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Johan Wohlers

1811 – 1885

New Zealand missionary

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About Johan Wohlers

Lived 1811 – 1885 (aged 73–74). Johan Wohlers was a New Zealand missionary.

John (or Johan) Frederick Henry Wohlers (originally Johann Friedrich Heinrich Wohlers, 1 October 1811 – 7 May 1885) was a Lutheran missionary from Germany who lived for 41 years on Ruapuke Island, a small island in New Zealand's deep south.

Wohlers was born in the North German hamlet of Mahlensdorf, near Bremen, to Johann Gerd Wohlers and his wife Margarethe ( Ahlers). He went to a mission school, and was then sent by the North German Missionary Society to New Zealand, where the New Zealand Company was establishing new settlements.

He left Germany on an emigrant ship the St Pauli in 1842, going first to Nelson where there were a number of German settlers. He went south on the ship Deborah in 1844 after he was invited by the Kāi Tahu chief Tūhawaiki to make his headquarters on Ruapuke Island.

He married Eliza Hanham in Wellington in 1849, and they had one daughter, Gretchen.

The "Ruapuki" bell came into the ownership of Māori elder John Topi Patuki. In 1900, it was installed at the bell tower of St Andrew's Anglican Church in Oban.

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Important facts

Born
1811, Nordholz
Birth century
Died
1885, Stewart Island/Rakiura
Occupation
Nationality
Also known as
Johann Friedrich Heinrich Wohlers, John Frederick Henry Wohlers

People in Johan Wohlers's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Johan Wohlers's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Johan Wohlers?

New Zealand missionary (1811-1885)

When was Johan Wohlers born?

Johan Wohlers was born in 1811 in Nordholz.

When did Johan Wohlers die?

Johan Wohlers died in 1885 in Stewart Island/Rakiura.

What was Johan Wohlers's occupation?

Johan Wohlers was a missionary.

What nationality was Johan Wohlers?

Johan Wohlers was New Zealand.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Johan Wohlers

· Wikidata: Q16200593

· DBpedia: Johan Wohlers

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Johan Wohlers. https://biography.guide/johan-wohlers/

MLA: "Johan Wohlers." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/johan-wohlers/.

Chicago: "Johan Wohlers." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/johan-wohlers/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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