THE SWISS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 1652-1970 - swissroots-za.ch

oard, with the result that he was no longer allowed to practise as a doctor. 6 He had just
married the daughter of a successful shopkeeper who may thereupon have taken
Habluetzel as a partner in business. By 1812 he had his own shop in Hilliger Lane and
later in Long Street (1814-27). 7 He died 18.11.1839 aged 60 at his residence in New
Street (present day Queen Victoria Street).
Shortly after taking up private practice in 1806 Habluetzel married Geertruyda
Hermina, daughter of Frans Hilligers of Amsterdam and Anna Catharina Geere. They
had 11 children:
1. Anna Francina Geertruyda born 25.1.1808, married 1825 Pierre Francois Hugo.
2. Elisabeth Hendrika born 8.2.1810, married 13.8.1828 Samuel Low Heyman,
surgeon in His Majesty’s service. 8
3. Edwin Jacob born 5.8.1812, died young?
4. Johan Christiaan born 12.9.1814, died young?
5. Coenraad born 1.6.1816, died Worcester 2.8.1895, watchmaker. Married (1) Maria
Henriette Geertruyda du Toit, divorced. Married (2)14.11.1848 Sarah Maryna
Wolhuter, died Worcester 28.7.1901 9 .
6. Hester Carolina born 5.7.1817, died young?
7. Jacob born 15.12.1818, died Paarl 23.2.1889. Watchmaker. Married 13.1.1862
Maria Magdalena Bernhardi who died Simon’s Town 31.7.1889. 10
8. Maria Frederica born 20.7.1820, died young?
9. Heinrich Peter born 20.12.1821, died Simon’s Town 2.1.1902. Butcher and whaler
at Simons Town.Married Sarah NN 11
10. Hans Ulrich born 29.3.1824, died in same year.
11. Dorothea Francina born 21.10.1825, died 1827.
12. Frederik Hermanus born 21.4.1827, died 1829.
/ KAB, MOOC 6/9/18: Estate 3921/1839; 2 Cape Almanac 1805, Service List of
Batavian Troups, 1806; 3 KAB, ZA 5/1/14, 26.3.1806; 4 KAB, CO 6055, 28.3.1806; 5
Trüllikon Gemeindeverwaltung: Information supplied by Mr. L.H. Posthumus; 6
Burrows: A history of medecine in S.A.: 7 Cape Almanac 1814-27 and KAB, RDG 113,
p. 115; 8 KAB, CO 4572/5, no. 281; 9 KAB, CO 4572/5, no. 955; 10 KAB, MOOC
6/9/278: Estate 532/1889; 11 Green: Harbours of Memory.
Schmidheini, C., nationality not known. Recorded as Smidheny. Resigned 2.1.1808 as
second Surgeon of the 5th Battalion Artillery at the Cape 1 and departed for London on
the brig Rosina. 2 / 1 KAB, ZA 5/1/14 Demissie en Paspoorten; 2 KAB, CO 6067.
Wirgo, Johan born Basel, Switzerland. Arrived 1803 as sergeant in 22 nd Batallion.
Butcher in Cape Town, 1805 joined Begrafnis Genootsschap. 1 Not to be confused with
William Virgo mentioned in SAG Vol. 14, p. 538. / 1 KAB, MOOC 14/237: Stamboek
van het Begrafnis Genootschap der Europeanen ‘t welk is begonnen met prima January
1796.
Werdmuller, George Andreas of Zurich, born Maastricht NL 1787, great-grandson of
Hans Conrad Werdmüller who had served in the Swiss Regiment Werdmuller in
Holland, married a Dutch girl and settled there. His grandfather did likewise, serving in
the Swiss Regiment Hirzel. His father married a girl from the Grisons but remained
settled in Holland, serving in the Swiss Regiment Von Escher. George Andreas
continued in the military tradition. He enlisted as cadet in the Dutch Line Infantry and in
1803 landed with these troops at the Cape. Here he discovered his inclinations for
business, resigned and settled. 1, 2 In 1816 he gained the appointment as Inspector of
Market and Storage Places, which gave him financial security and the next year he
married Catharina Jacobea Richert of The Hague NL by whom he had two sons:
1. Johannes Andreas, born 1822, later to become Government Printer in Cape Town,
married Elisabeth Greybe and had two daughters.
2. Conrad Johannes Otto born 1824 who settled in Burghersdorp, then a
prospering town on the road to the north, where he became a respected farmer
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