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

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Meynraad, Jan Leenert born Schaffhausen [Meinrath, Johann Leonhard of Neunkirch SH?]. Arrived 31.8.1712 on Limburg for Kamer Haarlem. 1 1712-1717 soldier, 2 25.2.1717 guilty of stealing and deported to Europe. 3 / 1 NL, ARA, MR 1717; 2 KAB, MR 1713-1717; 3 KAB, CJ 6: 6. THE FIRST SMALLPOX EPIDEMIC AT THE CAPE AND WORSE The first epidemic which ravaged the Cape in 1713 was introduced in March of that year by some clothing belonging to ship’s people who had been ill during the passage from India but had recovered before reaching Table Bay. The clothing was sent to be washed at the Company’s slave lodge and the women who handled it were smitten first. Within the next six months, the winter months, some 200 of the approximately 500 slaves, and nearly a quarter of the Europeans at the Cape died. The plague ceased when the hot months set in. At the beginning of 1713 fourteen Swiss were known to have lived at the Cape and of these three may have died of the pox: the Company servants Wolderig Broeders of Appenzell, a stablehand; Jan Bos of Zurich, a cattle-herd; and Samuel Overmeyer of Basel, a corporal at the Castle. None of the free Swiss died. One of the Company servants that survived, Jan Leendert Meynraad of Schaffhausen, while on duty at the Castle in 1717, was caught stealing beer glasses from the Governor’s table, was sentenced to be scourged by the black slaves and sent to Robben Island to await the first convenient ship to deport him to Europe. Meynraad probably did not look forward to his homecoming. Switzerland was experiencing a long period of poverty and hunger. More than ever young Swiss had to leave their homes and seek a living abroad. Some found their way to the Netherlands where they took service with the Dutch East India Company which they knew entailed a very long and perilous sea voyage in uncomfortable, overcrowded ships to the ends of the earth – Java, Sumatra or Borneo – where they had to work and make war in alien conditions and an unhealthy climate. Very few could expect to be assigned to the Cape which was relatively peaceful and had a healthy climate. Mostly the young men signed up to serve in one of the many Swiss regiments serving with foreign kings. As a result of their brilliant success in their fight for freedom, the Swiss had become famous for their prowess as soldiers and were much sought after as mercenaries. Thus in 1748, when the total population of Switzerland was about one and a half million, nearly 77 000 served all over Europe, equivalent to roughly 2½ % of the men in their prime of life. The history of early modern Europe seems to be a chronicle of almost continuous warfare. At the time of the first smallpox epidemic at the Cape, the Spanish War of Succession was being fought between France under the Sun King, and the allies, comprising England with their famous Duke of Marlborough, Austria and the Netherlands. This war lasted 14 years, 1701-1714. One of the biggest battles took place at Malpaquet. Some 200 000 men supported by 200 cannons faced each other. The Swiss regiments serving with the Dutch were ordered to take the French defensive positions by frontal attack. After several vain attempts during which they suffered grievous losses, they succeeded in surmounting the enemy positions – and found themselves facing Swiss regiments in the service of the French. After a short moment of shocked hesitation the fight was continued and the allied troops forced the French to retire. All Swiss troops served their respective commanders loyally, the Swiss regiments in the service of the French king holding the battlefield until the whole French army had retired. It is recorded that the allies lost 20 000 men at Malpaquet, including 8 000 of their 20 000 Swiss. Of the Swiss regiment Hirzel, which spearheaded the attack for the Dutch with 1 600 men, only one officer and seventy soldiers survived. 52
De Koning, Lucas born “Nieucasteel” [Neuchatel?], 1712 soldier, sick. / KAB, MR 1712. Van Mygen, Gillis born Basel [Mäglin of Basel BS?]. Arrived 5.7.1713 on Berbices for Kamer Zeeland. 1714-1715 soldier (1715 at Vissershoek), 1 1721-1741 loaned as farmhand to Jan Carstens. 2 / KAB, MR 1714-1715; NL, ARA, MR 1715; 2 KAB, CJ 879: 109, 1.5.1721-22.9.1741. Chaparel, Ary born Geneva, arrived 24.3.1714 on Kockengen for Kamer Amsterdam. 1714-1717 soldier. / KAB, MR 1714-1716 and NL, ARA, MR 1715. Reyser, Benedictus born Berne, arrived 24.3.1714 on Kockengen for Kamer Amsterdam. 1714-1718 stablehand, 1719-1722 coachman with pay fl 20. / KAB, MR 1714-1722; NL, ARA, MR 1715-1719 and 1721-1722. Stockert, Jan born Zurich, arrived 9.56.1714 on Ter Horst for Kamer Delft. 1714 soldier, 1715-1718 cattle-herd. / KAB, MR 1714-1718; NL, ARA, MR 1715 and 1717- 1718. Coopman, Bartolomeus born Zurich [Koopmann?], 1716 soldier, sick. / KAB, MR 1716. Timmerman, Hans born Walensee (not Swiss?) [Zimmermann?], arrived 4.11.1716 on Meerhuizeen for Kamer Amsterdam. 1717 sailor, 1725 potter. / KAB MR 1717 and 1725; NL, ARA, MR 1717. Litse(le)r, Johannes born Basel [Lisser?], arrived 6.7.1716 on Boekenrode as soldier. 1 1716.8.15-20.3.1719 loaned to widow of Michiel Ley 2 and from 20.3.1719 onward to farmer Cornelis Victor, but this contract was cancelled 19.6.1719 because Litser absented himself. 3 Subsequently loaned to Johannes Colyn 19.9.1720-16.9.1720, 4 to Johannes Franken 16.9.1720-18.9.1724, 5 to Anthony Visser 18.9.1724, cancelled July 1725 6 and to Johannes van Helsdingen 1725.9.1725-September 1731. 7 1732 sick, 8 15.11.1732 loaned to burgherAbraham Addehaan. 9 1733 burgher. 1 From 1736 until his probable death in 1746 he lived at Paarl with Johann Melchior Frick of Steckborn TG. 10 Litser never married. In 1741 he had 32 head of cattle, a gun and a sword. 11 / 1 Leibbrandt: Requesten 1733-1734: 102; 2 KAB, CJ 2878: 36; 3 KAB, CJ 2879: 1; 4 KAB, CJ 2879: 25; 5 KAB, CJ 2879: 81; 6 KAB, CJ 2880: 148; 7 KAB, CJ 2881: 46; 8 KAB, MR 1732; 9 KAB, CJ 2883: 89; 110 KAB, VC 50, MR 1736-1745; 11 KAB, A2250, Citizens Roll 1741. Vorster, Hans / Jan born Berne [Foster]. Arrived 13.5.1717 as sailor on Velsenhoofd. 1 Not to be confused with Jan Vorster, master of the Boekenrode 1718 in Table Bay en route from Batavia to the Netherlands. Vorster was soon loaned for one year as a mason to builder Cornelis Leenderts Huspot. 2 It was in this year that Huspot was asked to draw up plans for the first church 12,3 x 24,5 metres, to be built in Paarl. Until then the Drakenstein congregation had worshipped in a makeshift structure at present day Simondium. The new church was to be built with the help of hired artisans under the supervision of Dominee van Aken and his elders. A mason was engaged and given some slaves to break and dress the stones needed for the walls, and some carpenters to cut and prepare the timber for doors, windows and roof. Their choice of mason proved to be unfortunate. The slaves under him complained of continuous maltreatment. Van Aken and his elders went to investigate and arrived to see the mason belabouring a slave with his stick. When van Aken tried to intervene, the mason threatened him with a raised stick. A scuffle ensued ending with the elders giving the mason a good hiding and accepting his resignation on the spot. 53
Page 1 and 2: ADOLPHE LINDER THE SWISS IN SOUTHER
Page 3: 1. PROLOGUE Messrs Felix Ernst and
Page 7 and 8: general reader. The following compa
Page 10 and 11: 4. SHORT HISTORY OF ARRIVALS DURING
Page 12 and 13: learned to love. Only ten are known
Page 15: Dutch army. His grandson served as
Page 18 and 19: TABLE 6 Showing the number of Swiss
Page 20 and 21: Key River where they encountered th
Page 22 and 23: shoemakers’assistants, farm hands
Page 24 and 25: Jan Sausche of Rougemont VD bought
Page 26 and 27: there to form a settlement to suppl
Page 28 and 29: All the lieutenants and junior offi
Page 30 and 31: Swiss settler, Christiaan Orffer of
Page 32 and 33: Scheer / Schersliefer, Samuel born
Page 34 and 35: Phlegel, Nicolas (also recorded as
Page 36 and 37: over to the Company. Unfortunately
Page 38 and 39: Commissioner De Mist and the German
Page 40 and 41: the Huguenot brothers Guillaume and
Page 42 and 43: In 1700 he is recorded with wife Be
Page 44 and 45: of Jan Oberholster of Zurich. Doubt
Page 46 and 47: Assenburgh, who placed him under ar
Page 48 and 49: Stellenbosch farm Uitkyk, 51,8 ha.,
Page 50 and 51: permission to start a business. 5 O
Page 54 and 55: After a lapse of six months during
Page 56 and 57: The children: 1. Charl Christoffel
Page 58 and 59: 1752 dairyman, 1753-1757 corporal s
Page 60 and 61: in the open, 160 sheep and ten drau
Page 62 and 63: Winger /Minger Nicolaas born Berne
Page 64 and 65: when his fraud would be exposed, bu
Page 66 and 67: Superbiller, Jan Coenraad born Appe
Page 68 and 69: he submitted a list of provisions r
Page 70 and 71: Cobie, Samuel born Berne [Kübli of
Page 72 and 73: kitchen utensils to Claas Jonge and
Page 74 and 75: KAB, MR 1758, 1760-1761; NL, MR 175
Page 76 and 77: Weis / Weys, Jan born Solothurn [Wy
Page 78 and 79: Pieters, Pieter born Zurich [Peter?
Page 80 and 81: of the prospective mutineers was se
Page 82 and 83: Married 1.7.1783 Maria Catharina, d
Page 84 and 85: 11.George Egbertus born 1792, gaole
Page 86 and 87: 8. Petrus Johannes born 1792. 9. An
Page 88 and 89: Meynderts, Jan born Basel, arrived
Page 91 and 92: 7. Possibly a son, William, not bap
Page 93 and 94: Locher, Frans born Bothen ZH [Boden
Page 95 and 96: was compensated for the loss of a h
Page 97 and 98: 18.3.1801, and remained in London u
Page 99 and 100: geschichte, pp. 185-189; 2 KAB, BO
Page 101 and 102: KAB, DO ZK 8/4/1 T dated in favour
Page 103 and 104:
Stein, Jean-Gottlieb (de) born TG.
Page 105 and 106:
Bertram, Andries born GR, arrived 1
Page 107 and 108:
Baarth, Johan Adam born “Herbroek
Page 109 and 110:
Hibelen, Francois born Bern [Hieble
Page 111 and 112:
Haupt, Daniel Jacob, “obviously a
Page 113 and 114:
therein by his friend Bernardus La
Page 115 and 116:
and merchant, and served as Mayor.
Page 117 and 118:
3. Johannes Pierre Francois born 18
Page 119 and 120:
following year married Johanna Geer
Page 121 and 122:
Coetzee, Marylin: Line of Descent o
Page 123 and 124:
Roulet, Louis-Edouard: Jean-Pierre
Page 125 and 126:
CO = Colonial Office CO 333 Letters
Page 127 and 128:
RLR 14, Licences: Loan Farms. T = D
Page 129 and 130:
Schweizerische Landesbibliothek. Sc
Page 131 and 132:
10. INDEX TO SWISS NAMES Names in r
Page 133 and 134:
Charlet, 41 Chatillon, Nicolaas Jos
Page 135 and 136:
Freene, Hendrik, 20, 22, 24, 59, 64
Page 137 and 138:
Humard, 75 Hungerbüller, 72 Hypze,
Page 139 and 140:
Mäglin, 53 Mangaaven, Pieter, 69 M
Page 141 and 142:
Pitselaar, Johann, 60, 62, 64, 67 P
Page 143 and 144:
Sergeans, Louis / Charles-Louis, 10
Page 145:
Waser / Waasen, Rudolf, 81 Weber, 6
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THE SWISS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 1652-1970 - swissroots-za.ch

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