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

8. Petrus Johannes born 1792.
9. Anna Elisabeth born 1792.
10.twins Charlotta and
11.Elsabeth born 1796? 8
/ 1 KAB, VC 46-47 MR 1775, 1777-86, 1788-89; NL, ARA, MR 1774-75, 1777-80,
1784-86; 2 KAB, MR 1791; 3 KAB, BO 193; 4 KAB, BRD 29; 5 KAB, DO, T5430;
6 KAB, MOOC 8/54 dd. 1818.01.30; 7 KAB, J 401; 8 KAB, MOOC 6/1.
Moeder, Ludwik born Zurich [Mutter?], arrived 28.4.1775 on Bredenhof as corporal
for Kamer Leerdam. 1781 sergeant with pay fl 20. / NL, ARA, MR 1781.
NOT FOUND GUILTY BUT CONFINED ON ROBBEN ISLAND UNTIL ABLE TO PROVE HIS INNOCENCE
Jeger Thomas born Kienberg SO [Jäger?], arrived 10.12.1774 on Herstelder. 1774-
1785 soldier. 1 For ten years Jeger served the Company faithfully but then came under
suspicion of theft. His guilt could not be proved, but on 28.6.1785 the court in its
wisdom ordered him to be confined on Robben Island until proof of his crime should be
found.
Jeger remained on the island quietly for four years but then engaged a scribe to
address a memorial to the court. He pointed out that in all these years the charge against
him could not be substatntiated and he thereforee requested the court to liberate him
from his confinement. The court granted the request but ordered him on a suitable
occasion to be sent back to Europe in his former rank.
Back in Cape Town, Jeger called on the scribe and instructed him to set up a second
memorial, this time addressed to the Governor himself, humbly stating that he believed
the last decision of the court had not only freed him of any suspicion which had fallen
upon him, but had also restored him fully to the rank in which for 15 years he had had
the honour to serve the Honourable Company. He therefore prayed the Governor to be
so good as to pay him the wages which had been retained during his confinement on
Robben Island since 1785. This request was also granted and Thomas Jeger sailed home
2, 3 & 4
a happy man.
/ KAB, MR 1775-1789; 2 KAB, CJ 422; 3 KAB, CJ 3189; 4 KAB, CJ 2836: 87.
Schoemaker, Thomas born Sulz AG [Schuhmacher?], arrived 10.12.1774 on
Herstelder for Kamer Delft. 1774-1775 soldier, 1776-1778 corporal, 1779-1780
sergeant, 1781-1786 ensign with pay fl 40, and 1787-16.9.1795 lieutenant with pay fl
50.
1, 2 & 3
1780-1782, 1785 he sent money home. 4 25.11.1785 carried the weapons of the
deceased at the ceremonial funeral of Oloff Bergh. 13.3.1788 as commanding officer of
the military post in Saldanha Bay, brought letters to the Castle 5 and March 1789 as
commanding officer at the military post in St. Helena Bay reported the presence of 38
foreign whaling vessels. 5 1790 on leave in Switzerland. 6
In 1795, after the surrender with subsequent loss of employmet he asked to be granted
the farm Langefontein. After this request was turned down he asked permission to go
into the country to recover from his asthma. 7 1799 Schoemaker was a lodger in the
house of the wine merchant E.W. Tielmans at 38 Strand Street 8 and was recorded as old
and weak. 9 Died 25.8.1802. 10
/ KAB, MR 1775-1789; NL, ARA, MR 1786, 1788; KAB, MR 1791; KAB, BO 193;
4 KAB, BRD 29 and C 1785, p. 18; 5 KAB, VC 34, Journal; 6 Meyer-Otth Wilhelm:
Eine zürcherische Familiengeschichte in Neujahrsblatt der Feuerwerker-Gesellschaft in
Zürich auf das Jahr 1879, p. 8; 7 KAB, BO 24, 45; 8 KAB, BRD 27: Census 1799; 9
KAB, BRD 28; 10 KAB, MOOC 14/287 p. 60.
THE STATE FUNERAL OF OLOFF MARTINI BERGH
AS DESCRIBED IN THE GOVERNOR’S JOURNAL ON THURSDAY, 24 NOVEMBER 1785
Oloff Martini was the grandson of Oloff Bergh of Sweden and son of Martinus Bergh
and Catharina Ley, daughter of Michiel Ley of Basel, both born at the Cape. He was an
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