Anna Groothenning van Bengale

F, #3183, b. circa 1676, d. after 1719
D:o [1713] [5 Februarij]. Christiaan Bok, van Wolffenbuttel, jongman, met Anna Groothenning, van Bengaalen, staande tusschen haar beijden [drie] kinderen, genaamt Michiel, Catharina, en Johanna Bok.

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NGK (Cape Town) Baptisms 1665-1695NGK (Cape Town) Baptisms 1665-1695
NGK (Cape Town) Marriages1665-1695NGK (Cape Town) Marriages 1665-1695
Last Edited18/02/2020
BirthOrigin*Anna's toponym was 'van Bengale' or from Bengal - a term loosely applied during the period of VOC dominance to enslaved or formerly enslaved people from any of the countries bordering the Bay of Bengal. And the mtDNA of one of her direct matrilineal descendants shows her to be a member of a haplogroup predominantly originating in the region now politically defined as Myanmar and Laos. She was born circa 1676.1,2 
BaptismAnna Groothenning van Bengale was baptized on 1 January 1713 Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, (Cape Town), de Caep de Goede Hoop, .3 
Concubine* Between 1703 and 1705 Anna Groothenning van Bengale was the concubine of Darius van Bengale de Caep de Goede Hoop.4
 
Marriage*She married Christiaan Bok on 5 February 1713 Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, (Cape Town), de Caep de Goede Hoop.5,6
 
Marriage De facto Before 1702 Anna Groothenning van Bengale and Christiaan Bok were in a de facto relationship de Caep de Goede Hoop. . As a slave belonging to Bok's partner, Kaspar Geringer, Anna would likely have had no choice whether she wished to engage in any kind of relationship at all, with either Bok or Geringer. However, in time a relationship may have blossomed, for she had several more children with Bok and they were ultimately married after she was manumitted.7 
Death*She died after 1719.7,8
 

Family 1

Darius van Bengale b. c 1677
Children

Family 2

Christiaan Bok b. c 1669, d. b 26 Aug 1716
Children

Family 3

Jacob Marik b. c 1670, d. 1731
Child
DNA*A direct, documented, matrilineal descendant of Anna Groothenning has tested for mtDNA haplogroup M49c on ftDNA. M49c predominantly originates in the region now politically defined as Myanmar and Laos.9 
(Beneficiary) InventoryThe estate of Christiaan Bok was inventoried between 26 August 1716 and 28 August 1716 Cabo de Goede Hoop with Geringer receiving one half, his widow Anna, one quarter, and the remaining quarter divided between Michiel, Catharine, Johanna, Christiaan and Clara. Maria Bok was not mentioned. Sixteen male slaves valued at ƒ4,800, and 3 female slaves valued at ƒ450 were included in the inventory, none of whom were identified.10
(PrincipalAdd) LiquidDist On 24 September 1721 a liquidation and distribution account was prepared in the estate of Hans Kaspar Geringer, Christiaan Bok and Anna Groothenning van Bengale.11
Names in the record, in publications, etc.Anna Groothenning van Bengale was also known as Anna van Bengale.1,12,13
5 February 1713, the name of Anna was written in the record as Anna Groothenning van Bengaalen.14
Baptisms - WitnessAnna Groothenning van Bengale and Hendrick Claasz witnessed the baptism of Nicolaas Bruijn on 25 April 1717 Nederduitsche Gereformeede Kerk, (Cape Town), Cabo de Goede Hoop.15
NotesThe attached article by Margaret Cairns is essential reading for any descendant of Anna Groothenning.7
Slave TransactionsOn 5 June 1698 Anna Groothenning van Bengale was sold by Cornelis Keeleman to Gerrit Hendrik Meyer de Caep de Goede Hoop, for 54 rixdollars.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There is a strong likelihood the year of this transaction was 1697, and not 1698. Given sailing times of the period, it is unlikely Ke(e)leman could have travelled from the Cape in June 1697 when he skippered the Spiegel and sold two slaves, to Patria and then return to the East and back to the Cape by June 1698.

However, both Böeseken and Shell cite the Transporten & Schepenkenisse as source for the date and it seems strange that both would have exactly the same transcription error. It would require going back to the original TN&S document to be sure.

My thanks to Ceri MacKellar for bringing this anomaly to my attention.16,1
On 20 July 1702 Anna Groothenning van Bengale was sold by Johann Lorenz to Christian Weinoch de Caep de Goede Hoop, for 70 rixdollars.17
In 1703 Anna Groothenning van Bengale may have come in to the possession of Hans Kaspar Geringer when Christian Weinoch sold all his property to Johann Lorenz. It may have been that for some reason Jan Lorenz did not want her back in his household because she was apparently already the concubine of Christiaan Bok, the partner of Geringer, having born Bok a child, Michiel, in early 1702.13
Slave EmancipationsAnna Groothenning van Bengale was emancipated by Hans Kaspar Geringer, on 27 August 1709 de Caep de Goede Hoop, the manumission was made in terms of a will drawn up by Geringer. Her children Johanna Bok van der Caep, Michiel Bok van der Caep, Catharina Bok and Maria Groothenning were manumitted with her.18
Slaves owned by individualsAnna Groothenning van Bengale was enslaved before 5 June 1698 somewhere in the countries surrounding the Bay of in Bengal where she apparently came into the possession of Cornelis Keeleman.19

Citations

  1. [S432] Robert C-H Shell compiler, Changing Hands, A calendar of bondage in southern Africa, 1550 to 1888, CD-ROM; ISBN 1-86918-063-1; (Cape Town: Ancestry24, September 2007), Sequence IDNO:       1407     
    Slaves First Name:       Anna     
    Presumed Place Of Origin:       van Bengal     
    Day Of Sale:       5     
    Month Of Sale:       6     
    Year Of Sale:       1698     
    Type Of Sale:       Oceanic     
    Type Of Name:       Christian     
    Continental Origin Code:       Indian Sub Continent     
    Slaves Age:       22     
    Slaves Gender:       Female     
    Price In Rixdollars:       54     
    Sellers Last Name:       Keleman     
    Sellers First Name:       Cornelis     
    Sellers Civil Status:       VOC employee     
    Sellers Gender:       Male     
    Sellers Domicile:       Transit-at sea     
    Sellers Occupation:       Skipper     
    Buyers Last Name:       Meijer     
    Buyers First Name:       Gerrit     
    Buyers Civil Status:       burgher     
    Buyers Gender:       Male     
    Buyers Domicile:       Cape district     
    Buyers Occupation:       barkeep     
    Primary Reference:       Transporten en Scheepeniskennis. Hereinafter cited as Changing Hands.
  2. [S21] Date estimated by compiler, Delia Robertson and, unless there is corroborating information, should not be considered as anything more than a guide.
  3. [S502] Website Family Search (www.familysearch.org) "primo Januarii [1713] Anna Groothenni[ingh – record damaged] een vrije vrouwen gedoopt na voorgaande belijdenis. [My thanks to Mansell Upham for correcting this transciption.]
    https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/…."
  4. [S629] Personal communications between Mansell Upham and Delia Robertson, 2010-present. My thanks to Mansell Upham for sharing this transcript from the register for slaves belonging to free-burghers:
    27 Dec: [1705]      Twe Kinderen van Dare/[s/] van Bengale en Anna van Bengale onder getuijgen van Willem Fenning en Katrina de Vos           Maria en Catryn.
  5. [S702] Church Registers 1665-1695, VC 603.: D:o [1713] [5 Februarij]
    Christiaan Bok, van Wolffenbuttel, jongman, met
    Anna Groothenning, van Bengaalen, staande tusschen haar
    beijden [drie] kinderen, genaamt Michiel, Catharina, en Johanna Bok.
    Page 1, VC 621, which is a photocopy of the original register, now housed in the Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerkargief, Noordwal-Wes, Stellenbosch, as G1-13/1, (1980), Cape Town Archives Repository, Private Bag X9025, Cape Town, South Africa, 021-4624050. Hereinafter cited as Church Registers 1665-1695, VC 603.
  6. [S153] J.A. Heese & R.T.J. Lombard, South African Genealogies 1 A-C, HSRC SA Genealogies (Pretoria: Institute for Historical Research, Division Genealogical Research, Pretoria, 1986, 1989), ISBN 0-620-23962-X, Page 314. Hereinafter cited as S.A. Genealogies 1.
  7. [S198] Margaret Cairns, "Geringer and Bok: a genealogical jigsaw", Familia (Geringer and Bok) 13, nr. 2 (1976): Volume 34, Number 3, 1976, Pages 27-37 and 40.. Hereinafter cited as "Geringer and Bok."
  8. [S331] Webpage Ball Family Records (www.ballfamilyrecords.co.uk) "citing various estate records."
  9. [S819] Website Family Tree DNA (www.familytreedna.com) "M49c
    https://www.familytreedna.com/public/SouthAfrican-mtDNA/… - accessed 21 January 2015."
  10. [S332] Webpage tanap.net (http://databases.tanap.net/mooc/) (Original records held by Western Cape Archives and Records Service, Roeland Street, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa) "Reference no.: MOOC8/3.36
    Testator(s):
    Christiaan Bock
    Aldus geinventariseert en getaxeert door ons onderget:e gecommitt:e Weesm:ren ter presentie van Hans Casper Gerringer en wed:e Anna Groot Heijningh aan Cabo de Goede Hoop den 26ste, 27 en 28 Augustus 1716."
  11. [S711] Liquidation and distribution account of the personal estate of Bok and Grootheijning Gerringer of de Caep de Goede Hoop, dated 24 September 1721 (eGSSA - MOOC 13/1/1 Boedelrekeninge 1709-1722, CD No. 1).
  12. [S331] Webpage Ball Family Records (www.ballfamilyrecords.co.uk) "citing NGK Cape Town marriage registers, viz:
    4 Church Registers - Cape Town Congregation, Cape Archives, originals in the Nederlands Gereformeerde Kerk Argief, Stellenbosch, VC 603, 604, 605, 621 - baptisms and marriages 1695+
    baptisms, page 24, 1702 (VC 604)
    19 Mart van Anna van Bengale onder getuygen van Michiel van Dueren en Marritje Jacobs gent. Michiel."
  13. [S198] Margaret Cairns, "Geringer and Bok."
  14. [S702] Church Registers 1665-1695, VC 603.: D:o [1713] [5 Februarij]
    ...Anna Groothenning, van Bengaalen..., 1980, Cape Town Archives Repository.
  15. [S502] Website Family Search (www.familysearch.org) "[1717] 25 do.: [Aprils] Nicolaas. Micolaas Bruijn, en Maria Groothenning. Hendrik Claasz en Anna Groothenning [My thanks to Mansell Upham for pointing out this baptism.]
    https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11116-194245-4."
  16. [S418] Anna J. Böeseken, Slaves and Free Blacks at the Cape 1658-1700 (Cape Town: Tafelberg, 1977), p. 185. 5.6.1698: Anna from Bengal (22), sold by skipper Cornelis Keeleman to Gerrit Meyer for Rds. 54.. Hereinafter cited as Slaves and Free Blacks at the Cape 1658-1700.
  17. [S432] Robert C-H Shell compiler, Changing Hands, Sequence IDNO:       1923     
    Slaves First Name:       Anna     
    Presumed Place Of Origin:       van Bengal     
    Day Of Sale:       20     
    Month Of Sale:       7     
    Year Of Sale:       1702     
    Type Of Name:       Christian     
    Continental Origin Code:       Indian Sub Continent     
    Slaves Age:       26     
    Slaves Gender:       Female     
    Price In Rixdollars:       70     
    Sellers Last Name:       Lourensz     
    Sellers First Name:       Jan     
    Sellers Civil Status:       burgher     
    Sellers Gender:       Male     
    Sellers Domicile:       Drakenstein     
    Sellers Occupation:       Blacksmith     
    Buyers Last Name:       Weinoch     
    Buyers First Name:       Christiaan     
    Buyers Civil Status:       freeblack     
    Buyers Gender:       Male     
    Buyers Domicile:       Cape district     
    Buyers Occupation:       farmer     
    Primary Reference:       Transporten en Scheepeniskennis.
  18. [S198] Margaret Cairns, "Geringer and Bok", On 27th August 1709, Abraham Poulé, the official of that time together with his clerk, grappled with this third will. Geringer aged fifty-six and Bok forty-one, first cancelled their previous testaments executed either singly or in partnership; the survivor was again to be sole heir with the usual provisions for Christian burial and payment of just debts. Anna and the children were all granted freedom and Michiel was recorded as 'Michiel Geringer' for the first and only time. (Citing: CJ. 2650 no. 6, 27.8.1709).
  19. [S685] Mr. F.H. de Vos, "Some Marriages in Batavia", Journal of the Dutch Burgher Union of Ceylon Vol II, No.3 (September 1909): Sequence IDNO:       1407     
    Slaves First Name:       Anna     
    Presumed Place Of Origin:       van Bengal     
    ...
    Sellers Last Name:       Keleman     
    Sellers First Name:       Cornelis     
    Sellers Civil Status:       VOC employee. Hereinafter cited as "Some Marriages in Batavia."
 

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