"Fred" Johann Frederich KAU
Born 1 June 1874 in Palmer, South Australia [55]
Son of Peter KAU and Dora BOOK [55]
His parents met for the first time during their voyage by sailing ship from Germany to Australia during the Victorian gold rush [P15]
He was registered at birth as Johann Frederich KAU but later went by the name of Frederick John KAU [19] [55]
Grew up in South Australia and when in his 20s shifted to Western Australia with two of his brothers [P15]
Farmer in Waroona, Western Australia in 1903 and later at Yalup Brook near Wagerup [50]
Settled in Wagerup, Western Australia where he purchased virgin land [P15]
Grew potatoes in swamp land and worked in a timber mill while clearing and getting his farm into production [P15]
In 1909, with his future brother-in-laws Baxter and Charlie BOTHE, travelled from Wagerup to Coorow to inspect land [110]
Farmer of Meadow Dale Farm in Coorow, Western Australia 1911-1950 [P15]
He'd taken up 650 acres of virgin scrub in Coorow, Victoria Location 6595, on 1 October 1911 [44] [P15]
On 1 January 1912 he purchased an additional 251 acres of virgin land in Coorow - Victoria Location 6605 [44]
By 1918 had purchased a further 1,906 acres in Coorow - Victoria Locations 4864, 5822 and 5848 [44]
Purchased from the Midlands Railway Company another 1,350 acres of land in Coorow on 21 August 1922 [27]
The 1,350 acres was Lot M1380 of Victoria Location 2023 and cost £675, payable by instalments over 15 years [27]
During the 1920s increased his farmland to a total of 4,237 acres with the purchase of Victoria Location 8225 [3]
He also farmed an additional 781 acres owned by his wife May (Victoria Locations 5791, 5792 and 5793) [3] [P15]
F5K was his registered horse and cattle firebrand in 1924 [80: 28-Oct-1925]
In 1912 he had 70 acres of his farm at Coorow under crop [9: 28-Jun-1912]
He gave a donation at the Coorow Football Club's Annual Sports Day held on 30 September 1913 [9: 10-Oct-1913]
Married May Minnie Annie BOTHE in Perth in 1914 [66]
Won a cake at the Dance in aid of the Coorow Christmas Tree at the school house in Coorow on 29 November 1919 [9: 5-Dec-1919]
From 1926-27 he had an Oldsmobile car with number-plate CA-132 licensed with the Carnamah District Road Board [325]
Applied in 1928 for the Carnamah District Road Board to close a road along the southern boundary of Lot M1380 [4: 1-Dec-1928]
Sold a bale of wool at 10¼d. per pound through Westralian Farmers Ltd at the Perth Wool Sale on 18 October 1929 [4: 19-Oct-1929]
Won 1st prize for a Sheaf of Green Oats for Grain at the Coorow-Waddy Agricultural Show on 7 September 1933 [5: 15-Sep-1933]
Sent in his apologies for not being present at the Ratepayers meeting of the Carnamah Road Board in February 1934 [5: 2-Mar-1934]
Sold 117 sheep suckers through Elder Smith & Co Ltd at Midland Markets in September, October and November 1935 [5: 27-Sep-1935]
The 117 suckers consisted of 35 sold at 19/4 per head, 25 at 15/10, 35 at 15/4, and 22 at 13/5 per head [5: 11-Oct-1935, 15-Nov-1935]
On 30 October 1935 sold 1 bull for £7/2/6, 1 cow for £4/17/6, 1 heifer for £1/12/6 and 4 steers at £3/6/5 per head [5: 1-Nov-1935]
Sold 12 pigs on 13 November 1935 - 1 for 8/6, 7 at £2/10/- per head, 3 at £2/9/6 per head, and 1 for £2/1/6 [5: 15-Nov-1935]
Attended the Ratepayers Meeting of the Carnamah District Road Board in Carnamah on Wednesday 23 October 1935 [5: 25-Oct-1935]
Attended the funeral of Carnamah agent William B. SHERIDAN at the Winchester Cemetery on 27 January 1936 [5: 31-Jan-1936]
At 9:30 a.m. on 18 February 1936 telephoned the Carnamah Police Station to report that some of his sheep had been stolen [88]
Tracks revealed a truck had been backed up to his fence and two men had mustered and caught some of the sheep [88]
Constable Alan O. FIEBIG left Carnamah with a tracker at 11 a.m. and on arrival the tracker began following the tracks [88]
The tracks led to the farm of his brother-in-law Charles C. BOTHE, who said he was the one responsible [88]
Charles had been there the previous day to collect a ram belonging to him that Fred had told him about [88]
The matter was dismissed on the grounds of being a misunderstanding [88]
Sold five pigs at £2/13/6 per head and two pigs at £2/2/6 per head through Elder Smith & Co Ltd on 8 July 1936 [5: 10-Jul-1936]
Sold 23 pigs through Elder Smith & Co Ltd at the Midland Market on Wednesday 7 October 1936 [5: 9-Oct-1936]
They comprised 16 porkers (8 at £2/1/6, £1/18/6) and 7 baconers (3 at £2/18/-, 1 at £2/15/-, 1 at £2/4/-, 1 at £1/10/-, 1 at 17/6) [5]
Sold five bales of wool at 16½d. per pound through Elder Smith & Co Ltd at the Perth Wool Sale on 23 November 1936 [5: 27-Nov-1936]
Attended the surprise 75th birthday for his father-in-law Heinrich W. BOTHE in Coorow on Tuesday 13 April 1937 [5: 16-Apr-1937]
Sold 21 pigs through Elder Smith & Co Ltd at the Midland Market on Wednesday 5 May 1937: [5: 7-May-1937]
3 baconers (1 at £3/2/6, 2 at £1/18/6) and 18 pigs (3 at £2/9/6, 3 at £2/7/6, 8 at £1/17/6, 2 at £1/16/6, 1 at £1/13/6, 1 at £1/8/6) [5]
Sold 70 sheep through Elder Smith & Co Ltd at the Midland Market on Wednesday 28 July 1937: [5: 30-Jul-1937]
31 suckers (2 at 22/-, 20 at 17/1, 9 at 8/10), 31 ewes (5 at 25/-, 25 art 22/4, 1 at 15/-) and 8 lambs at 24/- per head [5]
Purchased "a very attractive" 1937 model Chrysler Plymouth de luxe sedan car around November of 1937 [81: 7-Nov-1937]
Financial Member of the Coorow-Waddy Forest Districts Agricultural Society in 1946 [150]
Father of Olive and Harry [14]
Died 25 March 1950 in Perth; buried at the Winchester Cemetery in Carnamah, Western Australia (Row E, Plot 7) [1]
Rev. W. J. NORTHERN officiated at his funeral, which was undertaken by H. KNIGHT of Three Springs [1]
At their next meeting, the Coorow-Waddy branch of the Farmers' Union stood in silence for a brief period as a tribute [4: 6-May-1950]
His estate was valued for probate at £12,779/8/2 with the beneficiaries being his wife and children [39: 18-Aug-1950]
His Meadow Dale Farm in Coorow was inherited by his son Harry [P15]
From The West Australian newspaper, Friday 27 June 1930:
An Early Crop
"From Mr F. J. Kau, of Coorow, the Premier (Sir James Mitchell) has received a remarkably forward sample of oats. The seed was stated to have been sown on March 29, and the oats, which are fully three feet six inches high are well out in head. The Premier remarked that it was evident that at Coorow, at least, there was nothing wrong with the season."
From The Irwin Index newspaper, Saturday 15 July 1933:
Coorow West Road
"On Wednesday afternoon last members of the Carnamah Road Board visited Coorow for the purpose of inspecting several suggested routes for the proposed road to give Messrs F. J. Kau, F. Tyler, and A. Grant an outlet to Coorow. At present these gentlemen depend on the generosity of Mr B. D. Bothe to provide them with a road. When the Government surveyed the blocks held by the settlers mentioned the surveyor omitted to include a road in his plan, and for the past twenty-two years Mr Kau has laboured under disabilities that many would not care to face. As a result of the Board's inspection an acceptable route to all concerned was found, and it is probable that in the near future something will be done towards the provision of a thoroughfare that will remove what must be regarded as a just cause for complaint on the part of the settlers concerned."
From The Irwin Index newspaper, Saturday 1 April 1950:
Coorow Residents Death - Late Mr. Frederick John Kau - Funeral at Winchester
"After an illness extending over a period of many months, the death occurred in Perth on Saturday last of an old and highly respected resident of Coorow in the person of Mr. Frederick John Kau at the age of seventy-six years, the deceased gentleman being survived by his wife and one son (Harry Kau) and one daughter (Mrs. H. Lovell). In the presence of a large gathering of relatives and friends of the late Mr. Kau, the funeral took place at the Winchester Cemetery on Monday last with the Rev. J. Northern officiating at the graveside. The chief mourners were the bereaved widow and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Kau (son and daughter-in-law) and Mr. and Mrs. G. Lovell (daughter), and the pall-bearers were Messrs. A. A. McGilp, Geo. Greenwood, E. Fowler, S. A. Rudduck, G. B. Raffan and A. Saunders (Perth). The casket carriers were Messrs. J. F. Thomas, E. Chapman, E. A. Long and B. Lampard and the mortuary arrangements were conducted by Mr. H. H. Knight, of Three Springs."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Johann Frederich Kau' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 26 December 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/johann-frederich-kau [reference list] |
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