Philippus Albertus Myburgh

Baptism record - Philip Albert Mijburg, 10 September 1747: http://eggsa.org/transcriptions/stellenbosch/g2-4-2/StellG2-4-2-050...

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Die Myburghs van Suid-Afrika (1988: Witnesses at baptism: Albert Myburgh the elder and Catharina Pasman.
In 1796, P.A. owned 5 loan-farms in Graaff-Reinet (frontier country?), various loan-farms in the north-west, and was the owner of Meerlust, Vredenburg and other farms in the Boland (today the Cape Winelands area).
Died 3 June 1813 and buried at Meerlust.

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According to the Wikitree entry, Philip Albert Meijburgh was the 2nd generation Meijburgh owner of Meerlust. He was a patriot and pioneer, and at the helm at Meerlust from 1788-1813. He was married to Hesther Anna van der Bijl [daughter of] Gerrit van der Bijl, owner of Vredenburg next door. Together they had 14 children; however they lost 5 sons between 1778 till 1785." (From Meerlust: 300 years of hospitality, by Phillida Brooke Simons.)

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Story of PA's part in the Cape Patriots story, according to the Myburghs book, follows. (For more information about the Cape Patriots, and relateted matters, see below.):

In 1779, he was one of the four heemraden (members of a council assisting a local magistrate) from Stellenbosch and Drakenstein who went to Governor van Plettenburg with a petition of 300-400 burgers from Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Drakenstein to request sending deputation to the Netherlands about the banishment of Carel Hendrick Buitendag.

In 1784, he was together with his father (Johannes) one of the 15 Chosen Representatives to represent the “citizens of Cape Town and outlying districts”. During the same year, a direct address was directed to the Staten-Generaal in Netherlands without intervention by the VOC. Philip and his father Johannes were both signatories.

In 1785 Philip and his father guaranteed payment for the deputation to the Netherlands and in 1788 they signed the money report of the Second Deputation. One of the most notable leaders of the Patriots was Cornelis van der Poel, who was married to Philip’s sister, Elsje Elisabeth. He was also Captain of the 2nd Company of Burger Infantry (2de Companjie Burgerinfanterie).

During 1795 and the first British military occupation of the Cape, Philip and his sons played an active role in the public life of the Cape. In a letter from General Craig to magistrate (Landdrost) Van Der Riet about the wheat shortage, he wrote: “Amongst those acting in this manner is Phil. Albertus Meyburg being in your district who is known to have a very considerable quantity of wheat, has not sent in one muid as yet. I therefore request that you please send me a copy of the proclamation to him by a proper officer who will carefully deliver it and who will at the same time inform the said Meyburg that it is particularly levelled at him and such as him. Plus a threat that 25 dragoons with their horses will live at free quarters on his farm until such time as he has sent his grain to Cape Town for sale!”.

In 1797 the members of the Krygsraad (Council of War) of Stellenbosch asked for their resignation and refused to renew the oath of office. (??) Lord Macartney recommended that they do it immediately. There were 22 soldiers posted at PA Snr, 10 at each of his adult sons (Johannes Albertus, Gerhard and PA Jnr) and 10 by family members D.J. Morkel, Philip Morkel of Klapmuts and Cloete of Paarl (Drakenstein).

The Landdrost (magistrate) of Stellenbosch, Van der Riet, and the Council sent a list of the burgers who had not signed the Oath of Allegiance to the British. Amongst others: Gerhard and Philippus Jnr Myburgh; Paul, Jacobus and Tielman Roux (sons of Jacobus Roux) and brothers of Joh. Alb. Myburgh (PA Snr). (??)

In the time of Batavian rule and under the authority of Gen. Janssens, there was a series of gatherings in the Tuynhuis in Cape Town. 28 possibilities of advancement or development of the Cape Colony were discussed. According to the Kaapshe Courant (12 June 1805), the 28th one, relating to education, was passed by the men present: Rhencius, Kirsten, van Ryneveld, Louw, van R. van Oudtshoorn, Mattiesen, Bergh, Breda, Myburgh, van Reenen, Cloete, Cruywagen, Truter, Eksteen, Vos.

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Further information on the Cape Patriots:
- Wikipedia entry on Gov. van Plettenberg: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joachim_van_Plettenberg#Cape_Town
- New History of South Africa (2007), pp. 70-71 (http://www.worldcat.org/title/new-history-of-south-africa/oclc/8452...)
- Carel Buitendag: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Buitendag-10
- Lord Macartney: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Macartney,_1st_Earl_Macartney – Governor of the Cape, end 1796-Nov 1798.

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EENZAAMHEID 60m

9.7.1693 OSF 1 345 Claas Hendriksz Diepenauw

13. 9.1715 T 1052 Adam Tas van boedel Diepenauw

1. 9.1722 T 1480 Philip Morkel van boedel Tas

25. 10.1764 T 3998 Johannes Albertus Myburgh getroud met Sophia Margaretha Morkel van boedel Catharina Pasman wed Philip Morkel

18. 9.1790 T 6498 Philip Albert Myburgh J.A. zn van wed J.A.

21. 6.1816 T 151 Philip Albertus Myburgh Jr van boedel Sr

31. 6.1843 T 727 Philippus Albertus & Jacobus Myburgh van boedel P.A. Myburgh Jr

9. 12.1874 (135)

17.8.1877 (328)

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Voorgelegen 116 Dorp Street By Penny Pistorius and Stewart Harris Farm Owners (Harmen Jansz. (Potgieter), Voorgelegen 1680-c. 1712) Beyleveld, Marthinus Before 1785-c1793 Original owner of all the properties in the Rhenish quarter. In 1785 he already owned a house on the Braak (later called Kronlein House, site of the 1905 school). In 1785 he was granted more land north of it and that year built the core of the Rhenish Parsonage which is at the back of the present H shape. In 1787 he was granted the Rhenish Institute site and when he sold it the same year there was a house on it. All these buildings were single storey and thatched. The 1785 Schumacher panorama shows two substantial but simple buildings in the area (below the L shaped mill). They are possibly Kronlein House and the core of the Rhenish Parsonage. It is not known if Beyleveld increased the Parsonage to the present H shape – he sold the property in 1793 and it has a c1815 period gable. He was born in Amsterdam, came to the Cape and became a Burgher, married Abigael Johanna Combrink in 1782, had 9 children 1785-98. Von Desch, JN 1787-unknown Bought Rhenish Institute property in 1787 when it already had a house on it.

Myburgh, Philip Albert 1793-unknown Born in 1747, he married Hester Anna van der Byl (14 children 1771-95). He was a Heemraad member who after his retirement in 1777 helped map the outlying districts of Swellendam. He acquired the property later called the Rhenish Parsonage in 1793. He died in 1813; Fransen dates the gable to the period 1815; so Myburgh might (just) have built it, and indeed might have extended the building to its present H shape. Victor, Johannes 1797- c1820 Stellenbosch Burgher and fire-warden appointed to man a new fire-engine in 1780 – the beginning of an organized fire brigade. Acquired a portion of the mill’s land in 1797 and immediately built single storey thatched houses on the Dorp Street edge, 112 Dorp Street and Voorgelegen (116-8 Dorp Street) which may have been H shaped from the beginning. Died before 1824 by which time his widow was owner. Mrs Victor, Johannes 1797- c1820 Her husband built several houses along Dorp Street in 1797 which she acquired after his death before 1824. She sold 112 Dorp Street to her son Jacobus that year and sold her home Voorgelegen to another son, Wynand, in 1836. Palm, Jan Willem 1804- Purchased the corn mill Nieuwe Molen from Landdrost and Heemraden in 1804 (by which time adjacent Voorgelegen section had been divided off). Among his responsibilities were keeping the millstream in good order below the mill. Palm’s mill was sold in 1870 to William Hunt. Victor, Jacobus Daniel 1824- Bought 112 Dorp Street (Merweda) from his mother in 1824. He was a well know silversmith who carried on his trade there. Leipoldt, Rev J 1828- Rhenish missionary after whom Leipoldt house is named. He was one of the first group of four missionaries who arrived at the Cape in 1829 and was instrumental in getting Rev PD Luckhoff to establish a Stellenbosch mission. Victor, Wynand 1836-1851 Acquired Voorgelegen from his mother in 1836 and owned it till 1851. Zuikersman or Suijkerman, Elizabeth 1840s- A widow who owned Kronlein House. In 1850 she married Rev G Terlinden and they lived there till her death in 1861. Terlinden, Rev G 1850-1872 Minister of the Rhenish community who married widow Elizabeth Zuikersman in 1850. She owned Kronlein House where the couple lived. In 1860 he bought the outbuildings of the adjacent property to prevent it being sold as a railway hotel. His wife died in 1861 and in 1862 he bought the rest of the adjacent house which he gave to the Rhenish Institute for a school and boarding house. At his death in 1872 it was left by will to the Mission. Reitz, Gysbert Jan Carel 1851-82 Acquired Voorgelegen in 1851 and sold it to his son-in-law in 1882. He put new windows on the ground floor but it was raised to two storeys after his time. He was born 1797, became a Cape Town notary, married twice: Geesje Wilhelmina Karnspek (3 children 1821-28); Hester Susanna Joubert (4 children 1831-41, the youngest of whom married the next owner Dr C Smuts). Luckhoff, Rev Paul Daniel 1860 Head of the Rhenish Mission station at Stellenbosch who arrived as missionary 1829. He undertook teaching of slaves from 1832, expanded the church to its present size in 1840 and founded a school for Missionaries’ daughters in 1860. Born in Elberfeld 1803, married Johanna Susanna Albertyn 1833 (4 children 1836-51), died at Stellenbosch 1891. Detailed account of his work in Smuts ed 1979:284-6 and in Meiring et al1993:75-7. Voigt, Miss Bertha 1860-1882 First Principal of Rhenish Institute, under whose management the school prospered. By 1866 there were 29 boarders and 18 day girls and the school had become self-supporting. She introduced teacher training in 1874, retired in 1882. Joubert, JD (Japie) 1866 Owned an erf at 120 Dorp Street on which he built a school for boys, the running of which he helped fund. Meiring & van Huyssteen write, “Oom Japie Joubert must have been a remarkably generous person. In the beginning he received £75 a year in rent, but when the Gymnasium later experienced financial difficulties, he reduced the rental to £60 – a mere £5 a month – and still later to as little as £50 a year. Of one thing we can be sure: Oom Japie was not a greedy man and would never have become rich on the rent he collected” Anderson, Rev Charles 1866- Born in Scotland, who from 1867 he was a teacher at and then rector of the Stellenbosch Gymnasium in Dorp Street which had 123 pupils by 1874 when it moved to a new location. Contributors to Smuts ed 1979:358 write that his pupils found him unpredictable, excessively strict one moment and unexpectedly tolerant the next. With his steel-rimmed spectacles up on his forehead – “just to look learned” – he was a source of amusement to his charges, who also found his Scots accent and odd mannerisms endlessly entertaining. The folksong “Wat Maak Oom Kalie Daar?” refers to him. But he was an excellent teacher, and he and his two assistants managed before the end of 1873 to put four of their pupils through the examination for the Second-Class Certificate, the later BA. He owned Faure House in Plein Street 1873-79. As a result of dissention, resigned and retired to Scotland in 1879. Hunt, William 1870- Bought the Nieuwe Molen in 1870, replaced the original building with a three-storeyed mill over the millstream. Kronlein, Mrs Sophie 1872-1899 Sister of Rev G Terlinden who left her the Kronlein House in 1872. She bequeathed it to the Rhenish Mission at her death in 1899. Smuts, Dr Cornelis 1882-unknown Medical doctor who practised in Stellenbosch from the 1850s. Married Johanna MF Reitz (born 1841) and acquired Voorgelegen from his father-in-law GJC Reitz in 1882. He was probably responsible for making it double storeyed. He sold it to his son-in-law Dr Macpherson. Prominent citizen, member of the first council of Stellenbosch College. Parker, John 1905 Prolific Cape Town architect and public citizen who designed the Rhenish School, built in 1905. Dr Macpherson Early1900s-1946 “The little Scot”, Edinburgh-trained medical doctor who started practising in Stellenbosch in the early 1900s. Active in civic affairs, ambulance service, jointly responsible for starting Queen Victoria Hospital. He bought Voorgelegen from his father-in-law Dr C Smuts and sold it to his daughter in 1946. See also Mrs Macpherson, below. Mrs Macpherson Unknown-1946 Daughter of Dr C Smuts, the previous owner, and wife of Dr Macpherson who bought Voorgelegen. Margaret Hoskyn 1979:30 remembers, “The garden also contained a miniature zoo in which intrepid little ‘Mrs Mac’, the doctor’s wife, kept a lion cub as well as lemurs, marmosets, monkeys, tortoises and snakes. [%E2%80%A6] Mrs Mac was keenly interested in fishing and when engaged in the sport in the Eerste River used to wear her husband’s waders, which came up almost to her armpits.” Sim, Morna I 1946- Daughter of Dr Macpherson, she acquired Voorgelegen in 1946 and owned it till 1964. She was born in 1905, and married Prof James Taylor Robertson Sim. De Vries, JP 1964-c1978 Acquired Voorgelegen in 1964. Found the property too expensive to maintain and proposed demolition in the 1970s. Public outcry. Sold it to Stellenbosch Municipality c1978. Fox, Revel c1965 Architect, town planner and politician who restored Rhenish complex in late 1960s.

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