Gysbert van Reenen

b1 Jacob ≈ 11.5.1727, leier v.d. ‘Kaapse Patriotte’ † 13.8.1793 x 4.12.1746 Maria FRANKE ≈ 24.8.1721 d.v. Johannes Franke en Catharina Verwey

c14 Gysbert * 7.11.1763 ≈ 13.11.1763 † 27.4.1827 # “Welgelegen”, Rondebosch x 30.3.1788 Maria Johanna SMALBERGER * Kaapstad ≈ 21.8.1769 † “Welgelegen”, Mowbray 4.7.1857 # “Welgelegen” d.v. Johan Wilhelm Smalberger en Anna Francina Maree

Name: Gysbert VAN REENEN

Given Name: Gysbert

Gysbert appears to have grown up on his fathers farm, Welgelegen. There was a close bond between father and son as they eventually farmed together. They were considered to be very progressive farmers. Upon his fathers death, Gysbert bought Welgelegen and Altena. Gysbert paid 53000 gulden for Welgelegen. Altena was transferred per deed T/A 6839 on 19 July 1794. Gysbert improved his fathers farming methods. According to the census of 1823, Gysbert had 20 000 lb of hay gathered, 20 leaguers of wine and one leaguer of brandy produced from his 25 000 vines. He had a labour force of thirty slaves. Built a Dutch style house and mill in 1796. Gysbert also built a family graveyard in 1827. He and his wife, Maria are buried there. [2]

Surname: VAN REENEN

Sex: M

Birth: 7 Nov 1763

Death: 27 Apr 1827 in Welgelegen

Burial: Graveyard - Welgelegen

Baptism: 13 Nov 1763

Father: Jacob VAN RENEN b: 1727

Mother: Maria FRANKE b: 1721

Marriage 1 Maria Johanna SMALBERGER

Married: 30 Mar 1788

Children

Dirk Gysbertus VAN REENEN b: 2 Sep 1792

"If we imagine ourselves coming from Cape Town then, the first estate which

we shall pass on our right, stretching up the slopes of the Mountain, is

Welgelegen. In its 18th century heyday this must have been one of the

largest farms in the district, its north-eastern corner being near the

junction of Durham Avenue with the Main Road at Observatory. Its southern

boundary cuts through the present University ground above Lover's Walk at

the corner of Woolsack Road. Westward it ran almost up to the King's Block

House. Originally Van Reenen property - it was granted to Gysbert van Reenen

in 1803 - it passed to the Mosterts in the 1830's. About 1895, Rhodes bought

it for his friend John Blades Currey who had been so good to him in his

Kimberley days, and it subsequently became part of the Groote Schuur Estate.

The old homestead was replaced by a Baker house long since, but the

windmill, known as Mostert's Mill, built (by Gysbert) in the late 18th century, is now a

national monument."

http://www.mostertsmill.co.za/history

Mostert’s Mill is a typical Cape truncated-cone tower-mill with a thatched cap. Adjoining the mill is a threshing-floor and a thatched house which was probably the miller’s house.

The private mill was built on a farm called "Welgelegen" about 1796, the year after the Battle of Muizenberg when the British took control of the Cape. Until then, under the rule of the Dutch East India Company, building and operation of mills were strictly controlled and private mills were rare.

Early history of the farm Welgelegen records that Stevenz Jan Botma, a Hollander from Wageningen was granted land by Jan van Riebeeck in 1657 alongside the Liesbeek River. Some 19 years later in 1676, Botma's son - Cornelis was granted land behind Devils Peak. This land was alongside other property owned by Cornelis and known as "Zorgvliet". By 1692, Cornelis Botma had already planted 16 000 vines, built a house, stable and cellar.

In 1709 (17 years later) the farm, now known as "Welgelegen", was sold to Johannes Heufke (the son in law who married Cornelis Botma's daughter "Aletta") Heufke died in 1752 and Welgelegen was transferred to Henning Joachem Prehm from Hamburg.

In 1756 the farm was purchased by Jacob van Reenen along with other land owned by Prehm. Jacob van Reenen was married twice and produced 14 children. He was a wealthy man and besides the farms around Cape Town, he also owned farms up the West Coast. In 1794, one of his sons, Gysbert van Reenen, inherited the farm, and it is believed that he built the Mill 2 years later in 1796.

Gysbert was born in 1763, built the Mill at the age of 33 and died in 1827 at the age of 64 years The next owner was Gysbert’s son-in-law, Sybrand Jacobus Mostert, who acquired the farm in 1823. The mill became known as Mostert’s Mill and it remained in the hands of the family till 1889 It appears that by 1873, Mostert's Mill was no longer functioning and Welgelegen was sold to S. J. Wilks in 1889 , but two years later it was bought by Cecil John Rhodes who was buying other farms to consolidate into his Groote Schuur estate. At this time all the vines had been destroyed in the phylloxera epidemic at the Cape, and farming had ceased.

The farm Welgelegen (including the Mill) and other properties of Cecil John Rhodes was bequeathed to the South African nation following his death in 1902. His will became a Private Act of Parliament in 1910.

The mill deteriorated for decades and became derelict. In 1935 the Public Works Department (now known as the Department of Public Works) undertook a restoration of the mill. A Dutch millwrighting firm was appointed to restore the machinery and their Chris Bremer carried out most of the work on site in conjunction with the Public Works Department. The mill was operated infrequently for some time but again fell into disuse and deteriorated during the WWII years.

The Vernacular Architecture Society of South Africa started a campaign in 1986 for the restoration of the mill. Out of this campaign a new society - the Friends of Mostert's Mill was formed in 1993 to continue this campaign. (see Restoration 1995) The second restoration was undertaken by the Department of Public Works in 1995 and the same Dutch millwrighting firm was appointed to restore the machinery anew.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK8-JSDN-X

In 1800 Gysbert van Reenen and Johanna Maria Smalbergen are recorded as living at Welgeleegen with 1 son and 4 daughters.There are 4 "kneghts" in his service. Gysbert owns:

34 male slaves
3 female slaves
4 male child slaves
1 female child slave
38 horses
90 chickens
400 sheep

From:

http://databases.tanap.net/mooc/

Reference no.: MOOC8/42.26
Testator(s):
Gysbertus van Reenen
Maria Johanna Smalbergen

7 May 1827

Inventory of all such property of Gysbertus van Reenen and Maria Johanna Smalbergen relinquished by the death of the firstmentioned on the fourteenth day of the month of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty seven.

The deceased having by his last will and testament executed jointly with his aforesaid wife on the 27th January 1780 before the then chief clerk in the Colonial Secretary's Office Mr George Fredrik Goets and witnesses appointed his aforesaid wife as his sole and universal heiress together with the children procreated in this wedlock, namely

1) Anna Jacoba van Reenen married with Marthinus Melk
2) Dirk Gysbert van Reenen
3) Maria Johanna van Reenen married with Johan George Muller
4) Johanna Petronella van Reenen married with Sybrand Mostert C:s son
5) Gesina Petronella van Reenen aged [ ..... ]
6) Elisabeth Johanna van Reenen married with Rogier Joan Oliviera
7) Alida Jacoba Dirktina van Reenen married with Andries Stadler
8) Martina Catharina van Reenen born on the 1 September 1807, and
9) Catharina Gesina Maria van Reenen born on the 15th April 1810

The deceased has further by a codicil dated 29 March 1827 requested and appointed the Board of Orphan Masters to be and to act as executors of the said will and guardians over his abovementioned minor children, in consequence whereof the undersigned commissioned Members of the Orphan Board have taken the estate under proper inventory and found the same to consist in the following viz:t

A place called Brakkefontein with the buildings erected thereon situated in the Cape district
a piece of quit rent land adjoining the aforesaid place called Kleine Papekuilsfontein
a place /:loanplace:/ called Spring Fontein measured in perpetual quit rent also adjoining the place Brakkefontein
a piece of land called Olie Boom situated in the Cape downs
a piece of land called Lindenschraal situated in the Cape downs