The Blum brothers, Alphonse and Arthur, also probably German Jews by way of Ireland, were pioneers in present day Hartswater, then Phokwane in Bechuanaland. Alphonse Blum passed away in late December 1896 and from his estate records we learn that their business was called Blum Brothers. The first records pertaining to Alphonse are from a case in 1879. Arthur, who seems to have been a military man, came to the area by way of Clanwilliam (there are archival references from 1878 and 1879) and in 1881 he was involved in a matter in Kenhart that relates to Jamieson and Company. This was presumably the same Jamieson who led the botched raid on the ZAR, which precipitated the second Anglo-Boer War. In 1887 Arthur married Martha Smith in Kuruman. His profession is listed as police inspector. Martha was presumably not Jewish.

 

According to his death certificate, Alphonse was born in Dublin to parents Gobert and Wilhelmina. Alphonse, a trader and farmer, was married with four children, Gobert, Mila, Charles and Leve. His wife Blanche Bora Marcelis was not Jewish. The Blum brothers featured in the 1896 Bechuana Rising of 1896 and Arthur was a field-cornet and Alphonse was held hostage by the rebellious indigenous population at his store in Phokwane stad (Hartswater). The rebellion was triggered by the killing of cattle in order to stem the spread of Rinderpest.