Leonhardt & Friedericka Erb

Leonhardt and his wife Friedericka, who left their homeland in 1855, would have been part of the first wave of German immigrants to Queensland. Leonhardt was a twenty-four year old shepherd from Steinheim when he left Germany with his wife aboard the 'Grasbrook' (Grassbrook) as assisted immigrants. This was the second of six voyages that the Grasbrook (Grassbrook) made from Hamburg to Australia. The voyage in 1855 was the first that the ship made to Moreton Bay.

The Moreton Bay Courier reported on 29 September 1855 that the Grassbrook arrived on 25 September 1855 with 112 German immigrants. The newspaper articles noted that:

The German immigrants by the brig Grasbrook were all brought up to Brisbane on Tuesday, by the steam boat Hawk, and were temporarily lodged in the lower immigrant depot. They are all under engagements and having passed the Immigration Board, are being rapidly off to their employers.

The immigrants, with a single exception, are all healthy young men, and cleanly looking women - the latter being a characteristic not hitherto observable amongst immigrants of this class. The present is the best 'batch' that has yet arrived, and will be a valuable addition to our population.

Leonhardt, Frederica and their son Heinrich were living at Franklyn Vale near Grandchester which was run by the Mort family when their second child, Mary was born in 1858. Mary's birth certificate revealed that Leonhardt was a brick maker at Franklyn Vale and that I.S.C. Mayne, the overseer certified Mary's birth certificate.

In October 1858, Leonhardt (Leonard) who was a shepherd, was charged with absconding from hired service with Messrs. Mort and Laidley under the Masters and Servants' Act. The central issue surrounding the case was whether Leonhardt's agreement expired on the 1st or the 2nd October and if in fact Leonhardt had absconded or if his agreement was finalised. The case was dismissed. From this we can see that Leonhardt worked as both a brick maker and a shepherd while in the service of Messrs. Mort and Laidley.

The family's time in Ipswich was short-lived as Leonhardt was working as a shepherd at St George Richard Gore and Ralph T. Gore's property, Yandilla Station on the Darling Downs in 1860 and 1861. Leonhardt worked at an outstation called 'Scrubby Mountain' where he was in charge of the sheep and reported to the manager of the property, Charles Owen. Yandilla Station was located approximately 18 miles (28.9682 kms) from Pittsworth.

On 19 March 1863, at the age of twenty-two, Leonhardt Erb of Toowoomba became an Australian citizen.

In 1874, Leonhardt worked as a carpenter, in 1879 he was a bushman, and between 1897 and 1916 he was a farmer at Geham, near Toowoomba. In November 1879, Leonhardt Erb of Reedy Creek, Highfields advertised a 5 acres allotment with a dwelling house, barn and cleared and cultivated land for sale.

The supplementary annual electoral list for 1882 listed Leonhardt Erb, living at Highfields Railway, 6 months' residence, Highfields.