Chloris (Sissy) Mary Archibald
(20 May 1891 - 23 December 1986)
Chloris Mary Archibald was born at the family homestead at 85 South Head Road, Parkhurst, near Helensville on 20 July 1891. She was the youngest of six children born to James Archibald (1851 - 21 July 1910) and his wife Catherine Reid (17 Feb 1851 - 13 Jun 1935):
- Betsy Helen (or Ellen) Archibald (29 Aug 1877 - 28 July 1944).
- Margaret (Maggie) Reid Archibald (3 June 1879 - 26 Aug 1970) born Port Pirie
- James (Jim) Archibald (31 Aug 1882 - 3 Sep 1958)
- Adelaide (Adie) Archibald (27 June 1886 - 18 Sep 1971)
- Alexander Archibald (14 Dec 1889 - 19 Feb 1899) - born the year after his maternal uncle Alexander, died
- Chloris (Sissy) Mary Archibald (20 July 1891 - 23 Dec 1986)
Around the time of Sissy's birth, her mother became interested in the Bible teachings taught by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Sometime during 1891, she was baptised and became one of the earliest Seventh-day Adventist Church members in New Zealand. Around 1894-96, the Archibalds met regularly with a small group of Seventh-day Adventist Church members in Parkhurst where they studied the Bible together. It is possible that some of their meetings were conducted at the Archibald's home.
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| The Archibald family at their home in Parkhurst, Helensville c1896 Back from left: Margaret (Maggie), James Snr, Catherine, Betsy Front from left: Alexander, Adie, Sissy, & James Jnr (Jim) Photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of K Toepfer) |
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| The Archibald family at their home in Parkhurst, Helensville c1896 From left: Margaret (Maggie), Adie, James Snr with Alexander, Catherine, Betsy, Sissy & James Jnr (Jim) Photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of G J Bland)
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Sissy's cousin, David Mitchell (4 Mar 1882 - 8 Aug 1955), the only child of her father's youngest sister, Mary, immigrated to New Zealand in the early 1900s (date unknown at present). It is likely that he stayed with his Archibald family for a while until he found his own way. David married Elizabeth (Lizzie) Carter (1878 - 1969). David and Lizzie farmed in Bombay, Franklin, South Auckland. David's widowed father later joined them in New Zealand.
Sissy would have attended the local school in Parkhurst. She later attended Auckland Girls Grammar School.
Sissy would have attended the local school in Parkhurst. She later attended Auckland Girls Grammar School.
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| Sissy attended Auckland Girls Grammar School. She is pictured on the far left of this photo. Date and photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of K Toepfer) |
A family wedding was held on 24 June 1907 when Adelaide married Robert Liggett (16 Sep 1877 - 6 Jan 1963). The wedding was probably held at the Parkhurst farm.
Sissy was one of the inaugural students at the Pukekura Training College which opened in 1908 and was operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church on a farm just out of Cambridge. Also at the college at the same time was Eliza (Lilah) Keymer who would later become the sister-in-law of Sissy's brother James. The following photo showing the faculty and students of the college in 1908 appeared in the Australasian Record Vol 22, No.12, 18 March 1968, page 5.
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| Pukekura Training School 1908. Faculty and students. Eliza Keymer is in the third row back, second from the right. (Photo courtesy of G J Bland) |
The Australasian Record, Vol 15, No. 46, 20 November 1911 reports on the graduating class. It mentions that Sissy completed the preparatory course of study, receiving her certificate at a special ceremony on Sunday 8 October 1911. (Pukekura Training College moved to Palmerston North in 1912, and renamed Longburn Adventist College.)
Sissy. Date and photographer unknown.
(Photos courtesy of K Toepfer)
While Sissy was away studying, her father was diagnosed with cancer of the intestines. He suffered with this disease for nine months before he passed away at Glencairn, his home, on 21 July 1910. He was buried at the Helensville Cemetery in the family plot where Alex was buried previously, Block 1, Row B2, Plot 8, Seq 2. The following acknowledgement from the Archibald family was published in The Auckland Star, Vol XLI, Issue 178, 29 July 1910:
In 1914 and 1915 Sissy completed the Teacher's Course at Avondale College, the Seventh-day Adventist tertiary college in Australia. Around that time her mother visited her in Australia. They were pictured together at the Blue Mountains:
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| Catherine Archibald with her daughter, Sissy c1915 at the Blue Mountains. Photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of K Toepfer) |
Sissy returned to New Zealand for the wedding of her brother James, to Louie Keymer (15 Sep 1881 - 17 Dec 1981) which was held at the family homestead on 19 April 1915. Sissy is standing in the back row, ninth from the left in this family picture:
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| Family portrait taken at the wedding of James Archibald III and Louie Keymer, 19 April 1915. Sissy is pictured ninth from the left in the back row. Photographer unknown but possibly W Short of Wilton Street, Grey Lynn. (Photo courtesy of S Ringrose) |
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| Sissy with her husband George Totenhofer c1917 Photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of K Toepfer) |
George and Sissy settled in Cooranbong. They had two daughters, then a son:
- Dallas Catherine Totenhofer (1920 - 2 Nov 2007)
- Chloris Pearl Totenhofer (c1922 - ?)
- Lindsay Archibald Totenhofer (15 Apr 1923 - ?)
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| George and Chloris Totenhofer with their daughter Pearl. Photographer and date unknown. (Photo courtesy of G J Bland) |
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| Staff of the Signs Publishing Company c1925. Photographed at the front of the old Signs Publishing Company. George Totenhofer is seated in the front row, far right. (courtesy of K J Bland) |
Sissy's father-in-law, August Totenhoefer (1860 - 1927), passed away on 9 July 1927 in Bismark, Tasmania, Australia. (August's wife Annie Augusta Stellmaker (1864 - 1911) had predeceased him in 1911.)
A photo and accompanying article about George Totenhofer was published on the front cover of the Adventist Record Vol 80 No. 27, on 7 July 1975. The article mentions that he learnt the printing trade at Avondale College, Coorangbong, Australia prior to marrying Chloris. He then spent 45 years working at the Signs Publishing Company and the Avondale Press. He was an active member of the Avondale Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church. He retired in 1953.
After his retirement, George was the caretaker of the Avondale Cemetery, Coorangbong, for 25 years. He died in Coorangbong, Australia, on 30 October 1983. The story of his life was published in the Adventist Record, Vol 88, No. 50, 24 December 1983, page 13.
The following obituary was printed in the Adventist Record, Vol 88, No. 50, 24 December 1983, p15:
TOTENHOFER. George Edgar Totenhofer was born at
Collinsvale, Tasmania, on March 31, 1888, and passed to his
rest at the Charles Harrison Memorial Home on October 30,
1983, in his ninety-sixth year. He leaves to mourn, his wife
Chloris, his daughters Dallas and Pearl, and his son,
Lindsay, three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Brother Allan King assisted the writer as we laid our revered
veteran to rest in the Avondale Cemetery, Cooranbong, New
South Wales, on Tuesday afternoon, November 1, amid
expressions of gratitude for a life well spent and assurances
for the resurrection day. A life-sketch appears elsewhere in
this issue. S. M. Uttley.
Sissy died on 23 December 1986 in the Charles Harrison nursing home in Avondale, Cooranbong, New South, Wales, Australia. Her obituary appeared in the South Pacific Record, Vol 92, No.9, 14 March 1987, pg 14, reading as follows:
Totenhofer. Chloris Mary Archibald, born May 20,
1891, in Parkhurst, New Zealand; died December 23,
1986, at the Charles Harrison Nursing Home in
Cooranbong, NSW, and was buried in the Avondale
Cemetery. While attending a meeting at which Ellen
White spoke, Chloris accepted the truths of the
Adventist Church and was baptised by Pastor Teasdale
while at Auckland Grammar School. She completed the
Teacher's Course at Avondale College in 1914-1915,
and returned to New Zealand to teach at the church
school in Cambridge. In 1917 she married George
Totenhofer, and they set up their home in Cooranbong.
Her husband predeceased her in 1983. She leaves to
mourn three children, Dallas (Canada), Pearl Toepfer
(Cooranbong) and Lindsay (England); three grandchil-
dren; and six great-grandchildren. S. G. Winter.
NOTE:
Ellen White visited New Zealand in 1893 and conducted meetings in Auckland for around one week.
The children of George & Chloris (Sissy) Totenhofer:
- Dallas Catherine Totenhofer (1920 - 2 Nov 2007)
- Never married.
- 1943 Australian .. Waroonga - NSW, Australia clerk
- 1965 Voter list... Living at 34 Virgilwood Drive, York, Toronto, Canada. Dallas was listed as a pay clerk. Living with two other young ladies, Miss Ruth Holmes, a nurse, and Miss Ruth Kennedy, a private secretary.
- Died in York, Toronto, Canada.
- Chloris Pearl Totenhofer (c1922 - ?)
- She was known as Pearl.
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| Pearl Totenhofer and Russell Behrens Photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
- Pearl married William (Bill) Toepfer (dates unknown) in 1943 in Teralba, NSW. Bill was a timber cutter. Bill and Pearl had three children:
- K Toepfer
- G Toepfer
- Unknown (possibly un-named) baby boy
- Bill and Pearl lived in New South Wales, Australia.
- Lindsay Archibald Totenhofer (15 Apr 1923 - ?)
- Born in Coorangbong, New South Wales.
- Enlisted for WW2 Army service, in Morisset, Cooranbong on 19 Nov 1941. He served in the Australian Army with the rank of Private. His service number is N437432B. His next of kin was listed as his father, George. Lindsay's last posting was 2 M D SIGS TNG Depot. He was discharged from service on 13 Mar 1943.
- Military records say that on 15 Mar 1943 he again enlisted, this time in Melbourne. At this time he listed his next of kin as his wife Anne Butlin (dates unknown). Lindsay served with the Royal Australian Air Force with the rank of Warrant Officer. His service number was 433188. His last posting was at RAF Beccles. Lindsay was discharged from service on 12 Feb 1946.
- Lindsay and Anne lived in Fulham, England and later in Essex (until c1970).
- Lindsay and Anne had one son (b 1947)
Bibliography
Anonymous. (1911, November 20). Pukekura School. Australasian Record. 4. Retrieved from https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/AAR/AAR19111120-V15-46.pdf Accessed 31 March 2021.
Other Sources
- Family records and photos courtesy of G J Bland
- Photographs courtesy of K Toepfer and S Ringrose
- Ancestry.com
- World War 2 Nominal Roll http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=A&veteranId=366734
- World War 2 Nominal Roll http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=R&veteranId=1025464
Last updated 24 August 2022
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