Louis François Esselen, SV/PROG

Source: Ancestry24: Geneology of Old South African Families (GOSAF)

Esselen, Louis François (Franz) (*Hofgeismarin Hesse, Ger., 15.3.1817 - †Worcester, 28.6.1893), Rhenish missionary, was the son of Nicolaus Esselen and his wife, Wilhelmine Kersting. Having completed his training at Barmen, he was sent to South Africa in 1840. Under the guidance of the Rev. P.D. Luckhoffof the Rhenish Mission at Stellenbosch, where E. first ministered to the young people, he shortly afterwards started in the new district, Sarepta, which under him soon became an independent parish. In 1848 he was transferred to the mission station at Worcester. Here discord among previous missionaries made it difficult to put the parish into running order, but it soon recovered under his dedicated handling, and he preached, taught and worked for charity in both the town and the district. Worcester in fact became financially independent by 1849 and E. made additions to the church and the school (800 pupils). It grew into a model mission station, over which, in recognition of his services, he was appointed superintendent by the Mission Society. When in about 1870 between thirty and forty German immigrants settled in Worcester and its environs, E. acted as spiritual father to them until an independent Lutheran parish was established. All told, he worked in Worcester for forty-six years. On 18.2.1845 he married Catherine Wilhelmine Knobel in St Stephen's Church, Cape Town. Two of their sons, Judge Ewald A. Esselen and Daniel J. Esselen,played important parts in the old Transvaal Republic. Their daughter Anna married the Rev. C.F. Leipoldt whose fourth child became the poet C. Louis Leipoldt. E.'s grandson, Louis Esselen, held a key position in the United Party as chief secretary.

Source: Ancestry Library World Tree Project http://awt.ancestrylibrary.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=flakey&id=... ID: I101703016 Name: Louis Francois Esselen Given Name: Louis Francois Surname: Esselen Prefix: Reverend Suffix: Rev. Sex: M Death: 28 Jun 1893 _UID: 88F0C3E67B5D4E3BB5C8599A9D60DAB079FA Marriage 1 Catharina Wilhelmina Knobel b: 6 Sep 1821 in South Africa c: 11 Nov 1821 in Cape Town Married: 18 Dec 1845 in St. Stephens, Cape Town

• Updated from MyHeritage Match via son Georg Ferdinand Esselen by SmartCopy: Sep 4 2014, 23:09:01 UTC

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