First Fifty Years - a project collating Cape of Good Hope records - Jan Reijniersz
M, #7839, b. circa 1630
BirthOrigin* Jan was from Amsterdam and was perhaps born there circa 1630. His age is estimated.2,3
Marriage* He married Leijsbet Jans between 14 April 1657 and 20 July 1659. I have assumed the couple married afterJan was granted his vrijbrief in 1657 and prior to the birth of their daughter in 1659.2
Leijsbet Jans b. c 1640
Jannetge Reijniersz14 b. b 20 Jul 1659
Names in the record, in publications, etc. 12 September 1666, the name of Jan was written in the record as Jan Reijneerse.4
26 December 1666, the name of Jan was written in the record as Jan Reinersz.5
Baptisms - Witness Jan Reijniersz witnessed the baptism of Catharijn van de Caep on 12 September 1666 Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, (Cape Town), de Caep de Goede Hoop.4
He and Leijsbet Jans witnessed the baptism of Johanna Rosendael on 26 December 1666 Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, (Cape Town), de Caep de Goede Hoop.2
Monsterrollen and Opgaafrollen (Muster and tax rolls) On 20 March 1656 Jan Reijniersz was enumerated in the muster roll, as an arquebusier.6
On 31 May 1657 Jan Reijniersz was enumerated in the muster roll, among the free men, or vrijlieden.7
On 15 February 1658 Jan Reijniersz and Wouter Mostert were enumerated in the muster roll, among the freemen, as owners. Enumerated with them were Jan van Passel, Roeloff Hansz: and Claes Schrijver, described as 'in their service.8'
Vrijbriewen and Burgher Status On 14 April 1657, Jan Reijniersz was granted a vrijbrief or letter of freedom which released him from his contractual obligations to the VOC and accorded him the status of vrijburgher or free burgher. The vrijbrief was signed by Rijcklof van Goens.9
Slave Births Before 12 September 1666, Catharijn van de Caep was born in bondage and was owned by Jan Reijniersz de Caep de Goede Hoop.4
Slave Transactions On 14 April 1672 Isabella van Angola was sold by Jan Reinersz to Wynant Landersz van Bezuidenhout de Caep de Goede Hoop.10,11,12
Property Transactions On 30 August 1659 Jan Reijniersz, in deep financial stress due to heavy debt sells to Jan van Riebeeck, 16.666 morgen of land as stipulated in his Land Grant of 15 April 1657 on which there was now a derelict house, erwe, kraal, and damaged farm implements. The land and house was located at the voet of pas between False Bay and the Table Bay harbour, east of Windberg [Wynberg?] to the east the fresh water river Liesbeecw, to the west the hereweg [main road], to the south Hendrick Hendricksz Boom's developed land, and to the north the Company's wild and undeveloped land. He was paid f 525.3.6 in cash which went toward unpaid taxes and debt, except for f 125 in half compensation for two unnamed absconded slaves, and one unnamed deceased female slave, as well as f 100 for a female Angola slave, presumably Isabella van Angola, for whom he was still indebted to the Company in the sum of f 225 - this amount also included 2 sheep and some of the implements/tools. This slave was given to his wife to help him build up again. The transaction also included his cattle and sheep stolen by the Hottentotte. He had owned the property in partnership with Wouter Mostert, but in a transaction on the same date, the latter's half-share was been sold to Cornelis Claasz who, on the 16th of the following month sold it to Jan van Riebeeck.13
Den 20:en d:o heeft do:n Jansoonius wederom een predikatie gedaen, ende gedoopt het kint van Jan Reiniersz ..."
den  Sept[em]ber nogh gedoopt een slavinne kindt van Jan Reijneerse onder getuijchenis van hem en syn vrouw en wiert genaemt Catharijn, 1665-1695, Genealogical Society of South Africa, eGSSA Branch http://www.eggsa.org/
den 26: Decemb: een doghter van Jacob Cornelisse Rosendael bij Catarina van de Bergh sijn h: peters waren Jan Reinersz en syn h: Leijsbet Jans, wierd genaemt, Jannetje, 1665-1695, Genealogical Society of South Africa, eGSSA Branch http://www.eggsa.org/
[S647] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, p.264. As above to:- Jan Reyniersz:, of Amsterdam, sailmaker, d.d. 14th April, 1657.
[S607] J.L. (Leon) Hattingh, "Kaapse notariële stukke waarin slawe van vryburgers en amptenare vermeld word (II), Die tweede Dekade 1671-1680", Kronos (Die notariële stukke II) 15 (1999): 14.4.1672 CTD 5, p. 220
Jan Reijmersz, burger alhier en nou terugkerende na die vaderland, verkoop aan Wijnant Leendertsz, medevryburger alhier, die slavin Isabelle, 30 jaar, gebore aan die Angolese kus vir 100 Rds.. 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. 130. 14.4.1672, V, pp. 220-221: Isabella from Angola (30), sold by Jan Reijniersz to Wijnant Leendertsz, both Free Burghers of the Cape, for Rds. 100.. Hereinafter cited as Slaves and Free Blacks at the Cape 1658-1700.
[S432] Robert C-H Shell compiler, Changing Hands, A calendar of bondage in southern Africa, 1550 to 1888, CD-ROM; ISBN 1-86918-063-1; (Cape Town: Ancestry24, September 2007), Sequence IDNO: 0086
Slaves First Name: Isabel
Presumed Place Of Origin: van Angola
Day Of Sale: 14
Year Of Sale: 1672
Continental Origin Code: West_Afr
Sellers Last Name: Reijmersz
Buyers Last Name: Leendertz
Buyers First Name: Wijnantz
Primary Reference: Leon Hattingh . Hereinafter cited as Changing Hands.
[S853] J.L. (Leon) Hattingh, "Kaapse noteriële stukke waarin slawe van vryburgers en amptenare vermeld word (1658 - 1730? 1670)", Kronos - Kaapse noteriële stukke waarin slawe van vryburgers en amptenare vermeld word (1658 - 1730? 1670) 15 (1988): 30.8.1659 T3 TI6 CTD I, p.140
Jan Reijniersz van Amsterdam, vryburger, verklaar ten einde uit sy nood en groot ‘ireparable’ skuld gehelp en gered te word, verkoop hy aan kommandeur Jan van Riebeecq sy 16 en twee-derde morge grond, synde sy helfte te wees van sy gesamentlike besitting met Comelis Claesz van Uijtrecht, asook die helfte van die ‘qual[lijk] halft volmaeckte ende sonderwandt oft muijr gansch reddeloos vervallende huijs, erwe, crael ende tegenwoordigh gans wijnigh by synde verdorven onbequame landtbouw gereedtschapen die alfoor wijnigh maer veel minzes voorsz huijs gebruijckt cunnen worden sonder alvooren noodigh reparatie met groote costen te doen daer toe sich den vercoper en transporteur onvermoogen bent, ende mits 't roven vande beesten soodanigh in't underspit ende-schuldigh leght dat noodtsaken daer aen een stercke handt verrijst tot weder op reghtinge …’ Die land en huis is geleë aan die voet of pas tussen ‘Baaij falce’ en Tafelbaaihawe, oos van Windberg, aan die oostekant daarvan die ‘verserivier Liesbeecq’, aan die westekant die groot hereweg, aan die suidekant Hendrick Boom se bewerkte land en aan die noordekant die woeste en onbewerkte grond van die Kompanjie, volgens die grondbrief van 15 April 1657. Die word verkoop vir f 525.3.6 in kontant waarmee al sy belastings en skulde vrygekoop word, behalwe f 125 vir die helfte van twee weggeloopte slawe en een ‘gestorven slavin’ asook f 100 vir ‘n Angolese slavin in sy besit. Die slavin, op rekening van die Kompanjie gekoop, twee skape en party van die gereedskap, saam f 225, bly hy nog skuldig. Die slavin, ‘alleen ten vollen waerdigh’, word aan sy vrou gelaat om [hom] weer op die been te help. [Kantaantekening: Hy doen ook afstand van die beeste en skape wat die Hottentotte van hom geroof het. As hulle ooit teruggevind word, is hulle inbegrepe in die oordrag.] [Comelis Claesz het op die dag die eienaar van die ander helfte geword toe hy dit van Wouter Cornelisz Mostert gekoop het. Sien T5, p.147. Met T7, p.149 verkoop Cornelis Claesz op 16 September 1659 ook sy helfte aan Jan van Riebeeck.]
1.9.1659 CTD I, p. 125 [Deels verlore]
Jan Reijniersz van Amsterdam, vryburger, skuld die Kompanjie 225 carolus gulde Waarvan f 100 vir die koop van ‘n ‘Angoolse’ slavin is en f 125 vir die helfte van twee weggeloopte slawe en 'n afgesterfde slavin wat hy van die Kompanjie gekoop, en met die verkoop van sy huis, nog uitstaande was. Hy belowe om die bedrag sover moontlik in geld te betaal maar ook in sodanige goedere as wat die Kompanjie bereid sal wees om te neem. Die slavin word as pand beskou. [Geen name en ouderdomme van die slawe is vermeld.]. Hereinafter cited as "Kaapse noteriële stukke waarin slawe van vryburgers en amptenare vermeld word (1658 - 1730? 1670)."
[S654] Mansell Upham 'UL01 What can't be cured, must be endured …', Uprooted Lives - Unfurling the Cape of Good Hope's Earliest Colonial Inhabitants (1652-1713), "(Sunday) 20 July 1659: