Jan de WIT, born in 1677 at New York, in April 1755. He is from Stanton White, Norfolk (U.S.A.) He arrived in 1700 at Cape Town. He was the son of Willem de Wit who was living in New York, at Nieuw Nederland. (Note : We are unable to find what or where is Stanton White)

According to family tradition the name de Wit was originally White. There is an interesting legend behind the change of the family name but we don’t know what it is. Jan de WIT was married on 20-03-1707 to Maria ADRIAANSE, she was the daughter of Anna PIETERS of Batavia, (illegitimate daughter or daughter from a previous marriage or relationship). Lambert ADRIAANSE of Wye, Gelderland married Anna PIETERS on 1.3.1694

Their children from this marriage are:
1. Anna Catharina de WIT, born on 26 Dec 1707 and died in Batavia. Married at the age of 18 on 24 Feb 1726 to Rynhard Johannes WILTENS, vice-merchant of the V.O.C.
2. Maria Elisabeth de WIT, born on 24 Jan 1712.
3. Willem Adriaan Christiaan de WIT, christened on 03 Jun 1714.
4. Petrus Johannes de WIT born on 23 Aug 1716 in Cape Town, died circa 1805.
5. Isabella de WIT, christened on 28 May 1719. Church marriage at the age of 26 on 22 March 1746 to Jasper WESTPALM.
6. Johanna de WIT, christened on 18 Jan 1722. Died on 25 Feb 1747 at the age of 25, on board of the ship "Zuiderberg". Church marriage at the age of 22 on 26 Jul 1744 to Thomas SWELLENGREBEL, merchant at Batavia, born in Archangel.
7. Johannes Hendricus de WIT, Captain of a Dutch fleet, christened on 01 Oct 1724.

On the 6 January 1709 Jan de Wit's slave Rachel van Bengaalen had her child Dina baptised.

Sources:
“Geslagsregister van die ou Kaapse families” by de Villiers and Pama,
and “Die Groot Afrikaanse Familie-Naamboek” written by C Pama provided by Gerda Pieterse

Thanks to research by:

Thanks to submission by:
Dennis de Wit dennisdewitt@netscape.net

webpage http://dewitt.mainpage.net