Anna Maria Elizabeth known as "Annie" was the 3rd child born to Johann Gottlob Egel and Joanne Elisabeth Egel nee Edlich. Born 2.7.1846 in Lyndock Valley South Australia. Died 31.1.1935 in "Mental Hospital" Mortlake Victoria. Buried 1.2.1935 in Ballarat New Cemetery Victoria. She first married Frederick Franz Florian Rechner, 5.3. 1869 in Registry Office Victoria Square Adelaide. Frederick was born in Prussia in 1839 and died 4.5.1886 buried in Horsham. Frederick emigrated in 1864 and sailed aboard on the " Franklin".

Life was hard for Annie and Frederick, in the early 1870's, Annie and Frederick packed their belongings in a dray pulled by a pair of bullocks and made their way to Victoria. They also had a covered horse drawn wagon for their living quarters. After arrival in Victoria they took up land at Lah Arum near Horsham, and in so doing were isolated from family back in South Australia. Frederick and Annie cleared the land , and a house was constructed of timber slabs with mud to fill the cracks. There was an open fire place built so one could walk around it. A camp oven was suspended from the roof so that it was over the open fire. All their cooking was done in this manner. Even in latter years, two of the floors were still made of compacted earth and clay.

Annie and Frederick had a son named Franz Florian , who lived only 2 hours after being born.

After a marriage of 18 years Frederick became sick with peritonitis and after being hospitalized for three and a half weeks died in the Horsham Hospital. Annie battled on by herself . She used to climb up in the Grampians to Wartook and other places to cook for construction crews, who were building dams in the area. Her granddaughter can remember helping Annie to collect tea tree that she tied into bundles to dry out and after the leaves had fallen off they were used as her brooms. Annie always loved the mountains and she is remembered as a happy and jolly person.

When Annie was 52 years old she married Charles McQuillan also 52 years. They were married in St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Stawell on 8th May 1898. Charles. a widower, was a farmer. He was born in Down Ireland, the son of James and Mary McQuillan (nee Fitzpatrick). There were 5 adult children from his previous marriage, who remained on and worked their father's property.

Charles and Annie chose to live and work Annie's farm, with Charles helping to pay off the land. A short time after their marriage the couple adopted a little girl called Edith Elizabeth Harrison. Edith was born on 6.6.1896, but was 2 years old, before she first came to brighten their lives. With her marriage to Charles and the event of little Edith, Annie's life became much easier and happier.

However, it seems that Annie's second marriage was destined to end tragically after 14 years. Charles died from myocarditis at the age of 67 years. His funeral was conducted on 27.4.1912 by Rev Father Waldron. He is buried in the Horsham Cemetery.

Annie, once more a widow, stayed on the farm with her daughter. In later years there was the joy of grandchildren to give her pleasure in her old age. Annie lived almost of her life at Lah Arum before moving to Horsham to live with her daughter Edith and son in law John Arnott, around 1928.

When the Arnotts moved to Mortlake in 1929, Annie remained in Horsham for about 12 months, before she too went to Mortlake to be with them.

In 1934 Annie's health deteriorated to the extent that she had to be admitted to hospital in Ballarat suffering from senile dementia. She passed away at the age of 89 years from cardiac failure. Annie was buried on the 1.2.1935 in the new Ballarat Cemetery.