Hermanus (Harmanus) Egbertus (Jacobus) Steyn b1c8d12

A Historic Overview of Langstraat, Riversdale - thanks to prof Pieter Gerbrand Steyn who is the current owner of Langstraat (2016).

The farm Doornkraal was proclaimed a loan farm in 1746, the same year as Zeekoegat. The original owner of the farm Doornkraal on which Riversdale was established, was Hermanus Egbertus Steyn, born in 1773. He was the brother of Douw Gerbrand Steyn of the farm Cloetenburg in the Stellenbosch district, where Somerset West was later established.

Hermanus Egbertus Steyn’s daughter Susanna Maria married his brother Douw Gerbrand’s son Hermanus Jacobus in 1815. In this way Hermanus Jacobus aquired the portion of the farm Doornkraal that was sold to the “Godsdienstige Gesticht” in 1838 to establish Riversdale. The thatched cottage located at Langstraat 8 was one of the original homesteads of Doornkraal built between 1746 and 1790.

The homestead was located next to the current Royal Hotel in what later became Langstraat. It was probably built by Hermanus Jacobus circa 1815 after his marriage to Hermanus Egbertus’ daughter. It was rebuilt in 1849 by Barry and Nephew as offices, a jail, and later the Standard Bank. Unfortunately it was destroyed by fire as recently as 1959. The homestead served as the first NG church in Riversdale after Hermanus Jacobus Steyn sold a portion of the farm Doornkraal to the Godsdientige Gesticht in 1838. Riversdale was named after Civil Commisioner Sir Harry Rivers and proclaimed a town on 30 August 1838 with Langstraat as the focal point. It is important to note that the official name of the town is indeed Riversdale, not Riversdal.

The first “Lots” stretched all the way from the current Van Riebeeck Street to the Vette river on the eastern boundary. The “Lots” were bisected by a long road running parallel to the the Vette river, stretching all the way to where the golf course is today. Hence the name “Langstraat”, which was the access road to Riversdale from the south-east in the vicinity of the current golf course. The remains of the old “wa-brug” built in the 1800’s are still evident where the Vette and Goukou rivers meet.

The house known as Avondrust at Langstraat 9 with its Edwardianised façade forms part of the original Lot 4 (1839). Lot 4, which originally included the Doornkraal thatched cottage at Langstraat 8 (until 1880), remained the property of the Doornkraal Steyns from 1838 when Riversdale was established, until 1950 when Susanna Maria van der Westhuizen (nee Steyn) sold it to Hannes (Vark) van Wyk. During the 1920’s and 30’s her mother Anna Margaretha (Annie) Steyn (nee Cronje) operated a boarding house on the premises. One of her boarders was the reverend Ben Marais (later Professor) who together with Dr Beyers Naude opposed the NG church’s support of apartheid. It is ironic that Annie Steyn’s cousin Professor Geoffrey Cronje became Dr H F Verwoerd’s mentor, two decades later.

Source: http://www.dedoornkraal.com/media.html and http://www.dedoornkraal.com/history-of-dedoornkraal/

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Digital copy of baptismal record https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12577-9516-24?cc=13924... image 34

Transcription:

den 10 october Is gedoopt Hermanus

De Vader Jacobus Stijn

De Moeder Susanna Fouri

De Getuijgen Pieter Fouri

Isabella Stijn

GEDCOM Note

A Historic Overview of Langstraat, Riversdale - thanks to prof Pieter Gerbrand Steyn who is the current owner of Langstraat (2016).ar as Zeekoegat. The original owner of the farm Doornkraal on which Riversdale was established, was Hermanus Egbertus Steyn, born in 1773. He was the brother of Douw Gerbrand Steyn of the farm Cloetenburg in the Stellenbosch district, where Somerset West was later established.this way Hermanus Jacobus aquired the portion of the farm Doornkraal that was sold to the “Godsdienstige Gesticht” in 1838 to establish Riversdale. The thatched cottage located at Langstraat 8 was one of the original homesteads of Doornkraal built between 1746 and 1790.s Jacobus circa 1815 after his marriage to Hermanus Egbertus’ daughter. It was rebuilt in 1849 by Barry and Nephew as offices, a jail, and later the Standard Bank. Unfortunately it was destroyed by fire as recently as 1959. The homestead served as the first NG church in Riversdale after Hermanus Jacobus Steyn sold a portion of the farm Doornkraal to the Godsdientige Gesticht in 1838. Riversdale was named after Civil Commisioner Sir Harry Rivers and proclaimed a town on 30 August 1838 with Langstraat as the focal point. It is important to note that the official name of the town is indeed Riversdale, not Riversdal.parallel to the the Vette river, stretching all the way to where the golf course is today. Hence the name “Langstraat”, which was the access road to Riversdale from the south-east in the vicinity of the current golf course. The remains of the old “wa-brug” built in the 1800’s are still evident where the Vette and Goukou rivers meet.Edwardianised façade forms part of the original Lot 4 (1839). Lot 4, which originally included the Doornkraal thatched cottage at Langstraat 8 (until 1880), remained the property of the Doornkraal Steyns from 1838 when Riversdale was established, until 1950 when Susanna Maria van der Westhuizen (nee Steyn) sold it to Hannes (Vark) van Wyk. During the 1920’s and 30’s her mother Anna Margaretha(Annie) Steyn (nee Cronje) operated a boarding house on the premises. One of her boarders was the reverend Ben Marais (later Professor) who together with Dr Beyers Naude opposed the NG church’s support of apartheid. It is ironic that Annie Steyn’s cousin Professor Geoffrey Cronje became Dr H F Verwoerd’s mentor, two decades later.ww.dedoornkraal.com/history-of-dedoornkraal/22 image 34