Daniel Zaaiman was born Vlissengen, Netherlands. He died, most probably, in 1713, presumably during the smallpox epidemic.[1]

Prior to coming to the Cape around 1708, he had lived with his family on the island of Mauritius, then a Dutch East India Company Settlement, where they had grown sweet potatotes on the Lemoenboomvlakte. In 1696 he had two slaves to help him and they were expected to plant out 1000 half-aums of sweet potatoes each year and then dig up the crop. The Comander at Mauritius suggests that for this they really need about 30 or 40 slaves. [2]

His wife was Pieternella Meerhof, [3] the daugher of Pieter Meerhof, surgeon and explorer in the employ of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) at the Cape, and his wife Eva (her Dutch name) or Krotoa (her Khoisan name) who was brought up in the household of Jan van Riebeeck to be the translator and negotiator between the VOC and the Khoisan peoples at the Cape. [4] 

In the Census of the island of Mauritius of 1677, Daniel Zaaiman is listed as a single man without any slaves. In the census of 31 December 1706, his wife is listed as Pieternella Meerhofs, and they have 5 sons (no daughters) and 10 slaves. Also listed in this census are Herbert Jansen van Schoonhoven and his wife Eva Zaijman with one daughter, and Hendrik Abrahamse De Vries and his wife Maria Zaijman with 3 sons (no daughters) and 5 slaves. [3]

When the abandonment of the settlement on Mauritius was decided on in 1707, Daniel Zaaijman was one of the freemen who elected to go with his family to the Cape (rather than to Batavia) [2]

On the 11th March 1711 he and his son, Pieter Zaaiman, informed the Burgerraad that they were planning to move from the Cape District to that of Stellenbosch and received permission to do so. [5]

At the time of his death he owned a house and yard in the Table Valley, block gg, numbers 11 and 12. This house was sold from his estate to Jan Jacob Stockvliet in March of the following year. His household goods seem to have been minimal, a bed, mattress and pillows plus some table and kitchen ware. Apart from these, a large stock of silver buttons (58) and trouser fittings perhaps indicates that he dealt in these? There is also a chest with coopering tools, perhaps another trade he or one of his five slaves, practised. [6]

Their children are listed in the inventory of 1714 [6]. Although there they are listed sons first and daughters second I have listed the daughters first since they must have been older than all the sons except possibly Pieter Zaaiman (the Mauritius census of 1706 lists all the sons as living with their parents, the daughters presumably married). The fact that he did not marry until 1725 would suggest that he, too, was younger than any of the daughters.

The children of Daniel Zaaiman and Pieternella Meerhof:

b1 Catharina Zaaiman, died before 1715 [7]
married, probably on Mauritius, between 1692 and 1703, Roelof Diodati, died before 1729

b2 Eva Zaaiman, born on Mauritius [3], died before 1714  [6]
married (1) on Mauritius, Herbert Jans van der Meyden [3] [7]
married (2) 30 September 1711 Stellenbosch, Johannes Smit [7] 1683-1714

b3 Magdalena Zaaiman died before 1709
married Johannes Bocklenbergh circa 1668-circa 1709 surgeon (1699)

b4 Maijke Zaaiman, born Mauritius [3], died 1713, probably during the smallpox epidemic  
married on Mauritius [3] perhaps around 1700 (assumed, from the fact that they had 3 sons by 1706)
Hendrik Abrahamsz de Vries 1676-1744

b5 Pieter Zaaiman born Mauritius [8]  
married 10 January 1712 Stellenbosch Anna Maria Coopman [8] born 1695

b6 Daniel Zaaiman circa 1698-1725
sailor in the employ of the Dutch East India Co.
born circa 1698, [9] Mauritius, died 15 July 1725, in the far east, probably Ceylon. [10]
He made his profession of belief on 16 August 1718 to become a member of the Cape Town NG Church with Johanna van Es, wife of Hendrik de Vries as his witness. On 29th November 1718 he applied to the Council of Policy to enter the service of the Dutch East India Company to try his fortune in India, saying that he was at present a ward of the Orphan Chamber and very poor.

b7 Johannes Zaaiman born born 28 January 1704, Mauritius baptized 17 February 1709, Cape Town [11]
Notes: He had presumably died before 1714, since he is not named in the the inventory drawn up after the death of his father, Daniel Zaaiman.

b8 Christiaan Zaaiman born 27 March 1708, Mauritius, baptized 17 February 1709, Cape Town [11]
He is listed as one of his father's heirs in 1717, and thus was living then but I have found no mention of him after that date. [7]

Researched by Richard Ball

Sources:

1. Estate Accounts - Zaaiman, Daniel - 1714
        Cape Archives, MOOC 13/1/1, 89

22 Maart Pr. de verkogte Roerende Goederen uituigsens de Vendu Rol

      Cape Muster rolls of Freemen 1660 onwards
      Cape Archives, VC 39 and VC 49 

both he and his wife appear up to and including 1712 but not after that

2. Leibbrandt, H.C.V. - Letters Received 1695-1708, pages 92, 168 & 453

3.  Cape Archives C313 - incoming letters 1677-78, part 3, p.869. Letter dated 3 October 1677
General Muster Roll of the free settlers on Mauritius - dated 31st December 1706, signed G. Wijbrandtsz

Cape Archives, C383, pp. 12-13 Daniel Zaijman van Vlissinge, en vrouw Petronella Meerhoff van de Caab
Herbert Janse van Schoonhoven en vrouw Eva Zaijman van Mauritius
Hendrik Abrahmse de Vries van Amsterdam en vrouw Maria Zaijman van Mauritius

4. Resolutions of the Council of Policy of Cape of Good Hope, Cape Town Archives
    Repository, South Africa, C. 11, pp. 38-44, and 45-50, 14th and 23rd July 1677.

In the resolutions of the Council of Policy at the Cape, for the 14th and 23rd July, 1677, it is noted that 'Bartholomeus Borns and his wife Theuntje propose to relieve the Deacons and Overseers of the Poor at the Cape, of the two minor orphan children of the late Sr. Pieter Meerhof and his wife Eva, a Hottentot, namely Pieternella and Salamon, whom they propose to take with them at the earliest opportunity, to Mauritius, travellling on the ship 'De Boode', and promising to care for them in all respects and bring them up to a civlised way of life until they shall have reached the time of their marriage or some other approved state'. [2]

5. 1 STB 18/155, page 279, 8 Feb 1713.

Daniel Zaaijman exchanges the farm he bought in Stellenbosch, de Patrijse Valleij, from David Heufke, to Roelof Fredrik Steenbock, now married to the widow of Heuffke. The farm is gone over and dillapidations noted for valuation purposes.
He is exchanging it for a house in Cape Town.

6. Inventory dated 1st December 1714, MOOC 8/3, and Deceased Estate Accounts dated 15th June 1717, MOOC 13/1/1, 89

7. Estate Accounts - Zaaiman, Daniel - finalised 30 June 1717, Cape Archives, MOOC 13/1/1,89

Pieter Zaijman, Daniel Zaijman, Christiaan Zaijman
Johannes en Samuel diodatij als representerende haar[overlede]ne Moeder Catharina Zaijman
Caatje Janz als representerende haar moeder Zalre. Eva Zaijman
Coenraad Fijt in huwelijk hebbe[...]ternella Bocklenbergh, Andries Bruijns getrout met Anna Elisabeth Bocklenbergh, Johannes Bocklenbergh, en Susanna Bocklenbergh,[...] Samentlijk representeerende haar overleedene Moeder Helena Zaijmans Abraham de Vries, daniel, Jacob en Isak de Vries, als [...]nteerende haar moeder Zalr. Maijke Zaijman.

8. Church Registers - Stellenbosch Congregation, Palmkronieke 1, Doop Register Stellenbosch 1688-1732
         and VC 639 marriages 1700-1788,
    The original registers are in the NGK Argief, Stellenbosch, G2 4/1, 4/2 and 7/1, VC 639

marriages 1711, Sep 30 Johannes Smit van Delft jongm. met
Eva Saaijman wede. Hebert Jans van de Meyden

 marriages, 1712, Jan 10
Pieter Zaayman van't eyland Mauritius jongm' met
Anna Maria Coopman van Cabo jongdr.

9. Leibbrandt, H.C.V.. Precis of the Archives of the Cape of Good Hope - Requesten (1715-1806), p.1445e, 1718
      Zaayman, Daniel; 20 years old, a ward of the Orphan Chamber; very poor; wishes to enter the Service, to try his fortune in India.
      (No. 106, 29th Nov 1718.)

10. Scheepssoldijboeken - VOC, Uitgevaren voor de Kamers van de VOC
    Persoonsgegevens van Daniel Saijman, Herkomst: Mourilius
    Rang: Matroos
    ... Uitreis: 12/05/1721 Bestemming: Ceylon, 08/05/1722
   Datum einde verbintenis: 15/07/1725
   Einde verbintenis: Overleden. Plaats einde verbintenis: Azie

11. Church Registers - Cape Town NGK Congregation, Cape Archives
     (original in the Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk Argiewe, Stellenbosch), VC 603, VC 604, VC 605, VC 621, VC 622, VC 644,
    baptisms: 1709, 17 Februarij
    van Daniel Zaaiman en Pieternella Meerhof
    2 kinderen gekom vanuit Eijland Mauritius
    het eerste gebooren den 28 Januarij 1704 genaamt Johannes,
    het tweede gebooren den 27 Maart 1708 genaamt Christiaan
    De getuigen waaren Jacobus van Laar met Maijke Zaaiman en Johannes Osenburg met Annetje Eijlant

See also: http://www.ballfamilyrecords.co.uk/bosmandevriesbuys/I057.html