Author Topic: Searching for Mack  (Read 1293 times)

Offline Gemma Walker

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Searching for Mack
« on: Monday 09 July 18 14:43 BST (UK) »
Hi Im new here.
Im searching for my SA ancestors as my mum knows no one from her family. Her and her mum and sister emigrated from SA to england in 1969 on the RMS Castle Pendennis.
Her maiden name was Ragel Witbooi.
She married Henry William Mack (1921-1965) but no record found for it.
Have death certificate and death notice for him.
On Ancestory I found a record for his parents also a William Mack and a Martha Leach but nothing else.
Interestingly my mum says her mum told her her dad wasnt born in sa. He was white. Cant find any records though.
My Gran was half cast so there is different races going back in my genes im eager to learn about.
Ancestory was good for finding my dads family but there are all england based.
Harder tracking SA ancestors!
Any tips/advice?
Thank you.

Online rosie99

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Re: Searching for Mack
« Reply #1 on: Monday 09 July 18 15:34 BST (UK) »
Welcome to rootschat

Henry Williams marriage is 27 August 1943 the image is here
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-899C-2931-K?i=179&cc=1935348

Henry Williams place of birth is given as Transvaal S.A. and Rachel's is Cape Prov. S.A

The marriage also states husband is European wife is Mixed. They were both age 23
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Gemma Walker

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Re: Searching for Mack
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 10 July 18 10:27 BST (UK) »
Thank you Rosie99 that is amazing how you found that! I showed my mum and she was really happy. Thank you. Hopefully i can find more information from that :)

Offline TreeSpirit

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Re: Searching for Mack
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 10 July 18 15:27 BST (UK) »
William Mack b abt 1870 Grahamstown CP, d 24 Jun 1927 Newlands Johannesburg Transvaal; occ: Miner; (son of Henry William Mack d abt 1925 & Francis Caroline Mack d abt 1897 CP)
William’s 1927 probate starts here: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS9G-K9WH-4?i=1414&cc=2520237

X#1 to Mary Elizabeth Nieuwenhuyzen b abt 1877 Aliwal North, d abt 17 Sep 1904 Vredesdorp Johannesburg Transvaal
Mary’s 1904 probate starts here: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS92-BS2G-F?i=507&cc=2520237

X#2 to Martha Maria Leach

Children:
3 children in first marriage - all deceased by 1927
4 children in second marriage:
Anna Maria Mack b 2 July 1907 (marriage: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GT7T-SKVR?i=4&cc=1468076 )
Henry William Mack b 7 May 1921
2 more boys for whom Privacy rules apply until death has been found!

Possibly the grave for the youngest brother??: http://www.graves-at-eggsa.org/library/main.php?g2_itemId=2616003




Could this be Ragel/Rachel’s father?
Adriaan Witbooi b abt 1875 Calvinia CP, d 2 Feb 1939 Athlone, Cape Flats, CP (son of Cornelius and Katherine)
X to Maria ?
-
8 children alive in 1939, the youngest is called Rachel (Note: sister Sussan was born abt 1910, so the timeline seems to fit)

Adriaan’s probate: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C91C-F3MB-C?i=465&cc=2517051




Offline Gemma Walker

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Re: Searching for Mack
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 10 July 18 23:27 BST (UK) »
 :o
Thank you Tree Spirit that is a valuable mine of information you provided there!
How do you do it!

Online rosie99

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Re: Searching for Mack
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 11 July 18 07:14 BST (UK) »
Treespirit & I found our answers on Familysearch.  It is a free website you just need to register
 https://www.familysearch.org/search/hr/search

As I don't have access to S.A records on Ancestry or F M P it is always the first place I look  ;)
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline TreeSpirit

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Re: Searching for Mack
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 11 July 18 09:48 BST (UK) »
Unfortunately too much SA data hasn't been indexed yet, so most of the time the scanned films on Familysearch will need to be accessed directly (just like the books in a bricks and mortar archive).

I tend to search by place in "Catalog" option (and - of course - bookmark useful stuff as I go along). Initially it can be a bit daunting, but it gets easier with practice.

rgds, Sylvia

Offline TreeSpirit

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Re: Searching for Mack
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 11 July 18 09:52 BST (UK) »
PS at the top of this SA forum are quite a number of very useful hints and tips. However it can take a little while to get your head around SA research ...(I like a challenge, so that's why I enjoy research in this country :-) )

Offline Gemma Walker

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Re: Searching for Mack
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday 11 July 18 12:47 BST (UK) »
Thank you very much for taking the time to help.
My mum was nearly in tears today actually knowing some family history. She was 2 when her dad died, and then emigrated when she was 9 so dosnt remember any family.
I did find family search quite difficult to navigate but i am going to pursue it as want to know so much more. Was fascinated to know my grandma was the youngest of 8 girls!
Thank you again.