GENEALOGIESE GENEALOGICAL

GENOOTSKAP VAN SOCIETY OF

SUID-AFRIKA SOUTH AFRICA

WES-GAUTENGTAK WEST GAUTENG BRANCH

WES-GAUTENG-NUUS -- WEST GAUTENG NEWS

DECEMBER 2013
NUUSBRIEF/NEWSLETTER
NEXT MONTHLY MEETING: SATURDAY 18 JANUARY 2014

WEBSITE
Members are reminded of the branch’s new blog site [website] at
http://westgssa.blogspot.com

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ELSABÉ CALITZ’S PHOTOSTORY
[FINAL PUBLICATION]

The Author: Elsabé Calitz

My Grandparents on their wedding day.

None of their children or grandchildren ever saw a photo of them on their

wedding day until I received this prize possession last year [2012].
Unfortunately the original photo got lost, but I still managed to find the
only electronic copy of that photo.

Just check out those shoes, we have never seen my grandmother looking so
beautiful ever, but to us she was always our loving grandmother, love the
dress too she and her mother apparently made it themselves.

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This photo below was taken on my wedding 1992/03/21, with my grandfather in front, my mother with
all her then 8 other siblings, and except for their sister Martha Gerdrina van Rooyen (Born: 1946/07/15 –
1946/07/16 (lived for 36 hours)). Only my mother and 3 of her siblings is still alive who are in this
picture.

From left to right: Paulina Albertha Susanna (Polly)

Wessels (was previously Steenberg) (Neé van Rooyen)
(Born: 1939/06/27 – 1999/03/21), Hendrik Jeremias
(Mannetjie) van Rooyen, Elsie Johanna Jacoba Calitz
(Meisie/Elsie) (Neé van Rooyen) (Born: 1946/07/15 –
2009/06/22), Wessel Johannes (Wessel) van Rooyen,
Susanna Sophia (Sannie) Cloete (Neé van Rooyen)
(Born: 1933/05/12 – 1998/08/13), Hendrik Heremias
(Hennie) van Rooyen (Born: 1937/05/15 – 1998/09/13),
My mother: Christina Johanna (Ina) Calitz (Neé van
Rooyen); Fredrika Elizabeth (Frieda) Wilsnach (Neé
van Rooyen).

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Ancestors:

Van Rooyen:

My Great Grandfather – Christiaan Johannes Marthinus van

Rooyen (Born: 1885/07/24 – 1958/05/22) (Include Van
Rooyen & De la Rey family (His mother: Christina Johanna
De La Rey, is apparently a sister of General De La Rey but
this could not be proven as yet). He was also a Missionary
Pastor, his last Church was the congregation at Dorkas.

He usually drove with an empty tank of petrol and his son-in-law said he drove on fumes but he never got
stuck without petrol he always made it to his destination, that is faith.

My Great Grandmother – Pauwelina Alberta Susanna Smit (Born: 1883/08/16 – 1958/05/19) (Include the
Smit & Naudé family).

Her father did not want them to play music on a Sunday so they told him that the record they were
playing was about “Bloedrivier” instead of ‘Red River Valley’.

My Grandfather in front (left) with his 6 siblings.

My Grandfather (from left): Hendrik Jeremias (Hennie) van Rooyen, Christina Johanna (Stina/Liefie)
Rothmann (Neé van Rooyen) (Born: 1911/11/13 – 2003/11/15), Paulina Alberta Susanna (Polly) Wagner
(Previously Niemann) (Neé van Rooyen) (Born: 1914/04/29 – 1977/08/30); Fredrika Elizabeth
(Driekie/Frieda) Mitchley (previous Stapelberg) (Neé van Rooyen) (Born: 1916/04/15 – 2003/02/05);
Cornelia Maria (Nancy) Hattingh (Neé van Rooyen) (Born: 1919/07/23 (Birth certificate 22) –
2006/09/06); Full names unknown (Ella) Goosen (Neé van Rooyen) (Born: approximately 1922 – before
1977), her husband was Piet Goosen; Christiaan Johannes Marthinus (Christo) van Rooyen (Born
1925/02/03 – 1977/01/08), he was an artist and made a couple of portraits where they are today is
unknown.

My Great grandfather and some of the family members were

part of the workers on the Boegoeberg channel project in the
depression year’s photo taken in 1930.

CJM van Rooyen~Boegoebergkanaal~1930.

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These photos below were taken on my Great Grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversary – September 1957.

My grandfather was present but

unfortunately my grandmother and
6 of the still school going children
were at home (with the oldest
being 18 and the youngest only
being 4 at that stage). They also did not have enough money, to convey all
the children and themselves to Middelburg Transvaal from Vollgraaffsig,
Upington area in the Northern Cape. The family was in anyway not too happy with my grandmother
either because she refused to convert to my Great Grandfather’s church.

Pauwelina Alberta Susanna Van Rooyen (neé Smit) Anchestors (Smit/Naudé Family):

Fredrika Elizabeth Smit (Neé Naude) with her daughter PAW Smit (my Great
Grandmother)

My Great-Great Grandparents:

Hendrik Jacobus Smit Fredrika Elizabeth Smith (Neé Naudé)

The photos below were taken on 30 April 1925 at Kransfontein, South-West Africa (today Namibia) on
my Great-Great Grandparents (Hendrik Jacobus Smit & Fredrika Elizabeth Smit (Neé Naudé)) 50th
Wedding Anniversary:

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Kotzé

This side of the family is still in the process of being researched.

My Great Grandparents:

Hendrik Heremias Kotzé (Born 1887/08/16 – 1975/08/07)

(His Parents: Wessel Johannes Kotzé & Elsie Johanna Jacoba Kotzé (Neé
Vollgraaff))

Susanna Sophia Kotzé (Neé van der Merwe) (Born: 1892/06/15 – 1975/11/17)

(Her Parents: Johannes Lodewikus van der Merwe & Martha Gerdrina van der Merwe
(Neé van Heerden))

My grandmother: Elsie Johanna Jacoba (Ellie) van Rooyen (Neé Kotzé’s) siblings were: Martha Gerdina
(Martha) Schreuder (Neé Kotzé) (Born: 1911/05/31 – 1977/02/26); Wessel Johannes (Wessel) Kotzé
(Born: 1916/09/28 – 1980/12/30); Hendrik Heremias (Hendrik) Kotzé (Born: unknown - unknown), his
wife Maria is also still alive, Susanna Sophia (Sannie) Husselmann (Neé Kotzé) (Born 1924/02/23 –
1983/08/15); Johannes Lodewickus (Merwe) Kotzé (1920/7/07 – as far as is known is still alive));
Wessel Kotzé and his sister Sannie (Neé Kotzé) Husselman, also married siblings, Gert Husselmann and
his sister Maria (Coenie) Kotzé (Neé Husselmann)

Elsabé Calitz
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EDITOR’S 2013 CONCLUDING REMARKS

AND
2014 WISHES!!!

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Concluding remarks 2013: Thank you every single one who interacted with me during the year – even if
you have not submitted a story. I appreciate you when we meet and chat about our mutual interest: our
families – be they extinct [or just hanging in there] or still in the making.

2014 WISHES OF THE EDITOR: Please help me with stories!!! I am very low on our members’
stories. This is my cry for help!! Stories for 2014. If you want to make me happy during 2014, submit
your stories. I will make you happy during 2014 by publishing your stories!!

Neels Coertse
EDITOR: NEWSLETTER
31 December 2013
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OUR LIBRARY
You are encouraged to use our library to do your research. The contents are very valuable. We are in the
process of obtaining insurance for it. We thank all of you who not only use it, but make contributions
towards the contents.

Please keep it up and come and use it.

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Our next branch meeting will be Saturday 18 January 2014 and our guest
speaker is our own member Gina Shepherd. Her topic will be DIE
NATALSE AFRIKANER FAMILIES.

Ons vra dat u nou al u dagboek se inskrywings sal maak.

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WEST GAUTENG BRANCH COMMITTEE, 2013

Designation Name Telephone Email
Chairman Bob Saunders 011-475-4579 bobcad@iafrica.com
Vice-Chairman Colin Steyn 011-954-1715 colnadrie@telkomsa.net
Secretary Petro Meyer 082-852-4056 petro.meyer@telkomsa.net

Treasurer Lucas Rinken 011-760-3009 gen@rinken.co.za

Secretary: Members Richard Wolfaardt 011-955-4262 richardw@lantic.net

Librarian Graham Southey 011-787-4842 None

Assistant Librarian Louise Dick 011-679-4321 None

Blog Journalist Penny Evans 011-763-2465 penny.evans55@gmail.com

Editor Newsletter Neels Coertse 011-463-4049 neelscoertse@wirelessza.co.za
Cemetery Coordinator Giel Nel 011-762-3702 gielnel100@gmail.com
Product Sales Kriek Fourie 011-955-3533 leander.fourie@transnet.net
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