Casper Bester - Sy pa was Jacobus Pester (of Bester)?!

Merkwaardig! Jansi has unearthed information here which might change current knowledge base of the Besters. The fact that Casper is recorded at his offspring's baptisms as Bester in several occations might be more significant than Pester;
Jansi, maybe a comparison of the baptism records of Anna Bock's other
children in comparison with Casper's might be another supportive piece of evidence.
[Private User link text] and Richard Ball ?

Also see these profiles, and the source documents attached to them:

Anna Groenewald

Anna Hasselaar, SM

Andreas Bester, SV/PROG

Jansi, jy is voorwaar 'n baasspeurder! Baie geluk met hierdie puik werk. As afstammeling van Andreas Bester wil ek ook al die feite he. Ek volg hierdie navorsing van jou jy met groot belangstelling
June Kotzee

Jansi, Enige sukses met die doopinligting van Andreas en Anna se ander kinders? Hier kom 'n ding!

Ek is stadig besig om dit te laai, maar word gesidetrack. Dit is nog niksseggend tot nou toe. (Ek is by Paulus)

In die De la Fontaine verslag vind ek:
District: Cape District Surname: Bester, Andries Status date of repatriation: Burgher Adult males: 1 Adult females: 1 Children: 2 Comments by the Governor, Spouses added to list of head of house: Is Een Landbouwer Dog Heeft Veel Schulden

Paulus is in 1731 gedoop, dus moes dit ten minste 3 kinders gewees het. Help ons nie - Casper kon by sy ma gebly het.

Geen Jacobus Pester of Bester iewers te vinde nie.

Dit blyk Andreas het 'n testament opgestel wat in 1752 'verthoond' is:

MOOC 7/1/8, 30 BESTER, ANDRIES. WILL. 1735. FILED 1752.

en CJ 2654, 79 BESTER, ANDRIES. TESTAMENT. 1735

Kan jy nie dalk afskrifte kry met jou volgende argief-besoek nie? Dalk is daar 'n clue.

Sorry to be a pain but please could we have an English summary of what you have found and the conclusions you have come to? Pretty please!

Casper Bester's baptism entry shows his father as Jacobus Pester.

His mother was Anna Hasselaar, as is clear from her inventory and his baptism entry.

He is always referred to as Casper Bester in the baptism entries of his children.

The other children of Andreas Bester 's baptism entries don't provide any clue.

We are hoping that his will will provide an answer, if Daan can get copies - I've given the references

Thank you - I will watch this space!

Thanks Jansi, I will have a look next Wednesday in the Cape Archives.

Wonderful! If I order them it takes 6 weeks!

I've also found this reference: CJ 2902, 23 BESTERT, CASPAR. VRYBURGER. KONTRAK. 1767 JOHANNES ZACHARIAS MOOLMAN ONDERTEKEN KONTRAK NAMENS BESTERT. Probably won't tell us much, except if he used a patronym.

Hallo Daan

I'm curious as a cat - what did you find at the Archives yesterday?

Regards

Jansi

I ordered a copy of Anna Bock's Inventory which lists a number of inheritors, which include some of her children and grandchildren. No mention is made of Casper or any of his children. CJ 2902 however was a bit of an anticlimax - I could find no signature (or cross) or any mention to his name like in other similar contracts, unless it is hide somewhere under the curly difficult to read but neat handwriting.

Could you find Andreas' will?

I saw both his and Anna's but have made no notes on my papers. Just vaguely remember something of the longest living getting what is available.

I ordered CJ 2902 23 BESTERT, CASPAR. VRYBURGER. KONTRAK. as well just to see if anybody else can find any reference to Capar in the document. It is a neat document and well preserved.

Could you perhaps order Andreas' will as well?

Will do when I visit archives - not too soon. ( Same document referenced on NAAIRS for Anna Bok)

Thank you Daan. I will also look out for what we can find. This is very inportant for me as well.

Which inventory, her own in 1794 or the inventory of 1752?

If Casper was the illegitimate son of Andreas, he would not be mentioned in Johanna Bock's inventory of 1794 since he was not a lawful heir.

He might have been mentioned in Andreas' will or Andreas' estate papers.

Sorry I was referring to
MOOC 7/1/8 30 BESTER, ANDRIES. WILL. 1735 and
MOOC 7/1/8 30 BOK, ANNA. WIFE OF ANDRIES BESTER. WILL. 1735

Have not seen any reference to his inventory
As mentioned Caspar or his children is not in her inventory which supports that he was most probably not her son. I think the search must be on for Jacob Bester/Pester

I find Jacques Harmensz: of Gent in VC 41 (Generale Monsterrolle) of 1714 to 1718 as 'soldaat'. If one bears in mind that Casper named his second son Harmanus, this might be our man.

This man left Zeeland in 1713 on board the 'Schellenberg'. He was at the Cape from 5-07-1713 and then left on 16-06-1719 on board the 'Risdam'.

See http://www.historici.nl/Onderzoek/Projecten/DAS/detailVoyage/93245
http://vocopvarenden.nationaalarchief.nl/detail.aspx?ID=150227
http://www.historici.nl/Onderzoek/Projecten/DAS/detailVoyage/93405
http://vocopvarenden.nationaalarchief.nl/detail.aspx?ID=1394942

I agree that it is thin, but I find no other likely suspect.

How do we link Pester/Bester with Harmensz? Crossing lines with Aletta Harmens?

No, not with Aletta. She was born at the Cape.

He is the only Jacobus I can find at the Cape during the relevant time who is not accounted for.

There were Pesters living in Gent at the time. (And also at other places!)

If we can find any information about Anna's parents that might help.

Why his patronym would be used in the Monsterrolle and a surname in the baptism entry is a difficulty.

Jansi, net 'n klein bydrae. Jy het dit seker al self raakgesien en dan vra ek om verskoning. Francina Groenewald d5 gedoop 12.02.1769, dogter van Hendrik Groenewald en Catharina Maria Groenewald, getroud met W of D RESTER. Ek weet dit is lank na ons Casper, maar wys dat daar sulke vanne was in die Kaap. June.

June, het jy dalk 'n datum en plek van hierdie huwelik van Francina en Rester?

I've found Anna Bock's inventory of 1794 - its on her profile.

No mention of Casper, as is to be expected, since he was an 'in onëgt verwekte kind'.

Ek het hierdie Rester in Geslagsregisters van ou Kaapse Families gekry, maar daar is niks verder oor hom nie.

b3 Christoffel Groenewald x Catherina Loos

c6 Coenraad Groenewald xx Maria Maree
= 08.04.1731 =28.07.1748
Stellenbosch Drakenstein

d5 Francina Groenewald x W. Rester
= 12.02.1769
Huwelik seker tussen 1785 - 1790 in Stellenbosch of Drakenstein

In dieselfde boek is daar 'n Johann Carl Christiaan Pester, van Leipzig. Aankoms 1789, soldaat, later algemene handelaar in Kaapstad.
x 20.04.1794 Maria Elisabeth Killian

Correction ;
With the confusion of the Groenewald family the above should read:
b3 Christoffel Groenewald x Catharina Loos
c6 Coenraad Groenewald xx Maria Maree
d3 Catharina Maria Groenewald

b2 Coenraad Groenewald xx Catharina Pieterse
c12 Hendrik Groenewald

c12 Hendrik Groenewald x Catharina Maria Groenewald d3
d5 Francina x Rester

Francina = 12.02.1769

Have I got it right?

Jansi any additional information shown under the baptism witnesses of Sophia Carolina Bester, b1c8?

I've found the entry and uploaded it: 1769. Sophia Carolina. De vader is Casparus Bestert: De Moeder Elisabeth Swart: Get: Carel Joseph Cok en Sophia Brits: Den 15 Januarij.