Johann Melchior Frick

From The Swiss at the Cape of Good Hope 1652-1971 - Adolphe Linder.

Frick, Jan (Hans) Melchior baptised Steckborn TG 3.12.1689, died Paarl December 1741, grandson of Hans Melchior Frick and son of Christophel Frick and his wife Anna Bassler. [1] Arrived 2.10.1721 on Krooswijk for Kamer Rotterdam. He did duty as a soldier in various regiments stationed at the Cape. After his initial contract of four years expired he elected to continue in the service of the Company. [2 & 3]

During peacetime soldiers were required to perform whatever work made the best use of their talents to the benefit of the Company. Perhaps Frick, being literate, was assigned to do clerical work at the Castle where a Paarl farmer got to know him. In 1728, with Frick’s consent, this farmer loaned him for two years to teach his children. [4] Frick found his surroundings – the beautiful Paarl valley and the free and god-fearing farming community – much to his liking. He adapted quickly and was soon accepted as an equal, becoming a member of the church. After two years he accepted a teaching contract with yet another Huguenot farmer, Andries du Toit, [5] and at the same time applied to the Governor for release from Company service.6 The two farmers must have been very satisfied with his teaching abilities: when in 1733 the sextant of the Drakenstein (Paarl) church resigned to go full-time farming, Charl du Plessis and Andries du Toit presented Frick to the church elders with the recommendation that he be employed as sextant and teacher. This was approved unanimously and Frick was told to report back to their next meeting when the rules for the school would be ready for adoption and his appointment could be finalised. [7]

As sextant Frick was provided with a house which at his request was nicely repaired. Then, being nearly 44 years old, he lost no time in bringing home a bride, 20 year old Maria Marais, the daughter of yet another Huguenot farmer, Charles Marais. [7]

Everything was gong really well for Frick. Through his wife he had family relationships in the community and as the years [8] passed she bore him two sons and two daughters.

His financial position also improved, and in 1737 he applied to the Governor for a plot of land near the church on which to build a small house. [9]

In those times a man of fifty was considered to be old and his end near. A few days before his 52nd birthday, he died. It must have been a sad blow for his young wife Maria, to be suddenly left a widow with four young children and the fifth on the way – it was born four months after Frick had been buried.

The children:

1. Charl Christoffel baptised 9.1.1735, died Paarl 7.2.1821. 1770 bought the farm De Hoop of 51,8 ha at Daljosaphat, where he reared cattle and sheep and made wine. [10]
2. Anna Maria baptised 1.7.1736, married Barend Paul Pietersen.
3. Johannes Hendrik baptised 25. 5.1738, died Paarl 7.9.1767.
4. . Hester baptised 3.1.1740, married Hendrik Diederick Mohr of Elmshoorn, the progenitor of the Mohr family at the Cape.
5. Melchior Stephanus baptised 4.3.1742, died Cape Town 13.9.1790.

References for above extract.

• / 1 CH, Frauenfeld TG, Staatsarchiv des Kantons Thurgau;
  
• 2 Leibbrandt: Requesten 1729-1732, p. 116;
  
• 3 KAB, MR 1722-23, 1725 and 1728; NL, ARA, MR 1722-1723, 1725;
  
• 4 KAB, CJ 2882:20;
  
• 5 KAB, CJ 2882:127;
  
• 6 Leibbrandt: Requesten 1729-1732, p. 116;
  
• 7 Pama: Groot Afrikaanse Familie-naamboek, p. 124;
  
• 8 KAB, VC 50 MR 1734-1741;
  
• 9 Leibbrandt: Requesten 1737-1738:5;
  
• 10 KAB, DO, T4339, 1770.3.10.