Seven Generations of Dewitts in Melaka.
Generation 1 - On 12th May 1816 at the age of 20 years, Petrus Johannes DeWitt (de Wit) arrived in Melaka from South Africa. On 16th October 1820 he was married to Jacobina Elizabert Koek, the daughter of Adriaan Koek, the Acting Dutch Governer of Melaka (1823). Petrus died on 22nd February 1831 at Batavia. His siblings who remained in Cape Town were Susanna Francina de Wit, Magdalena Johanna de Wit, Johannes Mattheus de Wit, Johannes Jacobus de Wit and Dirk Johannes de Wit.
Generation 2 - Willem Adriaan DeWitt (de Wit) was born on 28th February 1825 at Malacca and died in 1886. Willem was married to Catharina Da Costa. He was a lighthouse keeper. He died of heart disease at 60 years of age and was burried on 27th March 1825 in Melaka. This was the first time that the de Wit name was written as DeWitt. His siblings were Gesina Maria DeWitt (born at Melaka on 8th July 1821 and baptised at Malacca on 15th July 1821), Magdalena Johanna DeWitt (baptised on 30th March 1823) and Philip de Wit (born in March 1827, burried 4th May 1828 in Melaka).
Generation 3 - Charles William DeWitt was married to Clementina Alexander. Charles William DeWitt is buried at the cemetery in Klang, Selangor. The grave is on the side of a small hill facing the road and just below the grave of Mr. Manikawasagam (former politician). Clementina Alexander is buried at Peel Road Cemetary, Kuala Lumpur. His siblings were Edmund DeWitt, Joseph DeWitt and Agusto DeWitt.
Generation 4 - John Charles DeWitt, was born on 1st January 1892. He was married to Mary Olive Faith Richter in Gemas. Early in his life, he worked in Rubber Estates in Selangor and Pahang, and later with the Federated Malay States Railways. After that he was employed as manager for the southern region of Malaya for the Singer Sewing Machine Co. He comes from a family of 9 children and his siblings are Rudolph DeWitt, Wilhemena DeWitt, Josephine DeWitt, William DeWitt, Adeline DeWitt, Alice DeWitt, Bazilo Emilio DeWitt and Albert DeWitt.
Generation 5 - Albert Horace DeWitt was born in Penang on 30th September 1922 and his home town was at Pulau Tikus. He was married in St. Peter’s Church, Melaka on 10th May 1952 to Irene Koh Chu Neo. He passed away from heart disease at the Melaka General Hospital on 13th January 1994. He was the 4th child in a family of 6. His other brothers and sisters were Anthony DeWitt (deceased during infancy), Joseph Louis DeWitt, Beatrice Ruby DeWitt and the younger siblings are Helen Pearly DeWitt and John DeWitt.
Generation 6 - Dennis DeWitt was born in Melaka on 9th June 1967 and he was married to Lizianna Claudine Sequerah on the 1st July 1995 at St. Peter’s, Melaka. His only elder sister, Dorothy DeWitt married Christopher Kuan Chew Heng. Dorothy's children are Daliel Kuan and Christine Kuan.
Generation 7 - Avery Faith DeWitt was born at Petaling Jaya, Selangor on the 5th March 1997. She was given the name Faith as her middle name after her-great grandmother. Sarah Elizabeth Jacobina DeWitt was born at Subang Jaya, Selangor on the 10th August 2001. She was given the middle Jacobina after her ancestor. We hope that both will learn to appreciate the rich heritage of their family and ancestors.
Ancestors from South Africa
Find out about The Dutch Custom of Child Naming.
Important Note:
Copyright 1999-2002. All materials in this site should not be copied or duplicated
without the expressed permission of Dennis & Claudine DeWitt.
