Mathias family

[LaurenO]

Hi All. We are trying to get some more information on our great grandfather. Unfortunately we have very little information to go on. We think he was born in Wales and known as Harry Mathias. He came to South Africa to fight in the Boer war and was followed by his wife Mary and 3 children, but one died on route to South Africa. He was a miner and travelled around a lot. Apparently he arrived home one day with a little boy of about 3 called Eddie (my grandfather) and said he was going to adopt him. He is believed to have died in South Africa in about 1933.
Where do we begin looking??? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Megan Roberts]

I think that without more information, such as his age, or his wife's maiden name, or his children's names it will be very difficult to discover much.

Findmypast have a record set entitled "Anglo-Boer War Records 1899-1902". I did a quick search, and there is no Harry Mathias, but there are two H. Mathias and one Hugh Broderick Mathias. The latter was a major in the Royal Army Medical Corp. Of the two H. Mathias; one served in the "5 Queensland Imperial Bushmen" and the other in the "Bethunes Mounted Infantry". However, this data set does not give any other identifying information.

Harry may well have been the shortened form of Henry. If one was to assume that he was between 20-30, when he arrived in South Africa around 1900, then if we look at births in Wales between 1870 and 1880, you have the following:

Henry 1872 Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire – probable that he died in 1940 Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire
Henry 1874 Wrexham, Denbighshire
Henry 1875 Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire – probable that he died in 1890 Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire
Henry 1876 Llanelly, Carmarthenshire – probable that he died in 1877 Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire
Henry 1879 Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire
Henry Willard 1880 Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire – died 1900 Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire

If Harry was his middle name then that would add a lot more options! Looking at the two that are left:

1874 – Wrexham, Denbighshire
There are no records in Denbighshire other than his birth registration. Looking at the 1871 census there is a Henry Mathias born in 1826, living with his daughter Sarah aged 9. Neither of them are in the 1881 Census for Denbighshire.

1879 Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire
He appears in the 1891 Census aged 13 living with his widowed Mother, Elizabeth, and two brothers, however, he also appears with his widowed mother in the 1911 Census and is single.

I think that the above illustrates why more information is needed.

[christanel]

Did Harry and his wife have any children born in South Africa? What are the names of the children who were born prior to the move to S. Africa?
I think we have to move back from his life in South Africa and if we can find some birth or death records for any of the children it may give us Harry's full name and possibly where he was from.
This is the link to Cyndi'slist which gives links to free and pay sites where you can look for Mathias records.
This a link to the records for South Africa on familysearch.org

I have just found a death record for a Henry James Mathias, age 63 (born c1871) died 26 January 1934, occupation Miner, wife Mary born Rees, place of marriage Mertha Tydfil, South Wales.
Children
Daniel Mathias
Martha Mathias married to Robert Thompson
Gordon Stanley Mathias
Edward Mathias
All adults.

Birthplace for Henry James Mathias deceased is America, We????(can't read the last letters as they have been stamped over with the date of his death registration) Father John, mother unknown.

Is this anything to do with your family?
Christina

[christanel]

Marriages Sept 1/4 1890
Henry Mathias to Mary Rees registration distric Merthyr T. vol 11a page 973

Birth
MATHIAS, DANIEL mother's maiden name REES
GRO Reference: 1892 Dec Quarter in MERTHYR TYDFIL Vol 11A Page 677

MATHIAS, MARGARET ANN mmn REES
GRO Reference: 1890 Dec quarter in MERTHYR TYDFIL Vol 11A Page 573

MATHIAS, WILLIAM HENRY mmn REES
GRO Reference: 1895 March quarter in MERTHYR TYDFIL Vol 11A Page 789

There are other birth registrations on the GRO index surname Mathias mother's maiden name Rees but I have only posted the ones I found registered in Merthyr Tydfil. I can't see one for a Gordon/Gordon Stanley though

Christina

[gilian rowland]

Thought I'd try to help but this is probably completely wrong.History was never my strong point but if I have the correct Boer War it was from 11 October 1899to 31 May 1902.

There are three marriages between those dates all for Henry Mathias with a wife Mary.

Q4 1887 Pembroke to Mary Jane Scott
Q2 1888 Swansea to Mary Drewitt
Q3 1890 Merthyr Tydfil to Mary Rees

The only one I could find with three children is the last one ie mother's maiden name ReesM
ATTHIAS, ARTHUR REES GRO Reference: 1890 D Quarter in PONTYPRIDD Volume 11A Page 416
MATTHIAS, HARRY REES GRO Reference: 1900 D Quarter in BRIDGEND Volume 11A Page 805
MATTHIAS, CYRIL JOHN REES GRO Reference: 1905 S Quarter in PONTYPRIDD Volume 11A Page 677

I need my beauty sleep so haven't attempted to find a Passenger List or census returns.Jill

[wimsey]

"He is believed to have died in South Africa in about 1933" - is that Harry or Eddie ?

a Henry James Mathias died at Vereeniging 26 January 1934 (born 1871) - occupation miner (spelt myner)

edit - sorry, this was covered by Christina above.

[wimsey]

Birthplace for Henry James Mathias deceased is America, We????(can't read the last letters as they have been stamped over with the date of his death registration) Father John, mother unknown.

I wonder if that word after America might actually be Welshman

[wimsey]

There are other birth registrations on the GRO index surname Mathias mother's maiden name Rees but I have only posted the ones I found registered in Merthyr Tydfil. I can't see one for a Gordon/Gordon Stanley though

Gordon Stanley Mathias was born Elandslaagte, South Africa, parents Henry James & Mary, 13 April 1909

[Jomot1]

If thats the right man, then here's his headstone:

https://www.graves-at-eggsa.org/main....itemId=2939573

[christanel]

Wow, so much information, thanks everyone. I certainly hope this is the bloke we are looking for but if not at least we know which ones we can ignore in any further searches.

Christina