Editor: Dr Saul Issroff
Copyright © 2002 Saul Issroff, Mike Getz, SAfrica SIG
and Jewishgen Inc.
URL: http://www.jewishgen.org/SAfrica/mormon.htm
Updated: 21 July 2002

This document summarises the collection of key documents available in the Mormon Family History Library (FHL) microfilms, which are relevant and useful to pursuing Jewish genealogical research in South Africa.

This is not a complete list of such available resources, but rather a comprehensive starting point. Full details of the films can be found in the FHL Catalogue, and this Catalogue should be consulted before ordering any particular film for review.

The references are divided into several categories, and the film numbers of the key films to start research in the particular category are provided.

Emigration and Immigration

Natal

Deeds of naturalization 1849-1864 1888

Index to immigrant register 1892-1902

Immigrant registry and index 1903-1904

Assisted emigrants to Natal 1859-1883

VAULT INTL Film [1295028 Items 4-6]

Assisted emigrants to Natal 1883-1888 1892-1902

Index to applications 1904-190

Assisted emigrants to Natal 1904-1905

Index to applications 1905-1910

Assisted emigrants to Natal 1905-1911

Shipping books 1845-1876

VAULT INTL Film [1295029]

Register of immigrants 1849-1911 FHL INTL Film [1295030]

Passenger list 1849-1852

Passenger list (indexed) 1858-1874

Passenger list (indexed) 1875-1885

Passenger list 1886-1892 FHL INTL Film [1295372 Items 2-5]

Passenger list 1892(Jan 5)-1902

Passenger list index 1886-1902

Passenger list 1903-1905

Passenger list index 1903-1905

Passenger list 1905-1911

Title grants 1849-1880

Ship arrivals (v. 73) 1845-1859

Ship arrivals (v. 74) 1859-1871

Ship arrivals (v. 75) 1871-1876 FHL INTL Film [1295373]

Applications for Naturalisation (Cape Colony only)

Available for period 1883 - 1911
These documents have high genealogical value. They include age information, birth location information, and details of residence both in the Cape Colony and the British Empire, if applicable.
Documents are filmed in rough alphabetical order.
Film numbers:
    1883 - 1911: 1281590, 1281591, 1281592, 1281593, 1281594

Death Certificates

Death certificate documents are available for certain time periods only, and for selected provinces, as follows. Entries are in rough chronological order, and records are grouped alphabetically by location. There are no indexes.

Note: The date of death needs to be known fairly accurately, in order to be able to find a particular certificate, and searching before and after the date of death needs to be performed in the records, since some certificates have been filmed out of order. Consult the FHL catalogue to find the precise film numbers for a particular year and location.

National coverage: 1955 - 1965
    Film numbers in range: 1925527 through 1926125 (not all film numbers are used)

Cape Province: 1895 - 1928
    Film numbers in range:
      1768645 through 1768970,
      1887008 through 1887235,
      1925589 through 1926175.
      (not all film numbers are used)

Transvaal: 1888 - 1954
    Film numbers in range:
      1887020 through 1887233,
      1925519 through 1925810,
      1768631 through 1768968.
       (not all film numbers are used)

Estate/Probate Documentation

The Estate films typically contain the following documents: Death Notices, Wills, and Liquidation/Distribution accounts. Sometimes other documents are included an the Estate file, such as an Antenuptial agreements.

Both Indexes as well as the actual estate documentation can be found on the microfilms. In the sections below, only the index film numbers are indicated; once the particular name of interest (together with the Estate number) is found in the Index, one should refer to the FHL Catalogue to determine the film number(s) which should contain the actual documentation.

1.. Cape Province

Complete Estate documents are available for: 1834 - 1950

Estate Registers (with only date & Estate number) available for: 1930 - 1989

    Estate Index Film numbers:

    1834 - 1912: 1258607 through 1258611

    1834 - 1918: 1367980, 1367981 (alternate films)

    1913 - 1925: 1367987, 1367988

    1926 - 1943: 1367988, 1686870, 1686871, 1686879

    1944 - 1953: 1686879, 1686880, 1670583

    Original Wills and Testaments available for: 1923 - 1928

    Documents are sequenced by Will number and approximately by Estate number.

    Film numbers are in range: 1670337 through 1670640 (not all film numbers are used)

2.. Transvaal

Complete Estate documents are available for: 1873 - 1950

Index information available for: 1873 - 1958

    Estate Index Film numbers:

    1873 - 1910: 0918691

    1911 - 1958: 0918692 through 0918699

    Alternate Estate Index Film numbers:

    1873 - 1956: 1439126, 1439127

    1911 - 1958: 1439128, 1439129, 1439131

3.. Natal

Complete Estate documents are available for: 1871 - 1950

Index information available for: 1871 - 1947

    Estate Index Film numbers:

    1871 - 1947: 1295096, 1295409, 1367346, 1367365

    Alternate Estate Index Film number:

    1840 - 1956: 1560758

4.. Orange Free State

Complete Estate documents are available for: 1853 - 1950

    Estate Index Film numbers:

    1854 - 1905: 1367419

    1906 - 1976: 1864338 through 1864341

    1977 - 1992: 1864341 through 1864343

Miscellany

These references only provide some spotty coverage of a few locations and time periods.

1.. Burial, Marriage, and Death Information for Cape Town

Interment registers for several Cape Town cemeteries, 1886 - 1981.
Indexes are included.
    Film numbers: 1258779, 1259122 through 1259150

Marriage and Death Certificates, Cape Town Jewish Congregation, 1851 - 1989
    Film numbers: 1560759 through 1560764, 1560773 through 1560775

Jewish Helping Hand and Burial Society (Chevra Kadisha), Johannesburg
    Film number: 1259151

3.. City and Telephone Directories

The Rand-Pretoria City directory
(covers Pretoria, Johannesburg, and environs)
    Film number (1942): 0990149
    Film number (1943): 0990150
    Film number (1944): 0990153
    Film number (1945): 0990154
    Film number (1947): 0990163
    Film number (1948): 0990164
    Film number (1949): 0990165
    Film number (1953): 0990166
    Film number (1954): 0990167
    Film number (1960): 0990168
    Film number (1962): 0990169

The United Transvaal City directory
(covers Johannesburg, Pretoria, and other Transvaal towns)
    Film numbers (1925 - 1926): 0990143, 0990144
    Film numbers (1934): 0990144, 0990145
    Film numbers (1940): 0990145, 0990146

Telephone directory: Transvaal
    Film number (1951): 1441072

Telephone directory: Orange Free State, Northern Cape, Basutoland
    Film numbers (1946): 1224502
    Film numbers (1950): 1441072

4.. Other

Register of medical practitioners and dentists for the Union of South Africa as on 1 January 1945: 0990174

See an example of what can be extracted from a Mormon FHL microfilm - The Gardens Synagogue Cape Town Burial records Excel file with about 55 records.