara Leiss, 15 July 1873, Tenterfield;
• NSW baptism reg. 565/1839 – Michael Day, son of James Day and Margaret Horrigan;
• NSW marriage reg. 1985/1858 – Michael Day and Elizabeth Dangerfield;
• Obituary of Michael Day, published in the Northern Star, Tenterfield, 4 April 1918;
• The great "tin rush" of Stanthorpe | State Library Of Queensland (slq.qld.gov.au);
• New South Wales birth registrations of Michael and Clara (Leis) Day’s 2nd to 5th children in 1875, 1877, 1879 and 1882 and mention of a deceased older sister in each record except the 1877 record;
• New South Wales birth reg. 24254/1879 – Catherine Day, record states family live at 4 Mile, Tenterfield;
• Clarence and Richmond Examiner and New England Advertiser, 29 April 1873, article about new court house and lock up in Four Mile Creek;
• chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.scchgs.org/documents/meetinghandouts/German_Naming.pdf;
• Michael Day’s Application and Deed of Grant for 160 acres of land at Bald Mountain, 1881 to 1887, Queensland Department of Public Lands (now with Queensland State Archives);
• Wallangarra Jennings 1888 – 1988, The Town – The Schools and the People, compiled by Marie Ditton, published by the Wallangarra – Jennings Centenary Committee Inc, 1988;
• Queensland birth registrations of Michael and Clara (Leis) Day’s 6th to 11th children between 1884 and 1896;
• Stanthorpe Border Post reported on 21 May 1898, article on import duties on milled wheat crossing the Queensland / New South Wales border;
• Family photo collection;
• Commonwealth Electoral Rolls, Michael and Clara Day, 1903 - 1916;
• Queensland death reg. 1918/C/2240 – Michael Day;
• Queensland marriage reg. 1920/C/3736 – Michael Day junior and Amy McCosker;
• Brisbane Courier, 18 February 1924, p.6 - article on death of Amy Day;
• Day oral family history;
• Commonwealth Electoral Roll showing Clara Day Senior living at same address as Jack and Elma Middleton in Allora in 1925;
• Commonwealth Electoral Roll showing Tom and Clara Middleton living at Hendon near Allora in 1925;
• Obituary of Clara (Leis) Day, published in the Warwick Daily News, 14 August 1926.