Johannes (Jean) Bruel
(1722-1767)
(b7)
1722
Johannes Bruere [b7] is born in 1722. Johannes Bruere is christened on 6 Dec 1722 Cape Town. Johannes is a very important figure for the Bruwer’s as all the Bruwer’s are descendants of him. Johannes known as “Jean Bruel” is a “burgher” in Stellenbosch. He is also referred to in some of the documentation.
1750
When Estienne (Stevan) Bruere died around 1750 his son Johannes (Jean) Bruere must have taken the farm De Zandrivier (known as Wilemnelsrivier ) over. In 1752 his oldest son was born in Swellendam district under which the area resorted.
1751
Johannes (Jean) Bruel (29) [b7] is married on 18 Dec 1751 (Tulbagh) to Johanna (Anna) Van Der Merwe (20). She was baptized on 15 July 1731 in Drakenstein and was the daughter of Jacobus vd Merwe and Catharina Jacobs.
1752
Jacobus Stephanus Bruel [b7c1] is born about 1752 in Swellendam. Three brothers were born into this family that forms the three main branches of the Bruwer Family in South Africa. Jacobus Stephanus is the first branch.
1753
Jacobus Stephanus Bruel [b7c1] is christened on 22 April 1753 Tulbagh.
1757
Johannes Petrus Bruel [b7c2] is christened on 29 July 1757 in Drakenstein. He was a burgher in Swellendam. He later at the age of 23 on 20 February 1780 marry Dorothea Regina Van Eeden then 21 in Tulbagh She was batized on 2 July 1758 and the daughter Frederick Jacobus Van Eeden and Cornelia Van Deventer. They had no children.
1760
Susanna Catharina Bruel [b7c3] is christened on 21 September 1760 Tulbagh. She died before 1789, she was married at the age of 21 to Pieter van der Merwe in Tulbagh on the 22 April 1781. Pieter was batized in Tulbagh on 4 June 1760. He was the son of Pieter and Sophia Van Der Merwe.
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1763
Schalk Willemse Bruel [b7c4] is born about 1763 in Swellendam. Three brothers were born into this family that forms the three main branches of the Bruwer Family in South Africa. Schalk Willemse is the second branch.
Schalk Willemse Bruel [b7c4] is christened on 3 July 1763 Tulbagh.
1765
Daniel Bruel [b7c5] is born about 1765 in Swellendam. Three brothers were born into this family that forms the three main branches of the Bruwer Family in South Africa. Daniel is the third branch.
Daniel Bruel [b7c4] is christened on 15 September 1765 Cape Town.
1767
Johannes Bruere (45) [b7] dies 17 April 1767. He left the family farm to his family where his oldest son Jacobus Stephanus later continues to farm. But for the time been it all went to his wife Anna Bruwel (38) that had to try and survive with 5 small children in a hostile environment.
In his inventory for taxation with the VOC Inventories Of The Orphan Chamber – Cape Town Archives Repository (MOOC 8/12/21) he leaved his loan farm “een opstal staande op de leeningplaats de Zandrivier geleegen aan de Rietfontijn Rd 50”
He left his wife Anna and five children
1) Jacobus Stephanus Bruel (14) ter andere zijde
2) Johannes Petrus Bruel (10)
3) Susanna Catharina Bruel (7)
4) Schalk Willemsz: Bruel (4)
His assets included the following:
Een opstal staande op de leeningplaats “de Zandrivier” geleegen aan de Rietfontijn 50:--
58 runderen 174:-- (Cattle)
300 schapen 100:-- (Sheep)
1 merrijpaard met haar veulen 8:-- (Horse and foal)
1 oude wagen met sijn toebehoren 50:-- (Old Wagon)
16 trekossen 112:-- (Oxen for the old cart)
3 middelmatige potten 3:-- (Medium pots)
1 boterkarn 3:-- (Butter Maker)
1 botervat 3:-- (Butter Vat)
3 stoelen 2:-- (Chairs - note 3 of them for a family of 7)
4 tinne schootels 2:-- (Tin
4 tinne borden 0:24 (Tin Plates - note 4 of them for a family of 7)
12 tinne leepels 1:24 (Tin Spoons)
6 staale vorken 0:18 (Steel Forks)
1 theekeetel 1:-- (Teakettle)
1 tinne trekpot 0:18 (Tin TeaPot)
1/2 stel theegoed 0:12 (1/2 a teaset)
2 beddens 20:-- (2 beds – note for a family of 7!)
1 koekepan 0:18 (Cake baking pan)
1 kandelaar 0:6 (Candle Holder)
1/2 aams brandewijns keetel 25:-- (Brandy Ketel)
2 legger met wijn 10:-- (Vat with Wine 1 Legger = +/- 400 liters)
1 led:e legger 5:-- (Empty Wine Vat)
1/2 aam brandewijn 5:-- (Brandy) 1 Aam = about 150 liters
1 oude graaf 0:36 (1 Old Spade)
Lijffeijgenen (Slaves x 3)
Rd:s
1 slave jonge gen:t Patientie van Sambawa 200 (Island in Indonesia – Old Java Islands)
1 slave jongegen:t November van Madagascar
1 slave jonge gen:t Andries van Mallabaar absent (This was in India, but this slave ran away)
Lasten des boedels
Rd:s Rd:s
aan d’ E: Comp: over 5 jaaren en 2 maanden agterstallige recognitie penn:e op voorsz: plaatsen 124
aan s:r Andries Brink 20
aan mons:r Harmanus Bosman 100
aan Johannes Roep 50
aan Frans Lens 58
352
Sulx den boedel suijver te vooren is een somma Rd:s471
What is interesting is that the beds are worth RD 10 each. . That means for him to get 5 more beds for the family would have cost him 150 sheep!. The value we attach today to items are very different what things was worth then, no wonder them kids was sleeping on straw on the floor.
Reference no.: MOOC8/12.21b confirms that the three slaves were male on the 17th April.
1773
Anna Bruel (42) farms 5km South West of Robertson on the farm De Zandrivier according to as written by Carl Peter Thunberg. Travels at the Cape of Good Hope 1772-1775. He writes “November 2d. We rode over one of the ridges that lay before us to Mrs. BRUEL's farm, when we seemed to be in quite another valley” - 2 Nov 1773.
1794
Johanna (Anna) Bruwel (63) as widow of
Johannes Bruere was in dire financial straits and VOC writes of half of her debt on 13 Mar 1794. She is still farming. Her son’s widow on the same financial condition and addressed at the same time.
“Dat wijders uit consideratie van de allezints behoeftigen Staat waarin de weduwe wijlen den Burger Johannes bruwel zich bevind en waardoor zij onvermoogend is de op haar Vheepost de Zandrivier hechtende 21 Jaaren en 7 Maanden achterstallige recognitiepenningen aan de Compagnie op te brengen, van dezelve Recognietie zal worden afgeschreeven 11 Jaaren en 7 maanden, terwijl de 10 Jaaren welke dus onder Ultimo Augustus jongstleeden, op haare gemelde plaats zijn blyven hechtende, door haar almeede navolgens de beveelen van de HoogEdele Heeren Commissarissen Generaal zullen moeten worden voldaan;”
Johanna Bruere dies 31 Mar 1794 in Robertson