Charles Henry Buerckner

  General Notes:

Charles Henry Buerckner was born in Winchelsea, Victoria, in 1868, the second surviving child of Carl Wilhelm and Martha Buerckner (nee Parish). At a young age Charles moved to Tungamah with his family. Charles, being the second eldest male, helped his father and his elder brother on the property from a young age. He learnt a lot from his father on how to work the land and survive. In 1886, when Charles was only 18, his father died. Three months after Carl’s death, the family sold the stock and equipment and Charles found a job as a labourer. Charles received a share from his late father’s estate later that year. Charles was influenced by his father and became, like his father, a farmer.
 A few years later Charles Henry Buerckner moved away from Tungamah and his family went to western New South Wales in search of his own property. He settled in the Parkes region.
On 28 February 1900, Charles married Elizabeth Shankland Armstrong at Parkes in the Presbyterian Church. Elizabeth was the daughter of Thomas and Mary Ann Armstrong (nee Dick) and was born in Shepparton, Victoria, on 24 December 1883. She, like Charles, grew up living and working on a property. Elizabeth was known as Bess all her life, and it was said that she was a very caring person, giving time to family and friends.
Bess gave birth to their first child, Isabelle Jane, in September 1900 in Parkes. After Isabelle was born, Charles and the family moved to Fifield, New South Wales, which is north of Condobolin, and bought a property known as ‘Currajong Park’. Charles worked this farm for the next 40 years with much success. He was a very successful farmer and farmed crops of wheat and oats and livestock of cattle, sheep and merinos, and horses.
Charles and Bess then had 10 more children: Mary Alice, Charles, Edith Elizabeth, Nancy May, Frederick, Jessie Edna, Thomas, Kathleen Rose and two unnamed children who were stillborn. The last child, Kathleen Rose, was born in the autumn of 1923, which was the year after their eldest child, Isabelle, married.
On 17 September 1927, Bess, at the age of only 43, died in McLachlan Street, Orange, of heart failure. Bess had also been suffering from a kidney disease for the previous two years. Two days later, on 19 September 1927, Bess’s funeral was held and she was buried in the Presbyterian Section of the Cemetery at Trundle, New South Wales. After Bess’s funeral, Charles brought up the family with the help of his eldest daughters. He continued to work on his farm ‘Currajong Park’ and raise his family.
‘Currajong Park’ was very successful; Charles was a well-respected man in the district and he continued living on and working his farm until his death in 1940 at the age of 72. He died in the Parkes Hospital after a short illness. His death certificate indicates that severe gallstones led to his death. His funeral was conducted at the Presbyterian Church and he was buried at the Trundle Cemetery alongside his wife, Bess.

Obituary
Mr. C. H. Buerckner.
It is with regret that we have to report the death of Mr. Charles Henry Buerckner, well-known and highly respected farmer of “Currajong Park” Fifield, at the age of 74 years, which took place yesterday morning in the Parkes District Hospital after a short illness.
The late Mr. Buerckner had been farming in the Fifield and Trundle districts for over 40 years. His wife predeceased him some years ago and a large family survives.
The funeral left the Presbyterian Church, Trundle, for the Trundle cemetery at 3 p.m. to-day. The Rev. McBurnie officiated at the graveside and Messrs C. J. Shakespeare and Sons had charge of the funeral arrangements.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Farmer.

• Religion: Presbyterian.

• connection.

• connection.

• Death Certificate Number: (22476/1940).

Charles married Elizabeth Shankland (Bess) Armstrong, daughter of Thomas Armstrong and Mary Ann Dick, on 28 Feb 1900 in Parkes, NSW Australia. (Elizabeth Shankland (Bess) Armstrong was born on 24 Dec 1883 in Numurkah, Victoria Australia, died on 17 Sep 1927 in Orange, NSW Australia and was buried on 19 Sep 1927 in Trundle, NSW Australia.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Certificate: (1937).