Bill Weidner from Creswick Australia writing. I'm researching McArthur/ Mc Arthur/ MacArthur and Mac arthur - with difficulty. Charles McArthur and Agnes born Smith arrived via Ireland (originally from Soctland) on SS John Vanner 1862 as part of an immigration scheme to a timber plantation in Knysna. Spriggs, Fitchat, Minoi, and Venter partners in the next generation - some found, some not,only one McArthur male of the born to the eight siblings - to James McArthur, a son named Errol, who then had only female child, so the McArthur name died out. Albert married Ellen Venter in 1897, she remarried in 1903 (Aaron Payne) but declared herself a spinster (but signed Ellen Caroline McArthur) on the special marriage licence. Albert "disappeared" ?in the Boer War? SAndfoc have been unable to find him in their records. Of particular difficulty is Joseph McAthur & his sibling Susan Ann we deduce probably born born c. 1864 & 1866.We have found Susan's death notice, so Joseph remains an enigma along with his wife Bertha. Mary Jane, Albert, James, Agnes, Ethel Emily, Jessie had their births registered at Port Elizabeth's Hill St Presbyterian Church between 1868 and 1879. Charles died 1880. Agnes remarried in 1891 - James Fitchat of bakery fame in Grahamstown. They removed top Bloemfontein c. 1895. Likely the Knysna births were registered at the Prfesbyterian church at Knysna - Is there one of that era? and where would I start looking please - anyone. Next generations of Spriggs, Minoi, Price-Davies, Fitchat, Weil, Gibb (Gibb migrated to Australia 1907) still chunks of information missing as Agnes Bella Gibb (my maternal grandmother) gave misinformation to the next generation probably as a smokescreen due to her first child Violet Maud being illegitimate. She would not be impressed that we have discovered our ancestors and we're not sure if that was the reason, or that the man who married her in 1895 committed bigamy by doing so, having deserted his wife and two sons back in Australia. A fragmented family, one of many I'm certain. I'd just like to find the missing pieces in our "jigsaw puzzle" by finding Joseph and his wife known only to us as Bertha. He is the only one I've never been able to trace "anywhere" but I have found his son - Joseph Sidney who married Kathleen Maria Winchester in 1931 in Pretoria. Their daughter Naomi was born 1934, and she's possibly still alive, but elderly. I have posted a request for Naomi on a number of public bulletin boards, with no response at all. Thanks anyone in anticipation, my regards to all family researchers, we are contributing to keeping the economy buoyant by subs to various website and data bases in our individual quests to search for ancestors. Bill Weidner Creswick Australia

On 28 Oct 2013, at 7:36 AM, bill weidner wrote (snip): > Of particular difficulty is Joseph McAthur & his sibling Susan Ann > we deduce probably born born c. 1864 > & 1866.We have found Susan's death notice, so Joseph remains an > enigma along with his wife Bertha. > Mary Jane, Albert, James, Agnes, Ethel Emily, Jessie had > their births registered at Port Elizabeth's Hill St Presbyterian > Church > between 1868 and 1879. That Church is known as The Hill Presbyterian Church; I don't think there is a "Hill Street", or not there anyway -- the whole area is known as The Hill and in those days was where the toffs lived. My brother used to be the Session Clerk of that congregation, but now lives in the suburbs; it was NOT inhabited by toffs in his days there, but had gone the way of many inner-city precincts the world around. Andrew Rodger [email protected]

Hi Bill >From the Union Congregational Chapel, PE register there is this entry MACARTHER Mary Jane to Charles & Agnes b 9 Jan 1868 Take care Lynn -----Original Message----- From: Andrew Rodger Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 1:45 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [SOUTH-AFRICA] Searching for McArthurs On 28 Oct 2013, at 7:36 AM, bill weidner wrote (snip): > Of particular difficulty is Joseph McAthur & his sibling Susan Ann > we deduce probably born born c. 1864 > & 1866.We have found Susan's death notice, so Joseph remains an > enigma along with his wife Bertha. > Mary Jane, Albert, James, Agnes, Ethel Emily, Jessie had > their births registered at Port Elizabeth's Hill St Presbyterian > Church > between 1868 and 1879. That Church is known as The Hill Presbyterian Church; I don't think there is a "Hill Street", or not there anyway -- the whole area is known as The Hill and in those days was where the toffs lived. My brother used to be the Session Clerk of that congregation, but now lives in the suburbs; it was NOT inhabited by toffs in his days there, but had gone the way of many inner-city precincts the world around.