Ione Mary Brand

Ione Brand aged 16 (1936) in Cape Town

My grandmother on my father's side was known as "Ione Mary Brand" and was this was how her marriage certificate and death certificate lists her names.  Ione was born on 01 November 1920 and baptised on 05 November 1920. Ione worked at the Cape Times (a newspaper based in Cape Town, South Africa) until she got married to Pieter Johannes De Buys on 14 May 1939 at St Mary's Cathedral, Cape Town.  Ione died on 08 December 1986.

Her parents were Fleetwood Reginald Louis Felix Brand (died 10 May 1962) and Margaretha (Marguerite) Johanna Basson (born 29 April 1888, died in 1961 of at stroke at home, which was 26 Cauvin Road, District Six, Cape Town, South Africa)

Johanna's baptism record

I recently, however, found her baptism record and was quite surprised when I found that it listed her as "Johanna Elizabeth Brand".

Does anyone know of any reason why Ione changed her names and/or when she changed them?

Jerusalem-Gangers: From the Cape to Jerusalem

The river which the Jerusalem-ganagers believed was the Nile

The first white settler in the Marico was Coenraad De Buys who arrived in the area in about 1815. Other settlers started moving into the region from 1844 onwards. One particular group found around the 1850's, living in the Enzelsberg, became known as the Jerusalem-gangers.

They were visited by Rev Andrew Murray, a well travelled Dutch Reformed Minister, at the time and engaged in fierce theological dispute with him.  The group concluded that he must be the antichrist and Rev Murray barely escapes being stoned.

Their spokesman, Jan Adam Enslin elected to lead the group to Jerusalem.  Jan was born on the 17th of June 1800 and died in 1852 during a malaria outbreak.  Jan's parents were Johann Adam Enslin (born 26 Jul 1772, died 18 Sep 1812, Paarl) and Maria Magdalena Ackerman. Johan Adam married Cornelia Aletta Viljoen and had 3 children.

Their objective was to find the source of the Nile after which it should be child's play to get to Egypt, and from there reach the promised land with the aid of the maps at the back of their Bibles. Enslin, it seems, died of fever before the pilgrimage had commenced.

Undeterred however, they set off, believing steadfastly that if they travelled long and far enough, they would find the Holy Land and a pyramid-shaped hill nearby strengthened their conviction that they had crossed Africa and reached Egypt.  They found a north-flowing river and, believing it was the Nile, christened it the Eye of the Nile, which is close to present day Nylstroom. The river was known to the locals as Mokgalakwena ('fierce crocodile').  The village of Nylstroom was laid out on a farm in February 1866. Today the town of Nylstroom has been renamed Modimolle after the prominent hill close by which the locals regard as their holy mountain (Modimolle meaning ‘god has devoured’). It is believed that they did not get beyond the Waterberg area.

Source:
Groot Marico
Modimolle
Kletskerk
North West History: Jan Adam Enslin
Ancestry.com
Image source: http://www.places.co.za/html/nylstroom.html

De Buys information wanted

I am looking for information on the following De Buys families and/or information about them:

• Alfred De Buys (born 1899/08/03, died 1966/11/20) who married Rachel De Bruyn (born 1898/11/02, died about 1979) and they had Alfred, Joyce, Ruben, Agnes, Muriel, Ernest and Cecil De Buys
• Coenderaad Wellem (Coenraad Willem?) De Buys (born 1880, died 1925) who was married to Anna Naude (born 1887) and had Pieter Bieno De Buys
• Coenraad Willem De Buys (born estimated: 1850) who married/had a relationship with Margaretha Maria Koopman and had Catharina Maria Adriana, Margaretha Catharina and Wilhemina Christina
• Coenraad Willem De Buys (born estimated: 1870) who was married to Elsie Susanna De Beer and had Joseph Benoni De Buys (born 09/03/1895, died 10/05/1945)
• Elisa Gabriel Michael De Buys (died 1967) who was married to Magrieta Magdalena Ludick (died 1977) and they had Maria, Hendrik, Koenraad, Anna, Mooitjie and Jurie De Buys
• Johannes De Buys (born 14/08 year estimated as 1930) who was married to a Catherine and they had Johannes, Frederick, Sarah, Ester, Pixie, Bokkie De Buys
• Johannes De Buys (born estimated: 1940) had (at least) 2 children: Manie and Pieter Johannes
• Johannes Gerhardus Hendrica Jeremias De Buys (born about 1859) who was married to Elizabeth (born about 1864) and had Catherina, Johannes Gerhardus Hendricus, Carel Frederik, Johanna, Frederica and Maria De Buys
• John De Buys (born 24/06/1871, died 25/04/1944) Buried at the Free State, Koffiefontein, Main Cemetery
• Pieter De Buys (born about 1854) who was married to Johanna Petronella (born about 1874) and had Susan and Thomas De Buys
• Pieter Johannes De Buys (died 24/11/1994) who was married to Joan Elizabeth Maude
• Simon De Buys (born 1946/06/16, died 1987/04/19) who was married to a Diana
• Willem Frederick De Buys who was married to Isabella Maria Labuschagne (born 02/1894, died 12/09/1959).  Isabella had Sophia, Levina, Isabella and Martin Rood from a previous marriage to a Rood.

I have a little more information on each of these families but will not share for privacy reasons and to allow me to verify any information I receive on these De Buys'.

Where dates have been "estimated" I have merely set the date of birth around 25 years before the birth of the child, I therefore, could be badly out.

If you know these families, or other De Buys families who's information you think I may not have please feel free to get in touch with me.

Governor Van Noodt's mysterious death!

Source: http://www.mysteryghostbus.co.za/photo's.html

Pieter Gijsbert Van Noodt became govenor of the Cape on the 25th of Feb 1727 after a successful career in Java. He became one of the most hated of all Cape governors.

It is alleged that he embezzled monies that should have been paid to the Company’s soldiers; that he refused licenses to trade, and withheld renewals of leases; prevented adventurous youths from prosecuting the trading and elephant-hunting expeditions which had been their wont; and acted in so tyrannous a manner as to cause very nearly a revolt, in the suppression of which he exercised most excessive cruelty.

Matters came to a head in 1729, when 14 soldiers who had attempted to desert were rounded up and put on trial. Various punishments were handed down, with seven of the supposed ringleaders, who had resisted arrest, being sentenced to death.  Despite pleas for clemency from all levels of the settlement and administration, as two of the condemned were also theology students, Van Noodt held firm and the executions were scheduled for 23 April 1729 with Van Noodt decreeing, “They shall all be hanged, the brutes! They shall all hang!”, adding that "I will take it on me" in Dutch.

Three of the seven were spared death and given corporal punishment and imprisonment and four were to be hanged.  And they were. But prior to the placing of the fatal noose over the head of the last of the men, he cried out, looking towards Government House where Van Noot then was: “Governor Van Noot, I summon you in this very hour before the judgment seat of Omniscient God, there to give account for the souls of myself and my companions.”, he then let the laxman put the rope round his neck and mounted; there another rope was put on; the two fastened to the nail, and then the laxman pushed him off the ladder.  He died without a single quiver.

When the execution was over the whole council, escorted by guard, returned to the Governor’s house to report to him the execution of his sentence. There, in the audience hall, sat Van Noodt, to all appearance busy at his official desk. But, on approaching him, he made no sign of recognition; he sat motionless in his chair - dead!

It is said that Pieter Van Noodt haunts the Castle in Cape Town to this day.

Source:
The Story of the Settlement - Grahamstown As It Was, Grahamstown As It Is
T. Sheffield, Published by T. and G. Sheffield, Printers and Publishers 1884

Ghosts of South Africa
Pat Hopkins (Zebra Press) 2006

Cape Town Stories
Madeleine Barnard (Struik) 31 Aug 2007