Petrus Johannes DeWitt
born 1796 in South Africa(By Dennis DeWitt)
Petrus Johannes DeWitt (actually known as Petrus Johannes de Wit) migrated from the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa and arrived in Melaka (formerly known as Malacca) on 12th May 1816 at the age of 20 years. Petrus was baptised on 23rd October 1796 at Cape Town, South Africa (or Kaapstad).
When Petrus migrated, he left behind in South Africa his parents, Willem Adrian de Wit and Maria Magdalena Kotze and also his siblings, namely Susanna Francina de Wit, Magdalena Johanna de Wit, Johannes Mattheus de Wit, Johannes Jacobus de Wit and Dirk Johannes de Wit.
At the age of 23 years, Petrus was married to Jacobina Elizabert Koek, aged 22 years on 16th October 1820 in Melaka. Jacobina was the daughter of a prominent Dutch figure in Melaka, Adriaan Koek. Petrus Johannes de Wit must have made quite an impression of himself on the local Dutch community in Melaka then, if he was able to marry one of the daughters of Adriaan Koek.
Petrus worked at the town clerk office at Melaka from 1820 to 1821, then a clerk of the tax collector, town clerk office at Riouw (Riau) and merchant at Melaka. Petrus died on 22nd February 1831 at the age of only 35 years at Batavia.
The Dutch settlement in Cape Town (Kaapstad) at Table Bay, the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa was established by Jan van Rieback when 3 ships with the company of 90 men, women and children arrived on 6th April 1652 and established a garrisoned trading station there. This was before Rieback became commander / governor at Melaka (1662 - 1665). Its purpose was to supply fresh produce and meat to the fleets of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) for their voyages between Europe and the spice islands of the east. Even today there are many Dutch descendants still living there in South Africa.
Cape Town is the oldest city of European origin in South Africa. It remained under Dutch control, aided by the presence of a French garrison (1781 - 1795), until captured by British forces in 1795 during the Napoleonic Wars. The settlement briefly reverted to Dutch control in 1803 and was again occupied by British troops in 1806. In the 18th and early 19th centuries (before the building of the Suez Canal) Cape Town was a major station for ship provisioning. It became the capital of the British Cape Colony in 1814 (*Note that Petrus Johannes de Wit arrived in Melaka in 1816*) and subsequently was made the legislative capital of the Union of South Africa (1910-1961) and of the present republic of South Africa. Historical buildings such as the Castle, the oldest building in Cape Town (1665); the Dutch Reformed Church (1699); Old Town House (1755) and the old Dutch-style buildings can still be found there.
Jacobina Elizabeth Koek was born at Melaka on 26th October 1797, her baptism was on 29th October 1797 at Melaka and the witnesses were Johannes Bellemont and Bastiana Catharina Elizabeth Dieterich. She was taken as member of the church (confirmed) on 26th January 1812. After her marriage to Petrus Johannes DeWitt, she remarried (after the death of Petrus in 1831) at Melaka to Jan Tessensohn (born 02-05-1808 at Melaka, baptism 27-10-1811), the son of Jochem Hendrik Tessensohn and Catharina Michiels (Smit?). There are no records showing that she had other children by her second husband. Jacobina Elizabeth Koek died on 6th May 1868 at the age of 71 years and was buried at Melaka at the vault of the Koek family on St. Paul's hill.
With the help of researchers and genealogist who are on-line, we have managed to trace the link to the family of Petrus Johannes DeWit (de Wit) and his ancestors from Cape Town, South Africa. Many thanks to Mr. Clive Skelchy (Australia), Mr. Barry Pereira (Singapore) and special thanks to Mr. Herman Oomen (Netherlands).
However, we still value any further relevant information or assistance that visitors to our web site may have regarding the ancestors of Petrus Johannes DeWit (de Wit) and anything pertaining the DeWitt family of Melaka.
If you are able to assist us, please contact us by E-Mail.
Thank you.
