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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

Searching for information on the Neil, Gray, & Scott Families which may help breakdown a couple of brickwalls, photo identification, and expand the family tree.
My Great Aunt Robina Neil 1882 – 1977 although born in Perthshire possibly spent some time with the Neil Family of Bowden who moved there from Lanarkshire in the mid-1800s.   
Robina was a boarder with the Goodfellow Family of Trinity Street, Hawick during the 1911 Census.           
One of Robina’s Uncles Alexander Neil married an Agnes Gray in Bowden March 12, 1880. They had 6 known children.
James Neil b1880 d? :                                                                                                                                             Catherine Neil b1884 d?:                                                                                                                                       William Neil b1887 d?:                                                                                                                                                Adam Gray Neil b1890 – d1976:                                                                                                                                       John* Neil b1892 d? :                                                                                                                                                   Margaret Neil b1894 - d? :
*John may have served with the Royal Scottish Fusiliers during WW1.
All help and suggestions appreciated.
Regards & Thanks
David from sunny Queensland

Trying to identify my Great Aunts Fiancé and ensure he has received proper recognition. Unfortunately we have no name or service number but from a photograph we belief he served in the Royal Field Artillery and was based  and trained out of the Piershill Barracks Edinburgh. Although not certain we believe he came from the parish of Arngask,  Peebleshire, Scotland. as that is where my Great Aunts family came from. GA sir name NEIL. Any help gratefully appreciated. Sincere Thanks and Regards David Abrahams Qld Australia.

My Cousins and I are trying to put a name to the young man in the photograph. Dose anyone recognise him from their old family photographs or see a close similarity with a family member.
What we know is very little except that he was engaged to my Great Aunt Robina (Bo) Neil and he did not return home (possibly to the Midlothian District) from WWI. We think he was initially based for Training at Piershill Barracks, Edinburgh and served with the 51st Battery Royal Field Artillery which was to be part of  XXXIX Brigade RFA. Many thanks in Advance

Does anybody have any recent History of them?
Thankyou
David