MY SOUTH AFRICAN FAMILY
HISTORY PAGE
[Graaf] Jacobus Von Rhenen (known as Jacob Van Reenen) was born in Memel, East Prussia in 1703. His parents were Daniel Von Rhenen & Catharina Elisabeth Crofki. His brother, Daniel, who was Burgermeester Von Altenburg of Prussia owned large estates on the Rhine.
It is believed that from 1721-1725, Jacobus was in the Service of the Dutch East India Company. In October 1721 he sailed from Goree in Seeland aboard the 'Astrea', arriving at the Cape in February 1722.
In 1724 Jacobus joined the cocchius regiment and in 1725 he became a free citizen of the Cape. In that same year married Johanna Siekermans, an orphan, from Amsterdam. Johanna, three of her daughters and their husbands and a grandson, died in 1755 during the devastating smallpox epidemic which claimed many lives at the Cape.
Jacobus and Johanna had six children:
Jacobus married his second wife, Maria Elizabeth Louw, in 1757 and had a further three children:
Jacobus owned large estates at the Cape and in 1742 the family acquired meat and wine contracts with the Dutch East India Company. His descendants were ranked among the most outstanding farmers and agriculturalists of the early Cape Dutch settlement and owned vast areas of land in the colony.
Jacobus's eldest son, Jacob the younger (1727-1793), was a Burgher Councillor and as leader of the 'Kaapse Patriot' was one of the delegates who went to Holland in 1779 to lay the burghers' grievances before the Council of Seventeen in Amsterdam. He owned the farm 'Welgelegen' at Mowbray.
In 1746, in Cape Town, Jacob married Maria Franke. They had nine sons and five daughters.
Three of their sons, Johannes Gysbertus, Jacob and Sebastiaan Valentyn, farmed in partnership until 1795. The South African wool industry was largely promoted by their experiments in cross-breeding the indigenous Cape sheep with Spanish merinos. Another son, Dirk Gysbert, who had farmed with his brothers since 1792, owned the brewery at Newlands and the farm 'Rhenoster Fontein' at the mouth of the Breede River where he established a dairy and cheese factory.
Jacob's younger brother, Daniel (1730-1776), married Catharina Christina Beck who died in 1771. Daniel married his second wife, Johanna Levina Colyn, a widow in 1773. His eldest son, Jacob, was educated in England and many of his descendants served with the British armed forces in India.
My great-grandmother, Sophie Becker,was born in South Africa in 1848 and died in Australia in 1936. Her mother, Aletta Hillegonda Van Reenen was a great-great-grandaughter of [Graaf] Jacobus. Aletta married Carl Johannes (known as Henry) Becker who was born in South Africa in 1826 and died in England in 1881. Henry's parents were Charles Arnulph Ettienne (known as Karel Arnoldus)Becker (1790-1844) & Johanna Elizabeth Scholtz. His grand-parents were Jean Becker & Catharine Greiner of Wolmunster in France.
I am currently researching my South African family history and would like to hear from anyone who has an interest in the surnames of Von Rhenen, Van Reenen (also spelt Van Renen, Vanrenen), Franke, Persoon, Van Schoor, Van der Spuy or Becker.
Jacobus (Jacob) 1727-1793; married Maria Franke
Catharina Elisabeth (1729-1755); married Willem Van Schoor
Daniel (1730-1776);m1-Catharina Christina Beck; m2-Johanna Levina Colyn
Beatrix Cornelia (1731-1755); married Diedrick Wilhelmi
Anna Margaretha (1733-1755); married Joachim Jan Lodewyk Wernich
Geertruy(da) (1736-?); married Jan (Johan) Serrurier
Adriaan (1760-?); married Engela van Niekerk
Jan (1762-1764)
Maria Jacoba Christina (1764-?)
c 1998
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