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

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Weis / Weys, Jan born Solothurn [Wyss?], arrived 8.11.1760 on Vlietlus as sailor for Kamer Zeeland. 1761 wagon-driver, 1762-1780 executioner with pay fl 14 in 1769, fl 18 in 1773. / KAB, MR 1761-1771, 1775-1780; NL, ARA, MR 1761-1763, 1765-1766, 1769, 1773-1776, 1778-1780. AN EXECUTIONER WHO WORKED WITH SWISS PRECISION Through the years quite a few Swiss were found guilty for various misdemeanours and punished. A Swiss who always stayed on the right side of the law was Jan Weis from the Canton of Solothurn. He was executioner for 19 years, from 1762 to 1780. Defaulting servants of the Company were usually punished by banishment or hard labour on Robben Island combined with some slight punishment by the executioner. Slaves on the other hand were very severely dealt with in order to deter any general uprising, especially when found guilty of desertion or murder. Looking through the list of sentences executed by Weis it is easy to see why the hangman is usually shunted by his fellow men. In the four years 1768-1771 for instance, his duties included: 8 hanged. 5 broken on the wheel. In one case he was required to first pinch the victim with red hot pliers and then cut his head off and impale it. In another case first the prisoner’s right hand had to be chopped off and then all his limbs broken starting from the feet up; as an act of grace, Weis was then allowed to give the coup de grâce. 1 throttled to death. 13 whipped and branded with a red hot iron. 4 whipped only. 1 exposed on the pillar and whipped. 1 struck on the head with the executioner’s sword. / KAB, CJ 792, pp. 360-362. THE FIRST SWISS COOK AT THE CAPE Wanner, George born Schleitheim SH 1736, arrived 8.11.1760 on Vlietlus as sailor for Kamer Zeeland. 1760-1781 soldier, 1782-1788 one of three battalion cooks. 1 In 1768 his female slave Magdalena (Lena) Johanna, illegitimate daughter of Jaob Barck of Königsberg, Germany and Lea of the Cape, bore him a son named Jacob after her father, and Wanner got permission to manumit both. 2 On 30.9.1770 after she had borne him another son, he had them both baptised and three months later married Lena at the Grootekerk. When Lena’s father died in 1772 she inherited some money which enabled Wanner to buy a house. 3 Wanner and Lena were on friendly terms with Jan Christiaan Yselle of Hasle BE and stood in as godparents to one of his daughters. Wanner also regularly sent money home to his parents. 4 Lena died 1779 5 and Wanner married Clasina de Wolff of Utrecht, widow of Hendrik la Croiz. In 1784 he sold his first house and bought another, probably more comfortable house. 6 He was now nearing the fifties, in those days considered old age. In 1791, “having served a long time as cook in the Castle, had in consequence of bodily infirmities been placed on pension and now, being very old (55) and no longer able to serve”, asked for burgher papers. This was granted in consideration of his age and that he had to provide for a large household. 7 His last address was Buytenkant 22, Cape Town, but he died 1.7.1798 in Waveren / Zwartland. 5 By Lena he had three children: 1. Jacobus Christiaan baptised 30.9.1770. 2. Georg Joseph baptised 30.9.1770. 1799 and 1802 recorded as member of the (non- European) Vry-Corps 7 and 1821 as living ummarried at 2 Pepper Street. 8 3. Magdalena Johanna baptised 4.9.1774. By Clasina he had only one daughter who died at birth, in 1785. / 1 KAB, MR 1761-1771, 1775-1788; NL, ARA, MR 1761, 1753-1766, 1768-1771, 1773-1778, 1780-1782, 1784-1787; 2 Leibbradt: Requesten 1768-70: 69; 3 KAB, DO T4451; 4 KAB, BRD 29, 1778, 1779; 5 KAB, MOOC 6/2; 6 KAB, DO T5798; 7 KAB, C 76
195, Resolutiën, 5.8.1791; 8 KAB, BRD 29 and 30, Roll of Free Corps; 9 KAB, RDG 121. Meyer, Johannes born Schaffhausen [Meier?]. 1761 soldier, sick. / KAB, MR 1761; NL, ARA, MR 1761. Keyser, Antony born Berne [Kaiser?]. 1761 soldier working on new hospital in Simon’s Bay. / KAB, MR 1761; NL, ARA, MR 1761. Boose(n), Frederic born Neuchatel 1737 [Bosse or Bosset?], arrived 13.5.1761 on Jonge Lieve for Kamer Amsterdam. 1761 sick, 1762-1765 soldier. / KAB, MR 761- 1764; NL, ARA, MR 1762-1764. Jonie / Jone, Joseph, probably a Huguenot emigrant, for although he gave his birthplace as “Bosse” BE (Bougis-Bossey VD near Celigy GE, birthplace of Jacob Etienne Gauch?), when he married in 1766 he submitted an attestation from Rennes in Bretagne, France. Arrived 1761 aged 17 on Hoop for Kamer Delft. 1762-1763 worked on new hospital in Simon’s Bay, 1764 postholder there until Hans Soeblee returned from Switzerland, 1765 soldier at the Castle, 1766-1787 seal engraver, 1 1788 pensioned 2 and probably died in 1796. As late as 1788 he still sent part of his pay home but the precise destination is not given. 3 Married 17.8.1766 Catharina Logerenberg (1746-1812). Their children: 1. Hendrina Elisabeth baptised 30.8.1767, married (1) Pieter Arbman, married (2) J.A.F. Touchon of Neuchatel. 2. Alexander baptised 16.10.1768, died when 2 months old. 3. Josephus baptised 16.10.1769, became lieutenant in the artillery and an excellent cartographer whose work was highly praised by Thibault. Died 1811. 4. Petronella baptised 8.9.1771, died 1773. 4 5. unbaptised child, died 11.9.1774. 4 6. unbaptised child., died 27.7.1780. 4 / KAB, MR 1762-1771, 1775-1789; NL, ARA, MR 1764, 1766-1771, 1773, 1775-1787; 2 KAB, C 747, p. 181; 3 Jeffries: Kaapse Archiefstukke 1778-1782; 4 KAB, MOOC 6.1 and 6/2. Geybel, Joseph born Basel [Geibel?]. 1762 soldier, sick. / KAB, MR 1762; NL, ARA, MR 1762. Scheuch, Jacob born Zurich, 1762 soldier, sick. / KAB, MR 1762; NL, ARA, MR 1762. Cobie, Jan born Berne [Kübli of Berner Oberland BE?]. 1762 soldier. / KAB, MR 1762; NL, ARA, MR 1762. Meister, Christianus / Crisostimus born Zurich, arrived 4.2.1762 on Huis te Boede for Kamer Zeeland. 1762-1763 sailor on Jonge Mnr. Willem based in Table Bay. / KAB, MR 1763; NL, ARA, MR 1762-1763. Haller, Jacob born Berne 1732, arrived 13.2.1762 on Vrouwe Geertruida for Kamer Amsterdam. 1762-1771 soldier, 1 7.8.1770-17.5.1771 loaned as farmhand to Johann Caspar Holtmann (S), 2 1795 soldier, sick. 3 / KAB, MR 1762-1771; NL, ARA, MR 1763, 1765-1771; 2 KAB, C 1151; 3 KAB, BO 193, p. 108. Hoeneker, Hendrik born Zurich 1736 [Honegger?], arrived 12.7.1762 on Bleiswijk for Kamer Delft. / 1 KAB, VC 48, MR 1768; 2 KAB, MR 1763-1769; NL, ARA, MR 1763- 1769. 77
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
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learned to love. Only ten are known
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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 52 and 53: Meynraad, Jan Leenert born Schaffha
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 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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