First Fifty Years - a project collating Cape of Good Hope records - Johannes Pretorius
M, #7562, b. 16 October 1642, d. 30 April 1694
Father* Wessel Pretorius1 b. c 1614, d. 12 Feb 1664
Mother* Josyntgen Claesdochter1 b. b 22 May 1622, d. 10 Mar 1664
Birth Johannes Pretorius was born before 16 October 1642.2
Marriage* He married Geertruyd Meijntinghs on 18 November 1673 Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, (Cape Town), de Caep de Goede Hoop.3,4
Marriage* He married Joanna Victors, daughter of Jan Victor and Jannetjen Gerrits Bellerts, on 28 February 1677 (Cape Town).5
Death* He died on 30 April 1694 de Caep de Goede Hoop at age 51.4
Wessel Pretoriùs+4 b. b 3 Jun 1674
Joanna Victors b. c 1655
Josina Pretorius+14 b. b 27 Oct 1678, d. b 27 May 1713
Joannes Pretorius+15 b. b 22 Aug 1680
Jannetie Pretorius+16 b. b 11 Oct 1682
Loduwijck Pretorius+17 b. b 5 Sep 1688
Elisabeth Pretorius18 b. b 17 Sep 1690
Names in the record, in publications, etc. 18 November 1673, the name of Johannes was written in the record as Johannes Praetorius.
27 October 1678, the name of Johannes was written in the record as Joannes Praetorius.
Baptisms Johannes Pretorius was baptized on 16 October 1642 Ouddorp, Goeree Island, The Netherlands.4
Baptisms - Witness Johannes Pretorius and Stijntje van den Bergh witnessed the baptism of Johanna Victor on 15 April 1691 Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, (Cape Town), de Caep de Goede Hoop.6
Vrijbriewen and Burgher Status Dirk Bosch became a burgher on 22 October 1668, in Dutch vryburgher or vrijburgher, initially a status in which a soldier or other employee of the VOC was released from their contractual obligations to the VOC and permitted to farm, become a tradesman, or work for others. Subsequently some individuals, including the Huguenot refugees, were brought to the Cape specifically to farm and were burghers from the time of their arrival. He was granted vrijburgher status for five years following diverse malen klaegs gewijs versoek or several requests by his wife Geertruyd Meijntinghs who said he had escaped death several times due to stroke or paralysis in the hands and limbs, that he could no longer carry out his duties. She asked too that the couple be granted a suitable place to live and take care of their two small children in an honest way … this was a small, rundown house with a garden right next to the western facade of the Fort. Her request was granted and the couple had to pay 600 carolus guilders, in three equal payments of f 66 19, the first on 25 February 1669. There were several conditions including that they kept control of Maria van Guinea, owned at the time by Johannes Pretorius, who would subsequently marry the recently widowed Geertruijd Meijntings. They were permitted to sell sugar beer - als eenelijck suijker bier.7
Slave Transactions After April 1666 Maria van Guinea was sold by an unknown person to Johannes Pretorius, who arrived at the Cape in April 1666.8
On 1 September 1674 Claas van Guinea and Nicolaas van Jafnapatnam were sold by Dirck Jansz Smient to Johannes Pretorius, for f 1 500 and a skuldbrief for f 5 750 payable in equal annual instalments over the coming four years. The transaction included a house, stables, erf and garden of 2 morgen 89 roods, 56 cattle, (34 stuks hom toebehoort?) 9 oxen, 2 cows, 6 more cows, 4 heifers, and one bull calf, 2 closed wagons, garden equipment, etc. I have assumed Niclaes to be the slave purchased by Smient in 1672.9
On 21 February 1676 Claas van Bengale was sold by Jacob Hinlopen to Johannes Praetorius, for Rds. 42.10,11
On 1 March 1676 Jan van Macassar was sold by Cornelis Kriek to Joannes Praetorius, for Rds 55.12,13
[S392] NGK G1 1/1, Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, Kerken Boek (Mar), 1665-1695: i8 dito
van zar. Dirck Bos., transcribed by Richard Ball, Norfolk, England, (May 2006), Genealogical Society of South Africa, eGSSA Branch http://www.eggsa.org/. Hereinafter cited as Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, Kerken Boek (Mar).
[S190] C.C. de Villiers & C. Pama, Geslagregisters van ou Kaapse Families II L-R, p. 733.
[S397] NGK G1 1/1, Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, Kerken Boek (Bapt.), 1665-1695: Den 15 Dito [April 1691] een kindt gedoopt daer van vader is Cornelis Victor, [de]
moeder Cornelia Junius, als getuijge stondt Joannes Pretorius, ende Christina van den Bergh, ende genaemt Joann[ ], transcribed by Richard Ball, Norfolk, England, (May 2006), Genealogical Society of South Africa, eGSSA Branch http://www.eggsa.org/. Hereinafter cited as Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, Kerken Boek (Bapt.).
Dircq Jansen Smient, luitenant in diens, verkoop aan Joannes Pretorius, vryburger, in skepenkennis die woonhuis, stalle, erf en tuin groot 2 morg … roeden en twee lyfeies genaamd Claas van Guinea en Niclaes, die eerste na aansien oud … en die tweede … jaar, asook 56 stuks beeste, 34 stuks hom toebehoort, 9 osse en 2 koeie, 11 stuks van die Kompanjie gekoop teen f 12 elk, verder 11 stuks, te wete 6 koeie, 4 verse en een bulkalf, wat hy van Gonnema se buit, indien hy ‘n wa sou gehad het, soos die ander dienaars en vryliede, daarvan geneem het, verkoop nog daarvan 2 hegte waens met hulle volle [?], asook al die tuingereedskap, skopgrawe, ens. soos alles op die erf en tuin gelee in Tafelvallei, begrensende … aan die tuin van burger Elbert Diemer en … die daarvoor verbylopende waweg, soos blyk uit die grondbriewe van … vir f 1 500 en ‘n skuldbrief van f 5 750 betaalbaar oor die eersvolgende vier jaar in gelyke dele. [In die skuldbrief word die grootte aangegee as 2 morg 89 roede en begrens aan die westelike sy deur Diemer, N na die fort, O Wind berg, S Tafelberg en W die tuin van Diemer].. Hereinafter cited as "Die notariële stukke II."
[S418] Anna J. Böeseken, Slaves and Free Blacks at the Cape 1658-1700 (Cape Town: Tafelberg, 1977), p.131. 21.2.1676: Claas from Bengal (11 /12), sold by Jacob Hinlopen to Johannes Praetorius for Rds. 42.. Hereinafter cited as Slaves and Free Blacks at the Cape 1658-1700.
[S607] J.L. (Leon) Hattingh, "Die notariële stukke II", 21.2.1676 [Verlore]
Jacob Hinlopen verkoop aan Johannes Praetorius die slaaf Claas van Bengale, 11/12 jaar oud, vir 42 Rds.
[S607] J.L. (Leon) Hattingh, "Die notariële stukke II", 1.3.1676 [Verlore]
Comelis Kriek verkoop aan Johannes Praetorius die slaaf Jan van Makassar vir 55 Rds.