Daniel Schlinke’s Naturalization Certificate
Saturday 17 May was the culmination of 3 months’ planning. In February, I received an email from Mark Cody, a complete stranger, who had found among his late father’s UK collection an 1848 Naturalization Certificate for Daniel Schlinke, who was my 2xgreat uncle on my father’s side. It was the only South Australian item in the collection and he was not aware of Daniel Schlinke so he googled the name and was directed to my article at https://www.philipmann.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/240215-Daniel-Schlinke-SDGS-GIG-2.pdf.
Mark was happy to donate the certificate to a suitable organisation. We decided that the Barossa Museum at Tanunda was a suitable repository.
Plans were made for a formal handover at the Barossa Museum, which to this time had no other Naturalization Certificates from their presentation in May 1848, as part of an event organised through the Germanic and Continental European Special Interest Group (GCE) of the South Australian Genealogy & Heraldry Society (SAGHS). We also invited direct Daniel Schlinke ancestors we were aware of.
24 of us met at Langmeil Church, of which Daniel was an early Trustee. Don Ross welcomed us showed us the Church and explained its history, and we visited the Langmeil History Center.
We then moved to the Museum, where Don Ross welcomed us and we independently wandered through its numerous exhibits. Mark Cody and I formally presented to Don Ross the framed certificate. It was a pleasure to have descendants of Daniel Schlinke and his sister, my 2xgreat grandmother, Anna Rosina Dorothea, with us at the presentation.
Don then showed us where Daniel’s mill and home were in Tanunda, the Institute for which Daniel donated the land, and we visited his grave in the Langmeil Church Cemetery.
After lunch, Anna Schrapel gave a history of the property where Daniel Schlinke lived at Bethany and where my ancestors, the Bradtkes and Manns first lived in Australia and we viewed the ruins of one of the cottages.
My sincere thanks to Mark Cody, Aileen Preiss, Convenor of the GCE, Don Ross and Anna Schrapel for their generosity, support, sharing of knowledge and encouragement in bringing this day to pass.
Thanks also to the others that were there for their generous sharing of knowledge and making it a wondrous day for all.