Anthony Leslie Wilson in South Africa

Anthony Wilson in South Africa

My paternal grandmother was Olive Lillian Wilson and her father was Anthony Leslie Wilson. Anthony was married twice first to Elizabeth Garrett and secondly to Caroline Elizabeth Elves my Great Grandmother (therefore I can claim that I am 1/8 elf).  Anthony had a total of seven children three with Elizabeth and four with Caroline.  

Anthony Wilson

Here is the story of my great grandfather, as told by Doris, one of his daughters.  It appears from the census records that she may have been wrong about him having only one son, although by the time she came along, it is possible that his other sons had died young.

Anthony Wilson was born in Lancashire (Barrow-in-Furness District), the only son of Anthony and Caroline Wilson (born Thackery). There were three daughters - Caroline (a spinster), Barbara (Guines) whose only daughter died when about 21 years, and Alice (Walker, later Price).

... My Father had the first brick house built at Primrose. Later it was added to and turned into a pair of semi's. All the other houses were wood and iron. My Dad sent for his sister, Alice, to come and care for his two little children, Harold and Doris when his wife died of pneumonia. Alice fell in love with the next door neighboour's son, and when she married, my Father remarried - Caroline (born Elves). Four children were born - 'Carrie' (Heaton), Hilda Mary (Manning), Olive (James Edward McCartney) and Anthony 'Tant'."

                                            Anthony and Elizabeth Garrett

                                                                 Caroline Elves

as recorded by Doris Alice Martin (nee Wilson)

                                                                             Carrie, Olive, Doris, Hilda Mary

Anthony was a miner, originally in Lancashire, where the British census of 1881 records him as a Mining Labourer at 14 years old in Dalton. Later he worked on the mines in Germiston South Africa as a Winding Engine Driver, and then in Dundee, Natal, where he worked on the Northfield and SA Collieries. The Winding Engine Driver operated the large static engine that raised the men to and from the workings in a lift cage.  Anthony's son was very proud of his prowess in this task ... he used to talk about how even when the men below had not seen a shift change occur at the winding engine, they could tell when 'old man Wilson' was at the controls because of the smooth ride he gave them.  Recent examples of working steam driven winding engines found at working collieries show that the machines were maintained with considerable care and attention - the miners took their responsibilities to the men below very seriously.

Anthony was also a cornet player in the Salvation Army Band.

Information obtained from Michelle Gilmore my second cousin

The Murdered Forefather Cloeten (Cloete)

A common forefather of the van Heerden, Myburg and van der Merwe families is Jacob Cloeten (Est  1625 - 1693) which later become the family Cloete. Jacob and Fijtje Cloeten were from “van Ut in ’t Land van Ceulen” (Cologne)

Jacob Cloeten - 

(Daughter) Elsje Jacoba Married Willem Schalkz Van Der Merwe -

(Daughter) Magdalena Magtilt (Magteld) Married Pieter Willem van Heerden (Original van Heerden in South Africa)  

On 23 May 1693 there is an entry in the Journal of the Cape Governor, Simon Van der Stel: [Picture of van der Stel]

“This evening, between the hours of 8 and 9, was murdered, not far from the Castle near the butchery, Jacob Cloeten, corporal in the service of the Hon. Company, the oldest of the Comp’s servants, having helped to lay the foundation of this colony, having been the first Freeman, though having later returned to the service of the Company…he was found, badly mistreated with three blows to the head and two stab wounds to the chest, all five mortal, over and above 25 lesser wounds, he was found lying in his blood with his sword at his side still in its scabbard, so that the attack must have been treacherous, as he was still very agile and as fit as a 25-year old young man.[...]”

The van Heerden Connection

My mother's maiden name was van Heerden, information regarding this branch of my family is not very well documented and the best I could do was to determine from their gravestone that my great grandfather was Gerhardes Hendrik Christoffel van Heerden and he was married to Maria Emelia Beetge.

A chance discovery of a book by Dr. Petronella van Heerden published in 1969 gave me the necessary connection to follow the van Heerden family all the way back to the arrival of the first van Heerden (Pieter Willemsz) in South Africa in 1701.

Death of William Mc Cartney 1954 (South Africa)

We eventually get to the South African connection. After two generations in Scotland another William emigrates (his grandfather emigrated from Ireland). 

The document below is the official medical death certificate dated 7th May 1954.

He died at Nazareth House in Pretoria.

Death William Mc Cartney 1872

We know from his son's wedding in 1876 that he is already deceased so we can backtrack and see if he was still alive when the 1871 census took place. We find him alive and well and living in Vennal Street, Dalry. We also confirm James (17 years old) and meet some of his siblings Joseph (21), William (19), Henry (12) and Robert (10).

With the information we have we limit our search to between the years 1871 and 1877. We find his death notice in January 1872. Collaborated information occupation shoemaker, wife Margaret Ward and living in Vennal Street.

Additional information obtained;

Farther Hugh Mc Cartney (Deceased)

Mother Maiden Surname Gordon (Deceased)

Another son John reported the death

Marriage James Mc Cartney and Margaret Carley 1871 Scotland

Taking information from the post "The Start" we have sufficient information to get James and Margaret married.

Facts

From Birth of William in 1877

Name, Surname, & Rank or Profession of Father: (husband)

James Mc Cartney, Colporteur, Byres Kilwinning,

Name and Maiden Surname of Mother: (wife)

Margaret Mc Cartney, M.S, Carley

Date and Place of Marriage:

1876, November 17th, Fairlie

Additional information obtained from the document above;

Took place in the Free Church of Scotland

Both are 23 years old

His father (William) was a shoemaker and is deceased

His mother (Margaret) maiden surname is Ward still living

Her father (Peter Carley) coal miner

Her mother (Mary) maiden surname was Blain and she is deceased

Fun with Family and Statistics (2)

The graph shows that if the generation gap between the parents and a child is 14 years (Young parent) there would be 143 generation in 2000 years and if the gap was 26 it would only be 77 generations.

An average gap of 20 years or 100 generations would therefore mean that you're paternal or maternal line 100 generations ago would have been alive in the time of Jesus.

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Generations	Year	Event
124	480 BC	Spartans "300"
27	1452	Birth Leonardo Da Vinci
17	1652	Jan van Riebeeck lands at the Cape
8	1834	The Great Trek
6	1880	First Boer War

Census Explored 1881 Mc Cartney Scotland

In the post "The Start" several leads were developed that we can now tease out further to either find more individuals or to verify information we currently have starting with the date and location of some of the individuals. The information available gives us enough information to have a look at census information censuses in Scotland took place every ten years from 1841. William's date of the birth was 1877 it is best to step forward to the next census therefore 1881. Information we can use/verify;

Facts

Father: James Mc Cartney, Colporteur, Byres Kilwinning (keep in mind that they may have moved)

Wife: Margaret Mc Cartney,

Son: William, (estimated age between three and five as we don't have the exact date that the census took place) in 1881

Assumptions (be careful only use as supporting information)

They should still be in the area.

William should be the eldest child (Wedding 1876 Birth 1877)

The census extract below meets all the information

Byres Road about the time of the census

to be continued

Fun with Family and Statistics (1)

Most people would consider twenty friends on Facebook very unimpressive but consider the table below. If you were to take all the ancestors required to be in place before you were born it would only take twenty generations before you got to a figure in excess of one million.

The Start

Family Tree Mc Cartney/Wynne

The family tree that started it all for me received from Athol Wilkin a cousin once removed in 2006. The tree contains the names of William and Jimmy Mc Cartney my Great Grandfather and Grandfather respectively, using this as a departure point I found my first sold documented proof on the Internet. Individuals with ancestors in countries such as Scotland and England are privileged as there is a mass of information available on line and usually at reasonable prices.

Doing some basic research before you start is a good idea for example the tree gives a date for the birth of William as the second of December 1887 in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland. Most of the websites have the ability to search a range of dates if you use a specific date you can select an exact five or ten year date on either side of the target date. A good idea is to start with a greater range and to narrow it down if the volume proves to be too large. When I compared my search results with the document only one entry stood out the day and month agreed but the year was out by ten years this often happens as families often get information slightly incorrect.  I downloaded the birth registration document which turned out to be a treasure trove of information;

Birth Record William Mc Cartney 1877

Name:

William Mc Cartney

When and Where Born: 1877, December Second, 1 Hour 40 Minutes p.m. Westend Dalry:

Sex: M (Male)

Name, Surname, & Rank or Profession of Father:

James Mc Cartney, Colporteur, Byres Kilwinning,

Name and Maiden Surname of Mother:

Margaret Mc Cartney, M.S, Carley

Date and Place of Marriage:

1876, November 17th, Fairlie

Signature and Qualification of Informant, and Residents, if out of House in which the Birth occurred:

James Mc Cartney, Father

When and Where Registered, and Signature of Registrar:

December fourth at Dalry

Several of these entries prove to be invaluable in further research as we now have his parent's names as well as their wedding date the location it took place, her maiden surname and where they lived at the time.  

to be continued...........