Author Topic: James Harvey Godfrey MacKenzie  (Read 1993 times)

Offline Big Mac 2

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James Harvey Godfrey MacKenzie
« on: Tuesday 26 May 09 13:19 BST (UK) »
I have started collecting information on my family in the hope of doing a family tree.  I have my great grand fathers photo album and some information on him but am unable to find out whether he was born in South Africa or in Scotland.

An uncle has told me that the family thinks he was born in Scotland and came to South Africa just before the Boer War.  Unfortunately he died at a very young age, 27, on 25 September 1906, and his wife died shortly after him.  My grandfather was very young when his parents died and never knew much about them to pass onto his children.

A family member did some research in 1980 but the records contain an error that has made me doubtful of the rest of the information, listing James Harvey Godfrey as having a brother James Charles MacKenzie, and I cannot see any parents naming two sons with the first name.

James Harvey Godfrey's father is listed as William Harvey MacKenzie and his mother as Sophia Hester MacKenzie, nee Waldeck.

I am also told that J.H.G. came from Ullapool in Scotland.  I know he fought on the side of the Boers during the Boer War, was captured at Elandslaagte and sent to St.Helena Island as a prisoner of war.  I have his discharge papers from the Boer Forces, signed by three of their Generals.

If anyone can help with information that will help me go further back, beyond the information I have so far, I would greatly appreciate it.  Any tips pointing me in the right direction would also be great.

Best wishes

James D.N.MacKenzie

Can anyone
MacKenzie

Offline KirstyG

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Re: James Harvey Godfrey MacKenzie
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 27 May 09 12:45 BST (UK) »
Galloway,   Landers,   Lindsay,  Gillespie,  Irvine
Erskine,   McAdam,  Hawthorn
Robertson,   Duncan,   Edmonstone,    Black
Anderson,  Nicholson,  Crombie,  MacDonald
Arch, Herbert, Charlesworth, Chapman

Offline Big Mac 2

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Re: James Harvey Godfrey MacKenzie
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 28 May 09 13:55 BST (UK) »
Hi Kirsty

Many thanks for the link.

Best wishes

James
MacKenzie

Offline Janet Norgate Cloete

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Re: James Harvey Godfrey MacKenzie
« Reply #3 on: Friday 09 October 20 16:00 BST (UK) »
Hi all
 I recently started tracking my forebears and I have discovered a few facts on the Mackenzies. I use to think my grandfather was born in Scotland but I have discovered that he and his dad was infact born in South Africa.  I am still doing research on who their forebears was - (must be from Scotland)
My grandmother was Florence Mackenzie (born 1920) and her father was Henry Albert Christian Mackenzie born 1878 (In Kimberley).  She use to refer to her aunt Sophia Louisa Mackenzie that was married to a Leonardus Wemmer and that it one of the reason I know I am on the right path.
 
Sophia Louisa's mom and dad was James Charles Mackenzie born in 1858 (in Graaff Reinet Cape Town) and passed away 20 October 1901 and mother Hester Sophia Waldeck born 1858 (In Somerset East) and passed on 8 February 1897 (age 39).
(So James Charles was in fact the father and not the brother)

On Hester Sophia's Death Probate the 7 children are mentioned as follow:
1. James Harvey Godfrey (born 23 December 1878) but if you look at James Harvey Godfrey's death record he was born in 1880 rather than 1878.
2. Henry Albert Christian (Born 26 Dec 1880) but if you look at his death record he was born 1878. There is a chance that the birth dates could have been switch and if you look at the probate James Harvey Godfrey's date was changed from 1880 to 1878.
3. Henry Bartle Edward Frere born 25 Dec 1883 died at the age of 37 on 11 May 1920 and had 3 children with his first wife Grace Winifred who died on 22 October 1918 at the age of 30.  He married his second wife Elizabeth Johanna Cornelius Winter on 6 March 1920 two months before he passed away.
4. May Violet Daisy (born 10 May 1888) but I think there might also not correct as I could only find information on a May Violet Daisy Mackenzie born in 1886.This is not a common name and it made me think that this could also be incorrect on the death probate.
5. Sophia Louisa born 3 Febr 1891 once again a mistake on her gravestone (year 1892) but the baptism record is definitely correct and it also indicates her mother and father as James Charles and Hester Sophia Mackenzie
6. John Clive William born 23 Sept 1894 (as per his death record) died at the age of 18 on 14 Dec 1913 he was unmarried
7. Charles Ebenezer born 16 November and it seems it is 1896 (no clear on probate) and could not find any information on him.

After Hester Sophia's death, James Charles married a Ellen Dora George in 1879 I have not found any other records besides their marriage certificate so I do not know if they had a child together before James passed away from liver cancer in 1901 at the age of 43.

I must just add the signatures of James Charles on his first marriage certificate, the Death Probate of his first wife and the marriage certificate of his second wife all appears to be the same.  Also on the marriage certificate of his second marriage it states that he was a printer by trade and on his actual death certificate it indicated that he a compositor that made me believe that this is the same James Charles.

Sophia Louisa also indicated on her marriage certificate that both her parents was deceased (1905)

I hope there is someone that can give me more info on the Mackenzies and who can possibly verify my finding.

Regards
Janet