I combined the two main Morkel Genealogies (PW Morkel and GISA) into a Family Tree Maker software package, as well as new items collected over the years. While the more than 1,600 names is fairly modest compared to some genealogies, it took quite some effort to type them in and to proofread and correct errors. Even though there are substantial gaps in the genealogy, particularly for the past 50 years or so, it is still the most comprehensive available for the Morkels of Southern Africa. Hopefully some brave person will try to compile a full updated genealogy some day.
I used Family Tree Maker (FTM) package because it also works on Mac computers. Buying online, it came without a manual but it is sufficiently intuitive that I could make the entries without problems. The descendant report for stamvader Philip was posted on the website under ‘Morkel Genealogies’. Subsequently new information came to light and I did not know how to update the Genealogy without possibly corrupting it in the process. I needed a manual. I managed to obtain one through Amazon, but when it arrived from the US, it was for the Windows version. The manual mentioned that the FTM software contains a pdf of the manual under ‘help’ in the toolbar. Thus I had the manual for the Mac version all along! It was great reading about the many capabilities of the package which the DIY user so easily misses. After experimenting with a mock family tree, I managed to make the corrections and have updated the Descendants Report.
The errors were:
1. Maria Dorothea LOUW married to Daniel Johannes MORKEL 1764 – 1825, died not in 1801 as the existing Genealogies have it, but in 1807. Thus she was the mother of Willem Morkel 1803 – 1876, not Daniel’s 3rd wife Alida BRINK. Such a change is not straight forward to make – all the descendants of Willem must be involved. It involved detatching Willem from Alida BRINK and attaching him to Maria Dorothea LOUW. Once I knew how, it was not difficult.
2. Further research into the Beaufort West Morkels showed that Gert Thomas MORKEL was the son of Hercules Adriaan MORKEL born in 1823, not Hercules MORKEL born 1821 as we had it originally. This was a bit more tricky to change, but it was done.
3. An error I was unable to correct is fortunately not serious. Hendrik Johannes Louw MORKEL 1825 – 1889 was married to a second cousin Elizabeth Anna MORKEL 1830 – 1869. In the Descendants Report their children and their descendants are listed twice, once under Hendrik and again under Elizabeth. I tried various ways but could not get rid of the duplication – it was either both or none. What made it puzzling was that this problem did not occur in the case of another Hendrik Johannes MORKEL who married cousin Esther Elizabeth MORKEL. While it would be nice if the error could be corrected, I do not judge it serious – it means 22 names are listed twice -but no information was lost.
