Back to home Claas Jansz b4 Willem c2 Nicolaas d1 Willem e6 Willem f5 Nicolaas Jacobus

Beginnings and Childhood

Willem was the fourth child of Alleta van der Merwe and Claas Jansz: van Rensburg. They had seven children as well as two other children from Alleta's first marriage to Marthinus van Staden. The closest congregation to the 'Land van Waveren', also known as Roodezand Kloof (modern day Tulbagh valley) where the family lived, was Drakenstein (modern day Paarl). Willem was baptised on the 21 November 1717 according to the Drakenstein church records(28k), most likely at the house of the pastor, Petrus van Aken, since the old church was in disuse due to damage by wind and rain. The congregation also met in the pastor's house. Willem would have been baptised in a washing bowl, since the church did not yet have a baptismal font⁽¹⁾. Willem was eleven years old when his father passed away. His mother died when he was twelve according to Inventaris (49k), it also gives the ages of the other children. At this time young Willem owned seven head of cattle, two horses and thirteen sheep, according to the inventory (30k)⁽²⁾ dated 1729. It was customary for the children to be given animals and thus prepare them for their own independent life as a farmer. His portion of the inheritance, 'boedelrekening'⁽³⁾ (Estate Account) (46k), was 633: :8 gulden after his mother passed away. The records of the Orphan Chamber ⁽⁴⁾ states, that Willem and his brother Nicolaas was to be raised by their older brother Johannes (32k) whereas the other children were to be raised by their half-sister Maria van Staden and her husband Frans Smit. Willem must have lived with his eldest brother Johannes, evidence suggests on the farms Twee Kuilen on the Valse River⁽⁵⁾ since Johannes obtained them as loan farms.

This would have been a big responsibility for the newly wed couple, Johannes and Anna Margaretha Botha, she was only years old when they got married 27 Aug 1930. Willem would have been only three years younger than her.

Marriage to Anna Sophia Burger, and Four Children

Willem did not follow his other brothers who settled in the district of Swellendam but instead went in the direction of his sisters who got married to farmers in the Cold Bokkeveld, (Elsie married 1731 to P van der Merwe, and Cecilia married 1732 to Izaak van der Merwe). Thus Willem established the Cold Bokkeveld branch of van Rensburg's. Willem must have moved back to live in the Cold Bokkeveld, it came under the Drakenstein area, before 1736 since he is mentioned in census roll⁽⁵⁾ 1736 under Drakenstein. His possessions include one firearm and a dagger. In 1738 he became a member of the Drakenstein church, the records reveal(2k) ⁽⁶⁾. At the age of 23 Willem and the 17 year old Anna Sophia Burger got married in the Drakenstein church, as per marriage entry(13k) on 2 July 1740⁽⁷⁾. She was(b2 c4) the daughter of Willem Burger and Elsie van der Merwe, they were both cousins of Willem. There were numerous connection with the Burger family.

There were four children born to this couple, according to baptismal record. The first two were baptised at Drakenstein and the other two at Tulbagh churches. The Tulbagh Church was only established in 1743, this was the 3rd congregation in the Cape. The pastor was Vos, and here is a picture of him (23k). Their first child was baptised on their first wedding anniversary.

c1 Willem = 2 July 1741 married 18 April 1762 Hester Burger

c2 Nicolaas = 23 November 1742, X 23 Oct 1763 Hester Helena Burger

c3 Aletta = 24 December 1744 died 22 Aug 1768. Baptism witnesses Isaac van der Merwe and Elsje Janse van Rensburg

c4 Elsie = 1 October 1746 married Schalk Willem van der Merwe died 15 November 1776^(8). Baptism witnesses Isaac van der Merwe and Sisilia Jansen

 Farming

By the end of April 1741 there was a census (opgaafrol)⁽⁹⁾ return for him, below are some subsequent census returns: 
 

	Slaves	Cattle	Sheep	horses	weapons
1741	3	40	150	5	3
1742	4	30	200	2
1744	4	25	150	5
1745		30	150	1
1746		30	150	1
1747	1	30	200	2

 
 One may note that the further they moved away from the Cape, they changed from agricultural farming to pastoral farming. This was due to the distance from a market and the drier climatic conditions. Towards the Karoo  there was summer rainfall, whereas at the Cape it was a winter rainfall. In southern Germany, northern Wales and Switzerland the farmers use to move their sheep between plains and the mountains. A similar migrating with sheep evolved here at the Cape.

They had fat-tailed sheep which were very useful: it can survive on barren land The sheep were used for food, its fat was utilised as a substitute for butter, making candles, soap, and its product was also used as a grease for lubrication of the wagon wheels. The women folk were very much involved in the manufacture of the soap and the candles. Farming was also supplemented with hunting.

For a young man who was not even married a year, it is unusual that he had already three slaves in 1741. Due to lack of grazing space the farmers in the Tulbagh area started to move across the Witzenberg Mountains to the Bokkeveld (present day Ceres area). As they moved further away from Cape Town they became cut off from new ideas and thoughts of Europe. The veld was their world and apart from an occasional trip to Cape Town they relied on the 'smous' hawkers who would come and peddle their goods. Their remoteness led to a spirit of freedom and a desire for seclusion, and a resentment of authority. Willem's father had cut himself off from Europe and now Willem was cutting himself off from the authority of the Company which was based at Cape Town. Whereas those living at Cape Town were a seaward looking community, Willem joined those who turned their back and was now part of the north looking society. Wheras those closer to the Cape were agriculturists. The further away from the Cape the more the family became ranchers. One of the most valued articles that they cherished was leather from which they made 'rieme' leather thongs, which were used as ropes. They also made clothing and shoes out of the leather.

Death: 21 July 1746 Every man had to be part of the commando system. We have record⁽¹¹⁾ that Willem served between 1744-1746 as a "dragoner under Captain Johannes Louw Jacobsz". Willem died on 21 July 1746 at the age of 29 in the 'Bokkevelt' according to records of the Tulbagh church (35k)⁽¹⁰⁾. The cause of his death is unknown. His wife must have still been pregnant with Elsie, since this child was baptised on 1 October 1746. His wife got married again on the 4 January 1750 to Johannes Pienaar. They made a will on 14 April 1772⁽¹²⁾ (there was an earlier will, 6 April 1769 but it has not been able to be located), her signature is found on this document and mention is made only of children Willem, Nicolaas and Elsie.

Richard ball supplied me with this transcribed version of the Will:
MOOC Vol 7/1/91 no 6 Description Burger, Anna Sophia. Wife of Johannes Pienaar.

..
dat ik Ondergetekende Anna Sophia Burger,
van Cabo de Goede Hoop geboortig, laast weedw.
wijlen Johannes Pienaar zijnde ...
te rade ben geworden omme over mijne goederen
door ... Sodanig te disponeeren ...
...

Ende als nu ter nieuwens dispositie tredende verkaare ik ter myne eenige en algeheelen Erffgenamen te ... ende aan te stellen mijne hier onder genaamde kinderen en kinds kinderen, namentlyk

1 Willem Janse van Rensburg
2 Nicolaas Jansz van Rensburg
by wylen mijne eerste man Willem Jansz van Rensburg in huwelijk verwekt

3 Louisa Pienaar huisvrouw van Evert Grobbelaar
4 Jacobus Pienaar
5 Martje Pienaar huysvrouw van Andries Petrus Burger
6 Petrus Pienaar
7 Johanna Pienaar Huijsvrouw van Hendr. van der Merwe Schalksz.
8 Barend Pienaar en
9 Schalk Willemse Pienaar
voor mij in echt verkreegen by mijne laast overleedene man Johannes Pienaar

ende bij voor overleiden van een ofte meer mijner opgem: kinderen, derselver wettige afstammelingen bij Plaatsvullinge

10 Voorts nog de nagelaten kinderen van mijne overleedene Dogter Elsje Janse van Rensburg door haar in huweelijk verwekt bij Schalk Willemse van der Merwe Pieterz: voor een staak

11 het nagelatene Dogterje van wijlen mijne dogter Anna Sophia Pienaar in name Anna Sophia du Plessis meede voor een staak
...
en aan te stellen zo als dae bij dieser mijne Oudste Zoon Willem Jansz van Rensburg hier voor reets genaemd, nevens den burger Petrus van der Merwe Hendrikz. ... asl eenige Executeurs en voogden ...
...
Aldus getesteerd op mijn woonplaats genaamd verkeerde Valleij op den drie en twingste November in den Jaare onze Heeren Een duijzend Seeven Hondert drie en tagtig ...

/getekend/ Anna Sophia Burger wed Johannis Pienaar /in margine stond/ getuijgen/ getekende/ Frans Jooste Pieter Conradi Sebastiaan Wolfart Schalk Willem Du Tooij Daniel Du Tooij Jacobus Jooste Johannes [Janse]

Vertoond ter Weeskamer
aan Cabo de Goede Hoop
den 5 September 1823

This will was presented to the 'weeskamer'⁽¹³⁾ on 13 September 1783, this could indicate the approximate date for her or his death. The other date that one of them died was 1801. The descendants of Willem continued to live in the Bokkeveld area.

Richard Ball also supplied the final account of the will MOOC Vol 7/1/91 no 7 Description Burger, Anna Sophia. Wife of Johannes Pienaar

Generale Boedel Rekening der nalaatenschap van wylen Johannes Pienaar en desselfs Huisvrouw wylen Anna Sophia Burger
...
Welke genoemde helfte gedeeld wordende in Elf Equaale deelen zo vind men het waare Hoeders lyk bewys door Wyle Jufvrouw Anna Sophia Burger weduwe Wylen Johannes Pienaar aan haar Elf Kinderen nagelaten, Ker[..]ende voor elke Staak in deze Erfenis de Somma van 1077 en 6 10/11 Schelling als:-

1. De Kinderen van wylen Willem Jansze van Rensburg elf in getal komt voor yder nevens gaande somma als:-

1. Voor Willem Janszen van Rensburg - 97.7 109/121
2. Helena Janszen huisvrouw van P. Jooste - 97.7 109/121
3. de Kinderen van Barend Janszen - 97.7 109/121
4. Nicolaas Jansze van Rensburg (no. 2)- 97.7 109/121
5. Pieter Jansze van Rensburg (") - 97.7 109/121
6. Anna Sophia Janse v. Rensb: 97.7 109/121
7. de Kinderen van wylen Elsie Jansze van Rensburg in leeven huisvrouw van Chal du Plessis - 97.7 109/121
8. Jacoba Janszen van Rensburg huisvrouw van Jacobus du Plessis Janzoon - 97.7 109/121
9. Hester Jansze van Rensburg - 97.7 109/121
10. Hk. Pets. Jansze van Rensburg - 97.7 109/121
11. Maartje Jansze van Rensburg - 97.7 109/121

Rds 1077.6 10/11

2. Nicolaas Jansze van Rensburg d'oude - 1077.6 10/11

3. de Kinderen van Wylen Elsie Jansze van Rensburg in leven huisvrouw van wylen Schalk van der Merwe komt voor yder nevens gaande Somma als.

1. voor Elsie van der Merwe huisvrouw van Willem van Heerden - 538.7 10/22
2. Voor Schalk Willem van der Merwe - 538.7 10/22

Rds 1077.6 10/11

4. /t Kind van Wylen Anna Sophia Pinaar in leven huisvrouw van Jan Louis du Plesis zynde een meerderjaarige jonge dogter en genaamd (no name given) 1077.6 10/11

5. Louisa Pinaar huisvrouw van Evert Grobbelaar - 1077.6 10/11

6. Maartje Pienaar huisvrouw van Andries Petrus Burger - 1077.6 10/11

7. Jacobus Johannes Pienaar - 1077.6 10/11

8. Johanna Pienaar thans gehuwd met Johannes Jacobus Moller - 1077.6 10/11

9. Petrus Pienaar - 1077.6 10/11

10. Barend Pienaar - 1077.6 10/11

11. Schalk Willem Pienaar - 1077.6 10/11

Komt als boven eene Somma van RDS 11856.4
...
/onderstond/

Aldus gedaan en Provisioneel
afgesloten in het Groote Bokkeveld op de
opstal staande op de Leeningsplaats genaamd
de Lakenvalley den 4 Maart 1802 /:lager:/
Door my /:get:/ Petrus van der Merwe [JHz;]

Geregistreerd ter Weeskamer
aan de Kaap de Goede Hoop
den 5 Septr. 1823

Footnotes
 
1. Pieter Coertzen Die Hugenote van Suid-Afrika 1688-1988 p 125,129 Cape Town 1988
2. Inventaris(Inventory): MOOC 8/5 No24
3. Estate Account: MOOC 13/1/2 p56
4. 21 November 1729 MOOC 1/6
5. RLR 38 p225, CJ 2620
6. Opgaafrol(Census Roll):
7. NG Church Cape Archives,  Drakenstein Church records
8. NG Church Cape Archives, Drakenstein Church  records
9. NG Church archives Cape G4 11/1
10. Opgaafrol(Census Roll): 1741 -?; 1742 -J194; 1744 -J195; 1746 -J195; 1747 -J195, the census for this last year also is made in the name of the widow, this confirms the death of Willem
11. NG Church Cape Archives, Tulbagh Church record.  Some authors have suggested that he died at the hand of Bushman, I have found no primary source that supports this claim.
12. General Monsterroll: J 195
13. CJ 2671 No 10
14. MOOC 7/1/29

andre@rensburg.com