Rachel Morris (1874 - 1982)

Rachel Morris, born Rachel Dick and known later in her long life as Rochel, is the sister-in-law of Rachel Levin, my 2x great aunt. Morris family HERE 

The original name of the family was Dick. However, when Rachel's eldest brother Jacob arrived in England the clerk did not understand Yiddish and since Jacob called himself  Jacob "Monnes" (Menachem), the clerk thought he said Munes was his last name. This was not English enough so the clerk anglicized it to Morris. Later when he brought out other members of his family they changed their name to Morris as well

Parents: Joseph Dick and Goldie

Born: 1874, probably in Ponevezh, Kovno District, Russian Empire, now Panevėžys, Lithuania,  Ponevezh [Russian], Ponevezh [Yiddish], Poniewież [Polish], Ponewiesch [German], Panevēža [Latvian]

Hebrew name: Rochel daughter of Tsvi Yosef

Siblings

• Jacob Morris (1870 - 1947) married Rachel Levin (1873 - 1952) in Liverpool, England in (October - December) 1892
• Dinah Morris (1879 - 1969) married Barnett Bryer (1878 - 1958) in Liverpool in (October - December ) 1902
• Tilly Morris (1886 - 1981) married Isaac Epstein (1884 - 1941)
• Ely Morris (1881 - 1972) married Anne Katz (1888 - 1962) in Johannesburg, South Africa on 15 November 1911

Migration to England: In Lithuania, at that time, the eldest son was drafted to the Russian army when they reached the age of 18. Therefore, Rachel's eldest brother Jacob left Lithuania planning to travel to America but on arrival in Liverpool did not have enough money to complete the journey. The local Jewish Leadership offered help on condition that he marry a Jewish girl and settle in England.  Once settled in England he brought all his family to join him in Liverpool and all his siblings changed their name to Morris. It is not known when Rachel arrived

Married: Married Nochum Aaron Steckoll, known as Aron, in 1928 in Thaba'Nchu, Orange Free State, South Africa. Aaron was 61 and Rachel 54. Aaron was a widower with 4 adult children, all married by 1928

Antenuptial Contract between Aaron Steckoll and Rachael Morris

Their antenuptial contract dated 28 February 1928. Rachel is spelt Rachael and she has signed her name in Yiddish, suggesting that that she didn't write English. Aaron was living in Ladybrand and Rachel in Bloemfontein, both towns are in what was then the Orange Free State Province, South Africa. Aaron agreed to pay to Rachel 300 pounds sterling in cash. There was no community of property - both parties retaining full control of whatever they brought into the marriage. As Rachel was not provided for in Aaron's will after he died in 1933, it would appear that this was a marriage where Rachel consented to keep house and care for Aaron in his old age; a type of arrangement that was not uncommon at the time.

Recollection

Her great nephew Trevor Morris recalls picking her up and driving her to Shabbat dinner in Emmarentia, Johannesburg, when she around 105. She was a tiny lady living at Sandringham Gardens, a Jewish old age home in Johannesburg. as Trevor told me, she still "had all her marbles." Half-way there she remembered that she had forgotten the chocolate she was bringing as a gift. Trevor said not to worry, they could buy some on the way, but she insisted on giving her chocolates and so they went back to her home where she went and got the present and then they returned to the dinner.

Death

19 July 1982 in Johannesburg, South Africa age 108.She was buried on 20 July 1982 in the Westpark Cemetery in Johannesburg, grave block U, grave no 463

Tombstone for Rochel Steckoll
Inscription: In loving memory of Rochel [Steckoll] passed away on 19th July 1982 aged 108 years. Ever remembered by her nephews, nieces and families. MHDSRIP

Westpark Cemetery details for Rochel

Jewishgen Cemetery record for Rochel

Place of Birth

Rachel Morris was born in Panevėžys, Lithuania

PANEVEZYS (Panevezhis; Lith. Panevežys; Rus. Ponevezh), city in Lithuania. In 1766 the Jewish community numbered 254; in 1847, 1,447 Jews were registered, and in 1897, 6,627 Jews (50% of the total population) lived in Panevezys. An ancient Karaite community is also known to have existed there. A number of noted rabbis officiated in Panevezys, among them Isaac Jacob Rabinovich (Itzele Ponevezher), Joseph Kahaneman, and Jeroham Leibovich. The Hebrew poet Judah Leib Gordon served as a teacher in the city from 1853 to 1860. Naphtali Friedman, a noted advocate, served as delegate from Panevezys to the third Duma.

In May 1915, during World War I, the Jews of Panevezys were sent along with other Lithuanian Jews to the interior of Russia by the Russian military authorities. Most of them returned after the Russian Revolution. In 1923 there were 6,845 Jews living in Panevezys (35% of the total population), most of them occupied in small trade and crafts and some in larger business enterprises and industry.

The community had an active social and cultural life. Its educational institutions included Hebrew and Yiddish primary schools, two Hebrew secondary schools (one belonging to the Zionist-orientated Tarbut educational system and the other, for girls, to the religious Yavneh), a Jewish pro-gymnasium, and libraries.

The Panevezys Yeshivah, which had a high reputation, was founded by Liebe Miriam Gavronsky, daughter of K.Z. Wissotszky. When the Jews were expelled during World War I, the yeshivah was first moved to Ludza in Vitebsk province and then to Mariupol (Zhdanov) in the Ukraine. After World War I Rabbi Kahaneman founded the great Ohel Yiẓḥak yeshivah in Panevezys with about 200 students. In 1944 the yeshivah was reestablished by Rabbi Kahaneman in *Bene Berak, Israel.

Panevezys was occupied by the Germans in 1941 a few days after the outbreak of the German-Soviet war. A ghetto was established from which Jews were transported and murdered in September 1941. They were buried in 12 mass graves. In 1968 the Jewish cemetery at Panevezys was destroyed.