Harmen Jansz Potgieter^[1]

1635 - 1706  (71 years)

• Name	Harmen Jansz Potgieter
  Birth	1635  [1]
  Gender	Male
  Death	1706
  Person ID	I8421	My Genealogy
  Last Modified	17 Apr 2026

  
  

  Father	Jan Potgieter,   b. Nordhorn,Westphalia,Germany.,
  Mother	Schwerne Lodden,   b. 1610, Nordhorn,Westphalia,Germany.,
  Marriage	1634  [1]
  Family ID	F302712766	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Isabella Frederiks   d. 1712
  Marriage	8 May 1672  [1]
  Children	1. Amerentia Potgieter,   c. 17 Sep 1684   2. Beatrix Potgieter,   c. 17 Mar 1693   3. Catharina Potgieter,   c. 26 Nov 1679   4. Elisabeth Potgieter,   c. 28 Jun 1682   5. Frederik Potgieter,   c. 28 Mar 1677   6. Hans Jurgen Potgieter,   c. 16 Jul 1690   7. Maria Potgieter,   c. 31 Aug 1687   8. Johannes Harmensz Potgieter,   b. 23 Sep 1674   d. 1733 (Age 58 years)
  Family ID	F302712764	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	3 Apr 2020

  
  

• Notes

  PRIVATE Stamvader: of Nordhorn, in Westphalia (Germany) In 1670 he went to Amsterdam and joined the service of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and went to the Cape. He later left the service of the VOC and became a blacksmith. The marriage is listed in the register of the Cape church as "«i»Harman Jansz van Noort-horen, baas smit, en Beeletje Fredricks van Amsterdam weduwe van den borger Claas Veght-man zal.«/i»" He was one of the first settlers on the Eersterivier (Stellebosch), where he practised his trade as a smith In 1688 he sold his smithy to Lourens Verbrugge. He went to the Eersterivier in 1679, where he settled on the plains next to the river. The farm was known as "Voorgelegen". The land consisted of two parts - the eastern part stretched from the present day church in Stellenbosch to Mostertsdrift. The larger western section ran from between present day Andringa and Herte Streets and includes the area of the present day town hall. His house was approximately where Bird Street crosses Dorp Street. On 8 November 1679 the town of Stellenbosch was founded. Less than three weeks after Governor Simon van der Stel arrived at the Cape in 1679, he went on an inspection tour of the Hottentots-Holland (today Somerset-West). He returned by a different route. On 8 November they came upon the beautiful valley where Harmen and some other Free Burghers had settled. That night they camped on an island in the Eersterivier. Simon van der Stel named the island Stellenbosch for the large trees on the island. When he returned to the castle, he let it be known that ground was avaialble for settlement beside the Eersterivier. Potgieter was also "wagmeester" of the Artillery. In the Cape Town Baptismal Register, when his children were baptised, he was also called "Smit" or "Vrijsmit" In the transcript of the Cape Muster Roll of 1695 is the entry for the Stellenbosch district "«i»Harman Jansz en Beeltie Fredrick 8 k«/i»" - this implies 8 children (8k), but in de Villiers and Pama only 7 are recorded. In "Personalia of the Germans at the Cape" it is noted that a son Frederik was baptised in 1677. In the Baptismal Registers for 1677 is recorded "Den 28 Maart Frederick Harmen Jansz van Noorthooren en Beeltie Fredericks Leenars Jansz en Aeltie Jans" This child is not mentioned in de Villiers and Pama. In the 1702 roll they are listed as "«i»Harmen Jansz v. Noordhoorn & Belleite Fredricx 3 k«/i»" The reference to 3 children presumable means the eldest had left home.

  
  

• Sources

  [S57] de Villiers, C.C., revised by Pama, C., Genealogies of Old South African Families, (Published A.A Balkema, Cape Town, 1981 ISBN 0-86961-136-4), Entry for Potgieter (Reliability: 3).