Johan Wohlers

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.

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.

[1] He built a church in 1846 and had a bell with "Ruapuki" cast on it sent out from Bremen by the North German Missionary Society.

[1] Wohlers died on 7 May 1885 at The Neck on Stewart Island; he was survived by his wife for six years.