Jacob de Villiers, SV/PROG

A letter from the Chamber of Delft, dated 16 December 1688, stated: With this ship we have again permitted the following French Refugees to sail to the Cape and earn their living as freemen, Pierre de Villiers, Abraham de Villiers and Jacob de Villiers, all three brothers born near la Rochelle. We are informed that these persons have a good knowledge of laying out vineyards and managing the same, and thus we hope that the Company will acquire their good service.

- on http://www.ballfamilyrecords.co.uk/bosmandevriesbuys/I135.html

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de Villiers, Jacob, stated in his will in 1719 to be of "Borgondien", and aged 58; married Margaretha Gardiol of Provence, born 1674. He died on 17th May, 1735, and inventory in her estate filed in June, 1749.

- Botha, C Graham: The French Refugees at the Cape, 2nd Ed 1921 on http://debuys.blogspot.com/

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The children listed on geni have been added in accordance with the information on the Stamouers information (see the bottom of this box) which differs slightly from that in the SAG Vol.14. If anyone has definitive information that differs please could they add their information here.

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• 1661, gesterf: Bosch en Dal 1735; broer van die stamvaders Pierre en Abraham de Villiers; boer la Rochelle (gemeenskaplik met sy broers), koop 14 Jul 1717 Bosch en Dal van sy broer Abraham en 1730 Lekkerwyn, ook eienaar van La Brie, getroud: Marquerite Gardiol (suster van Susanna Gardiol), gebore: 1668, gesterf: Bakoven 1749.

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Jacob de Villiers came to South Africa and farmed together with his brothers, Pierre and Abraham de Villiers on "Bosch en Dal". Also farmed on "La Rochelle" with his brothers in 1717. He farmed with his brother on "Lekkerwyn" and was owner of "La Brie", Franschoek. He married the sister of Suzanne Gardiol, his brothers wife,Marguerite in 1691.

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Jacques(Jacob) de Villiers, broer van die stamvaders Pierre en Abraham boer gemeenskaplik met sy broers op La Rochelle. Hy koop 14/7/1717 Bosch en Dal van Abraham en in 1730 Lekkerwyn. Was ook die eienaar van La Brie.

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Ellen Stanton's Transcribed from PROCEEDINGS OF THE HUGUENOT SOCIETY OF LONDON, Volume 5, No. 1-4, 1894-1896, Printed by Charles T. King, High Street, Lymington, 1898

NOTES ON HUGUENOT FAMILIES AT THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE BY THE LATE C. C. DE VILLIERS, ESQ

DE VILLIERS, Abraham, Pierre, and Jacob, three brothers, vine-dressers from the neighbourhood of La Rochelle, arrived here in the Zion on the 6th May 1689. In a despatch from the Chamber of Delft, dated 16th Dec. 1688, and received by the Zion, special reference is made to these three brothers as possessing a good knowledge of the cultivation of the vine, and recommending the Governor to give them every assistance. In this despatch the names are mentioned in the following order—(1) Pierre, (2) Abraham, and (3) Jacob, which may perhaps indicate the order of seniority. In the Distribution List 1690 we have Abraham DE VILLIERS ‘with wife and two brothers,’ and among Drakenstein families 1692:--Abraham DE VILLIERS ‘with wife and two children,’ Jacob DE VILLIERS ‘with wife and two children,’ and Pierre DE VILLIERS ‘with wife and one child.’ Abraham married 1689 Susanne GARDIOL, and left nothing but daughters.

Jacob married Marguerite GARDIOL, first baptismal entry 1693. Pierre married Elizabeth TAILLEFER, first baptismal entry 1699.

I have taken a good deal of trouble to find out the relative ages of these brothers, but have only succeeded in ascertaining Jacob’s from a joint will executed 11th Jan. 1719, in which he gives his age as 58 years and describes himself as a native of ‘Borgondien.’ His wife (Marguerite GARDIOL) is stated in the same document to have been born in Provence and to be 45 years old.

The DE VILLIERS are at the present time the most numerous of the Huguenot families here, and are all descendants of Pierre and Jacob.

A family tradition states that four brothers left their home, but the youngest (Paul) after having gone some distance became homesick, turned back, and was never heard of again.

Pierre, Abraham, Jacques, et Paul DE VILLIERS sortirent du royaume de France 1685. Ils etaient fils de Pierre DE VILLIERS. (Archives de La Rochelie.)

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Jacob arrived in South Africa in 1689 on board the Zion accompanied by his brothers Pierre and Abraham.

He owned the following Farms:-

La Bri at Franschoek, Boschendal and Lekkerwyn in Drakenstein

Married to Marguerite Gardiol, 1691 in South Africa

Susanna de Villiers born ca. 1693

Son Abraham de Villiers born 2 October 1707 in Drakenstein

Stamouers

Jacques (Jacob) de VILLIERS, gebore omstreeks 1661, van La Rochelle, daar word gereken dat hulle oorspronklik eintlik van Boergondië gekom het. Met anderwoorde hulle het toe via La Rochelle gevlug. Hulle was Franse Hugenote wat in 1689 op die Zion uitgekom het saam met sy broers Abraham (wat net dogters nagelaat het) en Pierre. Jacob was getroud met Marguerite GARDIOL van Provence, en is op 17 Mei 1735 oorlede. Hy was gevestig te La Brie (1694), Franschoek, en later Boschendal (1717). Hy het 6 seuns en 5 dogters nagelaat.

1. Jan, jonk+

2. Susanna x 9 Jan 1718 Pieter Roux. Op 22 Okt 1735 koop hy La Brie uit sy skoonpa se boedel, en Bourgogne na die dood van die stamvader Pierre.

3. Marie Elisabeth ~ 14 Nov 1695 x 15 Aug 1718 Stephanus Marais

4. Janne ~ 6 Okt 1695 x 11 Des 1729 Willem Adolph Krige

5. Jacobus * 14 Sep 1699 + 1735, plase Nieuwedorp en De Goede Hoop x 1724/5 Louise Joubert weduwee van Jan Lombard

6. David + 1770, boer Vrede en Lust, La Motte en Zion x 17 Nov 1726 Madeleine (Magdalena) de Villiers xx 17 Mei 1750 Elisabeth Hugo

7. Margaretha ~ 9 Aug 1705 x 25 Feb 1725 Gideon Joubert xx 9 Okt 1740 Heinrich Hoppe van Hamburg

8. Abraham ~ 2 Okt 1707 + 5 Jun 1763 boer De Goede Hoop en Rhenosterrug x 29 Mei 1735 Susanna Joubert xx Nov 1737 Johanna Lombard

9. Rachel x 9 Okt 1729 Jacob Hugo xx 22 Sep 1748 Hendrik Francois Moller

10. Jean (Jan) ~ 21 Maart 1717 +1796 erf Bosch en Dal, besit ook Dwars in de Weg, Stellenbosch en Normandie x 16 Maart 1738 Elisabeth Joubert xx 5 Des 1762 Gertruida du Toit

11. Izaak ~ 12 Maart 1719

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Arrival 1689 in Cape of Good Hope

Married to Marguerite Gardiol, 1691 in South Africa

Susanna de Villiers born ca. 1693

Abraham de Villiers born 2 October 1707 in Drakenstein

Ships' Lists: Huguenot Ships: Zion to S. Africa 1689 

Source:Coertzen, Pieter - "The Huguenots of South Africa 1688-1988", Tafelberg Publishers Limited, Cape Town, 1988

SHIPS PASSENGER LISTS

Ships Carrying Huguenots to South Africa

   The Zion Belonged to the Chamber of Delft and  left Nethelands January 9, 1689 arriving Table Bay May 6, 1689 . The only Huguenot passengers were 

* Pierre de Villiers

* Abraham de Villiers

* Jacque de Villiers

Jacob married Marguerite GARDIOL, first baptismal entry 1693. Pierre Married Elizabeth TAILLEFER, first baptismal entry 1699.

The DE VILLIERS are at the present time the most numerous of the Huguenot families here, and are all descendants of Pierre and Jacob.

A family tradition states that four brothers left their home, but the youngest (Paul) after having gone some distance became homesick, turned back, and was never heard of again.

History of La Bri http://www.la-bri.co.za/history.htm

Situated in the imposing amphitheater of the Franschhoek valley, La Bri has been the source of fine wines for centuries.In April 1688, the first 270 French Huguenots settlers landed in Saldana Bay. Exiles from their country, persecuted for their Protestant faith, they left France in search of tolerance and freedom, bringing with them a not insignificant knowledge of viticulture.

The Governor of the Cape, Simon van der Stel, eager to develop the agricultural promise of "the Cape of Good Hope", welcomed the Huguenots and the skills they brought with them. Thus in October 1694, nine French Huguenot settlers were granted farms in "Olifantshoekvallei". The settlers named their farms in memory of their distant homeland. Jacques de Villiers called his portion of the land La Bri. Under his direction the elephant inhabited wilderness became cultivated vineyard. Today we call this valley Franschhoek

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Jacques was born in 1661, probably in the vicinity of Cognac, south west France. As he grew up he probably learnt all about growing vines and making wine from his parents. Because of the persecution of the Huguenots, after Louis XIV's revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, Jacques and his two brothers, Pierre and Abraham fled to Holland. At that time De Heere 17's Verenigde Oos Indiese Companjie [VOIC] operated a trading post at the Cape of Good Hope. Since they found that the Cape was very suitable for wine production, they offered some of the Huguenots refugees who had experience in this field free passage to the Cape. On 16 December 1688 the three de Villiers brothers boarded the 120 foot long barque Zion but, because of bad weather, they only sailed for the Cape, from Texel, on 8 January 1689. After a four months long journey Jacques stepped ashore at the Cape on the morning of 6 May 1689. Here he was granted land in the valley near Franschhoek and he named his farm La Brie. He married another Huguenot, Marguerite Gardiol and a couple of years later they bought the farm Boschendal from his brother Abraham. When Jacques died on 17 May 1735 his son Jean took over the farming on Boschendal.

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A letter from the Chamber of Delft, dated 16 December 1688, stated: With this ship (Zion) we have again permitted the following French Refugees to sail to the Cape and earn their living as freemen, Pierre de Villiers, Abraham de Villiers and Jacob de Villiers, all three brothers born near la Rochelle. We are informed that these persons have a good knowledge of laying out vineyards and managing the same, and thus we hope that the Company will acquire their good service. Jacob, stated in his will in 1719 to be of "Borgondien", and aged 58; married Margaretha Gardiol of Provence, born 1674. He died on 17th May, 1735, and inventory in her estate filed in June, 1749.

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https://familysearch.org/tree/person/L6W3-99R/details?spouse=LKY5-PLC

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Arrive at the Cape on the ship Sion on 6/5/1689.

De Villiers (J.) ; signs as Elder of Drakenstein. (No. 1715-16. 145 ; date, 25th October; exhib., 3rd November.) Memorials, p349

1724 De Villiers (Jacob) ; retires as deacon for Drakenstein. (No. 100 ; date, ?.) Memorials, p361

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GEDCOM Note

Bio notes: Source: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/De_Villiers-114 DE VILLIERS, Abraham, Pierre, and Jacob, three brothers, vine-dressers from the neighbourhood of La Rochelle, arrived here in the Zion on the 6th May 1689. In a despatch from the Chamber of Delft, dated 16th Dec. 1688, and received by the Zion, special reference is made to these three brothers as possessing a good knowledge of the cultivation of the vine, and recommending the Governor to give them every assistance. In this despatch the names are mentioned in the following order (1) Pierre, (2) Abraham, and (3) Jacob, which may perhaps indicate the order of seniority. In the Distribution List 1690 we have Abraham DE VILLIERS ‘with wife and two brothers,’ and among Drakenstein families 1692:--Abraham DE VILLIERS ‘with wife and two children,’ Jacob DE VILLIERS ‘with wife and two children,’ and Pierre DE VILLIERS ‘with wife and one child.’ Abraham married 1689 Susanne GARDIOL, and left nothing but daughters.

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• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Sep 18 2023, 17:21:03 UTC