Benjamin Jonathan Rudman

Benjamin Rudman

Born: 9 April 1794, Devizes, Wiltshire, England
Parents: John Rudman and Elizabeth Rudman (nee Ellen)
Siblings: James Rudman, 19 September 1788, Devizes, England
                Samuel Rudman, 16 March 1790
                Rachel Rudman, 10 July 1791
                William Rudman, 24 December 1792, Rowde, England
                Benjamin Jonathan Rudman, 9 April 1794, Devizes, Wiltshire, England
                Hannah Rudman, 24 July 1796
                Jonah Rudman, 15 May 1798
                Martha Rudman, 4 August 1800
                Mara Rudman, 9 May 1802
Married: Juliana Slater, 22 August 1820, Salem, South Africa
Children: Emma Sophia Rudman, 21 July 1821, Salem, South Africa
                  Matthew Henry Rudman, 18 August 1823, Salem, South Africa
                  Thomas John Rudman, 12 March 1826, Salem, South Africa (Christened 21 January 1830, Salem)
                  Charles Benjamin Rudman, Christened 21 January 1830, Salem
                  George Edward Rudman, 4 June 1832, Salem, South Africa (Christened 31 December 1832), Died 15 May 1885, Blouwkoppen, Bluegumvale
                  Alexander Alfred Rudman, 1835, Grahamstown, South Africa, Died 8 June 1902, Prince Street, Port Elizabeth; married Ellen Jane Kestell
                  Joseph Benson Rudman, 13 June 1837, Salem, South Africa, Died 22 September 1927, Somerset East
                  Sarah Elizabeth Rudman, 5 June 1839, Salem, South Africa
                  James William Rudman (*), 1843, Great Winterhoek, Died 2 July 1885, Grahamstown
                  Johnathan Caleb Rudman, 24 April 1846, Uitenhage, South Africa, Died 4 March 1887, Eben Vlot, Uitenhage district
                  Evelyn Charles Rudman (adopted son), 2 April 1863, Grassridge
                      (christened 4 October 1870, Uitenhage Methodist Church by Rev. WC Holden; entry 251)
Occupation: Husbandman / farmer
Died: 30 September 1868, aged 74, Olifants Kop farm, Grassridge, Uitenhage, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Buried: Uitenhage cemetery, Eastern Cape, South Africa, Coordinates: 33°45'38.46"S and 25°22'59.66"E, elevation 72m

1820 Settler, part of Hezekiah Sephton's party in the ship Aurora. Benjamin Rudman was a husbandman, aged 27 in 1820. Samuel Rudman (his brother) - also on the Aurora - was also a husbandman, aged 28 in 1820. Samuel Rudman was murdered in 1841.

The signature of Benjamin Rudman (shown above) is from the marriage certificate of his brother Samuel Rudman.

Benjamin Jonathan Rudman's estate was $3,936 and was split evenly between his 10 children. His assets included the farms Oliphant Kop, Ebb and Vloed, Zoetgenoeg, two places at Salem, a house on the corner of John and Durban Street, Uitenhage, property in Market Street, Uitenhage, and another house in Durban Street.

(*) James William Rudman (born ~1843) never married. He died intestate and had some property and the balance of his inheritance from his parents' estate approximating to 325.0.0 British sterling. An order of the court on 10/5/1883 declared him a lunatic and appointed Matthew Henry Rudman as executor.


Transcription of England and Wales Non-conformist births and baptisms:
Benjamin Rudman, Birth date 9 April 1794
Place: Devizes, Wiltshire, England
Denomination: Baptist
The National Archives reference: TNA/RG/4/2230
Description: WILTSHIRE: Devizes (Baptist): Births

Birth of Benjamin Rudman

National Archives, Kew:
Particular Baptist Chapel, Devizes, Wiltshire RG4/2230 f11
The children of John RUDMAN (himself was born 27 January 1763) whose wife was Elizabeth, the daughter of Thos. ELLEN (his wife is a member)
James RUDMAN was born the 19 September 1788
Samuel 16 March 1790
Rachel 10 July 1791
William 24 December 1792 (died in infancy)
Benjamin 9 April 1794
Hannah 24 July 1796
Jonah 15 May 1798
Martha 4 August 1800
Mara 9 May 1802


Marriage of Benjamin Rudman and Juliana Slater
South Africa, Civil Marriage Records
FamilySearch.org reference: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ZQL6-FR6Z

Marriage of Benjamin Rudman

The marriage of Benjamin Rudman to Julia Slater was the first wedding at the Methodist Church in Salem. This was the first Methodist wedding in South Africa, and was among the first 1820 Settler marriages. The marriage was witnessed by Thomas Slater and James Hancock. (Len de Klerk has seen the marriage certificate in the Cape Town Archives.)
Transcript of marriage register: http://tree.pagemaker.co.nz/transcriptions/Data/SalemAlbany/marriages/methodist1.htm
or http://albany1820.com/transcriptions/Data/SalemAlbany/marriages/methodist1.htm

Entry #1
Husband: John Parkis COLEMAN
Wife: Susannah OSLER
Date: 1820
Place: Bathurst
Minister: William SHAW

Entry #2
Husband: Benjamin RUDMAN, district of Uitenhage
Wife: Julia Anna SLATER, district of Salem
Date: 22 Aug 1820
Witnesses: Thomas SLATER, James HANCOCK
Minister: William SHAW
Consent: Parents

Entry #3
Husband: Charles Thomas CROFT, district of Albany
Wife: Mary HANCOCK, district of Salem
Date: 4 Jan 1821
Witnesses: James HANCOCK, Mary Ann ROBINSON
Minister: William SHAW
Consent: Friends


Death of Benjamin Rudman
South Africa, Cape Province, Probate Records of the Master of the High Court, 1834-1989
FamilySearch.org reference: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSQF-MSSZ-Z?i=2128

Benjamin Rudman - Death Notice


For further information on the Rudman family tree, a good starting point is
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=1625-2009&id=I3


http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/a/s/Sheena-A-Bass/GENE5-0007.html

As researched and chronicled by Mrs Janet Melville, PO Box 7213, Newton Park, Port Elizabeth, 6055 South Africa. - August 1980. [Some editorial liberties have been taken in remedying previous typographical errors and in adding additional information as it was gathered through various sources and through kindness of many other interested parties].

In August 1819, three Rudman brothers joined the party of Edward Wynne in London - they were James, aged 29, a farmer, Samuel 28, and Benjamin 27, the latter two being husbandmen or farmers. James, the eldest brother, eventually decided against emigration. Samuel and Benjamin sailed on the ship Aurora under Hezekiah Sephton who had taken over leadership of the party.

They arrived in Algoa Bay in 1820 on the Aurora and left there on June 5th, 1820, thereafter being incorrectly placed at Reed Fountain, then moved on to Salem.

He died in Uitenhage South Africa on September 30th 1868, reportedly at the age of 78 years 9 months. Some of the research has shown he did not appear to know his own date of birth as he was actually born on September 4th, 1794.
[As can be seen in the records above, Benjamin's date of birth was actually 9 April 1794, and this author was presumably confused between 9/4 and 4/9 dates. This means that Benjamin Rudman's age at death was in fact 74 years and 5 months.]


1820 Settler, part of Hezekiah Sephton's party in the ship Aurora (344 passengers).
Departed from London on 15 February 1820. Arrived at Simon's Bay 1 May 1820.
Arrived at final destination of Algoa Bay, Cape Colony on 15 May 1820.

Aurora

Grave of Benjamin Rudman
Grave of Benjamin Rudman at Jubilee Park Cemetery, Uitenhage

Rudman and Slater graves
Doem Erasmus standing at the graves of Benjamin Rudman and Juliana Slater

Rudman and Slater family tree
Family tree of Benjamin Rudman and Juliana Slater (PDF version)

www.amethyst.co.za/FamilyTree/
Copyright © 2007-2022, Rodney Jones, rtjones@global.co.za, Johannesburg, South Africa (Last updated on 22 August 2022)