Born into slavery, Christoffel Snyman (son of the exiled convict Groote Catrijn van Paliacatta, adopted son of Anthonij Jansz van Bengale), who married Marguerite-Therese de Savoye, daughter of the French Huguenot Jacques de Savoye, and eventually owned the Delta part of what is now Solms-Delta.
https://winemag.co.za/wine/opinion/joanne-gibson-on-some-of-the-inv...

'Viking' blood at the Cape - DNA evidence confirms European paternity of Christoffel Snijman van der Caep and debunks theory he was the biological son of Anthonij Jansz van Bengale

A examination of recently published public DNA test of Kornelius Snyman showing him to be in the Y-DNA haplogroup I-M253 - the ancient paternal lineage of the Nordic countries popularly known as the 'Viking' haplogroup. Forty percent of Fins and 38% of Swedes are from this haplogroup which also commonly occured other other north European countries and in Germany, France and the United Kingdom. This article should be read in conjunction with Mansell Upham's 'Cape Mothers - Groote Catrijn van Paliacatta (c. 1631-1683), her slave Maria van Bengale & her de Savoye daughter-in-law Marguerite-Thérèse (1673-1742)'

HOWEVER INCONCLUSIVE! Only one individual has done a yDNA test . Assumed ydna haplogroup not confirmed! Needs at least 2 more descendants tested and not direct relatives of current descendant tested I-M253 haplogroup. So theory of Anthonij as his father not yet debunked

( Extract FFY -thx to Delia Robertson )

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Christoffel SNIJMAN the son of Hans Christoffel SNIJMAN.

Note : (Catharina 'Grootje Catrijn' van Bengle, married Anthonij (Jansz) (de Later) van Bengale. Their marriage produced no children, although it legitimized the position of Catharina from slave to free-burgher and legitimized her son, Christoffel Snijman, who was also adopted by Anthonij van Bengale.)

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https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/cape-dutch/about/goals

Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, Kerken Boek (Bapt.): [de]n [g.] Maert een soontje van Groote Catrijn wiert genaemt Christoffel tot getuyge stont Step Angila, 1665-1695

NGK G1 1/1, Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, Kerken Boek (Bapt.), 1665-1695: [1669]; [de]n 9 Maert een soontje van Groote Catrijn wiert genaemt Christoffel tot getuyge stont Angila, transcribed by Richard Ball, Norfolk, England, (May 2006), Genealogical Society of South Africa, eGSSA Branch http://www.eggsa.org/. Hereinafter cited as Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, Kerken Boek (Bapt.).

No father mentioned on his baptism !

http://www.e-family.co.za/ffy/g5/p5115.htm#c5115.7

The evidentiary facts in relation to Christoffel Snijman are:

• 1665: 18 August; 'Hans Christoffel Snijder' admitted to the church in Cape Town. See the first membership registry (lidmaatregister) for Cape Town. (eGGSA transcription)
• 1665: 6 September; Petronella daughter of Catharina is baptised in Cape Town. Referred to by Pieter Evrard in his testament as his unborn child. (Upham 2014, Cape Mothers)
• 1665: 3 October: ‘Hans Christoffel Snijman’ convicted of fighting with Diedeloff Tim. (Upham, Cape Mothers, Appendix 3; CA: CJ 1, p. 292)
• 1665: 4 December; VOC soldier 'Christoffel Snijman' in attendance (CJ 1, p. 296 Anna Böeseken, Uit Raad van Justisie, pp.159-160)
• 1666: 15 May: Monsterrol p.66: 'Hans Christoffel Snijman van Hartsb. Sold:[ae]t.' (Upham 2014, Cape Mothers: CA, VC 39, II, (Monsterrol, 15 May 1666), pp. 66 & 77.)
• 1666: 15 May: Monsterrol p.77: 'Hans Christoffel Snijder van Heydelberg soldaat' under the Chamber of Enckhuizen is enumerated together with 'Arnoldus Willemsz:' [Basson]. (Upham 2014, Cape Mothers: CA, VC 39, II, (Monsterrol, 15 May 1666), pp. 66 & 77.)
• 1667: Monsterrol: 'Hans Christoffel Snijman sold:[ae]t' [CA: VC 39, II (Monsterrol 1666 [sic – 1667]), p. 81]. (Upham 2014, Cape Mothers)
• 1667: 30 July; ‘Hans Christoffel Snijman’ convicted of dereliction of duty and sleeping with the fort’s washerwoman. (Upham 2014, Cape Mothers, Appendix 3)
• 1668: Monsterrol: ' ... op’t Robben eylant gecommandeert als gebannen: Hans Christophel Snijman' [CA: VC 39, vol. II (muster roll, 1668), p. 110]. (Upham 2014, Cape Mothers)
• 1669: 9 March; Christoffel, son of Groote Catrijn is baptised in Cape Town. (Have record)
• 1671: 20 December; marriage of Groote Catharina and Anthonij van Bengale in Cape Town. (Have record). Also on this day, Catharina is pardoned and manumitted by Joan Maetsuijcker the Governor-General (Upham)
• 1672: Monsterrol: ‘Anthonij de Later v. Bengale en Catrina van Palicat’ (eGGSA transcription) No Snijman or variant.
• 1673: Monsterrol: ‘Anthonij van Bengale en Catrijn van do. 2k. (eGGSA transcription) No Snijman or variant.
• 1674: Monsterrol: ‘Anthony de la Torre en Catrijn van Paliacat 2k.’ (eGGSA transcription) No Snijman or variant.
• 1675: Monsterrol: ‘Antoni van Bengale en Cat. van Paliacate 2k.’ (eGGSA transcription) No Snijman or variant.
• 1677: Monsterrol: ‘Ant. van Bengalen en Catria v. Paliacata 2k.’ (eGGSA transcription) No roll for 1676 available. No Snijman or variant.
• 1678: Monsterrol: ‘Anthonie van Bengale en Catrijn van do. 2k.’ (eGGSA transcript) No Snijman or variant.
• 1679: Monsterrol: Antoni van Bengale en Catharina van Paliacatta 2k.’ (eGGSA transcript) No Snijman or variant.
• 1679: June; Jan Wittebol sues Anthonij to repay the sum of f222 that Anthonij had borrowed from Manuel van Angola. (Upham with Cape Archive reference)
• 1682: Monsterrol: Anthonij van Bengale en Catrijn van Paliacatta 1k.’ (eGGSA transcript) No rolls between 1679 and 1682 or between 1682 and 1685 available. No Snijman or variant.
• 1682: 17 December; All of Anthonij’s property (absolutely everything) is liquidated (sold) on the orders of the Orphan Chamber because Anthonij is dead. (Upham provides detailed records with Cape Archive reference)
• 1683: April; List of items drawn up by the messenger of the court Godfriedt Meijhuijsen used for the burials of Groote Catrijn and her daughter Petronella (Upham with Cape Archive reference).
• 1683: 20 April; Lijsbeth van Angola received payment for looking after Petronella in Anthonij's home: '. . . voor negen dagen oppassen by de dogter ten tuysen van Anthonie van Bengale'. (Upham with Cape Archive reference)
• 1683: 1 Sept; J. Smit was paid by the Orphan Chamber from the deceased estates of Anthonie v. Bengale (†1682) and Jan Wittebol (†1681) for having schooled Christoffel (≈1669) and the young Johan Wittebol (*1675). Upham states that no further payments for Christoffel's education appear to have been made. (Upham with Cape Archive reference)
• 1690: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snijman’ (aan Drakenstein) (eGGSA transcript). This is the first mention of a Snijman in the muster roll since 1668.
• 1690: 2 January; First instalment paid to Christoffel by Orphan Chamber. It is paid to him as an inheritance as Anthonij’s son. (Upham with Cape Archive reference)
• 1691: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snijman’ (‘an Stellenbosch 1691'). (eGGSA transcript) - no other Snijman or variant.
• 1691: 8 April; Fifth and last instalment paid to Christoffel by Orphan Chamber. It is paid to him as an inheritance as Anthonij’s son. (Upham with Cape Archive reference)
• 1692: Monsterrol: eGGSA transcription: 'Ernst Frederick Walter en Christoffel Suyrman en Marga. de Savoyer } maats’. No other Snijman or variant.
• 1692: 14 August: Admitted to the Stellenbosch church member register ‘aen Stellenbosch tot het gebruijk van des Heeren H: Avondmael overgekoomen’, ‘Christoffel Snijman van de Caep’, ‘Willem Schalk van Outbeierlant’, ‘Jacobus Schalk van de Caep’. (Have record, eGGSA transcript)
• 1693: Monsterrol: eGGSA transcription: ‘District Drakestein . . . Christoffel Sneijman en Margriet de Savoij 3k.’ No other Snijman or variant.
• 1695: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snijman & Margrita de Savoye 4k.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1696: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snijman en Margarita de Savoije.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1698: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snijman en Maria de Savoij 2 k.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1700: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snyman en Margriet Savoijen.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1701: Monsterrol: Christoffel Snijman & Margarita de Savoije 8 k.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1702: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snijman en Margarita de Savoije.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1703: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snijman en Margaritha de Savoijen.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1704: Monsterrol: Christoffel Snijman en Margaretha de Savoije.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1705: Monsterrol: ‘Margrieta de Savoijen wed. Christoffel Snijman.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• Also baptismal records showing Christoffel Snijman as father and Marguerite de Savoye as mother are as follows:
• 1690: 10 December: Jacobus Christoffel (Have record, quoted verbatim in Upham). This baptism followed a failed attempt to baptise the child at Drakenstein on 19 November 1690 when the minister, Pierre Simond refused to accept the child’s grandfather, Jacques de Savoye, as godfather which resulted in an acrimonious incident and the child being taken to Stellenbosch for baptism. (Upham, Cape Mothers, p. 103)
• 1692: 27 January: Catharina (Have record, quoted verbatim in Upham)
• 1693: 9 August: Maria Magdalena (Have record, quoted verbatim in Upham)
• 1695: 22 July: eGGSA transcription: 'Cristina fille de christoffle senaymant - Et Margerite, Savoye. le temoins Et - jacobus Vanas Et Laina basson'.
• 1697: 1 August: eGGSA transcription: 'Elsij fille de Christoffel Scniman Et de marguerite Savoye, Le temoins Et hercules depret Et Elsij jacob'.
• 1699: 25 October: eGGSA transcription: 'Janne fille de christoffel senaymant Et de Marguerite Savoije le temoins Et Chrisians debacre Et marie delanoy pour Marraine'.
• 1701: 24 July: eGGSA transcription: 'Philippe fils de Christoffle Senaiman Et de Marguerite Savoye, Le temoins Et philippe Rodolf Et alleta Savoye, mais Claude marais á Repondu pour Le garson Et La mere a Repondu pour sa fille'.
• 1703: 28 October: Susanna (Have record, Upham has reference)
• 1706: 21 March: Elizabeth (Have record, Upham has reference) Christoffel was dead, but is shown as the father.
• And finally there is the reference to Christoffel Snijman’s death and being replaced as corporal of the militia. Leibrandt: Précis of Letters 1696-1708. Page 272.

Updated 20 June 2019

The eGGSA Monsterrolle can be found here: http://www.eggsa.org/sarecords/index.php/muster-rolls/cape-archives...

The eGGSA transcription of the church membership records can be found here: http://www.eggsa.org/sarecords/index.php/church-registers/cape-town...

Leibrandt’s book can be found here: https://archive.org/details/precisofarchives00cape_1

Upham’s essay, ‘Cape Mothers’, can be found here: http://www.e-family.co.za/ffy/RemarkableWriting/UL14CapeMothers.pdf

I can provide links for the individual primary records should anyone want them.... Alun Peter Stevens

Input from Delia Robertson:

It was the accepted legal practice at the time that new spouses to the biological parent of a child became the legal parent … this applied in different circumstances, children born out of wedlock, children of a deceased parent, etc. Sometimes they were referred to as adopted, sometimes as (step)child, etc. So there was generally no formal adoption process in these examples. In other cases (the Meerhof children being an example) children were placed in the care of an individual by the Council, or the church, or the court.

Christoffel was the universal heir to Anthonij Jansz v Bengale and his mother Groote Catrijn.

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Viking' blood at the Cape - DNA evidence confirms European paternity of Christoffel Snijman van der Caep and debunks theory he was the biological son of Anthonij Jansz van Bengale.
An examination of recently published public DNA test of Kornelius Snyman showing him to be in the Y-DNA haplogroup I-M253 - the ancient paternal lineage of the Nordic countries popularly known as the 'Viking' haplogroup. Forty percent of Fins and 38% of Swedes are from this haplogroup which also commonly occurred in other north European countries and in Germany, France and the United Kingdom. http://e-family.co.za/ffy/ui114.htm Delia Robertson posted this.

PLEASE DONT ALTER PARENTS AS HE WAS ADOPTED BY ANTHONI JANSZ VAN BENGALE

Name: Christoffel Snyman

Origin of the name: Snijman is an Afrikaans variation on the German surname Schneider - which is German for "tailor"; literally "someone who cuts," from the verb schneiden "to cut".

Birth date: circa 1668

Birth Place: Cape of Good Hope

Baptism date: 9 March 1669, Cape Town

Date of Death: circa 1706

Place of Death: Drakenstein, Cape of Good Hope

Parents: Hans Christoffel Snijman and Catharina van Paliacatta. Christoffel Snyman was the stepson of Anthonie van Bengale.

Marriage: Margaretha de Savoye

Date: circa 1689

Place: Cape of Good Hope

Children:

b1 Jacobus Christoffel = 10 December 1690

b2 Catharina = 27 January 1692

b3 Maria Magdalena = 9 August 1693

b4 Christina = 22 July 1695

b5 Elsje = 1 August 1697

b6 Johanna = 25 October 1699

b7 Philippus = 24 July 1701

b8 Susanna = 28 October 1703

b9 Elisabeth = 21 March 1706

Occupation & Career: Farmer at Zandvliet, Groot Drakenstein between 1692 and 1705.

Relevant Links

Greeff Family History

First Fifty Years project

South Africa's Stamouers

Other information:

Christoffel was one of only two half-slaves that married into the white community.

Christoffel Snyman started farming in 1692 in partnership with Ernst Friedrich Walter.

After his death in 1706 Margaretha Therese DE SAVOYE married Henning Viljoen.

Hans Christoffel Snijman (the father of Christoffel Snyman) was a soldier in the garrison, convicted and banished to Robben Island on 30th July 1667 for not standing guard - instead he had been sleeping on a regular basis with Groote Catrijn - washerwoman at the Fort to successive commanders. Thereafter, Snijman disappears from the records at the Cape. On instructions from the Council of India, Groote Catrijn was again pardoned.

VOORKIND with Hans Christoffel SNIJMAN

Christoffel Snyman baptised on 9 March 1669. (He became the stamvader of the Snyman family).

Groote Cathrijn then gets baptised herself as an adult with her fellow slave friend Mooij Ansela on 29 April 1668.

Catharina later married a free black (mardijker) Anthonij (Jansz) (de Later) van BENGALE on 20th December 1671. In a letter dated 6 January 1672 it is mentioned that Groot Catrijn was freely pardoned.

Groote Catrijn, her husband, her daughter and granddaughter - with the exception of Christoffel Snijman Jnr appear to have all died, in some family tragedy sometime between December 1682 and February 1683.

Antjonij Jansz van Bengale's sizeable estate provided for the boy's education and a substantial inheritance.

Sources:

M Upham "In Hevigen Woede ... Groote Catrijn: Earliest Recorded Female Bandiet at the Cape of Good Hope - A Study in Upward Mobility" Capenis, Sept 1997. Part of a series.

New updated article to be available soon..

Christoffel was een van net twee manlike halfslag slawe wat in die wit gemeenskap ingetrou het. Christoffel trou in Julie 1689 met Margaretha Therese DE SAVOYE sy was van Gent, Vlaandere. Haar ouers was Jacques de Savoije en Christine du Pont (korrekte ouers gekry van Jean le Roux) , sommige gepubliseerde inligting verkeerdelike gee haar moeder as Marie Madeleine de Klerk.

Y-DNA Genetic Information

SNYMAN (Snijman, Snijder, Schneider), Hans Christoffel (arr 1657) [b7c4d3e6 NPE Branch] 568248 Snyman Unknown Origin G-M201

https://www.familytreedna.com/public/CapeDutch?iframe=yresults Another possible YDNA for Christoffel Snijman G-M201

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplogroup_G-M201

A descendant of Christoffel's son Philippus (b7) has tested positive in April 2014 for: I1 M253+ Z60+ (The haplogroup I-M253 is also referred to as I1d1a)

Haplogroup I-M253 (Y-DNA) is the original paternal lineage of Nordic Europe (Z60 is a subclade under this haplogroup). The highest frequencies of the I-M253 lineage are now found in Scandinavian countries. I-M253 males are currently present throughout Europe, consisting of about 40 percent of the male population of Norway, 35 percent of Finland, between 10 and 11 percent of French, about 18 percent of German and between 10 and 22 percent of the British Isles.

Sources:

1. Geno 2.0 test results by the Geneographic Project of National Geographic

2. The document Snyman_genetics_20140423_v0.4.pdf under the Sources tab: http://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000025851668631

Christoffel Snyman x voor 1690 Marguerite de Savoye, d.v. Jacques de Savoye, v. Aeth, Frankryk, en Christine du Pont. Marguerite hertrou met Henning Viljoen. Christoffel was one of the few free slaves who married into the white community. Haplogroup I-M253 (alias I1, prev. I1a) - Z60 subclade (prev. I1a2a). http://www.e-family.co.za/ffy/g5/p5115.htm

Christoffel Snyman, corporal in the Burgher-Corps Infantry, Stellenbosch.

Died before 12th Sept.1705

Succeded as corporal by Jacob Nortje.

Text:

To Stellenbosch.] 12th Sept. “ Jacob Cruse and Johannes Swellengrebel deputed to be present at the parade and parrot exercise on the 15th and 18th. Jan Elbertsz to be captain of the cavalry in the place of Pieter Robbertsz; François du Toit to be lieutenant, and Claas Elbertsz to be cornet. Lourens Verbrugge to be quartermaster. Jan Harmensz Potgieter to be cavalry sergeant. Nicolas Cleeff to be standard bearer. Hans Jacob Conterman to be sergeant vice the disrated Hans Henske. Jacobus van Driel to be corporal. Hercules du Preez to be captain vice Barend Burchard deceased. Willem van Zyl to be lieutenant. Jan Mague to be ensign. Nicolas de la Noy to be sergeant. Jacob Nortje to be corporal vice Christoffel Snyman, deceased.

Source: Precis of the Archives of the Cape of Good Hope: Letters Despatched, 1696-1708 pg.272

Geni source: https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000040988542946&

Link: http://www.mocavo.com/Precis-of-the-Archives-of-the-Cape-of-Good-Ho...

From 1686 to 1705, parrot-shooting was a regular feature during the annual military review (Stellenbosch Three Centuries: Official Commemorative Volume, Stellenbosch Town Council, 1979).

On November 29, 1705, the High Government in the Indies had ordered the Cape Government to abolish the annual custom of shooting at the parrot at Stellenbosch (The Huguenots in South Africa, Manfred Nathan).

---------------------------

• 1692
• Den 12 Maij sijn tot het gebruijk van des Heeren H: Avondtmael aen Stellenbosch overgekoomen
• Margaretrha de Savoije van Gent,
• Den 14 Augusti sijn aen Stellenbosch tot het gebruijk van des Heeren H: Avontmael overgekoomen
• Chrijstoffel Snijman van de Caep,

  ---

  
  

Gebeurtenissse:

a. Hans Christoffel Snijman (the father of Christoffel Snyman) was a soldier in the garrison convicted and banished to Robben Island on 30th July 1667 for not standing guard - instead he had been sleeping on a regular basis with Groote Catrijn - washerwoman at the Fort to successive commanders. Thereafter, Snijders disappears from the records at the Cape. On instructions from the Council of India, Groote Catrijn was again pardoned

b. Christoffel was een van net twee manlike halfslag slawe wat in die wit gemeenskap ingetrou het. Christoffel trou in Julie 1689 met Margaretha Therese DE SAVOYE sy was van Gent, Vlaandere.

c. Zandvliet plaas van Christoffel Snyman. Na sy dood word Marquerite- Thérèsa eienares van Zandvliet Zandvliet heet vandag Solms-Delta Homestead

Voorvader en Afstammelinge:

Christoffel Snyman x Marguerite-Thérèsa de Savoye

Hans Christoffel Snyman en Catharina Anthonius {van Bengale}

e. Catharina van Bengale, *1631, Ł.1683

Maria van Bengale

f. Catharina staan ook bekend as Groote Catrijn g. Sy was ‘n slavin van Paliacatte aan die Coromandel Kus in Indië h. Op 8 Oktober 1665 is sy deur die slaaf Claes van Malabar in ‘n stal te Fort Ruiswijck verkrag i. Sy slaan hom met ‘n leer in die maag j. Asgevolg van ‘n gebarste lewer sterf Claes na vier dae k. Sy word van moord aangekla en ontvang die doodstraf l. Haar vonnis word versag en sy word die eerste vrou, wat na die Kaap gedeporteer word m. Sy arriveer op 21 Februarie 1657 met die skip Prins Willem aan die Kaap n. Sy bekom twee buite-egtelike kinders. Een by die hoof van die Garnioen Pieter Everaerts van Bruisaert en die ander een by die soldaat Hans Christoffel Snijders(Schneider}; ook bekend as Snijman van Heidelberg van die Palitinate Hierdie kind word genoem Christoffel Snijman

o. Hierna tref die noodlot haar op verkeie wyses:-

a. Everaerts sterf 15 Maart 1664 b. Sy verwek nog twee Kinders:- 1. Petronella 2. Anthony[Stiefbroer van Christoffel Snijman] 3. Petronella trou met ‘n soldaat Willem Jansen en verwek ‘n dogtertjie, wat hulle ook Petronella noem

4. ‘n Onbekende tragedie tref die gesin en die Jansen-familie word deur die dood uitgewis

5. Hans Christoffel Snijman word vir versuim van diensplig na Robbeneiland verban. Hierna verdwyn hy van die toneel

According to Mansell Upham, all available evidence points to the fact Groote Catrijn was Christoffel's mother. Groote Catrijn was banished to the Cape for murdering a fellow slave, whom she accused of raping her, in India. A Study in Upward Mobility in Volumes 3/97 and 4/97 of Capensis, makes a strong case that there was only one woman known by that name at the Cape. Mansell Upham, "In Hevigen Woede," mentions Christoffel's father as Hans Christoffel Snijman. Christoffel was named directly after his father and, throughout his life, he identified himself by his father’s surname, as did his own children. Furthermore, paternity was not in dispute as Hans Christoffel Snijman was charged and convicted (30 July 1667) for dereliction of duty for being a distracted sentry due to his regular nocturnal activity inside the living quarters of the Fort’s washerwoman. A VOC slave known as Groote Catrijn. Groote Catrijn’s illegitimate son was baptised Christoffel on 9 March 1669 and witnessed by Mooij Ansela. As was the case at the time, Christoffel's legitimacy was conferred when his mother married Anthonij Jansz van Bengale, irrespective of the fact that he was not the biological child of Anthonij.

1692 to 1705 Christoffel was farmer on Zandvliet, Groot Drakenstein.

Names in the record, in publications, etc. detail his name as: Christofell Sniman, Christoffel Snijman van de Caep, Crhijstoffel Snijman, Christoffle Senaymant, Christoffle Sçirinaan, Christoffle C'nayman, Christoffle Senaimant, Christoffle Senaiman.

GEDCOM Note

Christoffel SNIJMAN was gedoop 9 Maart 1669, sy vader was Hans Christoffel Snijman 'n soldaat by die Kaap. Sy vader het 'n skelm verhouding gehad met die slaafin Catharina van Bengale, sy was ook bekend as Groote Catrijn (Kyk ook onder haar inskrywing). Sy vader is toe na Robben eiland gestuur op die 30 Julie 1667. Christoffel se moeder was hierdie Catharina van Bengale. In 'n brief van die owerheid 6 Januarie 1672 word daar melding gemaak dat Groot Catrijn vrygestel was. Sy moeder trou later met die vryswarte Anthony (Jansz) (de Later) van Bengale, wat toe sy stiefvader was. Baie mense maak die fout om te dink dat sy stiefvader sy vader was. Daar moes 'n tragedie plaas gevind het want die hele familie is ewe skielik oorlede tussen Desember 1682 en Februarie 1683, behalwe Christoffel. Christoffel was een van die min manlike halfslag slawe wat in die witgemeenskap ingetrou het. Christoffel trou in Julie 1689 met Margaretha Therese DE SAVOYE sy was van Gent, Vlaandere. Haar ouers was Jacques de Savoije en Christine du Pont (korrekte ouers gekry van Jean le Roux) , sommige gepubliseerde inligting verkeerdelike gee haar moeder as Marie Madeleine de Klerk. Hulle het nege kinders gehad:b1 Jacobus Christoffel Snyman, ged 10.12.1690 (jonk oorlede?)b2 Catharina Snyman, ged 27.1.1692 x Johannes Viljoen b3 Maria Magdelana Snyman, ged 9.8.1693, x 15 Des 1710 Theunis Botha b4 Christina Snyman, ged 22.7.1695 x Jeremias Roux b5 Elsie Snyman, ged 1.8.1697 x 22 Okt 1713 Jacobus Bothab6 Johanna Snyman, ged 25.10.1699 x 7 Feb 1717 Anthonie Lombard b7 Philippus Snyman, ged 24.7.1701 x 14 Apr 1726 Johanna Margaretha van Deventer b8 Susanna Snyman, ged 28.10.1703 x Jacob Coetzer b9 Elisabeth Snyman, ged 21.3.1706, oorlede 18 Maart 1758 x Jan Hendrik van Helsdingen Christoffel Snyman het in 1692 geboer in vennootskap met Ernst Friedrich Walter. Hy het geboer op die plaas Sandvliet in Groot Drakenstein. Christoffel Snyman het in 1706 gesterwe. Margaretha Therese DE SAVOYE trou toe met Henning Viljoen. Bronne:Inligting van Danie ViljoenMansell Upham, "In Hevigen Woede", CapensisInligting van Jean le Roux Saamgestel deur:AM van Rensburg