Catharina "Trijntje" Michelsz (Oestinghs)

USTINGS CATHARINA. –Lübeck. Arr. 1662 as widow in the ship t’ Hoff van Zeeland. (Spoelstra, I, p. 24.) (is it possible that her 'unknown' husband perished on the voyage. Not uncommon)

Remarried (1) Hans Ras (q.v.);

• XX (2) 16.4.1672 Francois Schanffelaar of Gent;
• XXX (3) 29.10.1673 Lorens Cornelis of Gotenburg (two daughters, Maria and Laurentia X Martin Mecklenburg (q.v.);
• XXXX (4) Matthias Michels (q.v.). Cf. J. L. M. Franken, “Tryn Ras”. “Tydskrif vir Wetenskap en Kuns,” VI Jaargang, pp. 148 ff. and Leibbrandt, Letters, pp. 266, 455.

TANAP MOOC10/1.46 Testator(s): Catharina Ustings 19 en 20 September 1708 Inventories of the Orphan Chamber Cape Town Archives Repository, South Africa Reference no.: MOOC8/1.1 Testator(s): Francois Chamfelaer 20 October 1673 In Januarij 1675 gebouct J: Valckenrijck Staat en inventaris mitsgaders taxatie des boedels en naelatenschap van den borger Francois Chamfelaer salig:r (onlanx nevens andere borgers in 't lant door d' Hottentots doodt geslaegen) sodanig als deselvs bij hem met t' er doodt sijn ontruijmt en naergelaten ten behoeve van Catrina Oftings desselfs naergelaten weduwee voor d' eenre, mitsgaders voorsoontjes en dochter van vorige man voor de wederhelfte Hendrick Claes Hans en Marina Rasch http://databases.tanap.net/mooc/make_pdf.cfm?output=pdf&id=MOOC8/1.1
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Catharina Ustings

Born. circa 1641, d. July 1708 See more at First Fiifty Years Project

Verkopinge der goederen nagelaten en metter dood ontruijmd bij Catharina Ustings, ten voordele van haare nagelatene weduwenaar Mathijs Michilsz: ter ener, mitsg:s vijv kinderen als kindskinderen, voor de wederhelvte, als

Claas Ras, gehuwd met Maria van Stade en de drie voorn: geprocrieert bij haar eerste man, Hans Ras
Marina Ras met Joost Strijdom ende kinderen van Hendrick Ras die op Ceilon overleden is als mede Lourentia Cornelisd:e, huijsvrouwe van Marten Mekelenburg en geteeld bij deselve derde man Lourens Cornelis Anna Elisabet Michielsz: geprocrieert bij Mathijs Michielsz:

Judi Marais-Meyer register

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Catharina (Trijn) Ustings(Ufftinex)

In July 1662 the "Hof van Zeeland" brought to the Cape, Catharina Ufftincx, a young woman immigrant from Lubeeck in eastern Holstein.

Aged twenty-one and already a widow, she was to loose three more husbands before marrying the fifth who survived her.

She created a considerable impact in her new country home and even impressed the Netherlands Commissioner Hendrik Adriaan van Reede tot Drakenstein, Heer van Mijndracht, when he was on an official visit to the Cape in 1685. In his private journal van Reede succintly describes the tragic deaths of these three men thus:'den eerste van een leeuw, den tweden door de hottentots en den derden door d'elephanten om hals gebracht'Such experiences would have overwhelmed a lesser woman but Catharina Ufftincx was aremarkable person, and as Tryn Ras, became a legend in her lifetime in the land of her choice.

Catharina Ustincx, later bekend as Trijn Ras, het op 25 Julie 1662 as weduwee by die Kaap aangekom in die Hof van Zeeland, waarskynlik as 'n weduwee - haar man het waarskynlik in Duitsland ontkom. Ufftincks was waarskynlik haar nooiensvan. Verwys Familia Vol 15 nr 4 bls 97

Catharina Ras, the feisty foreigner who survived many tragedies, challenged the rules - and pioneered her way to being the very first woman in South Africa to become a land-owner and Steenberg the first registered farm. Today Steenberg still has this strong sense of place and sets new trends - which we will see yet again when Catharina's fine dining restaurant relaunches on 2nd August 2013.

Catharina Ras was the first owner of Steenberg and her story is a fascinating one – of a young woman who pioneered land ownership in South Africa, and who did things her own way in an era when women had no legal rights. Her fiercely independent and indomitable spirit, which led her to marry no less than five times in her lifetime and give birth to six children, while retaining her own individuality, set the precedent for our farm that is today known as Steenberg – globally recognised for its distinct sense of place and inimitable style.

Born in Lubek (Germany), Catharina Ustings was one of the most controversial and daring figures ever to settle at the Cape. Newly widowed at just 22 years old, she stowed away on board a sailing ship dressed as a man, and sailed into the Cape just ten years after Jan van Riebeeck, landing here in 1662. Dramatic overtones marked the course of her life until she passed away at the age of 67 in 1708.

The Cape was a fierce, wild place with laws to match, and no place for a young widow on her own. She lost no time in finding a second husband, and within two months of her arrival, Tryn, as she was known, married Hans Ras, a soldier and free burger (citizen). Although Hans survived a knifing incident on their wedding day, he was killed by a lion in 1671. Legend has it that Catharina hunted the lion on horseback and killed it the same day. Left to fend alone with four young children, she married her third husband Fancois Champelaer van Ghent, a rather unsuccessful farmer, in 1672. This short-lived marriage ended in July 1673 when he was murdered by marauding tribesmen. Her next husband was Swedish-born Laurens Cornelissen, and she moved with her four children to live with him in the Table Valley, where they had another two daughters. He died tragically underfoot of an elephant while hunting hippos at nearby Zeekoeivlei, although there are no records of exactly when this occurred.

At the age of 36 Catharina was left with five children to care for, after one died during early childhood, she drew on her seemingly undiminished inner strength and continued undaunted. It was during this time that she and her children moved to the Tokai valley, below the Steenberg Mountain, and according to historical records, she farmed a tract of land here, with the assistance of Matthys Michelse, a hardy German who outlived her as her fifth and last husband.

By this time Catharina had learned that marriage couldn’t be looked on as a source of security, and set her sights on owning land herself. In 1682 she approached the governor of the Cape, Simon van der Stel, requesting 25 morgen of land at the foot of the Steenberg Mountain. It is hinted by some that the Governor was her lover, and others say he simply liked her unconventional style.

Either way, he granted her request, and presented the land to her as a gift. She called it Swaaneweide – The Feeding Place of Swans, and lived here happily according to her own whims and fancies. She later approached the Governor for a legal Title Deed for her land, which he granted in 1688. The title deed, which today is displayed in the original Manor House of the Steenberg Hotel, granted her mandate ‘to cultivate, to plough, to sow and also to possess the farm below the stone mountain’.

And so it came to pass that Catharina Ras became the very first woman in South Africa to become a land-owner, and Steenberg the first registered farm. Every so often visitors and staff at Steenberg swear they can still feel the spirit of Catharina Ras blowing through the historical buildings, and whispering softly as the breeze blows through our vineyards…

Remarried (1) Hans Ras (q.v.);

XX (2) 16.4.1672 Francois Schanffelaar of Gent;
XXX (3) 29.10.1673 Lorens Cornelis of Gotenburg (two daughters, Maria and Laurentia X Martin Mecklenburg (q.v.); XXXX (4) Matthias Michels (q.v.). Cf. J. L. M. Franken, “Tryn Ras”. “Tydskrif vir Wetenskap en Kuns,” VI Jaargang, pp. 148 ff. and Leibbrandt, Letters, pp. 266, 455. TANAP MOOC10/1.46 Testator(s): Catharina Ustings 19 en 20 September 1708 Inventories of the Orphan Chamber Cape Town Archives Repository, South Africa Reference no.: MOOC8/1.1 Testator(s): Francois Chamfelaer 20 October 1673 In Januarij 1675 gebouct J: Valckenrijck Staat en inventaris mitsgaders taxatie des boedels en naelatenschap van den borger Francois Chamfelaer salig:r (onlanx nevens andere borgers in 't lant door d' Hottentots doodt geslaegen) sodanig als deselvs bij hem met t' er doodt sijn ontruijmt en naergelaten ten behoeve van Catrina Oftings desselfs naergelaten weduwee voor d' eenre, mitsgaders voorsoontjes en dochter van vorige man voor de wederhelfte Hendrick Claes Hans en Marina Rasch http://databases.tanap.net/mooc/make_pdf.cfm?output=pdf&id=MOOC8/1.1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Catharina Ustings

Born. circa 1641, d. July 1708 See more at First Fiifty Years Project

Verkopinge der goederen nagelaten en metter dood ontruijmd bij Catharina Ustings, ten voordele van haare nagelatene weduwenaar Mathijs Michilsz: ter ener, mitsg:s vijv kinderen als kindskinderen, voor de wederhelvte, als

Claas Ras, gehuwd met Maria van Stade en de drie voorn: geprocrieert bij haar eerste man, Hans Ras Marina Ras met Joost Strijdom ende kinderen van Hendrick Ras die op Ceilon overleden is als mede Lourentia Cornelisd:e, huijsvrouwe van Marten Mekelenburg en geteeld bij deselve derde man Lourens Cornelis Anna Elisabet Michielsz: geprocrieert bij Mathijs Michielsz:

Judi Marais-Meyer register

=========================================================================================================================

Catharina (Trijn) Ustings(Ufftinex)

In July 1662 the "Hof van Zeeland" brought to the Cape, Catharina Ufftincx, a young woman immigrant from Lubeeck in eastern Holstein.

Aged twenty-one and already a widow, she was to loose three more husbands before marrying the fifth who survived her.

She created a considerable impact in her new country home and even impressed the Netherlands Commissioner Hendrik Adriaan van Reede tot Drakenstein, Heer van Mijndracht, when he was on an official visit to the Cape in 1685. In his private journal van Reede succintly describes the tragic deaths of these three men thus:'den eerste van een leeuw, den tweden door de hottentots en den derden door d'elephanten om hals gebracht'Such experiences would have overwhelmed a lesser woman but Catharina Ufftincx was aremarkable person, and as Tryn Ras, became a legend in her lifetime in the land of her choice.

=============================

Catharina Ustincx, later bekend as Trijn Ras, het op 25 Julie 1662 as weduwee by die Kaap aangekom in die Hof van Zeeland, waarskynlik as 'n weduwee - haar man het waarskynlik in Duitsland ontkom. Ufftincks was waarskynlik haar nooiensvan. Verwys Familia Vol 15 nr 4 bls 97

-------------------- http://www.ballfamilyrecords.co.uk/staden/I031.html

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Notas deur David Abraham Swanepoel, direkte nasaat van 10 geslagte (via haar dogter Maryna Strydom af tot my ouma Gerbrecht Catharina Strydom Swanepoel)

Hans Strydom soos deur 'n profielskepper aangedui, was nie 'n eggenoot van Catharina Ustings / Tryn Ras nie. Geen ander bron noem hom nie. Ek het dit toe gewysig na PN NN, first husband of Catharina Ustings. Hierdie profiel is later deur 'n kurator verwyder.

Tryn Ras word erg verromantiseer en beskikbare sekondêre inligting leen dit daartoe. Ek dink self daaraan om ‘n novelle te skryf en my verbeelding vrye teuels te gee. Dit sal egter as sulks verklaar word. Die kliniese data vertel veel minder oor haar.

Van Baron van Reede se inligting is deels tweedehands en sy opinie oor haar subjektief. Behalwe oor die voedsel wat sy aan hom voorgesit het, is sy uitsprake oor haar en haar kinders beledigend. Ons hoor net van hom oor hoe haar mans aan hulle einde gekom het. Daar is geen betroubare rekord dat Hans Ras wel deur ‘n leeu doodgemaak is nie en dat Tryn toe die leeu gaan doodmaak het, is blote verdigsel.

Anna Rodolphus van Grietziel word aangedui as 'n vrou wat in mansklere aan die Kaap aangekom het, nie Tryn nie [1]. Sien afsonderlike nota.

Ek onderskryf Delia Robertson [2] se mening dat Tryn met ‘n man aan boord kon gegaan het en dat hy ter see oorlede is. Daarna wys haar huwelike telkens dat sy van ‘n man afhanklik was, iets wat die norm was in die ou Kaapse kultuur en finansiële omgewing. In 1678, tussen huwelike, is sy ook afhanklik van ‘n rysrantsoen van die kompanjie. [3] Sien: [3a]: Woensdach 30e. Augustij ao. 1679. Haar naam verskyn op ‘n lys van name van mense wat “geschapen stont in extremiteyt van hongersnoot te zullen vervallen”. Sy is die enigste vrou daarop.

Sy was ‘n pionier in die sin dat sy die eerste vrou was wat ook die eerste geregistreerde plaas besit het – in een boedel saam met haar laaste man. Dis duidelik dat sy ‘n bekende was aan die vroeë Kaapse gemeenskap - nie veel van ‘n noemenswaardigheid nie, aangesien dit klein was. “For almost two decades after Van Riebeeck's departure from the Cape in 1662 the settlement remained extremely small” [4].

Pretorius [5] meen “Dit wil voorkom of die plaas oorspronklik aan Hans Ras behoort bet, en nou aan haar toegeken is vir Ras se vier kinders.” Hiervoor is geen bewys nie, maar sy is baie versigtiger in haar uitsprake. By haar leer ons ook, dat niemand werklik weet wat van eggenoot Laurens Cornelisz geword het nie. “Haar man het op 'n seekoei-jag vertrek en sy het nooit weer taal of tyding van hom verneem nie. Die vermoede het bestaan dat hy deur olifante om die lewe gebring is; geen teken van hom is gevind nie." Ons is net van Chamfelaer se lot seker.

Die feit dat sy na verwys word op haar tweede man se naam is ook nie ongewoon nie. ‘n Ander voormoeder, Margaretha Pyl (nooiensvan) en ook ‘n “reeksbruid”, was Pyl tot aan die einde van haar lewe en selfs op haar boedeldokumente. Moontlik het die gemeenskap maar net vasgesteek by ‘n bepaalde naam.

Dat sy ‘n indruk op mense moes gemaak het, is waar. Woorde soos “feisty”, “one of the most controversial and daring figures”, “tem Afrika” “volksplantersiel”, dat Francois Chamfelaer “dooierig” was en vele meer, het geen wetenskaplike gronde uit die rekords nie.

Bronne:

1. Daghregister. Deel 3. 1659-1662(1957)–Jan van Riebeeck. Available online:
http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/rieb001dagh03_01/rieb001dagh03_01_0015.ph.... Consulted on 19-02-2018.

2. Robertson, Delia. Catharina Ustings. Inskrywing in The First Fifty Years Project. Available online http://www.e-family.co.za/ffy/ Consulted on 19-02-2018.

3. Cairns, Margaret. Tryn Ras. Gepubliseer in 3 aflewerings in Familia, 15 ( 4) 1978, p97-98; 16 (1), 1979, p20-26; en 16(2) pp. 38-39 & 44-49. Hele artikel aflaaibaar by: http://www.e-family.co.za/ffy/exhibits/tryn-ras-by-margaret-cairns.pdf. Behalwe Robertson die beste bron oor die persoon. Sy onderskei tussen feit en afleiding.

3a. Resolutions of the Council of Policy of Cape of Good Hope. Cape Town Archives Repository, South Africa Reference code: C. 14, pp. 80-84. Op die internet beskikbaar: http://databases.tanap.net/cgh/. Besigtig op 2018-03-23

4. Guelke, Leonard 1976. Frontier Settlement in Early Dutch South Africa. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Vol. 66, No. 1, pp.25-42

5. Pretorius, JC. Die merkwaardige verhaal van Trijn Ras. Historia 18 (2), Junie 1973.

Inligting verskaf as Oop Toegang onderhewig aan lisensie CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 - Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode

Kwytskelding: geen verantwoordelikheid word aanvaar vir enige foutiewe of onakkurate inligting nie, hetsy aangehaal, herverpak of self geskryf.

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Nota deur David Abraham Swanepoel - Van Reede tot Drakestein se besoek aan Krijn (sic) Ras(ch).

“KRIJN RASCH EN HAAR KINDEREN.

Woensdach den 30en dito. 's Morgens gingen weder op reijse en gekomen zijnde tot aen de wooningh van de bouwerije aldaer onder den Steenbergh begrepen, quam de vrouw van den huijse met haer dogter die al huwbaer was ons presenterende de vrugten van haren acker, bestaende in eenige seer schoone geslooten koolen, vars gebacken brood en wat radijs met een groot compliment. Zij was genaemt Krijn Rasch, was getrout met haer vierde man. Den eersten van een leeuw, den tweeden door de Hottentots en den darden mogelijk door d'eliphanten om hals gebragt, want denselven om zeekoeijen te schieten uijtgegaen was, noijt weder gekeert, noch tekenen waer gebleven was vernomen. Nu was zij met een huijs vol kinderen en met haer bouknegt getrout, haere naeste gebueren woonden vier uren gaens van haer vandaen. Driemaelen was zij rijk, welgestelt en weder arm geweest. Haer bouwerije bestond uijt 12 morgen goet koornlandt en vee sooveel zij behoefden. Zij vloog schrijelingh op een paerdt op een korten tijt nae de Caep en weerom heel alleen, en souw hebben imand doen schricken, die haer op den wech onbekent was ontmoet. Haer dogter konde gemackelijck onder de Egiptese waersegsters passeeren. De rest van de kinderen waren bequaem voor Brasiliaense Tapoeijers 1 ) in Hollandt te laten sien. En soo dese familie sich in het tweede en darde gelidt in deser voegen voortsettede met geen ander onderwijs noch opvoedingh, men en sonde sich niet behoeven te verwonderen, soo men over hondert jaeren in dese landen wilde menschen vondt, die niet alleen heijdens, maer oock wildt en arger als de Hottentots wesen konnen, wesen zoude en zulke sonder eenige vermengingh van Nederlandsche ouders afgekomen. Naedat dese goede vrouw was bedankt, keerden denselven wech die wij gekomen waeren.

1) Woeste Indianenstam in Brazilië.

Bron:

HA van Reede tot Drakestein, joernaal van zijn verblijf aan de Kaap. Medegedeeld door Dr A Hulshof. Beskikbaar op die internet: https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/262549. Besigtig op 2018-09-02. p149-150

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Nota deur David Abraham Swanepoel: Anna Rodolphus

Anna Rodolphus

Anna Rodolphus se soldatekleredrag word tersluiks genoem in haar doodsberig in die Daghregister. Dit is die enigste persoon aan my bekend by naam wat so aan die Kaap aangekom het, maar sy was nie die enigste nie. Besonderhede in haar profiel.

Inligting verskaf as Oop Toegang onderhewig aan lisensie CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 - Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode

Kwytskelding: geen verantwoordelikheid word aanvaar vir enige foutiewe of onakkurate inligting nie, hetsy aangehaal, herverpak of self geskryf.

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Nota deur David Abraham Swanepoel: Hester Weijers van Lier

Die enigste ander vrou aan my bekend wat skynbaar op haar eie na die Kaap gereis het, is Hester Weijers van Lier wat ook die vroegste van die 3 was.

Hester (Mostert) se profiel: [Hester Mostert]

Inligting verskaf as Oop Toegang onderhewig aan lisensie CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 - Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode

Kwytskelding: geen verantwoordelikheid word aanvaar vir enige foutiewe of onakkurate inligting nie, hetsy aangehaal, herverpak of self geskryf.

Catharina Ustings became known as Tryn Ras a name she continued to use until her death even though she was married three more times after the death of Hans Ras. Ufftincx, apparently her birth name has, in a variety of documents from wills to muster rolls, been spelt variously: Uftincx, Uftinghs, Oefftinghs, Kistings, and Ustings - the last form appearing most often in published genealogies. [1] But it is the Van Reede diary entry, that more than anything else seems to have prompted Cairns' conclusion. She cites it in full in English in "Tryn Ras": "Wednesday 30 May 1685. Today we again set out on our horses and arrived at a farm dwelling lying beneath the Steenberg. Here the lady of the house and her marriageable daughter presented us with her compliments some home grown produce consisting of very delicious firm cabbage, freshly baked bread and some radishes. Her name was Kryn Ras and she was then married to her fourth husband (actually her fifth - M.C.). The first had been killed by a lion, the second by the Hottentots and the third probably by an elephant for he had gone out to shoot hippo for his family and was never heard of again. Here she was with a house full of children and married to her foreman. Her nearest neighbour lived four hours away. Three times she had been comfortably off and well established and three times impoverished. Her farm consisted of 12 morgen of good grainland with sufficient stock for her needs. She was accustomed to ride astride, quite alone, to the Cape settlement and back in a remarkably short time and the manner of so doing would have terrified anyone who met her en route if they had not known who she was. Her daughter could easily have passed for an Egyptian fortune-teller and the rest of the family could have been wild Indians from Brazil."

n 27 January 1662 the Hoff van Zealandt departed Wielingen enroute to Wielingen, de Caep de Goede Hoop, where it docked on 25 July 1662. Catharina Ustings was among the passengers on board. It had departed Wielingen with 400 men on board. It was an eventful and harrowing five month journey. According to the governor's journal of the day, the Hoff van Zeelant had put back to te Veer, where skipper Cornelis Drelingcourt was removed by the Directors because of complaints by the crew, chief officer Joost van Stappen being appointed in his place. Many of the crew had deserted at te Veer. The ship finally docked at the Cape in hazy weather under the command of provisional skipper van Stappen. Also aboard was the junior merchant Paulus de Maulier who was very ill, the bodies of 20 people who had died enroute from scurvy and 50 more sick with it; but all aboard "more or less" affected and orders were issued for "refreshment of the sick". [1] Catherina arrived by ship in Cape Town in 1662, a naïve but ambitious 22-year-old from northern Germany. Her life was a fairytale, punctuated by the occasional horror story. She saw one husband eaten by a lion, another trampled by an elephant, but through it all maintained a steely stoicism and appreciation of life’s small luxuries.Catherina was a free spirit with enormous powers of persuasion, convincing the governor of the Cape Simon van der Stel to grant her a small piece of land in the Constantia valley. Special places breathe the spirit of special people. You can almost feel their presence. Unique characters lend their homes a unique charm. Steenberg Estate has only changed hands five times since it was established in 1682, but no owner possessed more magnetism, charm and charisma than the first, Catherina Ustings Ras. Catherina soon found herself a second husband by the name of Hans Ras, not a particularly eligible catch, but he did own a house bought from Jakob Kluten, founder of the famous Cloete family, whose name would dominate Constantia for two hundred years or more.Hans came to an unfortunate end, he was attacked and eaten by a lion some years later. Legend has it that Catherina immediately leaped onto her horse and tracked the lion down, killing it herself.Fate had a good deal more in store for Catherina, who after taking a fifth husband saw that it was obvious that marriage was not going to bring her any security. She then took matters into her own hands and approached Simon van der Stel, asking him for twenty five morgen of land at the foot of the Steenberg mountains. It was 1682 when she and then husband Matthys Michelse built the first Constantia homestead. When Simon van der Stel saw how well Catherina’s wine farming was developing he decided to occupy the land next door to her, and also start farming. She recognized that without a legal title deed he could just as easily regard “SWAANEWEIDE” as his own, so she then decided it would be a good idea to become very friendly with him, once she had achieved that goal she approached him for a legal title deed. In 1688 a mandate was granted to Catherina.[2]

...........................................

Swaaneweide and 'The Widow Ras' - The Steenberg Story "At the dawning of the Cape, the swans rejoined, feeding in paradise at the foot of the Steenberg Mountains."

Steenberg Estate existed even before Simon van der Stel had built his great house in the heart of the Constantia Valley. Steenberg, 'Mountain of Stone', has a romantic ring, but the original name was more beautiful still, for it was called 'Swaaneweide' - The Feeding Place of Swans. Whether swans did indeed fly down to drink and swim in the cool clear waters of the farm, or whether the first owner, Catharina Ras, was being nostalgic about her former home in Lubeck, on the Baltic coast of Germany, is hard to tell. Whatever her reason, she named her estate Swaaneweide, Ras had named the farm after swans although these birds are not indigenous to South Africa and certainly not Constantia, maybe she had mistaken the spur-winged geese for swans because today you will still find a large population of these spur-winged geese at Steenberg.

Catharina Ustings Ras was one of the most daring and controversial figures ever to settle at the Cape. Life was not easy when she arrived, only ten years after Jan van Riebeeck landed, for 1662 was far from being the age of rights for women, and yet this indomitable woman had boarded a sailing ship and made the perilous journey to the furthest tip of Africa. What she found was certainly no land of milk and honey. It was a fierce, wild place with laws to match. Keel haulings, hangings, lashings and brandings were normal occurrences. This being no place for a lone widow of twenty-two, she immediately found herself a second husband, Hans Ras. He was not a particularly eligible catch – a soldier and free burger with a penchant for female slaves, but he had a house on the Liesbeek River, which he had bought from Jakob Kluten, founder of the famous Cloete family, whose name has dominated Constantia for more than two hundred years.

Once the wedding knot was tied, Catharina's life seemed to take on the dramatic overtones, which marked its course from that day forward. Two wagons left the ceremony, with the bride and groom in one and the guests in the other. Lit from within by good Cape wine and overcome, no doubt, by the spirit of the occasion, the drivers decided to race one another back to Rondebosch. While the guests clung fearfully to their seats, praying to Heaven with truly Protestant fervour, the wagons vied for position and as the road was rough and narrow, a collision soon occurred. Enraged at this conduct on his wedding day, the bridegroom jumped down from his seat and soon became entangled in a fight, receiving a knife thrust, which almost proved fatal, the weapon breaking in two between his ribs. He survived this incident and lived to father several children, but came to an unfortunate end, when he was killed by a lion some years later. Legend has it that, like Annie Oakley, Catharina courageously fetched a gun, leaped on her horse and gave chase finally shooting the lion herself, but this may well be a case of historical embroidery!

Fate had a good deal more in store for the girl from Lubeck however, for a Hottentot murdered her next husband and his successor was trampled underfoot by an elephant. Seemingly no less endowed with energy than Henry VIII, who surprised all Europe with his impressive total of six wives, Catharina then took unto herself a fifth husband, a hardy German named Matthys Michelse.

In 1682 Catharina Michelse, also known as The Widow Ras, had asked Simon van der Stel for a portion of ground at the foot of the Ou Kaapse Weg and he agreed to lease 25 morgen to her. After he became the owner of Groot Constantia in 1685, she asked him for a legal title deed and a mandate was granted to her in 1688 to "cultivate, to plough and to sow and also to possess" the farm below the stone mountain." According to Baron von Rheede tot Drankenstein, who visited the farm and was served a luncheon of "radishes and freshly baked bread and beautiful cabbages", Catharina was a fiercely independent woman, "riding bare-back like an Indian and her children resembling Brazilian cannibals!"

In 1695 Frederik Russouw bought the farm. There to witness the deed, were Henning Huising (owner of Meerlust and uncle to Adam Tas) and Hugo Goyes. Russouw, a powerful and wealthy member of the Burger Council and it was he who built the new U-shaped house in 1695. He also made the first wines at Swaaneweide.

As time passed, the Dutch East India Company decreed in 1741 that from May to August each year, Simons Bay would be the official winter port, because "the north west winds in Table Bay had been causing untold damage and loss of life." Because Swaaneweide was exactly one days' journey from Table Bay and one days' journey from Simons Bay, this meant that many travellers would be obliged to overnight at the farm. Christina Diemer (the widow of Frederik Russouw) became the recipient of a highly profitable business of supplying hospitality to travellers and provisions to the fleet.

When Christina Diemer died, it was her youngest son, Nicolaas Russouw and his wife Anna Maria Rousselet who inherited the farm. He had received the farm before Christina died and made an agreement to relinquish any further claim on the estate. Nicolaas and his wife had the farm from 1765 to 1801. It was Nicolaas who had the fine new "Holbol" gable built on to the front of the original house, the only one of its kind in the Cape Peninsula.

When Nicolaas died, his son Daniel bought the farm in 1802 from his mother, Maria. Due to difficult times and unfortunate circumstances, he sold it to Johannes Adriaan Louw of Fisantekraal (a brother-in-law) and Frederik Anthon Olthoff. The Deed of Sale is legally phrased and cut and dried and a letter appeared before the Master of the Supreme Court in August 1842, stating firmly that the sale to the two sons-in-law had been legal. All Daniel Russouw's children were paid a cash share and signed acceptance of such a share. Still, the Russouw blood flowed in the Louw children's veins. Nicolaas Louw's greatest passion was Steenberg. He went straight from school into farming and his three children, Andrew (architect), Jean and Nicolette inherited the property jointly when he died in 1976.

Steenberg remained the property of the Louw family until 1990 when it was purchased by J.C.I (Johannesburg Consolidated Investments), and then re-developed as it is today.

The historical buildings have been painstakingly restored. The 'Werf' area of the farm includes the circa 1740 Manor House and Jonkershuis (young man's house), barn and the original wine cellar.

The main gable is the only surviving example of its type in the Cape Peninsula. It is a convex-concave or "holbol" outlined by heavy mouldings in a small keystone.

The original Manor House, Jonkershuis and Barn houses the 30 suite 5 star hotel, while Catherina's Restaurant is situated in the original winery. Catherina's Restaurant is open to the public for breakfast, lunch and dinner and serves a fine table of contemporary cuisine with a nuance of a Cape influence.

Steenberg has been developed to include an 18-hole championship golf course and 210 residential units. The golf course, originally designed by Peter Matkovich, is in keeping with the natural environment and complements the indigenous character of the estate.

The 210 residential erven all have direct frontage onto the fairways providing a "park-like" setting and an open vista extending significantly beyond the boundaries of the properties themselves. Design of the homes is strictly controlled and all conform to a set of architectural and urban design guidelines.

Steenberg underwent extensive soil and micro-climatic analyses before a complete replanting programme was begun. There are about 70ha under vine of which 60% is white namely: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon and Muscat de Frontignan. The red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. The farm is also one of only a handful in the Cape to have invested in the Italian red variety, Nebbiolo.

The cellar currently produces about 50 000 cases of wine under the Steenberg label, which is 75% of its potential production. All vineyards should be in full production by 2006.

In November 2001, Adrian Gardiner, owner of Shamwari Game Reserve and CEO of the Mantis Collection, and Dr Gaston Savoi, CEO of Heartwell SA, Uruguay, South America, became business partners and bought Steenberg Hotel and Winery for The Mantis Collection.

In April 2005, Graham Beck's Kangra Group bought Steenberg Hotel and Steenberg Winery from Mantis. There are plans afoot to educate the public on the incredible heritage of Steenberg. This will no doubt elevate Steenberg to her rightful place in South African history and present day society https://capeinfo.com/more/history/swaaneweide-and-the-widow-ras

A note by David Abraham Swanepoel – Tryn Ras’s looks

After Delia Robertson’s enquiry (Catharina "Trijntje" Michelsz (Oestinghs)) about the provenance of the present (2020-09-11) profile picture, I wish to challenge the red hair. This least common of all hair types originated from the British Isles. Catharina / Tryn hailed from Lübeck in the far north of modern Germany, about 150 km from the Danish border. She was far more likely to be a blonde. A picture placed under Media was cut from a site about hairstyle historical accuracy in a French context, but may apply in a wider European context too: http://www.frockflicks.com/versailles-2016-hair-historical-accuracy/

I would picture her like this, but with a far lighter hair shade. Also not plump. In those days people starved, so being overweight was attractive as we see in nude paintings of the era. Tryn according to facts, was never in that position, not in her younger life anyway.

She is highly romanticized. Some of the information is questionable, but fine if presented as artistic freedom or fiction. If a film is ever made about her, I would choose a pretty, lean blonde actress. Since Baron van Reede tot Drakestein described her appearance in unflattering terms, she could not have been a beauty, sadly.

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Disclaimer: no responsibility is accepted for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether quoted, repackaged or written by myself.

First Fifty Years

Inventories of the Orphan Chamber

Cape Town Archives Repository, South Africa
Reference no.: MOOC10/1.46 (Attached)

Catharina Ustings

19 en 20 September 1708

Verkopinge der goederen nagelaten en metter dood ontruijmd bij Catharina Ustings, ten voordele van haare nagelatene weduwenaar Mathijs Michilsz: ter ener, mitsg:s vijv kinderen als kindskinderen, voor de wederhelvte, als

Claas Ras, gehuwd met Maria van Stade en de drie voorn: geprocrieert bij haar eerste man,

Marina Ras met Joost Strijdom Hans Ras

ende kinderen van Hendrick Ras die op Ceilon overleden is

als mede Lourentia Cornelisd:e, huijsvrouwe van Marten Mekelenburg en

geteeld bij deselve derde man Lourens Cornelis Anna Elisabet Michielsz: geprocrieert bij Mathijs Michielsz:

Emigreer na Holland en dan na die Kaap voor 1692. Arriveer aan boord Hoff van Zealandt, as 21jarige weduwee.

5 keer getroud, Hans Ras was haar 2de man.