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Give bernard,

Thank you for your response as well!!!

I’m not sure that they are not my family...

I found a census entry from the familysearch.com website.

William Merrells
England and Wales Census, 1891
Name:   William Merrells
Event Type:   Census
Event Date:   1891
County:   Glamorganshire
Parish:   Swansea Town And Franchise
Ecclesiastical Parish:   HOLY TRINITY
Registration District:   Swansea
Residence Note:   Back Street
Gender:   Male
Age:   30
Marital Status:   Married
Occupation:   General Haulier Publican
Relationship to Head of Household:   Head
Birth Year (Estimated):   1861
Birthplace:   Glamorganshire, England
Page Number:   30
Registration Number:   RG12
Piece/Folio:   4479/ 75

What I find interesting is that the occupation listed here is
General Haulier Publican.

From what i have been able to find is that this means that William was in “shipping”.

What I also find very interesting is that this Williams sister died in South Africa in 1911, Eleanor.

I might need to put on some hours to research this Merrells line a bit better.

I also find it interesting that William Jones Merrells died in South America in 1868.

I’m maybe taking a bit “stab” here, but maybe this is much Davids Father who actually ended up in South Africa.

Dear ALL,

Good Afternoon.

I was wondering if anybody can help me.  I have a few bit of information and I would like to put the clues together.

I know that my Great-Great-Great Grandfather - David Edward Patterson (born +/- 1875) started a family in South Africa (Pretoria) he married a Jemima Elizabeth Dickens in 1897 in Pretoria.

In a Anglo-Boer Record his father is listed at William Patterson (living in Pretoria).  Also, he was a neutralized burger because he had been living in the country for sometime (he has a lapse residency permit).

On baptism records from two of his children (David Edward Patterson)  I have found the following interesting witness':
Meta Josephine Heydenrych (on her death certificate (1954) she is listed with maiden surname Patterson), BUT on her husbands death certificate (1926) her maiden surname was listed as Merrells. 
Helena Maria Marais - married in Pretoria in 1880 to a Petus Johannes Marais, her maiden surname is listed as Merrells.

Looking though some of the files I have found online, I have found:
Helena Maria Marais
Martha Gertruida Johanna Beets
Maria Johanna Rorke
ALL of the above mentioned are listed as siblings and children of William and Martha Johanna Merrells born in Transvaal.  However on Martha Gertruida's death certificate her father is listed as DE Merrells and Martha Johanna.

Why am I posting this on the Wales Message Board?

The family story goes that David Edward Merrells (Patterson) ran away from home and home was Wales.  Once David arrived in South Africa he changed his surname from Merrells to Patterson.  I know there was a change of name certificate that was collected by a relative in South Africa pre 1952 (when Jemima died). 

From what I have been told David was part of a Welsh Shipping Family.  Also that a relative far back was a Lady in Waiting for the Queen of England (now this could be either from the Dickens or the Merrells side).  There was also some talk of a certain part of this Merrells family starting a hotel chain.

In South Africa I have not been able to find any records of David besides his children's baptism records.  I have found no William Merrells.  The only Merrells I have been able to find is a Joseph Merrells born in Suffolk 1816 and died 1857 in South Africa, he had the following children:
David born 1839
Daniel born 1840
Maria Elizabeth Magdalene born 1843
Harriet Margaret born 1848
Elizabeth Ann born 1856 

If anybody has any information on a Merrells Family in Wales that matches some of the descriptions timeframes above, please feel free to contact me....

I have been working on this puzzle for a few years now and I am unable to find any other information and ALL the relatives that "could / would" know anything have all already passed...

Thanks,
Amanda

Thank you to everyone that has replied...

I do have Martha's death certificate (thank you).

If anyone can assist with census records that would be helpful (Wales, UK) - apparently the family was very involved in the shipping industry... Merrells - Wales - Shipping.?

Again - thank you all for the error and replies!!!