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Christina arrived in Australia on the ship “Humboldt” (after embarking at Hamburg on 16 Jul 1870) with her parents and younger sister Marie Elisabeth (born 1869). The ship’s passenger list detailed the children’s ages as three years and approx 1 year. Her brother Heinrich Louis was born on 20 Feb 1873 and died in October of the same year.
On 18 Feb 1888 Christina married Julius Jensen-Bak at the Lutheran Church, Maryborough, Queensland. There were six children of the marriage. She was living at Ferry Street, Maryborough when daughter Maria Elisabeth was born in 1893. In 1899 the family was living at Marianna, which is about 18 miles from Maryborough.
On 17 Nov 1899 Christina died by accidental drowning. A report of her death was published in the Maryborough Chronicle on 20 Nov 1899 and reads:
A sad drowning accident occurred at Marianna, about 18 miles from town, on Friday last, resulting in the death of Mrs Christina Jensen and her little daughter Julia, aged 7 years. It appears that Mrs Jensen and her five children were living alone at the place, which is quite isolated, the nearest house being 2 miles away and her husband Julius Jensen being in Maryborough Hospital. On Friday morning the two eldest children Molly and Christina, 11 and 9 years respectively, left to attend school and, on returning home at 5 p.m., found their mother and little sister missing. The boy James aged 4 years stating they had both fallen into the waterhole. Molly at once ran off to the nearest neighbour (Mr Adams), but found he was absent. She then returned home and the unfortunate children remained alone in the house until next morning, when the girl again went to the Adams’, who returned with her and at once reported the matter to the police. Constables Stringer and Quinlan proceeded to the place and dragged the waterhole, which is about 60 yards from the house and some 8 feet deep. In a few minutes they found the bodies and conveyed them to the house, where a careful examination was made of both, but no marks of violence were found. The constables questioned the little boy James, who with his sister aged 2 years, were the only witnesses to the accident. He said Julia had gone to the waterhole and fallen in and the mother, hearing her screaming, ran from the house, jumped in, and both sank. No post-mortem was considered necessary under the circumstances, as there was no suspicion of foul play.
Magisterial Inquiry held 29 Nov 1899 (as reported in the Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser 30 Nov 1899):
A Magisterial inquiry was held before the Police Magistrate (E. Morey, Esq.) at the Court House yesterday morning into the circumstances connected with the deaths of Christina Jensen and Julia Jensen, wife and daughter respectively of Julius Jensen, farmer, residing at Marianna, near Maryborough, who, it will be remembered, were both drowned in a waterhole at Marianna.
Sergeant Clunlow conducted the inquiry, and the following witnesses were examined:
Molly Jensen, aged 11 years, stated: Am the daughter of Julius Jensen, and live at Marianna, about 14 miles from Maryborough; about 9 o'clock on Friday morning, the 17th November, my sister Christina and I left home for school; left at home my mother, my sister Julia, my brother James, and the baby; we got home about 5 pm; missed my mother and Julia; asked James where was mother and Julia; he said Julia fell into the waterhole, and mother jumped in after her, and they did not come out again; went over to Mr Adams; he was not at home; he lives about half a mile away; when I got back from Mr Adams' I went and had a look into the waterhole; saw two billy-cans and a hat floating in the water; made tea for my sisters and brothers, and went to bed; next morning went across to Mr Adams', and he came back with me.
By the Police Magistrate: Had butter and bread for tea and breakfast that morning; a little bread and some meat were left for dinner; mother was going to bake a loaf.
James Jensen, a very small boy, aged four years, stated that he saw Julia go to the waterhole with two billy-cans, but the child could not remember anything more about it.
Thomas Adams deposed: Am a labourer residing near Marianna; on the 18th November the girl Jensen came to my place about 7am; she said "I'm very sorry to tell you that mother and Julia were drowned in the waterhole some time yesterday"; returned with her; saw two billy-cans and a girl's hat floating in the waterhole; had a look to see if there were any tracks leading away from the waterhole; got someone to go and look after the children, and I came to Maryborough and reported the matter to the police; then went up to the hospital and reported to Jensen, the husband and father.
Julius Jensen deposed: Am a farmer, residing at Marianna, 14 miles from Maryborough; on the 4th October last went to the Maryborough Hospital suffering from a pain in my head; remained there until the 18th November; Adams told me that day that my wife and Julia were drowned; First class Constable Stringer took me in a buggy to Marianna; we went to a waterhole about 60 yards from my house; saw them recover the bodies of my wife and child; Christina was my wife's name; don't remember if she had another; she was about 32 years old, and born in Germany; Julia was my daughter; she was 7 years old, and born in Maryborough.
By the Police Magistrate: Am not in the Hospital now.
First-class Constable James Stringer deposed; Am stationed at Tinana; on Saturday, 18th November, in consequence of a report made to the police, I accompanied Constable Quinlan and Julius Jensen to Marianna; went to a waterhole about 60 yards from Jensen's house; dragged the waterhole, and after a few minutes recovered two bodies which Jensen identified as those of his wife and daughter; conveyed the bodies to the house; made an external examination of both; there were no marks of violence on either; afterwards went back to the waterhole and got two billy-cans and a girl's hat which were floating in the water; Jensen identified the billy-cans as two that were commonly used in carrying water from the waterhole to the house; he also identified the hat as belonging to his daughter Julia; the waterhole is about eight feet deep with a very muddy bottom; there is a small landing stage at the waterhole and in consequence of the dry weather the water is 2 feet below the stage; it would be very easy for a child 7 years old to over-balance when reaching for water; I questioned the little boy James on the morning of the 18th November when his memory was fresh; he told me that he went to the waterhole with Julia, who fell in; she screamed out and mother ran down and jumped in and they both went out of his sight.
This closed the inquiry.
The Police Magistrate gleaned from the little girl Mollie that her father had never read the Bible to her; that she had never been to Sunday School; never read the Bible herself, and her father had never provided one for them. Under the circumstances His Worship did not swear the witness, but she promised to tell the truth.
At the conclusion of the inquiry the P.M. told Jensen that the police report about him was very peculiar. He then put several questions to the man, whose replies were very vague indeed. For instance, he said that his wife got stores to keep her and the children while he was in the Hospital, but he could not tell when he earned his last money.
The P.M. told Jensen that he was going to see that the children were properly cared for, and the police would assist him. If he found that this was not done by Jensen, he would take steps to see it was.
Sergeant Clulow mentioned that three people wanted to adopt three of the children, but the father would not let them go. There was no furniture in the house of any description, only a few old bags, and the police had been looking after the children for some time.
Jensen, who still complains of suffering with severe pains in his head, said that he did not want to resign his children to anyone, and said that he would work and do the cooking and washing for them.
The little girl Mollie, on being questioned, said she would like to go back and live with her father, who was allowed to keep the custody of his children, the P.M. particularly warning him to properly look after them.
...[Maryborough Chronicle dated 30th November, 1899]
Christina and Julia Augusta were buried on 19 Nov 1899 in the Maryborough Cemetery (plot B640).
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Abt 1867 - 1899 (~ 32 years)
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