Fourth Generation – The Adventures of Willem and Judith Kempen
JACOBUS GERHARDUS KEMPEN:
(Willem 3, Stephanus Johannes 2, Willem 1)
Born 1861 at Hopetown.
Married Helena Elizabeth Vorster.
HELENA ELIZABETH VORSTER:
Born unknown Died unknown
Stephanus Johannes born 19th March 1888
Andries Petrus born 13th November 1898
STEPHANUS JOHANNES KEMPEN:
Willem 3, Stephanus Johannes 2, Willem 1)
Born 3rd August 1863 at Hopetown.
Married Susanna Maria Elizabeth van Niekerk on 23rd November 1883 at Kimberley.
He died 14th February 1963 at Roodepoort.
SJ and SME Kempen
SUSANNA MARIA ELIZABETH VAN NIEKERK:
Born at Hanover. Died 31st August 1962 at Roodepoort.
Susanna Maria Elizabeth born 25th August 1884
Willem Johannes born 14th January 1886
Jan Albert born 17th September 1887
Anna Susanna Maria born 16th November 1889
Stephanus Johannes born 20th January 1891
Joseph Frederik born 3rd August 1892
Louisa Catharina born 1st July 1894
Gert Rudolph Johannes born 8th March 1896
Johanna Margaretha born 20th October 1897
Willem Johannes Jacobus born 18th July 1899
Izaak Jacobus born 18th July 1901
Jan Albert born 18th November 1903
Aletta Catharina born 1st May 1906
ANNA SUSANNA MARIA KEMPEN:
(Willem 3,Stephanus Johannes 2,Willem 1)
Born 2nd August 1864 at Victoria West.
Married unknown, Died unknown.
IZAAK GERHARDUS ZACHARIA KEMPEN:
Born 5th December 1866 in Hoopstad.
He married Johanna Margaretha van Dyk.
JOHANNA MARGARETHA VAN DYK:
Born unknown. Died unknown
Johanna Maria Elizabeth born 27th October 1898
LOUISA ELIZABETH PETRONELLA KEMPEN:
Born 25th May 1869 at Hopetown.
She married Mr Carr.
Born 30th May 1871 at Hopetown.
JOHANNA MARGARETHA CORNELIA KEMPEN:
Born 9th December 1873 at Hopetown.
She married Pieter Jacobus Cornelius van Wyk.
LOUISA CATHARINA KEMPEN:
Born 24th January 1876 at Warrenton.
PETRONELLA CATHARINA KEMPEN:
Born 13th October 1882 at Warrenton.
CECELIA FRANCINA KEMPEN:
Born 15th January 1885 at Warrenton.
ELIZABETH WILHELMINA KEMPEN:
Born 31st March 1889 at Warrenton.
LOUISA ELIZABETH KEMPEN:
(Abraham Jacobus 3, Stephanus Johannes 2, Willem 1)
Born unknown. Married Jan Coetzee.
PHILLIPINA JOHANNA KEMPEN:
(Abraham Jacobus 3,Stephanus Johannes 2,Willem 1)
Born unknown. Married Nicolaas Steyn.
ABRAHAM JACOBUS KEMPEN: (female)
Born unknown. Married Jacobus Lodewicus Opperman.
PHILIPPUS JOHANNES KEMPEN:
Abraham Jacobus 3, Stephanus Johannes 2, Willem 1)
Born unknown at Potgietersrust. He married Hendrik Johannes Bezuidenhout(female).
He died 1st July 1964 at Pietersburg.
HENDRIK JOHANNES BEZUIDENHOUT: (female)
Born 10th November 1903 at Zeerust. Died 29th September 1981 at Potgietersrust.
Abraham Jacobus born 31st August 1922
Wilhelmina Susanna born 12th January 1926
JOHANNA FRANCINA CATHARINA KEMPEN:
Born 22 February 1882 at Griekwastad.
She may have died in the Nylstroom Concentration Camp.
CATHARINA GESINA KEMPEN:
Born unknown. She married Charles Rendalls Churchill.
Born 19th November 1883 at Beaufort West.
Matthysina Christina Helena Barendina van Deventer on 3rd September 1909 at Potgietersrust.
He died 11th August 1964 at Potgietersrust.
MATTHYSINA CHRISTINA HELENA BARENDINA VAN DEVENTER:
Born 17th May 1893 at Potgietersrust. She died on 26th June 1964 at Potgietersrust.
Petronella Johanna born 1st July 1910
Abraham Jacobus born 26th July 1912
Louis born 10th December 1914
Stephanus Johannes born 21st August 1916
Gert Frederik Jacobus born 11th September 1918
Johanna Jacoba born 1st September 1920
Matthysina Christina Helena Barendina born 1st October 1924
Anna Susanna born 14th March 1927
Phillipus Johannes born 7th September 1929
Aletta Catharina born 13th April 1932
Jacobus Christoffel Potgieter born 27th November 1934
ANNA SUSANNA KEMPEN:
Born 26th October 1884 at Griekwastad.
ABRAHAM JACOBUS CHRISTOFFEL KEMPEN:
Born 5th June 1894 at Potgietersrust.
He married Maria Magdalena Bester.
He died 31st March 1970 at Groblersdal.
MARIA MAGDALENA BESTER:
Born 17th December 1899.
Died 13th April 1982 at Pretoria.
Abraham Jacobus born 11th April 1921
SUSANNA FRANCINA KEMPEN:
( Stephanus Johannes Gerhardus 3, Stephanus Johannes 2, Willem 1 )
Born unknown. Married unknown. Died 21st July 1934
Born unknown. Married a Mr Strydom. Died in Johannesburg
Born 14th March 1886 at Griekwastad.
He married Louwisa Maria van Zyl.
He died on 15th July 1975 at Krugersdorp.
LOUISA MARIA VAN ZYL:
Born 5 September 1886. Died in 17 August 1960 at Alberton.
Catharina Louisa born 6th November 1910
Stephanus Johannes born 12th May1912
Lourens Marthinus Jacobus born 2nd July 1913
Susanna Francina born 14th September 1915
Hendrik Marthinus Jacobus born 7th September 1917
Petronella born 5th February 1919
Johanna Francina born 5th February 1919
JOHANNA FRANCINA KEMPEN:
(Stephanus Johannes Gerhardus 3, Stephanus Johannes 2, Willem 1 )
She married a Mr Schutte.
She died 20th January 1929.
ZACHARIA PETRONELLA MARIA KEMPEN:
(Willem 3,Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 2, Willem 1 )
Born 9th February 1868 at Victoria West.
She married Hendrik Johannes Abraham Wilders on 10th August 1891.
ANNA MARGARETHA STOFFELINA KEMPEN:
(Willem 3, Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 2, Willem 1 )
Born 25th July 1869 at Victoria West.
She married Johannes Jurgens Bornman ( Bosman ) on 4th June 1888 at Carnarvon.
She died 9th December 1906.
ELIZABETH PETRONELLA KEMPEN:
(Willem 3, Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 2, Willem 1)
Born 2nd January 1872 at Victoria West.
WILLIAM HENDRIK MARTHINUS ABRAHAM KEMPEN:
Born 11th July 1883 at Victoria West. He married Cornelia Margaretha Etricia Burger on 22nd March 1904 at Carnarvon.
He died 17th July 1958 at Carnarvon.
CORNELIA MARGARETHA ETRICIA BURGER:
Born 88th December 1883 at Carnarvon.
She died 24th December 1962 in Cape Town.
Petrus Jacobus Willem born unknown
Cornelia Margaretha Etricia born 3rd Januaru 1905
Zacharia Petronella Maria born 14th march 1912
JOHANNES HERMANUS KEMPEN:
Born 15th November 1875. Died unknown
(Willem3, Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 2, Willem 1)
Born 15th February 1880 at Carnarvon.
MARTHINUS HERMANUS KEMPEN:
(Willem 3, Willlem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 2, Willem 1)
Born 10th November 1883. Died 26th March 1949 at Lichtenburg.
WILLEM HENDRIK MARTHINUS ABRAHAM KEMPEN: (WILLIE)
(Johannes Bernardus 3, Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 2, Willem 1)
Born 2nd December 1877 at Victoria West. Married Jacoba Magdalena Claassens on 20th November 1903.
He died 3rd August 1933.
WHMA changed his name legally to Willem Hendrik Kempen as there were no less than 5 WHMA Kempen’s who were born in the surrounding districts within a span of 5 years either side of 1877.
‘Willie’ Kempen became an Attorney and joined the firm of Probart, Cloete and Kempen in Victoria West.
Gilbert a’ Beckett Probart was a clerk at the Magistrates Office who later started practice as a Law Agent in around 1874. He was joined in about 1890 by Vincent Charles Cloete and in 1901 by WH(MA)Kempen. The firm practised as Probart, Cloete and Kempen until 1902 when Probart died. Thereafter it was known as Cloete and Kempen. This firm lasted until 1919 when Willie left to move in with the Karoo Board of Executors. The board crashed and was liquidated. Willie continued to have his office in the building which was then purchased by Barclays Bank. Gerhardus Petrus Kempen, first cousin of Willie, joined as a partner in 1922 and the name of the firm Kempen & Kempen came into being. Willie was elected Mayor of Victoria West for 27 years. He was directly responsible for the creation of the Victoria West catchment area dam 1921, the building of the Town Hall 1911, Airport 1920, Hospital and Power Station.
Willie died suddenly as a result of pneumonia in 1933 at the young age of 56.
This poetic eulogy was written by a family friend, Alwyn Petrus Smit, and his descendant, Alwyn Smit has kindly given permission for it to be published.
Ter nagedagtenis van ons ontslape Burgemeester(WH Kempen – oorlede Victoria-Wes 1933)
‘n Almans vader is uit ons dorp geskeur
Maar waarom tog so vroeg al Heer?
Ons dorp se grootste roem en eer
Alom so wyd gerespekteer
So graag wou ons hom langer hou
Heer, en U roep hom dan so gou!?
Ons kan nie help ‘n traan uit ons oog te veeg
Want ons hart voel droewig kil en leeg
Soos hy ‘n lamp wat spoedig het uitgegaan
Bly ons soos kinders doelloos staan.
Pynlik het hy heengegaan
Nou rustend langs die sipreslaan
In lewe ‘n man van eer en reg
Wat trou steeds bly by wat hy seg
Ja, ‘n man vir vrede en reg
Het hy menig broedertwis besleg
Mededeelsaam was hy, goed en wys
Donker en afgryslik mag vir hom gewees het die nag
Maar tog skenk dit vir sy siel die rus so lawend sag
Op sy spore en handewerk val die dou
Maar in die ewige rusplek rus hy nou
Geruk uit ons midde deur die wrede dood
Verlate en gebêre in moeder aard se skoot
Tog dink ons nog bly en dankbaar terug
Aan sy goedheid en blye gesig
As ‘n goeie gewer vir sy medemens
So vroeg gemaai deur vader tyd se sens
‘n Wyse raadsheer van arm en ryk
Red vele nooddriftiges uit die slyk
Of soals Vondel sou hebben geschreven
As hy saam met die oorledene heeft geleven
“Hy was een man wat deed wat hy konden
Gaf uit zijn schrale deel, aan andere vele ponden”.
‘n Trou besoeker van sy kerk
‘n Milde gewer vir die Heer se werk
Ja, ‘n man van voorbeeld is ons ontruk
En in benoudheid word ons voortgedruk
Ons harte voel met smart deurboor
‘n Vader het ons in hom verloor
En met gebroke stemme moet ons sê
Heer U wil geskied, U wou dit hê.
Ja, talle op aarde die sal hom mis
Maar ons gun hom volkome die soete rus
Hy’t voor ons heengegaan, vooruit
Voorberei vir die ewigheid
En onwillekeurig kom by ons die vraag
Heer, watter boom word eerste nou gesaag
Liewe leser, nie so grootliks watter dag of tyd
Maar die vraag… is u bereid?
Langs die hoë sipreslaan
Waar die graniet grafsteen staan
Lê ‘n hopie rooivaal grond
Bedekkende die graf se mond
Waar binne die kis van hout
Die laaste oorskot lê so koud…
Soos ‘n uitgedoofde kool, die as
Onder verwelkende blomme, grond en gras
En self nie van die feit bewus
Dis hier waar sy laaste oorskot rus
Sy siel is veilig deur die Jordaan
En ons stamel, God… U het wel gedaan
En te midde van ons verdriet
Heer… U wil geskied.
(Author: Alwyn Petrus Smit *18.10.1907 + 08.01.1965 )
JACOBA MAGDALENA CLAASSENS: ( KOSIE )
Born 5th March 1882 at Victoria West.
She was the daughter of Johannes Hendrik Claassens and Johanna Cornelia Immelman of Victoria West. She was a direct descendant of Claasz Gerritsz of Bengale.
Johannes Hendrik Claassens
Johanna Cornelia Immelman
How much has been embellished in the following story, I don’t know, but there is some truth in it, I believe. It was told to me by my father and involves his Grandfather, Johannes Hendrik Claassens.
Around about 1898, a prisoner escaped from the Victoria West jail. He was an African man. Into the setting sun the escapee made his way to the west. My great-grandfather, Johannes Hendrik Claassens, was a sheep farmer at the farm Gemsboksfontein about nine kilometres to the west out of Victoria West. Later that evening my grandmother Kosie who was 18 years of age at the time, was preparing to go to bed and was dressed in her underwear, when she spotted a black face looking at her through the bedroom window. She gave a frightened scream and her father came running to investigate. She related her story in haste and her dad ran outside grabbing his rifle which always stood near the front door of the farm house. In the pale moonlight he spied a figure running away and without thinking raised his rifle and fired a shot in the direction of the fleeing figure. “Well”, thought JH, “that would put the wind up him”. And without further ado they went to bed.
The following morning, just after sunrise, the Victoria West Constabulary arrived, to ask if JH had seen any strangers. “Oh Yes” said JH and related his story. “Well Mr Claassens, you had better come with us to see if he is still hiding out on your farm”, the Police insisted. So off they went in the general direction JH gave them. “What’s this” exclaimed the Police, spying a dried drop of blood on a rock nearby. Now the search began in earnest. They scoured the gullies and the small creek beds, they looked through their binoculars near and far but saw nothing. About lunch time the search party sat down for a breather up on a randjie(small ridge). “He’s not here” said JH. “Oh yes, he is”, said one of the searchers. Just beneath them amongst the rocks, lay the body of the fugitive. An object had entered his back and passed through close to the heart !
“No, No, Noooooo. This has nothing to do with me”, protested JH.
“Sorry, Mr. Claassens”, said the Police Sergeant, “by your own admission I have no alternative but to arrest you”.
The court case attracted a lot of attention. JH was a well known and respected member of the Victoria West community. The newspapers, seven hundred kilometres away in Cape Town, had a field day, decrying the lawlessness and lack of civility in the far flung regions of the Cape Province, prejudging the accused as a criminal.
The Supreme Court Judge, Barristers, Attorneys and clerks all arrived in Victoria West by train for the case. The Judge, it is surmised, was of English heritage and took a dim view of Afrikaner Boer farmers. He treated JH with disdain and instructed the barristers to do the same. The proceedings took three days and by the end of the trial things were looking grim for JH. The Judge declared that he would make his deliberation overnight and give his verdict the next morning at 9 am sharp!
The following morning the Judge arrived in court on time and when all were seated the Court Messenger handed a note to him. As he read the note the colour drained out of his face and he appeared to be shaking.
The note read, I have been told, as follows:
“Your Honour. We, the public and citizens of Victoria West, hold Mr. Johannes Hendrik Claassens in great esteem. We are certain that his actions were unintentional and that the death of the fugitive was the result of an accident. If you decide to find Mr.Claassens guilty of this charge then we will not be able to guarantee your safe passage from Victoria West to where you must board the train for Cape Town. Please look out of the window to see what we mean.”
He rose from his chair, which sent the whole court jumping up, and walked over to the window and looked out. He returned to his chair and sat down. After some quiet moments he spoke. “I have given great consideration to this matter before me and I declare now that I find Mr Johannes Hendrik Claassens NOT GUILTY as charged”.
Outside there were 30 Horse Commando Riders of the Victoria West Commando Unit, mounted, with their rifles aimed at the court building.
The newspaper headlines in Cape Town screamed:
GREAT MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE IN VICTORIA WEST!
Jacoba Magdalena died on 25th June 1952 at Victoria West.
CLAASZ GERRITSZ VAN BENGALE
An important stamvader(progenitor) to many South Africans, together with Claas Mallebaar, he shares the rare distinction of being one of the very few non-European stamvaders to have founded a family that became an integral part of the indigenous white Afrikaans-speaking community in Southern Africa.
A freed slave from Bengal, his descendants came to bear the patronymic Claesz and also use the surname Claassen. A major portion of his descendants in the male line has been incorrectly ascribed in published works to another stamvader Cornelis Claesz van Utrecht (alias Kees de Boer). Claas Gerritsz has also been ignored in virtually all major genealogical publications and compilations of South African families. This publication hopefully sets the matter straight.
Historian Anna Böeseken equates him with Gerrit van Bengale who was freed by his owner (patron) the free burgher Jochum Marquart on 23 December 1676. He was already at the Cape in 1671. He appears in the Opgaaf Rol for the year 1682 as single adult male free burgher resident in the Cape District owning the following: 3 male slaves, 1 horse, 35 oxen, 650 sheep, 3 flintlocks and 1 dagger (degen). He was baptised as an adult at the Cape’s Groote Kerk on 10 February 1686 (no witnesses being recorded). The baptismal entry reads as follows:
Claes van Bengale beiaerde
Slavery and Bengal
Bengal is the present-day Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan). By 1718 the Dutch already had long since established six trading settlements in Mughal-occupied Bengal: Bellesoor (Balasore), Ballouwa or Volta (Falta), Bernagoor (Baranagar), Houghlij (Hug(h)li or Hoogli), Cossema Besaar (Kazimbazar) and Patana (Patna). Then there were also trading posts or factories manned by the English, Danes and French. Baranagar (which was also Danish-controlled) is singled out by Johan Daniel Buttner for its carnal pleasures:
The Dutch Company has a pleasure-garden, although it is now in a desolate state. This is a place where dwell none but whores, of all sorts of peoples, such as Portuguese, Jentiven [ie Hindus] etc, and here prostitution is no disgrace, nor reckoned as any sin. Anyone who desires a whore can rent such a female and use her as long as he will; everywhere he goes he can take her with him, and when he will have her no longer nor desires her, he lets her go off again, and pays her so much as he thinks fit. This is called here ‘keeping a female’…
Buttner’s description of the local Hindu population (the Jentives) is worth quoting:
The Jentiven, inhabitants of the lands of Bengal, have been here since antiquity, but are not under the rule of the Great Mogul. They offer their services to the Europeans who arrive by ship, to serve them as attendants or servants, since the custom here is that anyone may take a servant to serve him so long as he remains here, for which he pays him nothing except that he has the ‘Costumada’, that is to say when he buys anything [for his master] he receives from the merchant one rupee for each 100 rupees, and this is his pay. In addition, he gets Costumada from everything, although one must beware of such, since they are very deceitful…The inhabitants of the country are called Jentiven, although all the country is occupied and inhabited by the Moors. The Jentiven dress like the Moors or Turks, all in white linen, with a turban on the head. They live very frugally and eat little. They may not kill nor eat any living animal, but nourish themselves with milk, butter, roots, rice etc. They are very deceitful, and everyone must have a care of them lest he be deceived, and especial care of the merchants, who are called Benjanen [Banians], who are very sly and clever in trading. As regards language, they speak a distinct tongue which is not the same as Arabic, and this is called here the Bengal language, although Arabic is also in use and both are spoken…When the rich die they are burned. The wife also lets herself be burned with him, and leaps into the fire to the sound of many instruments. If she will not do this, her hair is cut off and she is chased away. Such a woman may not marry again, but must live by prostitution, and this they call ‘Pousseraun’, chasing away. Dead poor are usually thrown into the water. They take old men who can no longer walk or work to the bank, set a funnel in their gullet or neck and pour into the throat a mixture of sand and water so that they suffocate, and are then thrown into the water…
The origins of slavery in Bengal are steeped in antiquity. It is unlikely that Claes Gerritsz would have been Hindu or even Muslim, but not unlikely that he could have originally been sold by Moors. The existence of so-called tribal and mountain peoples (indigenes or aborigines) on the fringes of Muslim and Hindu society cannot be disregarded and also the abduction of people from places further afield such as Assam and Arakan (situated in the present-day Burma).
CLAAS GERRITSZ VAN BENGALE at the Cape of Good Hope
Claas van Bengale ( and there were a few slaves at the Cape with a similar name) was purchased by Elbert Diemer from Joachem Blanck on 27 November 1665 for and undisclosed sum of money. On 16 October 1685 Claas Gerritz van Bengale purchased an erf in Block A in Zee Straat in the Table Valley (ie the present-day Strand Street in Cape Town) from the official Guilliam Heems. The size of the erf was 21 r 5′ (300,3 sq m).
He married Sara van Soloor on 13 March 1686. According to the doopregister she was the slave of Willem van Dieden one of the Cape most influential personages where she is described as Sara Seloor dide meit and the meyt van Willem van Dieden). She originated from the island of Solor in the Indonesian archipelago.
The islands of Solor
Solor is an island which is just east of Flores Island, in Indonesia, and north of Timor. It use to be called Nusa Holt. It was first a Portugese fort, in 1636 it was attacked by the Dutch, the Portuguese had to abandon the fortress again, and this time, forever. Some slaves from this island was taken to the Cape. The Solor Archipelago – Solor, Adonara and Lembata – has close cultural links the Larantuka area on Flores and together these people are known as the Lamaholot. Pantar and Alor are the main islands of the Alor Archipelago.
Her toponym or provenance is sometimes referred to mistakenly as Ceylon, rather than Solor. Anna Böeseken, equates her (incorrectly?) with Sara van Ceylon who was manumitted on 10 June 1676 by the skipper of the ship Voorsightigheijt Ouwel Jansen with the option of either returning to the East or staying at the Cape. Her ownership by Willen van Dieden, however, is clear from the church records.
Sara from Soloor described as the meyt van Willem van Dieden baptised a voorkind on 29 October 1673. The child is described as een onbekent christens kint Henrijtte … Her daughter was re-baptised later together with Sara’s other voorkinders. In this way she was legitimised by the marriage of her mother to Claas Gerritsz van Bengale and by the joint baptism together with her de jure siblings (even though they were actually her half-siblings). Sara’s (initially) illegitimate daughter Henrietta (Jette) came to be known and use the surname Wittebol(s) throughout her adult life. Once legitimised by her mother’s marriage to her step-father, she also used (and was known by) the name Henrietta Claasz. Indications are that the identity of her biological (or ascribed) father – even though she had merely been referred to in her baptismal entry as een onbekent christens kint – was no secret or unknown Christian. He was the surveyor and VOC official Joan / Johan Wittebol (c. 1648-1681) from Amsterdam who was quick to marry Maria van Ruijven / Reuven from Delft at the Cape on 16 September 1674, by whom he had one son, Johan.
Wittebol had arrived on the Gecroonde Vrede in 1669 as a midshipman and commenced working a provisional assistant of the Council of Policy and surveyor. As assistant and shopkeeper, he maintained the Company’s books of merchandise. Promoted to junior merchant in 1672, he was discharged and demoted for defects in his administration in 1672 and 1673 and until 1678 no longer served on the Council of Policy. In 1676 the VOC’s visiting commissioner Nicolaas Verburgh described him favourably … een man van goede bequaamheijd en deughdelick comportement … and he was appointed as secretary to the Orphan Chamber serving on the Council of Policy from 1678 until his death in 1681 when holding the position of president of the Orphan Chamber.
Sara van Solor herself was only baptised as an adult on 3 September 1679. The baptismal entry (no witnesses are recorded) reads as follows:
Sara Seloor dide meit beiarde
Although no record of her manumission has been found, she was probably freed just prior to her marriage on 13 March 1686 or at least some time after her baptism on 3 September 1679. We find Claas Gerritsz and Sara van Solor listed as a married couple in the muster roll (Opgaaf) for 1688:
Jan [sic] Gerrits from Bengal: 1 man; Sara van Ceylon [sic]: 1 wife: 3 sons; 1 daughter; 1 snaphaen [flint-lock]; Cape District
A month after his marriage to Sara van Solor, the free burgher Claas Gerritsz van Bengale purchased the slave named Pieter van Madagascar from the English slave trader Will Deeron for Rds 55 on 26 April 1686.Pieter was 20 years of age.
The family appears in the muster roll for 1692:
Claas Gerrits 1 man
Sara van Ceylon [sic] 1 wife
3 sons [Meyndert, Gerrit & Hendrik]
1 daughter [Henriette]
1 adult male slave [ie Pieter van Madagascar]
The family appears again in the muster roll for 1695 (no. 286):
Claas Gerritsz van Bengale died in 1697 leaving a house and erf valued at f 3 000. There were 2 slaves in the estate who were sold for Rds 79 each and 2 flint-locks sold for f 36. According to Anna Böeseken, the …plates for daily use were made of tin; the iron pots were used for cooking. There were a mirror and a painting on the wall. Claas Gerritsz and his family must have been hospitable people, for there were 32 “tea-cups” and 38 saucers. The assets of the estate amounted to f 4000, after subtraction of the debts which came to f 247:10. The inventory was signed on 5 November 1697. At the time of his death, his children were the following ages:
Hendriette Claas – 23
Meijndert Claas – 16
Gerrit Claas – 11
Hendrik Claas – 10.
His widow remarried in 1698 Herman Buys who hailed from Batavia and appears to have been a mestizzo or ‘half-caste’. She obtained a divorce from her second husband in 1707 because he ill-treated her and her children from a previous marriage. Buys had illegitimate children by the slave woman Diana van Trankebar.
After her divorce Sara van Solor was granted an erf in Table Valley [Block A] the size of which was 9 r 120′ (ie 140,4 sq. m) on 20 January 1709 with the right to occupation for 16 years. The property was adjacent to the property of her first husband. Again on 22 September 1713 she was given a second grant, an erf in Table Valley in Block A, the size of which was 3 r 123′ (ie 55,0 sq. m) with similar conditions of occupation as the previous grant. Land grants to free blacks were rare in early Cape colonial society. Clearly she was still being favourably treated.
Her divorced husband was still in the neighbourhood as we find him baptising two slave children on 10 March 1709:
Twe Slave-kinderen van Harmen Buijs. de moeder was Diana van Krankebaar [sic]; de Getuigen Moses van Macassar; en Sara van Macassar – 1. Sara; 2. Pieter
The genealogy appears in the main text under Claas Gerrits(z) van Bengale.
1. Cape Archives Repository (CAR)
Council of Justice (CJ)
CJ 2652 (Joint Will of Willem Pas & Geertruy Wiederholt) No 55.
CJ 2653 (Joint will of Hendrik Lodewyk Wiederholt & Geertruy Loots, wid/o Adam Albertyn ) No 66.
Master of the Orphan Chamber (MOOC)
MOOC 8/1 (Inventory of the free Black Claas Gerritsz van Bengale) No. 28 (5 November 1697).
MOOC 13/1/2 Boedel Reekeningen van Henrietta Wittebol Laast Wede:e Willem Lodewijk Wiederholt Num:o 31.
2. Deeds Office, Cape Town (DO/CT)
Land Grants (G)
Land Transfers (T)
3. Dutch Reformed Church Archives (DRC/A)
G1 Vol. 1/1 (Notule, Doopregister & Huweliksregister 1665-1695)
G1 Vol. 8/1 (Doopregister 1695-1712)
Böeseken, Anna J.; Slaves and Free Blacks at the Cape 1658-1700 (Tafelberg, Cape Town 1977).
Böeseken, Anna J.: Uit die Raad van Justisie, 1652-1672 (Die Staatsdrukker, Pretoria 1986).
Nienaber, G.S. & Raven-Hart, R.: Johan Daniel Buttner’s Account of the Cape / Brief Descriptions of Natal / Journal Extracts on East Indies (A.A. Balkema, Cape Town 1970).
Cummings, Joe, Forsyth, Susan, Noble, John, Samagalski, Alan & Wheeler, Tony: Indonesia: a travel survival kit (Lonely Planet Publications, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia 1990).
Heese, Hans F., Groep Sonder Grense (Die rol en status van die gemengde bevolking aan die Kaap, 1652-1795) (Wes-Kaaplandse Instituut van Historiese Navorsing, Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland, Bellville 1984).
Heese, J.A. & Lombard, R.T.J.: South African Genealogies Vols. 1-5 (Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, 1986, 1989, 1992 & Genealogical Institute of South Africa, Stellenbosch 1999).
Hoge, J.: Personalia of the Germans at the Cape 1652-1806 Archives Year Book for South African History / Argief-jaarboek vir Suid-Afrikaanse Geskiedenis (Government Printer, Cape Town 1946).
Kannemeyer, A.J.: Hugenote-Familie Boek (Unie-Volkspers, Kaapstad 1940).
Malan, Antonio: ‘The Material World of Family and Household’ in Wadley, Lyn (ed.): Our Gendered Past: Archaeological Studies of Gender in Southern Africa (Witwatersrand University Press, Johannesburg 1997).
de Villiers, C.C. & Pama, C.: Genealogies of Old South African Families (A.A. Balkema, Cape Town 1966).
Visagie, J.C.: ‘Wittebol, Johan’, Dictionary of South African Biography, Vol. V, pp. 895-896 (Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria 1987).
de Wet, G. C.: Die Vryliede en Vryswartes in die Kaapse Nedersetting 1657-1707 (Die Historiese Publikasie-Vereniging, Kaapstad 1981).
Researched, compiled & written by MANSELL UPHAM (October 2000)
Johanna Batavera born 23rd December 1904
Bernie Johannes born 19th August 1908
Willem Johannes Hendrik born 7th May 1925
ANNA CECELIA FRANCINA KEMPEN:
Stillborn 20th September 1879 .
JOHANNES BERNARDUS KEMPEN:
Stillborn 29th August 1881.
Born 6th August 1882 ay Victoria West.
She married Jacobus Abraham Immelman of Victoria West at Victoria West. They farmed at Eendvogelfontein.
Born 4th October 1884 at Klipbank, Carnarvon.
He married Maria Cornelia ? at Carnarvon.
He died on 15th September 1947 at Bosmanspoort,Carnarvon.
MARIA CORNELIA ?
Born 13th February 1888 at Van Wyksvlei.
She died 2nd August 1974 at Constantia.
Johannes Eben born unknown
Jacoba Hendrika born unknown
Anna Cecelia Francina born unknown
Charlotte born unknown
Born 28th September 1886. She married Jacobus Benjamin Hugo.
She died unknown
GUILLAUME BERNARDUS KEMPEN:
Born 16th March 1890 at Klipbank, Carnarvon.
He married Ellen Magdalena Boltman at Kroonstad.
They had 3 children. He died 3rd August 1966 at Carnarvon.
He practised law at Carnavon under the name GBKempen and De Wet Nel.
ELLEN MAGDALENA BOLTMAN:
Born 14th May 1891 at Kroonstad.
Died 20th December 1966.
Johannes Bernardus born 11th August 1917
Maureen Jane born 18 October 1921
Willem Robert born 9th February 1928
ANNA CHRISTINA FRANCINA KEMPEN born DU TOIT
She was adopted by her godmother ACF Kempen
Born 26th October 1892.
The 5th child of Andries Adriaan Du Toit and Alida Maria van der Westhuizen. Her mother and newborn and unnamed child died of measles at the young age of 27 and her father who was a working farmer could not cope with 5 children all under the age of 9.
The youngest three children were all fostered out.
MARIA MARTHA KEMPEN:
Born 5th October 1896 at Beyersfontein,Victoria West.
She died 23rd December 1898.
(Stephanus Johannes 3, Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 2, Willem 1)
Born 1st May 1871 at Victoria West. Died unknown
Born 29th March 1873 at Ystervarkspoort.
She died 25th April 1883 at Ystervarkspoort
GEERTRUIDA JOHANNA KEMPEN:
Born 18th January 1875 at Ystervarkspoort.
WILLEM HENDRIK MARTHINUS ABRAHAM KEMPEN:
Born 27th December 1876 at Kalkfontein,Carnarvon.
Died 15th June 1902 at Ystervarkspoort.
ABRAHAM PIETER DE VILLIERS KEMPEN:
Born 28th December 1878 at Victoria West.
He married Jacomina Elizabeth Magdalena Barnard at Loxton.
JACOMINA ELIZABETH MAGDALENA BARNARD:
Born 9th May 1886 at Carnarvon.
She died 9th June 1951 at Rosebank.
Stephanus Johannes born 10th April 1906
Jacob Casper born 12th March 1908
Elizabeth Frederika Margaretha born 17th August 1909
Gertruida Johanna born 31 December 1914
Jacomina Elizabeth Margaretha born 30th April 1918
Abraham Pieter De Villiers born 23rd March 1920
Jan Paul born 16th October 1923
Born 2nd September 1880 at Victoria West.
Gambled all his money away.
Lived with Antoinette.
Born 17th January 1883 at Loxton.
He married Margaretha Elizabeth Stevens at Victori aWest.
He died 4th May 1936 at Tokai.
MARGARETHA ELIZABETH STEVENS:
Born unknown. Died unknown.
Stephanus Johannes Stevens born 1st May 1907
HENDRIK JACOBUS KEMPEN:
Stephanus Johannes 3, Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 2, Willem 1)
Born 24th October 1885 at Ystervarkspoort.
He married Catharina Elizabeth van Rensburg(Kitty).
CATHARINA ELIZABETH VAN RENSBURG:
Stephanus Johannes born 4th January 1913
Hendrik Jacobus born 26th may 1916
Born 4th February 1888 at Ystervarkspoort.
EMMERENTIA MARIA KEMPEN:
(Stephanus Johannes 3,Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 2, Willem 1)
Born 9th April 1891 at Ystervarkspoort.
CASPER HENDRIK BADENHORST KEMPEN:
ELIZABETH HELENA PETRONELLA KEMPEN:
Born unknown. Died 6th July 1921 at Britstown
GERHARDUS PETRUS KEMPEN:
Born 8th April 1903 at Victoria West. He married Gertruida Johanna Nel.
He died 1st May 1978 at Britstown.
GERTRUIDA JOHANNA NEL:
Beulah Gertruida born 11th November 1937
Stephanus Nel born 6th July 1940
HENDRIK ALBERTUS KEMPEN:
Born 23rd April 1908 at Britstown.
He married Hester Johanna Sophia Grobler on 15th June 1935 at Keimoes. They had one child.
He died 31st October 1971 at Tokai.
HESTER JOHANNA SOPHIA GROBLER:
Born 6th November 1915 at Keimoes. Died unknown
Stephanus Johannes born 20th Deptember 1938
PETRUS JOHANNES KEMPEN:
Born 8th January 1915 at Britstown.
He married Helena Antoinetta Mouton in 1945 at Observatory.
He died 14th January 1987 at Kempton Park.
HELENA ANTOINETTA MOUTON:
Erica born 30th September 1950
WILLEM HENDRIK MARTHINUS ABRAHAM KEMPEN: ( Rooi Willem )
(Gerhardus Petrus 3, Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 2, Willem 1)
Born 11th September 1875 at Ystervarkspoort.
He married Martha Engela Margaretha Aletta Elizabeth Adriaan Cloete.
He died 11th July 1966 in Bellville.
MARTHA ENGELA MARGARETHA ALETTA ELIZABETH ADRIAAN CLOETE:
Born unknown at Rietfontein. Died 22nd September 1949.
Gerhardus Petrus born 25th August 1901
He married Emma Leonie Bester.
She was the aunt of June Fergusson who married Lionel Oscar Kempen.
MARGARETHA WILHELMINA HELENA KEMPEN:
Born 26th February 1877 at Victoria West.
She married Mr van Schalkwyk.
GERT JOHANNES ABRAHAM KEMPEN:
Born 15th October 1879 at Victoria West. Died 3rd August 1967.
ANNA MAGRIETA STOFFELINA KEMPEN:
Born 29th December 1881 at Victoria West.
She married Mr Redelinghuys.
CATHARINA WILHELMINA JACOBA KEMPEN:
Born 5th May 1884 at Leifontein, Victoria West.
Born 27th April 1886 at Leifontein,Victoria West.
He married Elizabeth Voltelin Charlotte Rosenow at Tokai,
He died 24th October 1944 at Tokai.
ELIZABETH VOLTELIN CHARLOTTE ROSENOW:
Born at Riversdale. She died 6th December 1958 at Tokai.
ELSJE MARIA KEMPEN:
Born 25th October 1890 at Leifontein,Victoria West. She married a Mr Russouw. Died unknown
Born 19th December 1893 at Leifontein,Victoria West.
(Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 3,Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 2, Willem 1)
Born 4th May 1882.
ZACHARIA PETRONELLA KEMPEN: ( Nellie )
(Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 3, Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 2, Willem 1)
Born 4th December 1883 at Ystervarkspoort.
She married Mr Joubert.
Born 9th September 1885. She married Jacobus Van Der Merwe.
Anna died 16th March 1986 at Graaff Reinet at 100 years of age.
Born 4th August 1887 at Ystervarkspoort.
He married Emma Leonie Bester .
No recorded children.
He died 8th February 1934 at Somerset West.
EMMA LEONIE BESTER:
GEERTRUIDA ELIZABETH KEMPEN:
Born 4th October 1889 at Ystervarkspoort.
She married Danie Lubbe.
HENDRIK MARTHINUS ABRAHAM KEMPEN:
Born 8th June 1892 at Ystervarkspoort.
He married May Bester on 24th March 1923 at Cape Town.
He died 9th January 1948 at Kommetjie .
Born 25th August 1894 at Wynberg.
She died 1st march 1944.
Kennith Henry born 25th May 1924
Lionel Oscar born 8th April 1927
May Grace Leonie born 28th July 1935
CATHARINA FRANCINA KEMPEN:
Born 17th November 1896 at Ystervarkspoort.
She married Pieter Wilhelm Marais, she married unknown person, she married Frederik Marius.
Born 14th December 1899. He died 25 January 1962. He married Christine Amelia Du Toit.
He died in 1961 at Strand.
CHRISTINE AMELIA DU TOIT:
Born 3 October 1903. Died 21st September 1969 at Somerset West.
Mavis born unknown
Hendrina born unknown
Willem Hendrik born 21st November 1922
Gertruida Amelia born 1924
John Daniel born 14th November 1926
MAGDALENA JOHANNA KEMPEN:
(Wouter Arnoldus 3, Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 2, Willem 1)
She married Carel Aron Nolte.
Born 9th November 1902 at Loxton.
He married Jacomina Aletta Pienaar on 8th July 1929 at Beaufort West.
He died unkown.
JACOMINA ALETTA PIENAAR:
Born unknown. She died 4th July 1976.
Wouter born 28th April 1930
Yvonne born 28th October 1933
He married Johanna Maria Croeser on 4th march 1958 at Caledon.
GERRIT JACOBUS JOHANNES KEMPEN:
Born 29th July 1905 at Loxton.
He married Susara Margaretha Wandrag at Marydale.
He died 27th June 1979 at Woodstock.
SUSARA MARGARETHA WANDRAG:
Born 7th December 1908, probably in Britstown, Northern Cape. Died unknown
Wouter Arnoldus born 17th October 1937
CAROLINA JOHANNA KEMPEN:
Born 24th March 1908. She married Campbell John Nolte *3/9/1902+14/11/1991. She died 15th June 1990 at Oudtshoorn
(Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 3, Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 2, Willem 1)
Born 13th August 1921 at Kempenkraal,Pofadder. He married Anna Hyman. They had 5 children. He died in October 1985.
Jacohana born 13th August 1944
Estelle born 16th September 1944
Willem born 29th October 1946
Istine born 1st March 1955
Francois born 27th October 1966
ELIZABETH JOHANNA KEMPEN:
Born 26th May 1925. She married twice.
She married Mr Mollet. She married Attie J van Wyk.
JOHANNES PETRUS STEPHANUS KEMPEN:
(Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 3, Willem Hendrik Marthinus Abraham 2, Willem 1 )
Born 4th June 1927 at Kakamas. He married Geertruida Elizabeth Junius on 24th January 1953 at Bellville.
GEERTRUIDA ELIZABETH JUNIUS
Born 10th March 1934 at Windhoek, Namibia.
Robert born 11th July 1958
Born 19th August 1929.
He married Ursula Hugo.
Born 18th March 1935. Died unknown.
MARIA ELIZABETH KEMPEN:
(Willem 3,Gerhardus Petrus 2,Willem 1)
Born 1st January 1869 at Victoria West.
She married Hendrik Johannes Kock.
ENGELA MARIA MAGDALENA KEMPEN:
Born 7th April 1871 at Victoria West.
(Willem 3, Gerhardus Petrus 2, Willem 1)
Born 18th May 1874. He married Jacoba Johanna Burger at Prieska.
He died on 26th July 1945 at Woodstock.
JACOBA JOHANNA BURGER:
Johanna Cornelia Christina
Willem 24th March 1910
PIETER GIDEON KEMPEN:
Born 15th February 1877 at Victoria West.
He married Gertruida Johanna Oberholzer in 1905.
He died on 31st January 1941 at Roodepoort.
GERTRUIDA JOHANNA OBERHOLZER:
Born 25th December 1884. Died 15th June 1945.
Johannes Christoffel Lodewicus
Louisa Catharina born 6th November 1907
Willem born 3rd July 1909
Petronella born 21st march 1911
Gerhardus Ignatius born 4th April 1914
Pieter Gideon 20th February 1916
Gertruida Johanna born 31st January 1920
Francois Gysbert born 4th April 1922
PETRONELLA JACOBA KEMPEN:
Born 18th August 1879 at Carnarvon.
Born 7th February 1882 at Kromvley,Carnarvon.
He married Johanna Elizabeth Vorster.
He died on 3rd January 1955 at Clocolan.
JOHANNA ELIZABETH VORSTER:
Born unknown. Died 20th September 1929 at Prieska.
Elsie Sophia born 24th March 1910 died 16th October 1910
Petronella Jacoba born 5th May 1911
Johanna Elizabeth born 12th January 1913
Willem born 6th February 1914
Schalk Willem Vorster born 24th October 1915
Gerhardus Petrus born November 1918
Andrina Petronella born 23rs January 1922
He married Poppie de Klerk
He married Martina Jacoba Mynhard(nee Oosthuyzen) born 12th October 1904 died February 1989.
She was a widow when she married Willem
FRANCOIS GYSBERT KEMPEN:
Born 9th August 1891 at Draghoender.
He married Elizabeth Margaret Du Toit at Kimberley. They had 9 children.
He died in July 1954 at Shabane, Zimbabwe.
ELIZABETH MARGARET DU TOIT:
Born 14th November 1899 at De Aar.
She died 9th June 1940 at Francistown,Botswana.
Francois Gysbert born 25th February 1918
Charles Daniel born 25th July 1931
Willem born 29th June 1935
To 3rd Generation To 5th Generation