Petrus Bayer and Magdelena Lederer

Petrus (Peter) Bayer stated that he had been potato picking in Australia for many years (estimated to be 8 years) until 1877, when it is estimated that he emigrated to New Zealand. In his Naturalisation papers (which he signed on August 9, 1899 but which were not processed until September 1902!) he stated that he was 67 years old and that he had been living in New Zealand for 22 years at that time. Peter stated that he was a farmer from the Upper Waiwera county. His son-in-law Christian Schischka witnessed these papers and testified that Peter was of good character.

He may have come to New Zealand on one of the following ships which detoured via Australia:
Spirit of Dawn - June 1877,
Glenora - October 1877,
Famenouth - October 1877,
Iron Queen - December 1877;
Rikaia - December 1877,
or else he may have travelled on a trans-tasman carrier (in which case he would not have been listed - as there were no passenger listings on these voyages).

They were granted land under the "Homestead Act" (the conditions of which were that they could make deferred payments, and had to make improvements to the property).

Peter Bayer's paling shanty taken 1880

Catherine Bayer married Joseph Wech. They had 3 children, Magdalen Wech, Frederick Wech and Francis Wech.

Franz and Fritz Bayer, both born May 24, 1861.
Franz married Lilian Becher. They had 6 children, Frank Bayer, Margaret Bayer, Leslie Bayer, James Bayer, Winifred Bayer and Lucy Bayer.
Fritz married Margaret Bayer. They had 13 children, John, Elizabeth Bayer, Annie Bayer, Frederick Bayer, Joseph Bayer, Alfred Bayer, Robert Bayer, William Bayer, Laurence Bayer, Doris Bayer, Agnes Barbara Bayer, Rose Bayer and Catherine Bayer.

Margarethe Bayer, born in 1868, married Peter Laverty. They had one son, Peter Laverty. She later married Christian Schischka.

Joseph Bayer, born January 11,1871, married Catherine Wech on April 23, 1901. They had 11 children, Catherine Elizabeth Bayer, Nora Bayer, Thomas Bayer, Alice Bayer, Christina Bayer, Edward Bayer, Christian Bayer, Theresa Bayer, Anton Joseph Bayer, Mary Bayer and Doreen Bayer.

John Bayer, born in 1878, married another Catherine Wech! They had 3 children, Louisa Bayer, Gladys Bayer and Walter Bayer.

Peter Bayer, born in 1885, married Dorathea Wech. They had 6 children, Richard Bayer, Eileen Bayer, Norman Bayer, Dorothy Bayer, Charles Bayer and Nora Bayer.