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Research in Other Countries => South Africa => Topic started by: ULRIKA on Thursday 23 July 15 11:56 BST (UK)
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I am looking for family background information of my grandmother, Emma Christina Fáldt born 31 December 1885, from Uppsala, Sweden. She came to South Africa on passenger ship when she was 12 years old in 1897. She married Abraham David Stephanus Theron and had 10 children. My mother's name is Johanna Ulrika Maritz (born Theron) The only surviving child (of the 10) is Hannah Konigk. My grandmother never returned to Sweden to visit the family but they were corresponding by letter. She lived in Pretoria and died in 1965.
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The family in South Africa, has done extensive research to find out more about our grandmother.
As she was only 12 years old arriving in South Africa, we want to do this research also in Sweden, as none of her relatives ever came to South Africa. We would like to find out more about her immediate family and circumstances regarding the reason why she travelled to South Africa.
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Hi Ulrika
Here is the family in 1890 in Teda, Uppsala Län
Fält, Karl Gustaf - b.1855 - Father
Johansson, Johanna Ulrika - b. 1858 - Mother
Karl Bernhard - b.1879
Johanna Axelina - b.1881
Gustaf Joël 1883 - b.Barn
Emma Kristina - b.1885 31 Dec
Axel Ferdinand - b.1888
The family ended up in Stockholm. I will see if I can find them in Stockholm.
Ian
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Here is her emigration record from Gothenburg to Cape Town 1898:
She is listed as a foster child.
Län: A means from Stockholm.
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Here is her birth record in Teda Parish, Uppsala Län:
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If you go to this site: http://digitalastadsarkivet.stockholm.se/Rotemannen2012/Search.aspx you will see the family in Stockholm. There are a number of records to look at.
Just write 1855 (Karl's date of birth) in the date of birth box and Fält (as written) in the surname. You will get a number of hits. Just scroll down to Karl Gustaf.
Ian
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Here is Emma's record emigrating from Stockholm to Africa dated 9 July 1898:
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Thank you for the info - If anyone in the family has any relevant information of maybe photos, would like to forward it to her last living child, Hanna Konigk (91 years)
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I am not related to this family so unfortunately I cannot help you with any photos, but I can help you with more research if you want.
Ian
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Hi Ian, Yes If you can help me with further research I would appreciate it, Thank you
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Hi
Just let me know what you want and I'll see what I can do.
Ian
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Hi Ian, Would it be possible to find contact details of living relatives or someone who maybe knew the family? Thanks, Ulrika
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Hi
I'll give it a try.
Ian
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and here is the rest of the family:
Anny Vilhelmina - b.1894
Ernst Leonard - b. 1899
Erik Henry - b.1909
Olle Bertil - b.1911
Ian
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I wonder why Emma was sent away as a foster child. I have not seen any evidence that proves she travelled with someone so she must have been alone. Do you have any passenger lists for her?
Ian
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Hi Ian,
That is exactly the same question we have as she never spoke about it. We just find it incredibly strange given her age, that she was travelling alone and thereafter no contact really with her family that we know of. I don't really know how to do a search concerning her voyage, but I'll see if I can try with the info you gave me. (I have tried once, and found that the passenger list was incomplete)
Thanks,
Ulrika
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Do you have the name of the ship perhaps?
Ian
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No, wish I knew!
Ulrika
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Hi Ulrika, I had a great aunt by the name of Emma Christina Theron who's mother was Emma Christina Faldt.
Karen
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Hi Karen,
I am the granddaughter of Emma Christina Theron (born Faldt) My mother, Johanna Ulrika Maritz(born Theron) was one of 10 children. I'm just trying to find out some background information .
In this search, I'm using my mother's name, Ulrika. My full names Emma Christina Koullapis (born Maritz).
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Hi Emma what are you looking for? if I cannot help maybe the daughter of Emma Christina van Wyk nee Theron can.
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Hi Ulrika
Do you have access to Ancestry.com?
There is a tree with Emma and all her family and ancestors listed. It looks like the owner may be related.
Ian
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Thanks, I'll try that.
Ulrika
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Hi Karen,
Thanks, I just would like to find out her circumstances as to why she left her immediate family and found herself in S.A. as a young girl of 12 years old, without any support of her family in Sweden.
Ulrika
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Emma I will ask my second cousin if she knows anything. And come back to you with a yes or no.
Ian if you were looking a a van wyk tree on Ancestry then that is mine.
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No Karen, it is a tree from Sweden.
Ian
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That's interesting, hope it helps Emma!
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Hi Ian, I want to thank you for assisting me in locating my grandmother's family in Sweden. I've just come to realise that the question that is really bothering me, will stay unanswered - why a 12 year old daughter was chosen amongst a family of 8 children to emigrate to S.A. I'm glad to say she lived a full life - amongst her friends were Pierneef, the artist, and Issie Smuts, Jan Smuts wife. Her only surviving daughter also don't have any information concerning her circumstances. The people who might know the answers, are not alive anymore. I suppose my grandmother could have confided in one of her children---maybe I must let go and honor her and her secret. Ulrika (Emma Christina Koullapis)
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Hi
You're welcome Emma. Just glad to help out.
I have seen a number of occasions during my research here in Sweden of children being adopted away. The main reason I suppose was the fact the family was going through bad times and 1 child was picked or accepted to be the one to start a new life somewhere else. But the question arises why South Africa. Most people left for USA or Australia. They must have known someone there or a family was willing to adopt her.
Ian
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Ulrika sorry about taking so long to come back to you, I did not forget about you. I have been waiting for my cousin to write back to me. She was away for over a month. But I have finally received a reply.
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Emma, what do you think? could Catharina Wilhelmina von Stankewitz, nee Johnsson, b. abt. 1836 was related to Emma Christina's mother? I see her mother is also Johansson. Are the two surname not interchangeable? Or am I looking for something that's no there? :)
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Hi Karen,
Yes I also think Johnson is related to the family name Johannson. I think this was a family member that brought Emma to S.A. That is why she was listed as a foster child on the ship. This family member was on Emma's mother side. ??
Emma
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So the plot thickens - as the saying goes. :)
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Hi
Yes, there is a record for a Vilhelmina von Stankewitz with foster daughter Emma Kr. Fält leaving Gothenburg on 28 th July 1898 to Cape Town via London on the SS Thule. The record is on Ancestry.
Here is the record of Katarina leaving Stockholm with Emma.
"born 27 May 1837 - Johnsson, according to info a widow. von Stankewitz Katarina Wilhelmina. Available after widow of von Stankewitz". Leaving for Pretoria Africa".
Ian
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Hi Karen,
You are amazing! getting all this info, very interesting. Somewhere there are photos of the family in Sweden, which an aunt of mine had, she wrote to some family member there. I'll see if I can get hold of it and will email it to you,
Emma
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Thanks Emma, that will be lovely. It is all ways nice to see pictures of people one is researching, it sort of makes it more personal.
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Thanks Ian for that info, it helps to put everything into place.
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Yes I also think Johnson is related to the family name Johannson. I think this was a family member that brought Emma to S.A.
Hi
I have tried to trace Catharina Wilhelmina von Stankewitz, nee Johnsson here in Sweden and have gone as far back as I could. There is no evidence of her being related to Emma I'm afraid. What I did find was that her parents were Anders Jonsson and Catharina Hjertberg and she had 1 sibling, Anders Theodore.
She left Stockholm for Cape Town on 15 May 1863 and then returned on 4 Dec 1896.
Ian
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Thanks Ian. So they must of just known each other then. For surely parents would not trust their daughter to a stranger?
The family story goes, that Emma and Catharina Wilhelmina von Stakewitz stayed with her daughter and son-in-law in South Africa. That is until he got arrested for bigamy, and everything went wrong. Wilhelmina and Emma left and looked for another place to stay. Emma got a job as a servant for some rich family and lived with the gardener of this family. She eventually married David Stephanus Theron. Emma would have been about 45 years old when Wilhelmina returned to Sweden.
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Did Wilhelmina return to Sweden later on?
Ian
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It looks like I am get confused with the dates.
Lets see if I can get it sorted out? with dates you have given for Wilhelmina.
Katarina Wilhelmina Johnsson born 1837
Wilhelmina left for Cape Town - 1863 she marries von Stankewitz
Wilhelmina still in South Africa - 1888 her brother died according to court case in the USA ?( Her name is in the document )
Wilhelmina returns to Sweden - 4 Dec 1896
Wilhelmina and Emma left Stockholm in 1898, Emma is 12 years old, they go to South Africa. Live with Wilhelmina's daughter and son-in-law.
Leave daughter to live some place else -?
Emma works for rich family and stays with the gardener - ?
Emma marries Theron ?
Wilhelmina still in South Africa - ?
Abraham David Stephanus Theron dies - 1938
Emma Kristina Faldt dies - 1966 Pretoria, South Africa
Wilhelmina, when does she die and where ?
Ian do you think I have it more or less right now?
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Wilhelmina still in South Africa when brother dies - 1888 according to court case in the USA
Yep, looks good I believe, but who is the brother you are referring to here.... Anders Theodore?
Ian
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Well the claim by the deceased stated that Wilhelmina was his sister. We will just say then the court case were her name came up.
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What was his name?
Is the record online?
Ian
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Ian, Wilhelmina's brother went to America according to this court article his name Andrew Johnson that's the name he used. He did not use his Swedish name. But you can read it all here at this link
http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/california-superior-court-san-francisco-probat/reports-of-decisions-in-probate-volume-4-ila/page-45-reports-of-decisions-in-probate-volume-4-ila.shtml
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Thank you for the link.
What an amazing read. I can't get over the fact that all the records I had found came up in this court case. All the dates, names and facts were very accurate. Andrew must have found gold in California to have such a large estate and if I understood correctly Wilhelmina inherited it all.
If you would like these records or anything else just say and I will see what I can do.
Ian
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Hi Ian,
Thank you so much for all the info and research on this family in Sweden - I was amazed that this was possible - meant a lot for me as I found closure on many issues I had.
Thanking you,
Ulrika (Emma)
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Cheers Emma.
If there are any other records required just ask.
Ian
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Hi,
I finally could find this image of Emma Christina Fáldt born 31 December 1885 -
as a young girl in Africa.
Emma
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Hi,
Sorry, I am not able to post this image, error message, file too large.
Will try again later,
Emma
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(http://)
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HI,
An image was posted Emma Christina Fáldt, as a young girl in Africa,
Emma
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Excellent Emma.
It is always nice to have photos and I just wish I had more myself. The tree looks more healthy then I think.
Ian
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Good day,
I was searching for a MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE, but instead found this information on another site:
Married 5 July 1905 in BELFAST, TRANSVAAL, SOUTH AFRICA
EMMA CHRISTINA FALDT married
ABRAHAM DAVID STEPHANUS THERON
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Marriage certificate on Wiki Tree