Cornelis Claasz
M, #6906, b. circa 1630, d. circa 1688
(Witness) Arrival | Jacob Cloete arrived at the Cape on 7 August 1657 shortly before he is granted a vrijbrief in which he is said to be a cadet from Cologne. He does not appear in the ofgraaf- nor monsterrollen for 1656 or 1657. The 1657 monsterol was taken on 31 May 1657, viz. den laesten Maij 1657 — clearly placing his arrival at the Cape between 31 May 1657 and 10 August 1657. In this period, two vessels arrived ex-Patria at the Cape, the Maria from Vlie on 13 July, and the Verenigde Provincien on 7 August. The records reveal that one person left the Maria at the Cape. This was Cornelis Claasz, viz. Cornelis Claassen van Utrecht voor Bosscheieter anno 1657 pr. 't Jacht De Maria voor de Camer Amsterdam aangelant en primo October desselven jaars vrij geworden. Harry Booyens' conclusion Cloete arrived on the Maria therefor cannot be correct. Twelve left the Verenigde Provincien, and one of them was Cloete whose vrijbrief was granted three days later. The next month, on 16 August, Jacob Cloete's son Gerritt Cloete arrives on the Hasselt, viz. Gerrit Cloeten voor Jongen ende Camer Amsterdam anno 1657 met 't Jacht Hasselt aangelant ... the boy was just 6 years old.6,7,8,9 |
Names in the record, in publications, etc. | An unknown date , the name of Cornelis was written in the record as Cornelis Claasen. 13 September 1667, the name of Cornelis was written in the record as Kees de Boer.10 27 October 1678, the name of Cornelis was written in the record as Cornelis Claessen. |
Vrijbriewen and Burgher Status | On 1 October 1657, Cornelis Claasz was granted a vrijbrief or letter of freedom which released him from his contractual obligations to the VOC and accorded him the status of vrijburgher or free burgher. He was recorded as an arquebusier.12 |
Property Transactions | On 30 August 1659 Jan Reijniersz, in deep financial stress due to heavy debt sells to Jan van Riebeeck, 16.666 morgen of land as stipulated in his Land Grant of 15 April 1657 on which there was now a derelict house, erwe, kraal, and damaged farm implements. The land and house was located at the voet of pas between False Bay and the Table Bay harbour, east of Windberg [Wynberg?] to the east the fresh water river Liesbeecw, to the west the hereweg [main road], to the south Hendrick Hendricksz Boom's developed land, and to the north the Company's wild and undeveloped land. He was paid f 525.3.6 in cash which went toward unpaid taxes and debt, except for f 125 in half compensation for two unnamed absconded slaves, and one unnamed deceased female slave, as well as f 100 for a female Angola slave, presumably Isabella van Angola, for whom he was still indebted to the Company in the sum of f 225 - this amount also included 2 sheep and some of the implements/tools. This slave was given to his wife to help him build up again. The transaction also included his cattle and sheep stolen by the Hottentotte. He had owned the property in partnership with Wouter Mostert, but in a transaction on the same date, the latter's half-share was been sold to Cornelis Claasz who, on the 16th of the following month sold it to Jan van Riebeeck.13 |
Citations
- [S647] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, Letters Despatched 1652-1662 to which are added land grants, attestations, Journal of voyage to Tristan da Cunha, names of freemen, &c. Vol III, H.C.V. Leibrandt; (Cape Town, South Africa: W.A. Richards & Sons, Government Printers, 1900), p.264. As above to:- Cornelis Claesz:, of Utrecht, arquebusier, d.d. 1st October, 1657.. Hereinafter cited as Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope.
- [S647] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, p.450. 25th March. Declaration of Claas Lambertsz:,of Alsmeer, cook, and Arent Gerritsz van der Elburgh, cooper, stationed here and made at the request of the burgher Jan Reyniersz:, that Cornelisz: Claasz:, of Utrecht, also a burgher, had confessed to them that the child of the female slave Ysabelle owned by J. Reyniersz:, was his child, &c.
- [S654] Mansell Upham 'What can't be cured, must be endured … Cape of Good Hope - first marriages & baptisms (1652-1665)', First Fifty Years, Uprooted Lives - Unfurling the Cape of Good Hope's Earliest Colonial Inhabitants (1652-1713), (http://e-family.co.za/ffy/ui66.htm), January 2012. "25 March 1661: Cornelis Claessz: [‘Kees de Boer’] (from Utrecht) [Isabella van Angola] - Mansell Upham notes that the relationship between Kees de Boer & Isabella van Angola was alleged, but never proven, and unlikely."
- [S392] NGK G1 1/1, Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, Kerken Boek (Mar), 1665-1695: Den 15 Dito (Maart)
Cornelis Claasz van Uytregt vrijborger en Catharina van Malbaar, transcribed by Richard Ball, Norfolk, England, (May 2006), Genealogical Society of South Africa, eGSSA Branch http://www.eggsa.org/. Hereinafter cited as Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, Kerken Boek (Mar).
- [S331] Webpage Ball Family Records (www.ballfamilyrecords.co.uk).
- [S647] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, p.264. As above to:- Jacob Cloeten, of Cologne, cadet, d.d. 10th August, 1657.
- [S351] Grahame Naudé, "Dutch East India Company Shipping", Familia (DEIC Shipping) 43 Number 1 (2006): Details of voyage 0871.1 from Vlie
Number 0871.1
Name of ship MARIA
Master Bording, Klaas Fransz.
Tonnage 120
Type of ship jacht
Built
Yard Amsterdam
Chamber Amsterdam
Date of departure 10-04-1657
Place of departure Vlie
Arrival at Cape 13-07-1657
Departure from Cape 18-07-1658
Date of arrival at destination
Place of arrival
Particulars Remained for service at the Cape. From 10-09-1657 till 29-05-1658 to Angola. The ship departed from the Cape to Batavia with 35 men. It was laid up and sold at Batavia, 13-08-1669.
Next homeward voyage
On Board I II III IV V VI
Seafarers 38 0 1
Details of voyage 0873.8 from Wielingen to Batavia
Number 0873.8
Name of ship VERENIGDE PROVINCIEN
Master Nesse, Andries v. after the Cape: Dalen, Pieter v.
Tonnage 1100
Type of ship
Built 1643
Yard Zeeland
Chamber Zeeland
Date of departure 13-04-1657
Place of departure Wielingen
Arrival at Cape 07-08-1657
Departure from Cape 27-08-1657
Date of arrival at destination 25-10-1657
Place of arrival Batavia
Particulars The men who embarked at the Cape came from the HASSELT and the MARIA. The master, Andries van Nesse, was dismissed because of adultery with the wife of the onderkoopman. According to Van Riebeek, II, 153, the ship departed from the Wielingen with 263 men.
Next homeward voyage 5465.8
On Board I II III IV V VI
Seafarers 276 7 12 50 7 200
Soldiers 32 124
Passengers 0 15
Details of voyage 0870.1 from Vlie
Number 0870.1
Name of ship HASSELT
Master Moker, Jakob Hendriksz.
Tonnage 365
Type of ship pinas
Built 1656
Yard Amsterdam
Chamber Amsterdam
Date of departure 10-04-1657
Place of departure Vlie
Arrival at Cape 16-08-1657
Departure from Cape
Date of arrival at destination
Place of arrival
Particulars Remained for service at the Cape, and probably sailed to Batavia later on. Sailing to Arakan in 1665/66 it was wrecked.
Next homeward voyage
On Board I II III IV V VI
Seafarers 152 1 49
Soldiers 32. Hereinafter cited as "Dutch East India Company Shipping."
- [S836] Vrijboek 1681 for de Caep de Goede Hoop (Cape Town) (Genealogical Society of South Africa, eGSSA Branch http://www.eggsa.org/). (The monsterrolle or muster rolls were in effect a population census. In my view they were likely based on ships' musters of the period.).
- [S495] Harry Booyens, "Jacob and Fijtje Cloeten “van Ut in ’t Land van Ceulen”", Familia (Jacob and Fijtje Cloeten) FAMILIA 46 (1) 2009 (2009): All this would have taken considerably more than three days to achieve, making the Maria of 13 July 1657 his likely ship of arrival.. Hereinafter cited as "Jacob and Fijtje Cloeten “van Ut in ’t Land van Ceulen”."
- [S392] NGK G1 1/1, Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, Kerken Boek (Mar): ao' 1683
eodem dito [den 4. Julij]
Pieter Gerrits zoo, Jonghman, vryburgh en Aedriantie stiefdogter van Kees de boer, May 2006, Genealogical Society of South Africa, eGSSA Branch http://www.eggsa.org/
- [S647] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, p.294.
- [S647] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, p.264. As above to:- Cornelis Claesz:, of Utrecht, arquebusier, d.d. 1st October, 1657.
- [S853] J.L. (Leon) Hattingh, "Kaapse noteriële stukke waarin slawe van vryburgers en amptenare vermeld word (1658 - 1730? 1670)", Kronos - Kaapse noteriële stukke waarin slawe van vryburgers en amptenare vermeld word (1658 - 1730? 1670) 15 (1988): 30.8.1659 T3 TI6 CTD I, p.140
Jan Reijniersz van Amsterdam, vryburger, verklaar ten einde uit sy nood en groot ‘ireparable’ skuld gehelp en gered te word, verkoop hy aan kommandeur Jan van Riebeecq sy 16 en twee-derde morge grond, synde sy helfte te wees van sy gesamentlike besitting met Comelis Claesz van Uijtrecht, asook die helfte van die ‘qual[lijk] halft volmaeckte ende sonderwandt oft muijr gansch reddeloos vervallende huijs, erwe, crael ende tegenwoordigh gans wijnigh by synde verdorven onbequame landtbouw gereedtschapen die alfoor wijnigh maer veel minzes voorsz huijs gebruijckt cunnen worden sonder alvooren noodigh reparatie met groote costen te doen daer toe sich den vercoper en transporteur onvermoogen bent, ende mits 't roven vande beesten soodanigh in't underspit ende-schuldigh leght dat noodtsaken daer aen een stercke handt verrijst tot weder op reghtinge …’ Die land en huis is geleë aan die voet of pas tussen ‘Baaij falce’ en Tafelbaaihawe, oos van Windberg, aan die oostekant daarvan die ‘verserivier Liesbeecq’, aan die westekant die groot hereweg, aan die suidekant Hendrick Boom se bewerkte land en aan die noordekant die woeste en onbewerkte grond van die Kompanjie, volgens die grondbrief van 15 April 1657. Die word verkoop vir f 525.3.6 in kontant waarmee al sy belastings en skulde vrygekoop word, behalwe f 125 vir die helfte van twee weggeloopte slawe en een ‘gestorven slavin’ asook f 100 vir ‘n Angolese slavin in sy besit. Die slavin, op rekening van die Kompanjie gekoop, twee skape en party van die gereedskap, saam f 225, bly hy nog skuldig. Die slavin, ‘alleen ten vollen waerdigh’, word aan sy vrou gelaat om [hom] weer op die been te help. [Kantaantekening: Hy doen ook afstand van die beeste en skape wat die Hottentotte van hom geroof het. As hulle ooit teruggevind word, is hulle inbegrepe in die oordrag.] [Comelis Claesz het op die dag die eienaar van die ander helfte geword toe hy dit van Wouter Cornelisz Mostert gekoop het. Sien T5, p.147. Met T7, p.149 verkoop Cornelis Claesz op 16 September 1659 ook sy helfte aan Jan van Riebeeck.]
1.9.1659 CTD I, p. 125 [Deels verlore]
Jan Reijniersz van Amsterdam, vryburger, skuld die Kompanjie 225 carolus gulde Waarvan f 100 vir die koop van ‘n ‘Angoolse’ slavin is en f 125 vir die helfte van twee weggeloopte slawe en 'n afgesterfde slavin wat hy van die Kompanjie gekoop, en met die verkoop van sy huis, nog uitstaande was. Hy belowe om die bedrag sover moontlik in geld te betaal maar ook in sodanige goedere as wat die Kompanjie bereid sal wees om te neem. Die slavin word as pand beskou. [Geen name en ouderdomme van die slawe is vermeld.]. Hereinafter cited as "Kaapse noteriële stukke waarin slawe van vryburgers en amptenare vermeld word (1658 - 1730? 1670)."
- [S331] Webpage Ball Family Records (www.ballfamilyrecords.co.uk) "http://www.ballfamilyrecords.co.uk/robberts/I022.html."