Otto Behrens
(29 April 1887 - 11 November 1963)
Otto Behrens was born on 29 April 1887 at the family home, 800 Elgar Road, Doncaster, Melbourne, Victoria. He was the fourth son of German-born Frederick William Ellis Behrens (22 June 1841 - 12 June 1907) and his Australian-born wife, Alice Martha Powrie (5 Nov 1857 - 8 Nov 1933):
- Frederick (Fred) William Behrens (29 Oct 1882 - 5 Nov 1966)
- Ellis Behrens (16 Apr 1884 - 28 Apr 1965)
- Kenward (Ken) Behrens (16 Mar 1886 - 20 July 1934)
- Otto Behrens (29 Apr 1887 - 11 Nov 1963)
- Thomas (Tom) Behrens (25 Sept 1888 - 5 Nov 1970)
- Edmund (Ed) Behrens (20 June 1890 - 20 June 1933)
- Minna Behrens (3 Oct 1893 - 7 July 1973)
- Ruth Behrens (8 July 1895 - 19 Oct 1977)
- Nettie Behrens (8 Nov 1896 - 7 Oct 1937)
When Otto was born he had three older brothers.
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| William and Alice with Fred, Ellis, Ken and Otto (in order of age), and possibly Alice's sister Margaret (known as Maggie). Photo taken c1887 (Photo courtesy of K J Bland) |
Otto's two younger brothers, Thomas Behrens and Edmund Behrens were born on 25 September 1888, and 20 June 1890 respectively. A sister, Minna Behrens was born on 3 October 1893.
Otto did his schooling at the Doncaster State School No. 197 which was constructed c1886 at 679 Doncaster Road to replace a previous timber structure.
The Behrens family attended the first Seventh-day Adventist Camp meeting in Australia in 1893 which was held in the coastal suburb of Brighton from 29 December 1893 until 15 January 1894. At this camp meeting, the American Adventist pioneer, Ellen Gould White, preached powerfully.
Otto's two youngest sisters, Ruth Behrens and Nettie Behrens were born on 8 July 1895 and 8 November 1896 respectively.
Otto's father, William (65), died on the morning of 12 June, 1907. When he was buried at the Box Hill Cemetery, Otto and his five brothers carried their father's coffin from the horse-drawn hearse to his grave.
The Behrens brothers and some of their friends were keen on science. A group of them formed the Auburn Science Club and together they shared their knowledge and fascination with things scientific.
Otto was present at the wedding of his brother Ellis when he married Alice Louise (or Louisa) Scheffler (1881 - 15 March 1941) at the family homestead on 6 November 1911.
The Behrens family attended the first Seventh-day Adventist Camp meeting in Australia in 1893 which was held in the coastal suburb of Brighton from 29 December 1893 until 15 January 1894. At this camp meeting, the American Adventist pioneer, Ellen Gould White, preached powerfully.
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| An early Seventh-day Adventist camp at Brighton, Melbourne. Photographer and date unknown (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
Otto's two youngest sisters, Ruth Behrens and Nettie Behrens were born on 8 July 1895 and 8 November 1896 respectively.
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| Behrens brothers: Tom (front), Ed & Otto (back) Photographer & date unknown (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
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Behrens family in early 1907 just before William passed away.
Back from left: Tom, Ken, Otto, Edmund
Middle from left: William and Alice
Front, from left: Ruth, Nettie, Minna
Absent: Fred & Ellis
(Photo courtesy of K J Bland)
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Otto's father, William (65), died on the morning of 12 June, 1907. When he was buried at the Box Hill Cemetery, Otto and his five brothers carried their father's coffin from the horse-drawn hearse to his grave.
The Behrens brothers and some of their friends were keen on science. A group of them formed the Auburn Science Club and together they shared their knowledge and fascination with things scientific.
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Audurn Science Club, 26 Dec 1908
Back L-R Otto & Tom Behrens,
Front L-R Charlie Litster, Ken & Edmund Behrens.Photo taken at The Ana Studios Burwood Rd Auburn, Victoria. (Photo courtesy of K J Bland) |
Otto was present at the wedding of his brother Ellis when he married Alice Louise (or Louisa) Scheffler (1881 - 15 March 1941) at the family homestead on 6 November 1911.
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| Ellis and Alice's wedding 1911. Back, from left: Otto Behrens, Minna Behrens, Charlie Jensen, Alice Sheffler (bride), Ken Behrens Seated from left: Tom Behrens, Nettie Behrens, Ellis Behrens, Ruth Behrens. (Photo courtesy of K J Bland) |
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| Edmund and Otto Behrens c1912 Photo taken by AINA Auburn. (Photo courtesy of K J Bland)
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Minna married Charles (Charlie) Stafford (20 Mar 1900 - 4 Aug 1946) in Doncaster, Victoria, on 19 October 1914.
Ken married Isabella (Belle) Mary Simpson (6 Aug 1885 - 13 Oct 1963) in 1915.
Tom, married Lorrie Rhoda Paine (23 Oct 1887 - 5 Dec 1969) on 25 March 1918 in Auburn, Victoria.
Ed's wedding to Agnes Victoria Parker (22 June 1897 - 26 July 1980) was held at the Mont Albert Seventh-day Adventist church, on 8 April 1925.
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| Otto Behrens c1920s Photo by The Burlington Studio, Melbourne (Photo courtesy of K J Bland) |
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Alice Behrens (centre), with three of her children.
From left: Nettie, Otto (front) and Ruth.
Date unknown, but in the 1920s.
(Photo courtesy of K J Bland) |
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| Otto and Mabel's wedding 1927 Photo taken by Salmon, Albury. (Photo courtesy of K J Bland) |
- M Behrens
- V Behrens
Otto's sister Ruth married Edmund Martin (dates unknown) at the Mont Albert Seventh-day Adventist Church, Melbourne on 1 October 1930.
Otto and Mabel lived in Albury, New South Wales in the 1930s. The 1930 Electoral Roll shows that they lived on Elm Street, Morningside and that Otto was a greengrocer. Otto's brother Tom and his wife lived in Albury too. Tom was a gardener.
Otto and Mabel lived in Albury, New South Wales in the 1930s. The 1930 Electoral Roll shows that they lived on Elm Street, Morningside and that Otto was a greengrocer. Otto's brother Tom and his wife lived in Albury too. Tom was a gardener.
In the 1930s Otto said goodbye to several family members. The first to pass away was his brother Ed who died unexpectedly on 21 May 1933, aged 42, after an unfortunate accident in which a horse kicked him in the head. The family buried Ed at the Box Hill Cemetery. Six months later, his mother, Alice, died on 8 November 1933 in Doncaster, Victoria, and was buried in the same grave as her husband, in Box Hill Cemetery, Baptist Section, Plot B-40. The following year, Otto's brother, Ken died on 20 July 1934 from consumption (tuberculosis), aged 48. He too was buried at Box Hill Cemetery. On 7 October 1937, Otto's youngest sister Nettie (40) died in Bowral, New South Wales after a long battle with illness.
The 1942 Electoral Roll shows that Otto and his family lived in Wodonga, Victoria. He was listed as having no occupation.
Mabel's mother, Fanny Benedicta Thompson (nee Beer) died in Albury, New South Wales, on 31 March 1952 aged 78.
Otto, Mabel and their boys moved to Murwillumbah, New South Wales where they were recorded on the 1954 and 1958 Electoral Rolls as living at 363 Hopkins Creek, Chillingham, Murwillumbah where their eldest son M was farming. The youngest son, V worked at a sawmill in 1958.
Otto, Mabel and their boys moved to Murwillumbah, New South Wales where they were recorded on the 1954 and 1958 Electoral Rolls as living at 363 Hopkins Creek, Chillingham, Murwillumbah where their eldest son M was farming. The youngest son, V worked at a sawmill in 1958.
Mabel (56) died on 3 March 1959 in Murwillumbah, New South Wales after a long illness. Her death notice appeared in the Australasian Record Vol 63, No 17, 27 April 1959, page 15:
BEHRENS. Sister Mabel Alma Behrens
suffered a long and painful illness, and on
March 3 last she closed her eyes in her last
long sleep. She was committed to her last
resting place with her cherished hope of the
call of Christ to an eternal resurrection at
the last day. To Brother Otto Behrens, of
Murwillumbah, N.S.W., the members of the
family, and other relatives, we extend our
sincere sympathy. D. H. Whyborn.
Otto (76) died in Wurwillumbah four years after his wife, on 11 November 1963.
The children of Otto and Mabel Behrens
Otto and Mabel had two sons:
- M Behrens
- M married P J R. They had a son and two daughters.
- V Behrens
- V married M C (unknown surname). They had two daughters and two sons.
References
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank K J Bland for supplying family records, and photographs for this project, and also for sharing his recollections about his grandparents.
Many thanks goes to A and N Holman for sharing their years of research, and for allowing me to use many photographs from their family collection.
I would like to thank K J Bland for supplying family records, and photographs for this project, and also for sharing his recollections about his grandparents.
Many thanks goes to A and N Holman for sharing their years of research, and for allowing me to use many photographs from their family collection.
Last updated by K Bland on 25 February 2018
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