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About Elizabeth Bedford
In Memory of Francois (Frans) Willem Kock The subject of this memoir was the youngest of three sons; his father came over from Holland towards the close of 1804. The history of his descendants affords a curios illustration of the fusion of different elements to build up the Afrikaner Nation; that is, the Dutch portion of the community of these parts. Being descendants from Holland I have said through his father on the mother’s side, he had a Swede for a grandfather and a Pole for a grandmother; which fusion has been carried further to his children through his marriage with descendants through her mother of the Huguenot family of the Nols of the Roseveld. Having lost his father early who died poor has been left lost and destitute orphan, he was apprenticed to his older brother, afterwards Commandant Jan Kock, who as such was long and well known in the Inland States, but at that time resided on the farm “Luipaardsvlei” in the “Sneewbergen” where he conducted a wagon making establishment. Having married Mr. Kock settled in another part of the Sneewbergen for a few years until he bought some property in the interveld, the farm Elandsfontein”, upon which he fixed as his permanent residence and remained until his death. The interveld, having acquired its name not from the colonist of that region, but on the contrary, for being milder and affording winter quarters for their stock, became the favorite resort of the farmers in the Sneewbergen, to which they withdrew with their flocks of cattle to escape from the severity of the season on these snowy ridges. This was indeed an excellent custom feeding to the increase of the stock and allowing the veld to regain in on one half of the year what it has lost in the other. It is a pity, however, owing to the increase of the population, which is making use of every available point, that it can no longer be observed. But Mr. Kock could still follow is up and make use of it every year migrating with his sheep and cattle to the lower regions much to the benefit of himself and his be longings until he parted with his farm in the Sneewbergen for others in the Winterveld. He directed his attention more particularly to the breeding of wool sheep, which were then not so plentiful as now and which by constantly importing fresh blood from Europe, he raised to a tolerably high standard of perfection, with the happy result (such as generally follows upon works of energy and application) that besides the profit of the wool his sheep were soon, and ever after, sought after both by the breeder and the butcher for their size and weight. His stock was generally of the best description, be it cattle or sheep. He also had at one time a fine stud of horses bred from our old colonial horses with the English hunter; a horse which had formerly belonged to Col. Fordyce who had fallen in the tribal war, and hunting improved by a beautiful thoroughbred from the stud of Mr Mekk of the Bergriver. For beauty of form, size and compactness and strength of muscle and power of endurance, these horses were much prized in the Midland Districts. That Mr. Kock was, beyond doubt, a most successful farmer is evident from the fact that several of the beautiful farms, stretching from along the Table mountain of the Richmond division and along the Sea Cow River (Seekoeirivier), to the extent of 103 000 morgen of ground, now in possession of the children, belonged to him. I think we may truly say, looking at his career from a penniless youth to the means and position he afterwards attained. The he verified the truth of the proverb that “the hand of the diligent shall made rich”. At last, with the advancing years, he retired from busy scenes of life and contemplated a tour to Europe which accomplished visiting England, Scotland, Holland, Germany, Switzerland and Italy, and putting from there over to the Asiatic shore, he passed through Egypt and Palestine. The war of Turkey with the Russians prevented him returning as he intended, by Damascus and Constatinopolis and affairs at home at home from proceeding to America. In his youth with the emigration of Boers over the river, he visited the interior of our continent, which was then still full of beautiful game which distinguishes it above all other countries of the world and of which he could not say enough across the Drakensbergen as far as Natal. He returned to the Colony whilst his brother remained there. Touching hi travels he thought that he could get on better with the English than any other nation. Ho of course liked everybody else much praised the beauty of Paris, but more especially the order, propriety and regularity of the French in their social and municipal regulations. In Palestine he had seen some fine tracts of country about Jericho and the valley of Samaria where with a fine climate, a rich soil and abundant water, he thought that with energy and enterprise, something might be done, but the Arabs refused to do anything, as the country is, so they informed him, accursed. In Egypt he was struck with the beauty and spirit of their horses, much like Colonial horses, he said. They so much struck his fancy that he for a long time doubt whether he should not bring some along with him; by the ultimately gave it up in favor of the more advantages merino sheep. He was a man perfectly fair and honorable in his dealings, openhanded and liberal, without shabbiness or messiness. No one ever appealed to him for help or assistance in vain. He favored all public institutions, churches, schools to which he always contributed largely. He was, however, averse to politics, with which he never much intermeddled, nor would he ever in any shape take part in administration of the country, either Parliament or as a member of the Divisional Council, as Field Cornet or Justice of the Peace. In the early part of his career he dealt mostly with the English, Sir Richard Southey end others, who were then residing. He often spoke of the kindness they have shown to him, playing into his hands, and giving him notice, when there was anything to be done as with the tribal wars for instance to procure stock for troops, and so on. The church was the only public body in the management of which he took part, having long and faithfully served it as elder and deacon of the community doing good to the poor many whose children at various times being educated at his expense. But although to politics I may yet mention in in conclusion an anecdote of a meeting he held with Sir Harry Smith, the Governor of the Colony at Colesberg, which may perhaps interest those who are conversant with the history of those times, sometime before the battle of Boomplaats, as I heard him related it. Sir Harry then proceeded “If you bring your brother back with you, I will give him the right hand of fellowship but as for Pretorius” continued the Colonel “I will fetch him even should it be from behind the torrid regions of the next world”. Sir Harry then wanted Mr. Kock to cross the river which was full, to treat with the Boers who were on the other side for peace. Mr. Kock demurred that it was dangerous and that the Boers seeing him with the English might fire on him. On hearing these word, Sir Harry sprang up from his seat into the middle of the room. “There are as many rebels on this side as on the other” he cried. Mr. Kock did not think that his fears were groundless. The interview led to nothing. But sometime after Mr. Kock received a friendly letter from Sir Harry in which he disagreed about the stability and endurance of the Cape horse and the service they rendered to cavalry in India. The deceased kept up fairly well to the last with a failure of memory on some points his judgment remained good so that he could take part in the events of the day. He died a few days after having completed his 85th year and is buried at his favorite residence: “ELANDSFONTEIN”.
Source: FamilySearch.org https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSQF-ZFQZ?i=1774&cat=3...
- Name: Thomas Bedford
- Birthplace: Graaf Reinet
- Parents: Thomas Bedford | Clara F Bedford, born Fick
- Age: 77 years 5 months
- Occupation: Farmer
- Status: Married
- Surviving Spouse: Elizabeth Bedford, born Kock
- Previous Spouse: Susanna Elizabeth Christina Bedford, born van Zyl, died 3 December 1858
- Died: 4 October 1909
- Location: At his residence, Hanover
- Children born of marriage with Susanna Elizabeth Christina van Zyl:
- 1. Thomas Bedford (major) deceased
- 2. Johanna Margaret Bell - married John George Bell (deceased)
- 3. Hermanus Christian van Zyl Bedford (Major)
- 4. Clara Bedford (Minor)
- Children born of marriage with Elizabeth Bedford (Born Kock)
- 5. Gerard Christian Bedford (Major)
- 6. Winifred Carolina Johanna Edlmann, born Bedford - married Robert Edlmann
- 7. Elizabeth Gerbrechta Christina Visser, born Bedford - married Johannes Hendrik Visser
- 8. Johan Lodewijk Bedford (Major)
Source: FamilySearch.org https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BY-Y7QK-1?i=445&cat=...
- Name: ELIZABETH BEDFORD (born Kock)
- Birthplace and Nationality: Elandsfontein, Richmond, European
- Father: FRANS WILLEM KOCK
- Mother: GERBRECHTA CHRISTINA KOCK (born van der Merwe) both deceased.
- Age: 73 Years 3 Months
- Occupation: Retired Housewife
- Residence: Plooysfontein, Divisionof Hanover, C.P.
- Status: Widow
- Spouse: THOMAS BEDFORD (died 4 October 1909)
- Place of last marriage: RICHMOND, Cape
- Died: 25 September 1922 (pen corrected from 24 September)
- House: Dwelling of Son-in-Law J.H. Kisser, Middlewater, HANOVER, Cape Province
- Children 0f deceased:
- 1. Gerard Christian Bedford, Major
- 2. Winifred Caroline Johanna Bedford - married to Robert Elliot Edlmann
- 3. Elizabeth Gerbrechta Christina Bedford - married to Johannes Hendrik Visser
- 4. John Lodewijk Bedford (deceased) - married to Kathleen Meiring Burger leaving issue:
- a. Georgina Bedford (minor)
- b. Elizabeth Bedford (minor)
- c. Ben Bedford (minor)
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Elizabeth Bedford's Timeline
| 1849 |
June 11, 1849
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Richmond, Bo-Karoo, Northern Cape, South Africa
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| 1868 |
September 16, 1868
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Colesberg, Northern Cape, South Africa
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| 1869 |
November 25, 1869
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Hanover, Bo-Karoo, NC, South Africa
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| 1871 |
January 10, 1871
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Colesberg, Northern Cape, South Africa
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| 1873 |
September 23, 1873
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Colesberg, Northern Cape, South Africa
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| 1874 |
December 25, 1874
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Colesberg, Bo-Karoo, Northern Cape, South Africa
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| 1877 |
August 25, 1877
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Colesberg, Northern Cape, South Africa
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| 1880 |
November 30, 1880
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Colesberg, NC, South Africa
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| 1922 |
September 25, 1922
Age 73
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Middlewater, Hanover, Norther Cape, South Africa
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