Lee Cahill reports = a recent trip to the Huguenot Museum in Franschhoek, I found that his date of death was given as 1734 rather than 1735. Does anyone know if either of these dates can be verified?=
Our death date for him on the profile is oddly specific: 17 June 1735 - as though someone, somewhere found specific info, but I really can't see any validification of where they got it from.
And I really hope the one wasn't the burial date, 6 months after the data date :-)
If anyone has more data please yell now. I'm loathe to change such a specific date, too quickly, but the French Huguenot Museum is definitely a much better source than no source!
http://www.e-family.co.za/ffy/g5/p5712.htm also uses the c1734 date (citing GISA, South African Genealogies 6 N, 2000).
- so I'm changing it to that until someone pulls a research rabbit out of the hat.
Petrus Johannes Nel b2.c3.d2.e6.f5.g10.h4.... has contacted me, saying =Guillaume signed his Last Will and Testament on 26/1/1734 at his house in Cape Town. As he was already very weak he signed with a 'X' despite the fact that he could write. His exact date of death is on my research list as well as the place of death but I suspect it was in Cape Town.
EDIT. I have Guillaume's date of death as 17/6/1735.=
As an aside:= As far as Guillaume's financial status is concerned he may have started off poor but being a hard worker he acquired 2 farms and became a prosperous land owner. After he sold Blaaukippen to his son in law Pieterse, he bought a house in Cape Town where I suspect he lived until his death. My research points to the fact that he and Adam Tas were good friends and that he often did jobs for Tas. His tax returns also indicate financial growth. His last Will and Testament was signed in Cape Town at his house in Cape Town when he was weak.=
Petrus Johannes Nel b2.c3.d2.e6.f5.g10.h4....: Wow! this is a real find! Can you give us the sources of this info?
A certain Prof at Stellenbosch University researched the history of Blaauklippen and wrote a book on the subject. A copy is held at Blaauklippen. I came across the book at the University's research library. It is not commercially available but the Librarian was kind enough to make photo copies of the chapter covering Guillaume's ownership and tax returns. I have lent the book to someone and will name the Prof as soon as I have it back. Guillaume's Testament was obviously written in Dutch but I had it translated by an acquaintance who originates from Holland. The ownership of the house in Cape Town and other information I researched at The Cape Archives in Cape Town.
I'm fine with returning the date of death to 17/6/1735. The research on this date seems solid and it's very possible that the information available at the Franschhoek Museum refers to the signing of the will rather than the date of death. I'm fascinated to find out this information about this Huguenot ancestor and look forward to hearing more. Thanks Petrus for your invaluable input.