Hans Christoffel Snijman a. as soldaat v. Hartzburg, Duitsland voor 1665, na Robbeneiland verban, geen rekord gevind na 1668, het voorkind gehad by Catharina, vrygestelde kompanjieslavin, v. Paliacatta, Indië (ook bekend as Groote Catrijn) a. 21.2.1657 aan boord Prins Willem, bej. » Kaapstad 29.4.1668. Catharina x Kaapstad 20.12.1671 Anthonij v. Bengale bej. » Kaapstad 12.9.1670 eerste “vryswarte” wat eiendom besit in Tafelvallei † c. 1682. Met die uitsondering v. Christoffel, sterf die hele gesin in ‘n tragedie tussen Des. 1682 en Feb. 1683.

First name variants: Hans Christoffel (also known as Christoffel)

Surname variants: Snijman

In 1667 Hans Christoffel Snijman was convicted (30.7.1667) of leaving his post as sentry at the fort “te slapen sijn ten wooonplaets an sekere bekende swarte meijt” (to sleep at the living place of a certain well known black servant girl). He was sentenced to live on Robben Island for two years and forfeit two months salary.

The Snyman family traces its lineage back to the soldier Hans Christoffel Snijman (aka Christoffel Snijman), who came from Hartzburg in Germany (1666 Muster roll).

Town: Harzburg

Country: Hanover (Principality)

Coordinates: 51°53'N 10°33'E

Lowry's Table Atlas Constructed and Engraved from the Most Recent Authorities by Joseph Wilson Lowry Chapman & Hall, 1852

German born, VOC soldier, banned to Robben island, had a relationship with Catharina van Paliacatta, a VOC slave. [Heese: Groep Sonder Grense]

Mansell Upham, "In Hevigen Woede incorrectly assumes that Hans Christoffel Snijder who hailed from Heidelberg in the Palatinate was the same man as HANS CHRISTOFFEL SNIJMAN from HARTZBURG, HANOVER, GERMANY. He is first mentioned in the records as a soldier under the Chamber of Rotterdam in 1665 together with Arnoldus Willemsz. Date estimated by compiler. Hereinafter cited as "In Hevigen Woede . . ."

Mansell Upham, "In Hevigen Woede . . .", Regular nocturnal activity on the part of a distracted sentry inside the living quarters of the Fort's washerwoman - the Company slave familiarly known to all as Groote Catrijn - resulted in the conviction on 30 July 1667 of Hans Christoffel Snijman

Mansell Upham, "In Hevigen Woede . . .", Groote Catrijn's illegitimate son was baptised Christoffel on 9 March 1669 and witnessed by Mooij Ansela. The child's paternity was no secret. He was named directly after the father. Throughout his life he identified himself by his father's surname, as did his own children.

The evidentiary facts in relation to Christoffel Snijman are:

• 1665: 18 August; 'Hans Christoffel Snijder' admitted to the church in Cape Town. See the first membership registry (lidmaatregister) for Cape Town. (eGGSA transcription)
• 1665: 6 September; Petronella daughter of Catharina is baptised in Cape Town. Referred to by Pieter Evrard in his testament as his unborn child. (Upham 2014, Cape Mothers)
• 1665: 3 October: ‘Hans Christoffel Snijman’ convicted of fighting with Diedeloff Tim. (Upham, Cape Mothers, Appendix 3; CA: CJ 1, p. 292)
• 1665: 4 December; VOC soldier 'Christoffel Snijman' in attendance (CJ 1, p. 296 Anna Böeseken, Uit Raad van Justisie, pp.159-160)
• 1666: 15 May: Monsterrol p.66: 'Hans Christoffel Snijman van Hartsb. Sold:[ae]t.' (Upham 2014, Cape Mothers: CA, VC 39, II, (Monsterrol, 15 May 1666), pp. 66 & 77.)
• 1666: 15 May: Monsterrol p.77: 'Hans Christoffel Snijder van Heydelberg soldaat' under the Chamber of Enckhuizen is enumerated together with 'Arnoldus Willemsz:' [Basson]. (Upham 2014, Cape Mothers: CA, VC 39, II, (Monsterrol, 15 May 1666), pp. 66 & 77.)
• 1667: Monsterrol: 'Hans Christoffel Snijman sold:[ae]t' [CA: VC 39, II (Monsterrol 1666 [sic – 1667]), p. 81]. (Upham 2014, Cape Mothers)
• 1667: 30 July; ‘Hans Christoffel Snijman’ convicted of dereliction of duty and sleeping with the fort’s washerwoman. (Upham 2014, Cape Mothers, Appendix 3)
• 1668: Monsterrol: ' ... op’t Robben eylant gecommandeert als gebannen: Hans Christophel Snijman' [CA: VC 39, vol. II (muster roll, 1668), p. 110]. (Upham 2014, Cape Mothers)
• 1669: 9 March; Christoffel, son of Groote Catrijn is baptised in Cape Town. (Have record)
• 1671: 20 December; marriage of Groote Catharina and Anthonij van Bengale in Cape Town. (Have record). Also on this day, Catharina is pardoned and manumitted by Joan Maetsuijcker the Governor-General (Upham)
• 1672: Monsterrol: ‘Anthonij de Later v. Bengale en Catrina van Palicat’ (eGGSA transcription) No Snijman or variant.
• 1673: Monsterrol: ‘Anthonij van Bengale en Catrijn van do. 2k. (eGGSA transcription) No Snijman or variant.
• 1674: Monsterrol: ‘Anthony de la Torre en Catrijn van Paliacat 2k.’ (eGGSA transcription) No Snijman or variant.
• 1675: Monsterrol: ‘Antoni van Bengale en Cat. van Paliacate 2k.’ (eGGSA transcription) No Snijman or variant.
• 1677: Monsterrol: ‘Ant. van Bengalen en Catria v. Paliacata 2k.’ (eGGSA transcription) No roll for 1676 available. No Snijman or variant.
• 1678: Monsterrol: ‘Anthonie van Bengale en Catrijn van do. 2k.’ (eGGSA transcript) No Snijman or variant.
• 1679: Monsterrol: Antoni van Bengale en Catharina van Paliacatta 2k.’ (eGGSA transcript) No Snijman or variant.
• 1679: June; Jan Wittebol sues Anthonij to repay the sum of f222 that Anthonij had borrowed from Manuel van Angola. (Upham with Cape Archive reference)
• 1682: Monsterrol: Anthonij van Bengale en Catrijn van Paliacatta 1k.’ (eGGSA transcript) No rolls between 1679 and 1682 or between 1682 and 1685 available. No Snijman or variant.
• 1682: 17 December; All of Anthonij’s property (absolutely everything) is liquidated (sold) on the orders of the Orphan Chamber because Anthonij is dead. (Upham provides detailed records with Cape Archive reference)
• 1683: April; List of items drawn up by the messenger of the court Godfriedt Meijhuijsen used for the burials of Groote Catrijn and her daughter Petronella (Upham with Cape Archive reference).
• 1683: 20 April; Lijsbeth van Angola received payment for looking after Petronella in Anthonij's home: '. . . voor negen dagen oppassen by de dogter ten tuysen van Anthonie van Bengale'. (Upham with Cape Archive reference)
• 1683: 1 Sept; J. Smit was paid by the Orphan Chamber from the deceased estates of Anthonie v. Bengale (†1682) and Jan Wittebol (†1681) for having schooled Christoffel (≈1669) and the young Johan Wittebol (*1675). Upham states that no further payments for Christoffel's education appear to have been made. (Upham with Cape Archive reference)
• 1690: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snijman’ (aan Drakenstein) (eGGSA transcript). This is the first mention of a Snijman in the muster roll since 1668.
• 1690: 2 January; First instalment paid to Christoffel by Orphan Chamber. It is paid to him as an inheritance as Anthonij’s son. (Upham with Cape Archive reference)
• 1691: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snijman’ (‘an Stellenbosch 1691'). (eGGSA transcript) - no other Snijman or variant.
• 1691: 8 April; Fifth and last instalment paid to Christoffel by Orphan Chamber. It is paid to him as an inheritance as Anthonij’s son. (Upham with Cape Archive reference)
• 1692: Monsterrol: eGGSA transcription: 'Ernst Frederick Walter en Christoffel Suyrman en Marga. de Savoyer } maats’. No other Snijman or variant.
• 1692: 14 August: Admitted to the Stellenbosch church member register ‘aen Stellenbosch tot het gebruijk van des Heeren H: Avondmael overgekoomen’, ‘Christoffel Snijman van de Caep’, ‘Willem Schalk van Outbeierlant’, ‘Jacobus Schalk van de Caep’. (Have record, eGGSA transcript)
• 1693: Monsterrol: eGGSA transcription: ‘District Drakestein . . . Christoffel Sneijman en Margriet de Savoij 3k.’ No other Snijman or variant.
• 1695: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snijman & Margrita de Savoye 4k.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1696: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snijman en Margarita de Savoije.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1698: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snijman en Maria de Savoij 2 k.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1700: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snyman en Margriet Savoijen.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1701: Monsterrol: Christoffel Snijman & Margarita de Savoije 8 k.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1702: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snijman en Margarita de Savoije.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1703: Monsterrol: ‘Christoffel Snijman en Margaritha de Savoijen.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1704: Monsterrol: Christoffel Snijman en Margaretha de Savoije.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• 1705: Monsterrol: ‘Margrieta de Savoijen wed. Christoffel Snijman.’ (eGGSA transcript) No other Snijman or variant.
• Also baptismal records showing Christoffel Snijman as father and Marguerite de Savoye as mother are as follows:
• 1690: 10 December: Jacobus Christoffel (Have record, quoted verbatim in Upham). This baptism followed a failed attempt to baptise the child at Drakenstein on 19 November 1690 when the minister, Pierre Simond refused to accept the child’s grandfather, Jacques de Savoye, as godfather which resulted in an acrimonious incident and the child being taken to Stellenbosch for baptism. (Upham, Cape Mothers, p. 103)
• 1692: 27 January: Catharina (Have record, quoted verbatim in Upham)
• 1693: 9 August: Maria Magdalena (Have record, quoted verbatim in Upham)
• 1695: 22 July: eGGSA transcription: 'Cristina fille de christoffle senaymant - Et Margerite, Savoye. le temoins Et - jacobus Vanas Et Laina basson'.
• 1697: 1 August: eGGSA transcription: 'Elsij fille de Christoffel Scniman Et de marguerite Savoye, Le temoins Et hercules depret Et Elsij jacob'.
• 1699: 25 October: eGGSA transcription: 'Janne fille de christoffel senaymant Et de Marguerite Savoije le temoins Et Chrisians debacre Et marie delanoy pour Marraine'.
• 1701: 24 July: eGGSA transcription: 'Philippe fils de Christoffle Senaiman Et de Marguerite Savoye, Le temoins Et philippe Rodolf Et alleta Savoye, mais Claude marais á Repondu pour Le garson Et La mere a Repondu pour sa fille'.
• 1703: 28 October: Susanna (Have record, Upham has reference)
• 1706: 21 March: Elizabeth (Have record, Upham has reference) Christoffel was dead, but is shown as the father.
• And finally there is the reference to Christoffel Snijman’s death and being replaced as corporal of the militia. Leibrandt: Précis of Letters 1696-1708. Page 272.

Updated 20 June 2019

The eGGSA Monsterrolle can be found here: http://www.eggsa.org/sarecords/index.php/muster-rolls/cape-archives...

The eGGSA transcription of the church membership records can be found here: http://www.eggsa.org/sarecords/index.php/church-registers/cape-town...

Leibrandt’s book can be found here: https://archive.org/details/precisofarchives00cape_1

Upham’s essay, ‘Cape Mothers’, can be found here: http://www.e-family.co.za/ffy/RemarkableWriting/UL14CapeMothers.pdf

I can provide links for the individual primary records should anyone want them.... Alun Peter Stevens