Christina van Zijl, SM/PROG

Extracts: from the History of Vrede en Lust.

Willem van Zyl Jr heads for Amsterdam, the most affluent merchant city in Europe, where he becomes a gardener. Willem finds lodgings in Verwer Street, nowadays situated in the oldest part of the city, and soon meets a 21-year-old Protestant girl who is living with her aunt along the nearby Waal. Christina van Loveren was born in Amsterdam and christened on 7 June 1673, in the same church where she was to be married, which also happens to be the oldest church in the city. Her parents, Jan Juriaensz and Annetje Jans were also married in the Oude Kerk, ten years before christening their little daughter.
Jan was buried from the Oude Kerk in 1676 and Annetje in 1680, leaving little Christina orphaned at a very tender age.
When the young couple’s banns are first read on 12 November 1694, both Christina and Willem have lost their parents. Their marriage ceremony in the Oude Kerk takes place two weeks later, on 28 November.

On 5 January 1706 Van Zyl signs the petition against Wilhem Adriaen van der Stel’s corruption together with seventy two complainants. Van Zyl and eight co-conspirators, all respectable citizens, are ordered to present themselves at the Castle for court appearance. The men decide to ignore the issue. When Hasenswinkel arrives at Vrede en Lust and reigns in his horse, he only finds Mrs Van Zyl and the numerous offspring. Christina is ready for the fiscal. She complains non-stop about the hardships of her existence, about having to cope with a bunch of unruly kids, about a husband who disappears and leaves her in charge of everything. What a miserable life! The Council of Justice finds the men guilty in absentia on 9 August 1706.

Christina sells Vrede en Lust as a going concern to David de Villiers for 10 200 guilders, Cape valuation. With Johanna and a female slave, Eva of Rio de la Goa, she moves to house in Table Valley, on which 800 guilders are still owing at the time of Christina’s death in 1730. Her 12-year-old daughter is bequeathed gold and silverware, household effects and other moveable property, as well as the slave, Eva. Christina furthermore stipulates that a feather bed with all its paraphernalia, including silk and linen sheets, should go to her daughter Hester van Zyl, married to the burgher Hendrik Muscher. The remainder of the estate is to be divided amongst the eight children. The inventory compiled after her death shows that she scaled down enormously when she left Vrede en Lust. It is clear that Christina van Zyl left Vrede en Lust with just those possessions required for life in the relatively civilised Table Valley settlement. The wagons, carts, ploughs’ and cellar equipment which remains behind will henceforth be used by a new generation of farmers.

• Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Jun 27 2017, 9:13:50 UTC

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Sy het nie ver van Verfwerstraat in Amsterdam (waar Willem gewoon het), by haar tante ingewoon.

Sy was (waarskynlik) die aangenome dogter van Jan Juriaensz en Annetje Jans en gedoop in die Oude Kerk van Amsterdam.

Sy was 'n Protestant wat na haar man se geloof (Rooms Katoliek) oorgegaan het. (Sien meer hieroor onder "Willem van Zijl")

Die bekende Van Loveren Wynlandgoed by Robertson is na haar vernoem.