The story of a ring

This story starts with the infamous Jan DE WIT who became a leading figure at the Cape of Good Hope in VOC days, but pertaining to whom a history of alleged participation in piracy and the slave trade has tarnished his reputation somewhat.

Jan DE WIT was born in Nieuw Amsterdam (New York), USA ca. 1677 or ca. 1685 (possible evidence for both dates exist). His father is said to have been Willem DE WIT of Nieuw Amsterdam. No mention of his mother is made.

Jan is said to have landed in Table Bay approximately in 1700.

On 20.3.1707 in Cape Town, Jan DE WIT married Maria ADRIAANZ ≈ Cape Town 30.12.1685, pre-marital daughter of Anna PIETERS of Batavia, who after the birth of Maria married Lambert ADRIAANZ of Wye, Gelderland.

Jan DE WIT’s or John WHITE’s (in line with suspicions that he was originally from Britain and an English nobleman at that) possible involvement in piracy and the slave trade is fully explored in my article Die geheimsinnige Jan de Wit in Capensis 2/2018 June and is not repeated here.

Even after his arrival at the Cape, Jan de Wit appears to have been extensively involved in maritime operations and the administration of slave matters probably necessitating his frequent traveling to the East.

Seven children were born from the marriage between Jan de Wit and Maria Adriaanz inter alia Petrus Johannes DE WIT * 31.05.1716 whose second marriage was to Aletta Jacoba BLANKENBERG ≈ 3.04.1738.

At the Cape both Jan DE WIT and his son Petrus Johannes DE WIT, were the incumbents of important positions e.g. those of Orphan Master, Commissioner of the Marriage and Small Claims Courts and Burger Councillor. Confusion exists sometimes about who filled which position. Both may even have served in a particular office.

Jan DE WIT died in Cape Town on 21.4.1755 and was buried in the Groote Kerk, Cape Town. It can be deduced from available documentation that Maria Adriaanz died sometime after 1758.

A daughter of Petrus Johannes DE WIT and Aletta Jacoba BLANKENBERG i.e. Aletta Jacoba DE WIT * 31.05.1762 married the Reverend Meent BORCHERDS *3.09.1762, in the Groote Kerk, Cape Town on 4.09.1785. He was appointed as the third minister of the church at the Cape on 13.05.1785 but was transferred to the parish of Stellenbosch on his request on 17.09.1786. He served as a highly respected and beloved minister of this church for the following forty-four years.

Meanwhile a magnificent heirloom, a diamond ring, which was rumoured to have been brought from India during his travels by Jan DE WIT, was being passed along between his descendants from generation to generation. In his last will dated 30.07.1753 Jan DE WIT mentions the fact that, while on a business trip to India, he brought home a magnificent diamond which was amongst the many jewels he bequeathed to his descendants. According to Claude Bennett Borcherds in Pot-Pourri. Addendum to the Borcherds Tapestry the ring consisted of six diamonds encircling a magnificent blue-white central stone.

Traditionally this ring was supposed to be inherited by the youngest daughters of his offspring. This could not always realise though. Jan DE WIT himself survived his youngest daughter, Johanna, married to Thomas SWELLENGREBEL. Johanna’s youngest daughter apparently never came to the Cape. The next possible heiress was Johanna Alberta DE WIT, youngest daughter of Petrus Johannes De Wit and Aletta Johanna Blankenberg. She, however, was deceased before she even married. So, the ring was bequeathed to her older sister, Aletta Jacoba married to the Reverend Meent Borcherds. This couple’s youngest daughter Petronella Jacoba, married to James Robins, British soldier and medal winner at Trafalgar, had only one daughter, Johanna. Johanna married her cousin Gerhardus Willem Borcherds. Unfortunately this couple was childless.

Then it appears as if the ‘youngest daughter’ requirement is relinquished in favour of the ancestral name of Petrus Borchardus BORCHERDS. So, Petrus Borchardus * 8.07.1786, elder brother of Petronella Jacoba was probably the next heir and thereafter Petrus Borchardus * 28.6.1812, his son. And so the ring passed to his and Wilhelmina Sophia Maria VAN NIEKERK’s youngest daughter Wilhelmina Maria Elizabeth BORCHERDS * 26.5.1856 married to Bernardus Johnannes KEYTER and forthwith to their youngest daughter Valerie Elizabeth Julia MEINTJES *Keyter 10.10.1895.

Valerie Meintjes’s youngest daughter Ernestine KEYSER * Meintjes, the next heir thought it fit to split the ring into two so that each of her daughters could inherit one. In 2013 the ownership of the ring(s) was actually traced to the two daughters i.e. Erika and Valerie and photographed where it is held in safe-keeping. According to Erika BOULTON her mother had two rings made up out of the one of necessity as it needed restoration and because of its unique rose-cut design (an antique form of diamond cutting) which complicated a simple restoration.

We trust that these valuable heirlooms will pass down in generations to come according to the tradition and remain a proud family heirloom.

Sources:

• Van den Heever, Ria.2018. Die geheimsinnige Jan de Wit. Capensis 2 (June) 2018.Genealogical Society of South Africa
• Van den Heever, Ria.2015 ‘n Keyter-Borcherds Collage. Die ontmoeting tussen die twee families. Privaat publikasie