Esme Bull Navorsing

Mr. A. Olivier of Johannesburg drew my attention to an irregularity in the family register of Ockert Corneliszoon. He and his elder brother, Hendrik were the progenitors of the Olivier family in South Africa.. The de Villiers / Pama entry reads:

b5 Cornelis bap. 27.2.1689 x 22.11.1699 Anna Catharina Rielman van Weij.

In 1699 Cornelia would have been ten or at the most eleven years old and the marriage of so young a child for whatever reason would not have been countenanced by the gentlemen of the Huwelikshof. A search through the proceedings of the Council of Policy (C.A. C3) and those of the Court of Justice (C.A. CJ3) found no record of special permission for this marriage nor was a reference found in the proceedings of the Orphan Chamber. Kerkraad Notule for the period 1694 to 1719 are missing and could not be consulted.

Both Hoge and Redelinghuys cite Cornelis Hendrikszoon baptized in 1679 as the groom but the marriage register of 1699 (VC 604) clearly states that 'Cornelis Ockersz, jongman' married Anna Rigman.

Opgaafrolle list:

1709 Drakenstein: Cornelis Ockersz and Anna C v. d. Weij, I son, 2 daughters. 1709 Cape District: Two Cornelis Oliviers both single.

1712 Drakenstein: Okkers Cornelis & Anna v. d. Weij, I son, 3 daughters.

Monsterrolle Stellenbosch 1/STB 13/12.

1707 and 1710: Cornelis Ockerszoon.

1712 Both Cornelis Ockersz and Cornelis Olivier are listed.

1713 Both the above names appear with 'obit' written against them.

No doubt they were victims of the smallpox epidemic of 1713.

Beatrix Verveij, widow of Hendrik Olivier, in her will made in 1718 (MOOC 7/1/6 No. 121), mentioned all her children except Cornelis and Ocker who presumably died before she made the will, so it is likely that one of the young men who died in 1713 was Cornelis Hendrikszoon Olivier. On 8.10.1714 a piece of land in Drakenstein was granted to Anna Rigman van der Weij, widow of Cornelis Ockerszoon (Resoluten Vol. 6 p. 25). Her husband was thus the second man reported dead in the Monsterrol of 1713.

The opgaafrol for the Cape District 1719 lists Cornelis Ockersz as single and in 1721 as married with no children. He is also named as an heir in the inventory of Aletta Olivier's estate dated May 1721, and must be the Cornelis Ockersz baptized in 1699. It is clear that there were three Cornelis Oliviers at the Cape between 1709 and 1713, one of whom married Anna van der Weij.

Anna Catrijn daughter of Johannes Rykman van Weij and Maria Matyssen was baptized on 15.9.1686. The Journal of the Orphan Chamber 1698 (MOOC 18/1) gives an account of monies held in trust for 'De Weeskinders van vrijburgeresse Maria Mattyse' Johanna and Anna van der Weij and Maria Eli. In 1699 (MOOC 511) the Orphan Masters report a request for her hand in marriage.

Pupillin die mogen trouwen:

6.11.1699 versoek van vrijburger Cornelis Ockerszoon om met het weesdogterje Anna Rigman in den egten staat te mogen treeden aangesien dat sij al bij de 14 jaren oud is en de persoon voomaamt in staat is om het dogtertje te kunnen onderhouden.

On 22.11.1699 (VC 604) they were married and on 21.12.1699 Cornelis Ockersz signed a receipt (with an X) on behalf of 'mijn huisvrouw Anna Rigman van Weij' for personal effects left her by her mother Maria Mathysse Eli 'voortijds huisvrouw van Johannes Rigman, baastuijnier'. Anna's husband must have been about 25 years old and therefore born before Ocker Cornelisz Olivier married Aletta Verwey in 1679.

Ocker arrived at the Cape in 1671 and worked as a 'knegt' for Willem Willemse of Deventer, who, in 1672, shot a hottentot, and escaped to Holland in a Danish ship. He returned in 1673 but was not allowed to land and was sent to Robben Island pending a decision by the Heere XVII. In September 1675 an ailing Willem was allowed to seek a cure on the mainland and found two extra children in his family, fathered by Ockert Cornelisz. He took his wife to court accusing her of 'lichtvaardige gedrag' and worse, and so fighting mad were the contestants in the case that the Court of Justice decided to send them to Batavia in separate ships. However, by 1676 they were somewhat reconciled and sailed off in the same ship, leaving behind Dina and Cornelis who, by order of Court, were left in the care of their maternal grandfather, Jan Coenraad Visser. Their father, Ocker Cornelisz, to be responsible for their support. (Resoluten Vol. 1. p. 346, Vol. 2. pp. 147, 148, 194. Leibbrandts Journal 1671 to 1674 pp. 140, 141, 227, 250, 308 and Familia No. 1 1981 p. 8).

Dina and Cornelis, children of Ocker and Maria Visser were born between 1672 and 1675 and it is this Cornelis who married Anna van Weij in 1699. Neither Aletta nor Beatrix nor indeed any of the Olivers attended the baptisms of Cornelis's children. They were not mentioned in Aletta's will nor in the will of Tryntje Gansevanger, Aletta's mother, who left considerable sums to her daughters and grandchildren. A thorough search through baptismal and marriage records revealed some new facts and a revised family register is given below:

1. Hendrik Cornelis van Ouwerkerk vrijburger alhier x 30.5.1677 Beatrix Gysbertsz, jongdame van Woerden.

Hendrik died in 1701 (MOOC 8/1 No. 65) and Beatrix in 1740 (MOOC 8/6 No. 63).

b1 Gysbert bap. 2.5.1678 died 1730 (MOOC 8/5 No. 131)

In the opgaafrol Cape District 1725 he is listed as single and owned De Rustplaats, Riebeeck Kasteel in partnership with brother Gerridt. (Resol. Vol. 7 p. 158)

b2 Cornelis bap. 19.3.1679 died Stellenbosch 1713 (I STB 13/12)

b3 Neeltie (Cornelia) bap. 21.9.1681 x 2.10.1707 Cent Jantz van Leiden widower and master gardener (VC 604). He died 1718. xx Christiaan Sprigt (MOOC 8/5 No. 131 & MOOC 8/6 No.63)

c1 Louis bap. 9.3.17 1 0 (VC 604)

c2 Clara Anna bap. 15.12.1712. (VC 604)

b4 Jan (Johannes) bap. 7.11.1683 x 18.4.1717 Helena Burger (VC 654)

He farmed in Drakenstein. They made a will MOOC 7/l/8 No. 2 at the time of the marriage but no inventory was filed at his death so date of death unrecorded.

cl Martha bap. 13.2.1718 (VC 644) x Hendrik Schoeman daughter bap. 6.10.1737 (VC 644)

c2 Beatrix bap. ? x 15.7.1742 Jan Harmen Lategan (VC 654)

c3 Hendrik bap. 13.7.1721 (644)

c4 Barend bap. 2.10.1723 (644)

c5 Okker bap. 10.8.1727 (644)

c6 Barend bap. 20.11.1729 (644) x Anna M. Kruger

c7 Anna Hendrina Engela bap. 17.7.1735 (644)

c8 Helena Aletta bap. 5.1.1738 (644)

c9 Gerrit Cornelis bap. 3.4.1740 (644)

b5 Aart (Arend) bap. 9.5.1658 x 16.4.1730 Helena du Toit widow of E. F. de Swart (VC 654) Aart died 1737. (MOOC 8/5 No. 121) He farmed on Louisenberg near Tulbagh. Helena married four times.

cl Helena bap. 3.6.1731 (VC 644)

b6 Annietie (Johanna) bap. 10/18.3.1691 x Jan H. Cloeten. Anna died 1716. (Resol. Vol. 6. p. 380) Jan married three times, owned Ida's Valley, Vredenburg & Vlottenberg and died 1732. (MOOC 8/5 No. 52)

cl Johannes Hendrik bap. 17.11.1715. (VC 632) x Elsie Myburgh

b7 Gerrit bap. 31.5.1693 x 30.4.1730 Maria Magdalena v. d. Westhuizen the daughter of his cousin Caterina Olivier. (VC 621)

cl Catharina bap. 25.3.1731 (VC 605) x Jacobus Meyburg. (MOOC 8/6 No. 124)

c2 Beatrix bap. 19.10.1732 (VC 605)

c3 Elizabeth bap. 7.11.1734 (VC 605)

c4 Hendrik bap. 8.11.1736 (VC 605)

c5 Aletta bap. 9.10.1738 (VC 644)

c6 Nicolaas bap. ? 1740 (MOOC 8/6 No. 124)

c7 Anna Hendrina bap. 6.10.1742 (MOOC 8/6 No.124)

c8 Maria Adriana ? (MOOC 8/6 No. 124)

Gerridt died in 1746 predeceased by his wife. Owned De Rustplaats and Kelderfontein, Riebeecks Kasteel. Was in partnership with cousin Dirk. (MOOC 8/6 No. 124)

b8 Ocker bap. 3.12.1696 died before 1718 (MOOC 7/l/6 No. 121)

b9 Beatrix bap. 9.5.1698 x 5.9.1721 Pieter van der Westhuizen (VC 621) Pieter died 1739 (MOOC 8/6 No. 37) leaving a huge estate. His widow Beatrix was granted farm Nooitgedacht, Kleine Paardeberg in 1744. (C.F. Vol. 2. p.344) Pieter's first wife was Jacomina Mos, by whom he had 2 children, Maria and Martha.

c1 Hendrik bap. I 1. I 0. 1 722 (VC 605)

c2 Helena bap. 25.6.1724 (VC 605)

c3 Anna bap. 13.1.1726 (VC 605) x Johannes Mostert (CJ 2615 No. 48)

c4 Pieter bap. 23.3.1727 (VC 605)

c5 Johannes bap. 20.11.1729 (VC 605) x Martha M. v.

Schalkwyk.

c6 Beatrix bap. 14.10.1731 (VC 605) x Abraham

Rossouw (CJ 2615 No. 48)

c7 Gijsbert bap. 12.9.1734 (VC 605)

c8 Barend bap. 15.9.1737 (VC 605)

Beatrix v. d. Westhuizen's will, dated 2.7.1759 (CJ 2615 No. 48), lists all eight children. She owned Westerdal, Tygerberg and Welvergenoegd, Swartland and left a large estate.

Hendrik Olivier (the name Olivier first appears in an Opgaafrol in 1692) was one of the ten best farmers who were permitted to buy a slave each on 1.4.1677 (Resol. Vol. 11) When he died he left land on the Liesbeek_ rivier described as 'onbebouwd' aan de Ruyterstal valleij, a farm on the Tygerberg, cattle, sheep and nearly IO 000 gulden. The farm Clara Anna Fontein on the Tygerberg was granted to Beatrix Verveij, widow Olivier, in 1702 and grazing rights in Land van Waveren in 1708. In addition to bequests to her children she left 50 gulden to the poor of the town. She died in 1741 (MOOC 8/6 No. 63)

II. Ocker Comelisz vryburger, jongman x 5.2.1679 Alitie Vermoly van Woerden.

b1 Gijsbert bap. 3.12.1679. Died before 1721. (cf. mother's will)

b2 Marthie (Maria) bap. 12.10.1681 x Dirk van Schalkwyk. He died 1713. (MOOC 8/2 No. 75) They lived at Drakenstein and owned the farms Waterpoll and Orange. (Resol. Vol. 3 p. 445)

cl Theunis bap. 4.4.1705 (VC 644) x 3.12.1730 Maria

Slabbert (VC 62 1)

c2 Ocker bap. 14.11.1706 (VC 644) x 1.10.1735 Sara

Coetzee, widow Jan Niel (VC 654)

c4 Gijsbert bap. 23.11.1710 (VC 604)

c5 Jacomina bap. 23.4.1713 (VC 605) MOOC 8/2 No.

75, the inventory of Dirk's large estate, lists 4 children, so

Jacomina was born posthumously.

b3 Catarina bap. 11.7.1683 x 7.11.1706 Nicolas v. d. Westhuizen (VC 604) Lived on farm Bethlehem in Drakenstein (Resoluten Vol. 5 P. 180)

cl Ocker bap. 18.8.1707 (VC 604)

c2 Pieter bap. 3.2.1709 (VC 604)

c3 Maria Magd. bap. 16.11.17 1 0 (VC 63 2) x Gerridt

Olivier

c4 Aletta Johanna bap. 15.1.1713 (VC 644)

c5 Nicolaas Johannes bap. 24.6.1714 (VC 644)

c6 Cornelis bap. 30.8.1716 (VC 644)

c7 Petrus bap. 4.9.1718 (VC 644)

c8 Aletta bap. 23.6.1720 (VC 644)

c9 Johannes bap. 29.11.1722 (VC 605)

c10 Hendrina bap. 29.4.17 25 (VC 605)

c11 Helena bap. 21.12.1727 (VC 644)

Joint will dated 16.5.1736 (C.J. 2607 No. 38) lists all children accept Ocker, Pieter and Aletta. (Nicolas signed with X.)

b4 Neeltie (Cornelia) bap. 15.4.1685 died before 1721. (cf. mother's will)

b5 Hilletje bap. 1687 x 19.9.1707 Eduard Loubser (VC 604) xx 12.2.1719 Johannes Mostert (VC 621)

No baptismal entry found for b5 but she fits into the gap between b4 and b6 and would then have been 20 years old when she married. She is mentioned in her mother's will and in that of her maternal grandmother Tryntje Gansevanger, widow of Gijsbert Verweij. The opgaafrol for 1695 supports the contention that she was born about 1687 as it lists 4 sons and 5 daughters for Ocker and Aletta. Catarina b3 and Hilletie made their 'attestaten' together (VC 603), so they must have been fairly close in age.

Eduard Loubser died 1717 (MOOC 8/3 No. 63). Hilletje, widow of Jan Mostert, was granted Stellenberg on the Tygerberg on 26.4.1736. Jan died in 1729 (Resol. Vol. 9. p. 67).

cl Engela Aletta bap. 16.8.1708 (VC 604) x 21.1.1725

Jan Daniel Buttner (VC 621) xx 3.12.1730 Henning

Joachim Prehn (VC 621)

c2 Nicolas bap. 1.6.1710 (VC 604) x 14.1.1730 Anna v.

Feijt (VC 621)

c3 Johanna Aletta bap. 12.6.1712 (VC 604) died before

1717 (cf. MOOC 8/3 No. 63)

c4 Johannes (Mostert) bap. 24.12.1719 (VC 605)

c5 Eduard bap. 14.9.1721 (VC 605)

c6 Aletta Geertruy bap. 18.7.1723 (VC 605)

c7 Elizabeth Johanna bap. 9.9.1725 (VC 605) x Johannes

Albertus Loubser

b6 Cornelis bap. 27.2.1689 x ?

There is no record of his marriage in Cape Town Registers and marriages between 1720 and 1725 are missing from the marriage register, Paarl (VC 6 5 4). He is listed in 1719 opgaafrol as single and in that of 1721 as married with no children, but does not appear again after 1721. Baptismal registers Cape Town, Paarl and Stellenbosch have no record of children born to Cornelis.

b7 Anna (Johanna) date illegible 1691 (VC 632) x 30.10.1718 Paul Artois.

Anna died 1741 (MOOC 8/6 No. 45) and Paul married Maria Mariek in 1742. (VC 621)

cl Aletta bap. 25.5.1721 (VC 605) x 2.9.1742 Lodewyk Hansen. (MOOC 7/l/15 No. 27)

c2 Paulus bap. 22.11.1722 (VC 605)

c3 Elizabeth bap. 30.6.1726 (VC 605) x 3.2.1743 Adriaan Heuning

c4 Geertruy Alberta bap. 25.1.1728 (VC 605)

c5 Paulus bap. 26.2.1730 (VC 605) x Elizabeth Heuningh (MOOC 7/l/15 No. 27) Very large communal estate. They lived on farm at Plattekloof on Tygerberg.

Paul Artois died 1759 and mentions only Aletta, Elizabeth and Barend, son of Maria Mariek, in his will. (MOOC 7/l/15 No. 27)

b8 Jan (Johannes) bap. 8.11.1692 died before 1721 (cf. mother's will). Appears in opgaafrolle 1712 and 1719 as single.

b9 Dirk bap. 5.9.1694 died 1734 (MOOC 8/5 No. II 3). In opgaafrol 1731 is listed single. Owned 'Elizabethsfontein' and 'Vrolijkheid' over de Olifantsrivier. In partnership with his cousin Gerridt.

b10 Aeltie (Aletta) bap. 26.8.1695 x 22.9.1720 Michiel Africanus Heyns (VC 621) xx 29.7.1736 Matthys Sondag (VC 621) Heyns died in 1735.

cl Maria bap. 10. 10. 1 723 (VC 605)

c2 Aletta bap. 30.9.1725 (VC 605)

c3 Paul bap. 10. I 0. 1 728 (VC 605)

c4 Ockert bap. 18.2.1731 (VC 605)

c5 Michiel bap. 17.7.1735. 'vader overleden'.

b11 Geertruy bap. 9.11.1698 x 2.4.1724 (VC 621)

Thobias Mostert d. 1764

cl Aletta Elizabeth bap. 7.1.1725 (VC 605) x Jan

Loos (MOOC 7/l/15 No. 32)

c2 Johanna Jacoba bap. 3.10.1727 (VC 605) x

Nicolas Meijboom (MOOC 7/l/15 No. 32)

c3 Elizabeth bap. 28.8.1729 (VC 605)

c4 Ockert bap. 19.8.1731 (VC 605)

c5 Johanna bap. 12.7.1733 (VC 605)

c6 Ernestus bap. II. 1 2.1735 (VC 605)

c7 Hester bap. 15.6.1738 (VC 605)

c8 Tobias bap. 4.9.1740 (VC 605)

c9 Geertruy bap. 14.7.1743 (VC 606)

cl0 Hilletje bap. 18.12.1746 (VC 606)

On 4.5.1760 Tobias and Geertruy made a will (MOOC 7/i/15 No. 32) which mentions only 3 children: Aletta Loos, Johanna Meyboom and Ocker. Tobias died 1764 and Geertruy in 1777 (Resolusies Vol. 9 p. 273)

b12 Hendrik bap. 21.11.1700 x 21.5.1724 Maria Vivie (VC 639) Hendrik died in Waveren 1725 (MOOC 8/4 No. 99) Maria remarried Willem v. d. Vijver.

cl Aletta bap. 15.7.1725 (VC 644) x Jan Viljoen

(MOOC 8/10 No. 10)

The inventory of Aletta Vervey's estate dated May 1721 (MOOC 8/4 Nos 67, 68) mentions all children except Gijsbert, Cornelia and Jan. She owned the farms Hoogebergsvalleij (sold to Claas v. d. Westhuizen), Kleine Stinkrivier, which was granted to her in 1720 (C.F. Resol. Vol. 2 p. 344) and an opstal in Roodezand called Vrolijkheid. She ran a considerable establishment assisted by twelve slaves and made wine as a 'parshuis' is listed in the inventory of her estate.

Tryntje Gansevanger was a remarkable and enterprising woman and a most successful farmer. She made sure her children were literate _ Aletta and Beatrix both wrote a good hand, but Hendrik and Ocker signed documents with a cross. Both Beatrix and Aletta saw to it that their children, too, were literate and both women kept up and expanded their farming operations after their husbands died.

III Ocker Cornelisz Olivier and Maria Visser wife of Willem Willemse.

b1 Kina born 1672/73 x Hans Jacobus Brits

b2 Cornelis born 1674/75 x 22.11.1699 Anna Rigman van Weij (VC 604)

c1 Maria ? x Stephanus Fouch6 (MOOC 8/6 No. IO) She died 1738 leaving three children. Lived on Knollvalleij, 'aan de Breederivier'.

c2 Johannes bap. 13.6.1706 (VC 644) x 12.2.1730 Cecilia du Pres (VC 654)

a.o.d1 Philip Arnoldus bap.19.10.1731, sponsors

Catarina & Arnold Basson

d2 Dirkje bap. 3.8.1734, sponsor Anna v. d. Weij Johannes died 1764 (MOCC 7/l/15 No. 54). Cecilia died 1781 on the farm of her son Stephanus:

Klipfontein, Prinsekraal, Waveren. (MOOC 8/18 No. 5) Johannes farmed 'Over de Olifantsrivier'.

c3 Catarina bap. 3 0.12.1708 (VC 63 2) x Arnoldus Johannes Basson (VC 632) xx 2.12.1742 Pieter du Plessis (VC 654) Basson died 1742 leaving three children. They lived on Vrolykheid, Roodezand and owned Misgund aan de Waagenboornsrivier and Uijtnood aan de Kijsersrivier. (MOOC 8/6 No. 88)

c4 Sara bap. 15.7.1711 (VC 632) x 19.6.1729

Stephanus Bekker (VC 654)

The Inventory of Cornelis Olivier's estate (MOOC 8/2 No. 1 19) lists four minor children. Anna van Weij made a will in 1724 before her marriage to Joost Bevernagie in which all four children appear. When Joost died in 1738 (MOOC 7/l/6 No. 22) he left money to his stepdaughter Catarina Olivier, wife of A. J. Basson, and to his wife, his 'woonplaats' Rietvalleij at Waveren. On 30.6.1742 Anna van Weij married for a third time to Herman Stokvliet (VC 654). She owned the farm 'Hasekraal aan de Bergrivier' (granted 1714 Resol. Vol. 6 p. 25). Cornelis Olivier could not write, nor could his wife, Anna. Daughter Catarina Basson signed inventory of her husband's estate with an X.

Esme Bull

Sources

1 All references are from Cape Archives. The registers used were Verbatim copies housed in Cape Archives.

(Drakenstein marriage registers 1720_1725 are missing. Possibly the marriages of Anna v.d. Weij to Bevernagie and Cornelis Ockerzoon Olivier were recorded during this period. Also baptisms 1708 and 1709 are missing from Drakenstein register.)

2 Resolusies van die Politieke Raad: S. A. Argiefstukke published by Archives Commission 1857 to 1984.

3 De Villiers/Pama: Geslagsregisters van die ou Kaapse Families. Cape Town 1966.

4 J. Hoge: Bydraes tot Genealogie van die Afrikaner Families. Amsterdam 1958.

5 J. H. Redelinghuys: Die Afrikaner_familienaamboek. Cape Town 195 5.