Egbertus Bergh

Death Notice

The first large permanent structure of the Klein Karoo, a church of the Dutch Reformed denomination, was first erected in 1838 on the farm Hartebeestrivier, near the banks of the Olifants and Grobbelaars rivers. The village (and later town) of Oudtshoorn gradually grew around this church, and nine years later, in 1847, Oudtshoorn was founded. It was named after Baron Pieter van Rheede van Oudtshoorn, who was appointed Governor of the Dutch Cape Colony in 1772 but died at sea in January 1773 on his return voyage to the Cape. In 1853, the Dutch Reformed church was officially established as a kerkplaats (church farm). Originally part of the district of George, Oudtshoorn was proclaimed as its own, separate division in 1858. The first British settlers settled the area in 1858. Also in 1820, van Rheede van Oudtshoorn’s granddaughter, Ernestina Johanna Geesje, married Egbertus Bergh, a magistrate of George.

From Wikipedia

"The Civil Commissioner of George, Egbertus Bergh (1837–1843), campaigned tirelessly for a new road through the formidable Outeniqua Mountains to replace the notorious Cradock's Pass. "