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

After being placed on pension in 1766 he moved to Cape Town, 9 where he died 1788.
In his will he named ”the cook at the Castle George Wanner of Schleitheim SH” as his
executor, leaving all his worldly possessions to his children in Switzerland. 3 Were they
notified of his death? The closing entry in the civil register in Glarus under the name
Gabriel Jenny reads ”+? verschollen!” (lost), indicating that his death had not been
reported.
/ CH, Glarus, Landesarchiv des Kantons, Band Glarus Nr, 106 & 133, Geschichte
vom Netstal, fol. 371; 2 KAB, MR 1751-1755 and 1758; NL, ARA, MR 1751-1755 and
1758; 3 KAB, CJ 2680: 40, Will, 29.2.1788; 4 KAB, CJ 2896: 11, loaned 1759-1761 to
Gerrit van Wyk; 5 KAB, CJ 2897: 9, loaned 1761-1763 to Pieter Theron; 6 KAB, J
2898: 35, loaned 1763-1765 to Louis Mostert; 7 KAB, CJ 2900: 22, loaned 1765-1766
to Mathys Taute; 8 KAB, DRC, VC 663; 9 KAB, DRC, VC 619.
Castelyn, Anthony born “Peets”BE [Bex VD? see Selsen and Pitselaer], arrived
1.4.1751 on Gustaaf Willem for Kamer Amsterdam. 1751-1755 soldier. After
completion of his contract he returned home but came back 12.2.1757, again on Gustaaf
Willem. / KAB, MR 1751-1753 and 1758; NL, ARA, MR 1752-1755 and 1758.
Gie / Kie, Johan Coenraad born Zurich 22.3.1727, brother of Johan Caspar, and son of
Andreas Gy and Anna Margaretha born Liguren, both of Huguenot families. A carved
copy of his seal is exhibited at the Koopmans de Wet House in Cape Town. 1
A FOUNDATION MEMBER OF THE FIRST MASONIC LODGE AT THE CAPE
Gie arrived 1.4.1751 on Rozenburg for Kamer Amsterdam 2 and in the same year
became a member of the Grootekerk community, submitting an attestation dated Zurich
3.3.1750. 3 1751-1755 served as soldier, 2 1756 requested burgher papers and 18.12.1757
married Engele Johanna Ley born 8.3.1740, granddaughter of Michiel Ley of Basel.
In 1764 he persuaded his brother Jan Casper to come to the Cape to work for him.
Over the years Gie bought many properties in Table Valley:
a) 1761 by T3632 an erf from Hermanus von Wielligh, sold 1775 by T4690 to
Abraham de Haan;
b) 1772 by T4521 an erf from Estate Hilletje Verschuur widow of Hendrik Hop, sold
1799 by T7626;
c) 1773 by T4526 an erf from Jan Meynderts Cruywagen, sold 1798 with warehouse
by T7325 to his son Coenraad Johannes Gie;
d) 1780 by T5290 an erf from Pieter Damus, sold 1783 by T5619 to his son Johannes
Gie;
e) 1780 by T5294 an erf from Agatha Henning, sold 1782 by T5407 to Johan Jurgen
Lingenvelder;
f) 1783 by T5574 an erf from Hendrik Pieter Moller, sold 1800 by T50;
g) 1785 by T5911 together with Jean Martin an erf with dwelling house and two
warehouses.
Apparently a successful businessman, he also served as Captain of the Burgher Force,
as Burgher Councillor and as Elder of the Grootekerk. Anreith’s pulpit in the
Grootekerk is inscribed: Deze preekstoel is onder het opzicht van den Burger Ouderling
Johan Coenraad Gie gemaakt en daar van de eerste Predicatie gedaan door den oudste
leraar de Eerwaarde Heer Jan Petrus Serrurier den 29 Nov. Anno 1784.
Gie was also a keen freemason. Before the establishment of a lodge, the local
freemasons had a loose association which welcomed and entertained fellow freemasons,
many of them high officials, passing through Cape Town. When in 1772 the Loge de
Goede Hoop was founded with ten members, Gie was the first secretary. In 1777 he was
elected chairman, but not being conversant in English was not re-elected in 1778. 4
On 2.3.1790 the following request by Gie was granted: “Burgher Councillor and as
such having session in the Council of Justice, has reached the high age of 63 and finds
his bodily and mental powers weakening so that he can no longer properly perform his
duties, especially as he is getting deaf…..wishes to retire from office, with retention of
his rank as member of the Court of Justice and on a level with junior burgher function. 5 ”
He seems however to have carried on business on his own account, for in the same year
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