South Africa Family

[zapcon]

Subject:  abrahams; mendelssohn; sonnenberg
G'day from Oz,
I am trying to source general information such as BMD of some of Dad’s cousins and their children if any. (my second cousins). See names in inverted commas below.                                                                             
Their parents were born in the USA and South Africa, or perhaps England.
The family name is “abrahams”, they immigrated to South Africa around 1878 - 1880 from the USA. The family originated from present day Lithuania settling in St Louis MO. USA 1869.
I believe the family settled firstly in Beaufort West, then Kimberley. Their father Reuben Abrahams (GGF) and wife Miriam later settled in Johannesburg. They had 5 known children: Lillian, Lionel, Alfred (GF): Arthur, Rosalie.
“Marjorie Sonnenberg” (b.m.d.) W&W??*; & “Mervyn Julian Sonnenberg” b. 1895, Kimberley; d. 1956 Bulawayo, Zimbabwe; m. “Isabel Hendrie”, W&W ??;                        Parents, Harry Joseph Sonnenberg & Rosalie (Rosie) Abrahams.
“Mary L. Abrahams” b.1912 Kimberley (TBC) m.d. W&W??                                                      Parents, Lionel Abrahams & Mabel Davis.
“Ruth Abrahams” b. 04/12/1912, wiSA? m. “unknown Belcher” W&W??; d. W&W??;and “Rupert Abrahams” b. 17/02/1915. W&W??; m. “Yvonne Beryl Silbert”, W&W??;                                                                                          Parents, Arthur Abrahams & Betty Israel.
                                                                                                                                                       
*W&W?? = Where & when unknown; TBC = To be confirmed; wiSA? = where in South Africa unknown;
Additional information:
Lillian Charlotte Mendelssohn (nee Abrahams) b. St Louis MO. USA; d.1956 Putney, London, England; m. Maurice late 1890s. Cape Town. 3 children: Vera, Gerald & Clive. The Mendelssohn family moved to London in the mid1900s.
Alfred Abrahams (gf) b. 1881 where unknown d. 8th February 1945. (Johannesburg) m. 15/4/1911; Elizabeth Kate (nee Durham), Jeppe Synagogue, Johannesburg. 2 children Mary Henderson (nee Abrahams) and Joseph L. Abrahams.                                                                                      
The family ran a general store in Kimberley called Abrahams & Co. American
Stores on Dutoitspan Road.                              
Alfred and Arthur ABRAHAMS served in Europe with the South African Infantry
during WW1. Arthur was POW at war's end.

Arthur was disinherited by his father Reuben ABRAHAMS, but not his wife and
children.                                                                                                                   

Both Alfred and Lionel were Freemasons in the early 1900s for about 10yrs. Alfred was in the Mendelssohn Lodge, Sidney-on-Vaal, Northern Cape and                                                                                                    Lionel the Henry B Loch Lodge, Kimberley, Northern Cape.
The bulk of the above data came from the Last Will of Rueben Harris Abrahams (ggf) via Ancestry24, SA Rootsbank, Ancestry.com and Myheritage.com.
Any help/ pointers to fill the above gaps or additional information is gratefully appreciated.                                                                                              Good Health for the remainder of 2017 and Sincere Thanks in advance.

D. H. A.
Qld 4350
Australia

[pampoen]

G`day from Brisvegas. You have put a lot of names up to be searched. I suggest you try this site by entering surname and name to see if any photos have been taken of any of their graves http://www.eggsa.org/librarySearch/searchGraves.htm

Secondly you can try this site. http://www.national.archsrch.gov.za/sm300cv/smws/sm300ds?201603120123524BE04269&PN=00000003 When it opens click on RSA, then in the search words enter their first name on the first line and their surname in the second line and press search. Then click on results summary. A number of results will appear in blue, click on the relevant one you want to see. To see what is in the actual file you will need to order it from the archives. Have a look and see what you can find. Some files have been scanned are online others not. On facebook is a group called South African Genealogy, join it it will help you see which files are online.

[3sillydogs]

Hi to you from Durban

You could also try Family Search, they have a lot of South African records online, just limit your search to South Africa.  Most have images attached as well.  They could include Baptism, marriage and estate files.

[3sillydogs]

Hi

Here is the link to your GGF's Death Notice and Estate file.  There was unfortunately nothing in your GGM's file. The DN lists  his place of birth, parents, spouses, place and date of death and his children.  There is a will attached. The  file consists of some 20 pages, but makes very interesting reading.  He left quite an extensive estate and there are even names of grandchildren listed as beneficiaries.  The images are downloadable.

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS9P-SSRF-Y?i=2099&cc=2520237&cat=188051

Quite a lot of information.  Should help answer some questions.  Any others just post them.

Sue

[zapcon]

Many Thanks to Pampoen and 3Sillydogs, Your responses and guidance is much appreciated. Will follow up when we return home from Burleigh Heads.
We have to silly dogs, presently in jail along with the Boss Cat, a Russian Blue called Hatsie03.

Thanks Again
David