Magdalena Catharina Booyens 1824-1870
Born 12 September 1824 2
Baptised 15 March 1825, Uitenhage 3
Died 4 June 1870, Vrystaat 4

Notes: On 1 April 1863 Okker and Magdalena draw up a will [#1]. They eventually sign and date it in "District Albert". That means they are in the North-Eastern Cape Colony.


#1. Free State Archives : Death Notice and Estate documentation for Magdalena Catharina Booyens: VAB MHG Ref B240 ONLINE: LINK



 x Married
Ockert Matthys Michiel Brits Born Circa 1819
Born Circa 1819

Notes: The son of Pieter Jacobus Brits and Maria Hermiena Brits.


After Magadlena's death Ockert remarries at the age of 57 to Anna Helena Ras [#1]


#1. Marriage Book of the Dutch Reformed Parish of Kroonstad: LINK

Matthys Marthinus Booyens 1826-1887
Born 14 March 1826, Albany District, Cape Colony
Baptised 29 October 1826, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Died 6 September 1887, Harrismith, Vrystaat
 x Married
Zacharia Geertruida Rabie 1842-1928

Anna Marthina Booyens Born 1829
Born Before 22 November 1829
Baptised 22 November 1829, Grahamstown Anglican Church 5

Marthinus Gerhardus Johannes Booyens Born Circa 1833
Born Circa 1833
Baptised 30 June 1847, Grahamstown, Anglican Church
 x Married 28 December 1856 Cradock
Johanna Catharina Elizabeth van Zyl

Catharina Maria Booyens 1839-1907
Born June 1839
Baptised 30 June 1847, Grahamstown, Anglican Church 6
Died 3 August 1907, Pretoria, Transvaal
 x Married (1) Circa 1860
William Henry Lazenby Born 1826
Smith, Pretoria (1880)
Born 1826, Lancastershire, England, U.K.
Died 9 May, Transvaal
 x Married (2) Circa 1860
Jacobus Abraham Adriaan Botes Died 1893
Died 1893

Barend Pieter Booyens Circa 1840-1921
Born Circa January 1840, Sondagsrivier, Cape Colony
Baptised 30 June 1847, Grahamstown, Anglican Church
Died 2 December 1921, Pretoria, Transvaal
 x Married (1) Before November 1861
Hendrina Hermina Rabe 1844-1862
 x Married (2) Before 2 April 1871
Johanna Adriana van der Westhuysen Circa 1850-1881
 x Married (3) 5 January 1883 Heidelberg, Transvaal
Judith Susara Margaretha Booyens 1860-1887
 x Married (4) 1888 Standerton
Maria Isabella Janse van Nieuwenhuzen Circa 1864-1939

Maria Marthina Booyens Circa 1841-1914
Born Circa October 1841, Cape Colony 7
Baptised 30 June 1847, Grahamstown, Anglican Church 8
Died 4 September 1914, Johannesburg, Transvaal 9
 x Married Circa 1857 Harrismith 10
William Henry Austin 1840-1906
Born 2 August 1840, Grahamstown 11
Baptised 27 September 1840, Fort Beaufort 12
Died 6 July 1906, Johannesburg 13

Elizabeth Johanna Booyens 1842-1913
Born 1842, Graaff-Reinet 14
Baptised 30 June 1847, Grahamstown, Anglican Church 15
Died 27 July 1913, Pretoria 16
 x Married (1) unknown date Unknown place
David Petrus Prinsloo Died 1867
Died 1867, On Commando 17
 x Married (2) 15 December 1869 (unconfirmed) Pretoria 18
Hendrik Willem Brouwer

Cecilia Magdalena Wilhelmina Booyens 1846-1884
Born 1 April 1846, Graaff-Reinet 19
Died 29 October 1884, Harrismith, Aberfeldy 20

Notes: Cecilia is born in the Cape Colony in the district of Graaff-Reinet about 1 April 1846, as calculated from her stated age at death. She is not baptised along with her preceding five siblings on 30 June 1847 in Grahamstown. Our speculation is that she was too little to be cared for by her father and was taken in by family.


No record can be found of her early life and by the time we next meet her, she is married to Coert Johannes Vorster and living on the farm Rietspruit in the Caledon River district of the Free State Republic. They draw up their will on 24 June 1873 at Wepener in that district [#1].


Cecilia dies on the farm Aberfeldy near Harrismith on 29 October 1884. The spot was earlier known as Elandsrivierbrug and has been a railway siding since 1902. The distribution account is drawn up and signed in nearby Harrismith on 19 January 1885. She has given Coert ten children. The fact that Cecilia's last child is unbaptised at the time of her death suggests that Cecilia dies in childbirth [#2]. The child is eventually baptized in Bethlehem on 8 February 1885 and named for Cecilia [#3]. The date of birth of the baby girl is indeed the same as the date of death of her mother.


By 10 July 1887 Coert is baptizing his first child by a new wife [4].


#1. Free State Archives, VAB MHG Ref. B744 (Will): LINK
#2. Free State Archives, VAB MHG Ref. B744 (Death Notice): LINK
#3. Baptism book of the Dutch Reformed Parish of Bethlehem: LINK
#4. Baptism book of the Dutch Reformed Parish of Harrismith: LINK


 x Married 9 April 1866 (unconfirmed) Middelburg KP
Coert Johannes Vorster Born 1847
Born 17 August 1847, Middelburg KP