2nd Generation

Gerrit Cloete

The second generation of the South African Cloete family started with the birth of Jacob and Sophia's first child, Gottfried / Gerrit / Gerhard, born on 2 April 1651 in Oedt. he traveled with his mother, sister Elsje, and uncle to South Africa on the ship "Arnhem" from Vlie on 22 October 1658 and arrived in the Cape on 16 March 1659.Gerrit spent most of his early years on his father's farm alongside the Liesbeek River, and may have picked up some bad habits from his father as he was charged for theft on 9 February 1664 at 13 years old. By the age of 20 he had joined the household of Gerrit Pieterse van der Bijl en Fijtje van der Tempell as their knecht (hand).He married Catharina Harmans on the 26 August 1674 in the Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk in Cape Town. She had been born in Middelburg in the Nederland in 1653, daugher to Jan. The couple moved to Stellenbosch to farm and had 7 sons and 3 daughters (Jacob, Lavina. Coenrad, Pieter, Leendert, Johannes, Sophia Fijtje, Gerrit, Abraham and Catharina).A letter from governor Willem Adriaan van der Stel to Stellenbosch, dated 13 Mar 1701, reads: "Surprised to hear from you that the Ubiqua Hottentots had last week crossed the Roode Zand to Riebeeck's Castle and stolen 40 head of cattle from Gerrit Cloete, with the threat that they would first impoverish the freemen, and then visit the Company's post. But as we believe that they are Griquas under Captain Portugees, and not Ubiquas, and your communication is rather vague, you must send us further particulars regarding the circumstances of this case, and also the son of Cloete, and the man servant who recaptured the sheep from the Hottentots, that they may be examined here. We will let you know what we intend doing, to prevent further acts of outrage. In the meantime you must prepare two substantial wagons for a journey one from Stellenbosch and one from Drakenstein that no delay may take place in this case."A further letter, dated 20 June 1701, reads: "In the interests of the public we sent for the Hottentot Captain Kees, encamped behind the "Paarden Bergen " (about three days ago), but the corporal, who had been sent, reported that he had accompanied Gerrit Cloete, at the latter's request, in order to rob some (Hottentot) kraals, and revenge himself for the losses sustained by him. The said Gerrit Cloete has not made the least request for permission to do so to the authorities, and thus has displeased us very much. We have, therefore, deemed it good to order you, on receipt of this, to inquire whether Grerrit Cloete is at home, or not, and what the truth really is. Should he have left, as reported, you must also find out who accompanied him, and, without delay, follow them, and endeavour to arrest Cloete, and convey him to this Castle."Gerrit passed away circa 30 November 1702 and Catharina circa 8 Dec 1714.

Immediate Family

A report from the 15th of September 1699 indicates that his son Gerrit (1691-1714) took part in a bird shooting contest in Drakenstein alongside 44 others and won the prize.
* Mrt 6, 1707 "Hendrik Biebouw / Bibault ... son of surgeon Detlev Biebow (from Mecklenburg) & immigrant orphan girl Willemintje Ariens: de Wit (from Rotterdam) - shipped out with 7 other orphan girls on the ship China (1688) ... step-son of Stellenbosch deacon Jacob Pleunis (from Orsoy [Rheinburg]) ... his biological father & step-father both sire illegitimate children {Susanna} by Malagasy slave women Susanna [ed. This is actually Diana van Madagascar - see: http://e-family.co.za/ffy/exhibits/timeline-diana.pdf [Delia Robertson] [16][17]] & Lijsje van Madagascar respectively] … who goes on a rampage (1707) with his 3 unmarried cohorts - coinciding with free-burgher Adam Tas et al agitation against Willem Adriaan van der Stel's governership & cronyism - assaulting the miller at Stellenbosch, Sebastian Schroeder (from Schledehausen near Osnabrück) thereby gaining latter-day notoriety & commemoration for uttering contumaciously to interceding Landdrost Johannes Starrenberg: "ik wil niet loopen, ’k ben een Africaander al slaat die landrost myn dood, of al setten hij mijn in den tronk. Ik sal, nog wil niet swygen" ... which quote (since 1928 & subsequently) - arguably - is generally taken out of context, politically reconstructed & claimed to represent the beginnings of latter-day "Afrikaner" identity ...… his friends in crime are:• Hans Beijer - son of former brothelkeeper Catharijn Wagenmakers: van de Caep & grandson of reprieved-from-the-gallows & banished convict Groote Catrijn van Paliacatta;• Jan Cloete - grandson of murdered cattle rustler Jacob Cloete (from Cologne) & youngest son of intrepid hunter & Drakenstein ensign Gerrit Cloete (from Cologne) who farmed at "Idas valley", Stellenbosch & "Allesverloren", Riebeeck Kasteel whose older brother Jacob Cloete (1675-1713) mercilessly (fatally?) beats up (1696) 'stamvader' Jan Smit (from Maastrict [Limburg]) – aided & abetted by another Cape-born youngster Jan Harmensz: Potgieter (1674-1733) “saying that a Cape-born man should not give way to a fellow from the fatherland” (seggende 't is niet te dulden dat een Caaps kindt voor een vaaderlandts keerel souden moeten swigten ...); and• Matthijs Greeff - son of Stellenbosch heemraad Matthias Greeff (from Magdeburg) & Cape-born Susanna Claassens & step-grandson of Robben Island-banished bully, wife-beater & slave killer Jacob Artzen / Aertzen / Ertzen / Hertsz / Aartsz: Brouwer (from Tiel [Gelderland])." [18]

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