Petrus Johannes De Wit
born 31st May 1716 at Cape Town
(Note : From the first generation of De Wits born in South Africa and the
grandfather to Petrus Johannes De Wit who first arrived in Melaka)
De Wit, Petrus Johannes (Born at Cape Town on 31/5/1716 and died at Cape
Town on 13/8/1779), farmer and member of various Public Associations, was
the fourth child of Jan de Wit and his wife, Maria Adriaansz. His father (Jan
de Wit), a member of the Cape "Burgerraad" (Civic Council ), came originally
from New York, USA, where the family was known as White according to family
lore.
In March 1730 the young Petrus Johannes was sent to the Netherlands with
the return fleet, only to return to the Cape six years later as a soldier
in the service of the VOC. In 1741 he resigned from the VOC and started out
as a Free-Burgher.
From his parents he inherited the farm Stellenberg close to Wynberg,
as well as the farms Wysersrivier and Klipfontein in the district Swellendam.
He extended his farm holdings by acquiring the farm Welgevonden on the banks
of the Gouritzriver, Kliphoogte on the Leeuwenrivier en Keert de Koe close
to Blouberg.
In 1761 he became the first exporter of aloe juice after he obtained
permission to export about 90 Kg's of the product from one of his farms. Initially
he monopolized this trade but later other farmers were also allowed to export
it.
Over an extended period he fulfilled a variety of civic commitments.
In Dec 1742 he was appointed by the Council of Policy as a commissary of civil
and marriage registrations and remained in this post until Dec 1744. During
1755-1756 he was one of the Orphan Masters at the Cape and in 1762 he was
appointed as a Corporal in the "Compagnie Pennisten" , which was a military
corps made up from officials and ex-officials of the VOC and had a clerical
function. In 1764 and again in 1773-1774 he was a member of the Cape Civic
Council (Burgerraad) and by the time of his death he was one of the chief
firemen at the Cape.
In 1779 he became a partner in the firm Cruywagen & Co, one of a few
strong companies which monopolised trade with the visiting fleets. This partnership
caused him to be named in a Citizen's Petition in 1779.
De Wit's entrepreneurship and drive made him a wealthy man. He did not
only work for himself, though, and his public commitments made him a well
respected person under the citizens and the administration.
De Wit married twice. From the marriage with Anna Margaretha Sandenberg,
the daughter of Hercules Sandenberg and Margaretha de Groot two children were
born. After her death he married Aletta Jacoba Blankenberg on 15/2/1756. She
was a daughter of Johannes Hendricus Blankenberg and Anna Maria van der Heiden.
They had six children.
Translated from "Die Suid Afrikaanse Biografiese Woordeboek" Deel III (published
by Struik, Cape Town 1977). Also obtainable in English as "A Dictionary of
South African Biographies" published 1996, also by Struik. Foreword by Nelson
Mandela.
Information provided by Jan Schutte
director of the Lichtenburg Museum, South Africa
(http://www.lichtenburg.co.za)
Assisted by Gerda Pieterse
October 2000
Snippets about the De Wit Family from Gerda (18 Oct 2000)
1. History, Law, and Place Names in the Cape of Good Hope C. Graham Botha.
Published C Struik 1962 p296 of Chapter 24 History of Place names - Section
4 Estates and Farms
"Keer de Koe was owned by Petrus Johannes de Wit, a wealthy citizen
of Cape town with whom Lord Clive preferred to reside in 1767 on his homeward
journey from India. He had been offered the use of Government House in the
gardens"
2. Travels at the Cape of Good Hope 1772-1775 Carl Peter Thunberg Edited
Emeritus Prof. V.S. Forbes. 2nd Series No 17 Van Riebeck Society, Cape town
1986 p214/5
"On the 12th went to Carl Bruyn's farm and on the 13 to Peter de Wett's.
258. The whole of this tract produced aloe bushes (aloe ferox) in abundance
which in some places entirely covered the hills and sides of mountains where
they appeared at a distance like a huge army…..I observed everywhere the slaves
busy tapping and preparing aloe sap 260 the virtues of which in medicine are
well known. De Wett the owner of the farm was the first that prepared the
gum in this country 261 for which reason he was said to have the exclusive
privilege of delivering it and selling it at a certain price to the Company"
In my own words a summary of the method. The aloe leaves were cut by the slaves.
The juice allowed to run out into a calabash or large pail then poured out
into wooden boxes where it becomes solid gum each box weighing about 3-5cwt.
Sold for 3,4 stivers"
footnote 258.
Petrus Johannes de Wit b4 1716-1779 (de V & P, p 1140 Dict. SA Biog 3 p231)
Owned in freehold Weysersriver and Klipfontein by Gourits R. T3786 of 14.10.1762)
The former though which flows the stream from which it is named lies 10 km
west of Gourits R. while Kilpfontein adjoins its SE boundary (Riversdale Div
.Map 1901)
footnote 261.
In 1761 he becomes the first exporter of Cape aloe juice and at first enjoyed
a monopoly of the business (Dict of SA Biog 3 p231)
3. (Margaretha de With daughter of Governor of Coromandel married Gov. Cornelius
van Qualeberg Master of the Castle Hyman W.J. Picard Struik 1972) ??
4. Travels in the Cape 1772-1776 Anders Spaarman Vol 2. Edited Prof V.S.
Forbes 2nd Series 2 Van Riebeck society Cape Town 1977 p248
My summary aloe plant called Gorée-bosch, at first neglected by settlers,
the slaves were well aware of its medicinal properties but they kept this
secret "until one of them called Goree (named after the island at Dakar
in Senegal a Dutch slave trading station) a slave of de Wit is said to have
told his master as a reward for kind treatment."
Footnote refers to Petrus Johannes de Wit is b4 of De Villiers and Parma
p 1140. Same info as above in 2. Petrus de Wit applied for a monopoly of export
of aloe. Though rejected by the Council of Policy it could have been contrived
thus in actual practice.
Important Note:
Copyright 1999-2000. All materials in this site should not be copied or duplicated
without the expressed permission of Dennis & Claudine DeWitt.
