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About Petrus Johannes de Witt
Official records show that in 1691 the population of the Cape consisted of 1000 Europeans and 400 slaves. By 1717 this had risen to 2500 Europeans, in most cases farmers, and 2500 Slaves. The slaves had mostly been transported to the Cape from Batavia. In 1785 the Governor was van de Graaff; Graff-Reinet was founded and Kapstadt was now a town of 4300 settlers “without counting the blacks and sailors”. Stellenbosch was the major farming settlement.
In 1794 The Dutch East India Company went bankrupt and in 1795 the English seized the colony. In 1795 the Settlers in the colony numbered nearly 16,000 and there were 16,839 slaves. In 1802 the Amiens Treaty handed the colony back to the Netherlands (now the Batavia Republic) but the colony was retaken by the English on the 18th of January 1806 at Blauwberg.
Petrus Johannes de Wit was born on 23rd August 1716 at Cape Town. The son of Jan de Wit he was the first generation of de Wits born in South Africa. He was a farmer, a member of various public associations, a “burgher-counseler” and a “Commisioner-civiel”. From his parents he inherited the farm Stellenberg and became the first exporter of aloe juice. Initially he monopolised this trade but later other farmers were allowed to export it.
Petrus Johannes de Wit was first married to Anna Margaretha Sandenberg in 1750. She was the daughter of Hercules Sandenberg and Geertruij Catharina Nissen. From this marriage they had two children. At the age of 39 he married the 17 year old Aletta Jocaba Blankenberg on 15th february 1756 in Cape Town. She was the daughter of Johannes Hendricus Blankenberg and Anna Margaretha van der Heyden. From this marriage, they had eleven children. (Gerda Pieterse sent me a copy of her translation of a 25 page document which constitutes the last will and testament of Petrus Johannes de Wit and Aletta Jacoba Blankenberg made on 7th October 1756. It details the property and slaves they owned)
In the name of God Amen
For all who may be concerned with the contents of this public instrument it is made known that on this seventh day of the month October in the year of our Lord and Saviour Jesu Christi one thousand seven hundred and fifty six in the afternoon at five o' clock appeared before me, CHRISTIAAN RUDOLPH NEETHLING, Secretary of the Honourable Law Council of this Government and in the presence of the witnesses named hereafter, in person, the Orphan Master of this city PETRUS JOHANNES DE WIT and miss ALETTA JACOBA BLANCKENBERGH both born at the Cape of Good Hope, a married couple well known to me and the witnesses alike, walking and standing, sound of mind, senses and speech as was clear on the passing [of this document] , who made known their intentions to dispose of their worldly belongings, testifying that they are doing this of their own free will, and without induction or persuasion of anybody in the world.
Secondly they revoke herewith all previous wills, codicils and other promises of this nature that they made before this will, either separately or together, and that any of these will be null and void and marked as never having been passed at all.
The Testator declares that he gave each child of his previous 'bed' their Mother's part to which they were entitled and that this was done to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Honourable Law Council on the 3rd of Ocober of this year before committing himself to the second marriage, but that these items are still in the estate as such.
The Testator bequeaths all his personal belongings, gold, silver, linene and clothing to his son, to be shared equally with all other sons born of the present marriage, and this to be shared without it becoming part of the estate. If any of the sons is no longer alive his part will be forwarded to his descendants, if any.
The Testatrice bequeaths all her personal belongings, gold, silver, jewellery, linen and clothing to her daughters, and in the event that she has no daughters of her own, to her stepdaughter MARIA DE WIT.
They also bequeath all linen, tablecloths, serviettes and towels to be shared equally amongst the children without becoming part of the estate. If any of the daughters is no longer alive, then her part will be forwarded to her children, if any.
If either Testator should pass away without leaving any child orv children in this world they institute as heirs his mother MARIA ADRIAANSE, widow of Councillor JAN DE WIT in case of his death and her parents JOHANNES HENRICUS BLANKENBERG and ANNA MARGARETHA VAN DER HEIJDE in case of her's. Either party inheriting half the estate in this case.
Pama Geslagsregisters van Suid Afrikaanse Families
First Marriage to Anna Mararetha Sandeberg 13 April 1738
Married to Aletta Jacoba Blankenberg, 15 February 1756 in Cape Town
Willem Adriaan de Wit born 25 May 1766 in Cape of Good Hope
Name: Petrus Johannes Dewitt
Event Type: Baptism
Event Date: 23 Aug 1716
Event Place: Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
Residence Place: Gender: Age: Marital Status: Birth Date: Birth Year (Estimated): Father's Name: Jan Dewitt
Mother's Name: Maria Adriaansz
Parents' Residence Place: Spouse's Name: Spouse's Age: Spouse's Marital Status: Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): Spouse's Residence Place: Record Type: Entry Number: 8
Page: GS Film number: 2214107
Digital Folder Number: 4322620
Image Number: 00102
Citing this Record:
"South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Registers (Cape Town Archives), 1660-1970 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRL9-N2X : 4 December 2014), Petrus Johannes Dewitt, 23 Aug 1716, Baptism; citing p. , Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, State Archives, Cape Province; FHL microfilm 2,214,107.
- Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: May 28 2021, 18:03:33 UTC
1742 Cape Muster Roll:
In the 1742 Cape muster roll Jan de Wit is recorded with Maria Adriaanse and two daughters
the next entry is for Petrus Johannes de Wit (their son)
At the bottom of the page Thomas de Wit and Elisabeth delitz[sic] are recorded with 1 daughter
view all 16
Petrus Johannes de Witt's Timeline
| 1716 |
August 23, 1716
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Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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August 23, 1716
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Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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| 1751 |
May 23, 1751
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Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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| 1752 |
July 16, 1752
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Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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| 1756 |
May 12, 1756
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Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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| 1758 |
August 13, 1758
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| 1760 |
May 4, 1760
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Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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| 1762 |
May 31, 1762
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Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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| 1764 |
May 6, 1764
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Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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| 1766 |
May 25, 1766
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Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
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