Michiel Otto (abt. 1688 - abt. 1743)

Born about 27 Aug 1688 in Chemnitz, Königreich Sachsen, Heiliges Römisches Reich [uncertain]

Husband of Barbara (Conterman) Otto — married 19 Nov 1719 (to before 1 Mar 1722) in Stellenbosch, de Caep de Goede Hoop

Husband of Anna Margaretha (Siek) Otto — married 1 Mar 1722 in Stellenbosch, de Caep de Goede Hoop

Descendants

Died about 1743 at about age 54 in Welgelegen, de Caep de Goede Hoop

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Michiel Otto is a Cape of Good Hope - Kaap de Goede Hoop (1652-1806) Stamouer-Progenitor Join: Cape of Good Hope - Kaap de Goede Hoop (1652-1806) Project Discuss: DUTCH_CAPE_COLONY_PROGENITORS

Profile category is "Needs Validation" & "Needs Transcription" - Which means the uploading of a baptism image (if possible), properly cited so that it will not cause copyright issues, and the full transcription [not only from FamilySearch itself] of the the baptism entry with LNAB (LastNameAtBaptism) to prove the spelling. The project profile (wikitrees-cogh-stamouer-progenitorATgooglegroups.com) has been added to the trusted list of this progenitor profile [Privacy Tab] and then also activated as active manager (though this progenitor profile still has to be validated with a [transcription of a] baptism [image]), and this profile has been Project Profile Protected). The bio has been been integrated as best possible for the time being. Primary records will probably still be around in archives in Europe and in the Netherlands.

Biography

Name

Michiel ^[1] / Michael ^[2][3][4] ("Michel Ox", 'Baas" ^[5]) Otto ^[1][2][3][4] / of Svelbin ^[3]

Birth

Date: Michael Otto was born 27 Aug 1688 ^[2] / in 1692 ^[4] / in 1694. ^[1]

Place: Noorwee ^[1] / Stettin ^[2], [Pruise] ^[2]

Immigration

Michiel (Michael) Otto from Stettin / Norway arrived in the Cape on 17 May 1714 as a sailor on the "Rijxdorf". ^[6]

"In't Schip Rijxdorf / A:o 1714 / Voor Amsterdam

Michiel Ot van Holstijn, Matroos

Meij 17 / ...sedert 18 Januarij...uijt Texel...tot heden dat aan de Caab aan lant gaat" ^[6]

In 1716 he was a woodcutter.

He became a free Burger on 10 October1719. ^[6]

"(1719) 10 Octob: / ...dat op sijn versoeke vrijburger wert..." ^[6]

Through his second marriage he became the owner of Vergelegen[...], the farm that originally belonged to Adriaan vd Stel. ^[7]

Date: 1 Apr 1714 ^[2]

Place: as matroos op die "Ryksdorp" ^[2]

Marriage

First Marriage:

Date: 19 Nov 1719

Place: Stellenbosch, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa

Name: Michiel Otto

Residence Place: Noorwegen

Spouse's Name: Barbara Couterman

Spouse's Residence Place: Cabo ^[8][9]

1719....19 Nov ....Michiel Otto úyt Noorwegen, en Barbara Conterman van Cabo jonge dr. ^[10]

Second marriage:

Date: 1 March 1722

Place: Stellenbosch, Dutch Reformed Church

Groom: Michiel Otto

Bride: Anna Margaretha Siek

{1722} 1 Maart. Michiel Otto, met Anna Margaretha Siek van Cabo, Wedu Geldenhuysen. ^[11]

Divorce

His second marriage ended in legal separation in 1740. ^[12]

“tot voorkoming van alle ongelukken die bij een langere tesamen wooninge ongetwyffelt te verwagten waren, door deesen Raad van Tafel, Bed, en gemeenskap van goederen te mogen werden gesepareert...” ^[12]

Death

Date: Michael Otto passed away in 1743. ^[4][2] / on 20 November 1743 ^[6]

"(1743) 20 Nov / Getesteerd hebbende vrouw en kinderen nalatende overleeden al per Caaps Vrijboek fo. 16" ^[6]

Place: [Somerset-Wes] ^[2]

Will

He drew up his will on 26 September 1742 whilst being bedridden. ^[13]

"...in den jaare...duijsend seven hondert twee en veertig op den ses en twintigste dag der maand Sept:br..."

"...verscheenen is den burger Michiel Otto van Stettijn, Siekelijk te bedde leggende dog egter by volle verstande..."

"...ter verkiesinge van erfgenaamen...sijn evengem: soon Michiel Otto de jonge beneevens desselfs vier dogters in naame Maria, Christina, Anna Dorothea en Sophia Margaretha Otto alle in huwelijk verkreegen bij desselfs gesepareerde huijsvrouw Anna Margaretha Siek..."

"Aldus getesteerd aan Cabo de Goede Hoop ten woonhuijse van den Testateur..." ^[13]

Estate Inventory

Testator(s): Michiel Otto

Date: 21 November 1743

Place: Cabo de Goede Hoop

Inventaris van alle soodanige goederen, roerende en onroerende, als naar voorgaande testamentaire dispositie sub dato 26 September 1742 voor d’ eerstgeswoore Clerq ter politique secretarije alhier s:r Petrus Jesse Slotsboo en seekere getuijgen gepasseert, sijn naargelaaten en met ’er dood ontruijmt door den burger Michiel Otto ten voordeele sijner vijf naargelaatene kinderen, met naame bij sijn overgebleevene gesepareerde huijsvrouw Anna Margaretha Siek in huwelijk verwekt

Michiel

Maria Regina oud 16

Johanna Christina oud 13

Anna Dorothea oud 11, en

Sophia Margaretha Otto oud 9 jaaren ^[14]

Research Notes

• The marriage of Dirkje Helmus to Otto van Svelbin was unlikely. I removed her as spouse. ^[15]
• STAMVADER: OTTO - THE OTTO FAMILY BRANCHES ^[16]

Many of our Otto ancestors originally came from Pomerania, located in the north east of present day Germany. I have found 27 Otto individuals who immigrated to South Africa during the last 300 years. About 69% of all Otto's are descended from Michiel Otto, who arrived at the Cape in 1714. About 19% of all Otto's are descended from Johann Friedrich Otto. The rest belong to the other 25 Otto patriarchs. The Lakota, an American Indian tribe, have a saying, which really applies to us. After a pipe-smoking ceremony, they say: "Mi taku oyasin", meaning, "We are all related!" There were 1200 people with Otto surnames recorded on Death Notices, as of the year 1999. ^[16]

A few generalizations may be made about where and when certain Otto families lived. Otto families left Germany to find opportunities in a new land. Michiel Otto and Johann Friedrich Otto are the only Otto's whose family were in South Africa prior to the great Trek. Some remained in the Western Cape, but most moved inland, to escape colonial rule by England. Generally, once they made the over land move, the Otto families remained in their new surroundings. The early twentieth century was ushered in by the Industrial Revolution and many moved for economic reasons to the cities. Pretoria became the city of choice for many Otto families, since most were Afrikaners. As we enter the twenty-first century many South Africans are making another Trek. Estimates are that more than one million South Africans have moved abroad. The United States, Canada, England, Australia and New Zealand are popular emigration destinations. ^[16]

The Otto family is a midsize South African family. In comparisons, according to the 1964 Population Register of the Republic of South Africa the largest families were: Jacobs = 82500; Botha = 79500; Smith = 76500; Williams = 64500; van Wyk = 63000; van der Merwe = 60000; Nel = 49500; du Plessis and Venter = 48000; Pretorius = 46500; Coetsee / Coetzee = 46500; Fourie = 46500; Louw = 46500;van Rensburg = 46500; Smit = 45000; van Zyl = 43500; Adams= 42000; Hendricks = 40500; du Toit = 39000; Kruger = 39000; van Niekerk = 39000; Meyer = 34500; Abrahams = 34500; le Roux = 31500; Booysens = 31500; Swart = 30000; van Rooyen = 30000; Viljoen = 30000; Steyn = 28500; van der Westhuizen = 28500; Swanepoel = 27000; Muller = 27000; Marais = 27000; Joubert = 27000; Brown = 27000; Potgieter = 25000; du Preez = 25000; Jouberts = 24650; Olivier = 24000; Oosthuizen = 24000; Pienaar = 24000; Bezuidenhout = 24000; Petersen = 22500; Burger = 21750; de Villiers = 21000; de Beers = 21000; van Heerdens = 21000; Barnard = 21000; Isaac = 19500; Prinsloo = 19500 Fortuin = 18750; Thomas = 18000; Grobler = 18000; Vorster = 18000; Visagie = 17250; Lombard = 17250; Scheepers = 16500; Steenkamp = 16500; Theron = 16500 (Source: South African Surnames by Eric Rosenthal, 1965). ^[16]

Descendants of Michiel Otto: Michiel OTTO was born on 27 August 1688 in Chemnitz, Saxony, Germany. He died in 1743 in Somerset-West, Western Cape. Michiel's parents were Johann Heinrich OTTO, born in 1665 and Dorothea MAUERSBERGER, born in 1668. They were married on 5 OCT 1687 in Chemnitz, Saxony, Germany. Michiel Otto came to South Africa 1 April 1714 on board the ship "Rijksdorp" of the Dutch East Indian Company, which sailed from Trondheim, Norway. According to his testament he originally came from Stettin, which was under Sweden at the time. The present day spelling of the city name is in its Slavic form, Szczecin, pronounced 'Stettin'. This city is a port on the Baltic coast on the East Side of the Oder River in Poland. Michiel was the first of twenty-six Otto patriarchs who came to South Africa. Twenty of those Otto families came from the eastern part of Germany. ^[16]

Michiel was a sailor in 1714. Michiel was made superintendent of the Woodcutters, behind the Steenbergen Mountains of the Western Cape and was released from contractual service responsibilities to the Dutch East Indian Company in 1719. Upon completing the obligatory five years of service, he married Barbara CONTERMAN on 19 November 1719. No children were born from this marriage. Through his second marriage to Anna Margaretha SIEK on 1 March 1723, widow of Barend Gildenhuyzen, he became the owner of one-fourth of the 'Vergelegen' farm, on which the house and buildings stood. This farm originally belonged to Governor Willem Adriaan van der Stel and is a South African heritage site. The estate is located about half a mile beyond the eastern extremity of the urban area of Somerset-West, Western Cape. ^[16]

VERGELEGEN ESTATE: Presently, the estate is one of Western Cape's tourist attractions, with a Cape Dutch style house, restaurant and wine cellars built into the hillside. Vergelegen has been called "The Versailles of Southern Africa", with its octagonal gardens and 300 year old majestic Camphor's. The old oak trees are reputed to have been planted by Adriaan van der Stel. Michiel also owned the farm Kleine Zwarte River till 1727 and then lived on the farm Kromme River, near Elgin in 1730. Michiel's Testament and Will indicate he was a relatively rich man at his time of death. Michiel's wealth was most likely acquired through his marriage to the widow of the wealthy man, Barend Gildenhuyzen. In the book, "Cape of Good Hope" published in 1787, there are serious allegations made against Michiel, in the extract from O. F. Mentzel. He writes, "In my time, a farmer named Michael Otto (commonly known as Michel Ox) owned the best farm in Hottentots Holland, noted for viticulture; but he was a savage, tyrannical to his slaves. Consequently he lost through desertion many of his slaves who fell into the hands of the Fiscal and the law. Flogging seemed to him far too mild a punishment for the smallest offence. Generally in summer he used to bind slaves who had committed some offence naked to a tree or pole in the sun, had their entire bodies smeared with honey and thus they were tortured unbearable for hours by flies, wasps, bumble-bees and other pests, especially by the African blind flies, called "Mosquitoes" in India. But after he had suffered great loss of slaves and also been severely punished several times by the Government on account of his inhuman conduct, he became annoyed, left his wife to farm alone on the estate and bought himself a house in the city; there sold his own wine at retail and what he could not sell he drank himself being never quite sober. When any farmer had a disobedient slave, the mere threat to sell or give him to Michael Otto unless he improved, was often more effective than other punishments would have been since every slave was afraid of this man." ^[16]

Michiel's self-destructive drinking, abuse of himself and those around him proved too much for his marriage. Michiel tormented by his demons, left the farm. Michiel and Anna were divorced in 1741 and Anna was left to manage the farm and family. He died in 1743 in Somerset-West, Western Cape. Anna Margaretha SIEK, Michiel's wife was the daughter of Johann SIEK and Geertruyd HELM. Anna was christened on 13 Mar 1685 in Cape Town, Western Cape. ^[16]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} WikiTree profile Otto-233 created through the import of Champion Family Tree.ged on Apr 18, 2012 by Werner Schneeberger.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8} WikiTree profile Otto-247 created through the import of wikitree upload.ged on Jul 19, 2012 by Arrie Klopper.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} WikiTree profile Svelbin-1 created through the import of Haye-1_2011-08-17.ged on Aug 17, 2011 by Jesse Haye.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} WikiTree profile Otto-562 created by Corrie du Toit, Monday, October 14, 2013.
5. ↑ Source:
   • Geldenhuys Genealogy - Descendants of Albert Barends Gildenhuizen by Preller Geldenhuys. - Lulu.com Official Publisher ISBN_139780994115430
   Added by Philip van der Walt 10 June 2015.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5} Source:
   • Soldyboek - "VOC Opvarenden", Bronverwijzing Nummer toegang: 1.04.02, inventarisnummer: 5659, folionummer: 48, (https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/index/nt00444/da333b7e-c864-11e6-9d8b-00505693001d?searchTerm=michiel%20ot)
7. ↑ Source: Geslagregister van vroeë families aan die Kaap Added 6 August 2012 by Werner Schneeberger.
8. ↑ Source:
   • "South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Registers, 1660-1970," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFTM-1N8 : accessed 21 May 2015), Michiel Otto and Barbara Couterman, 19 Nov 1719, Marriage; Stellenbosch, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, State Archives, Cape Province; (GS Film number: 2214092 , Digital Folder Number: 004434404 , Image Number: 00693)Seen and entered May 21,2015 by Susanna de Bruyn
9. ↑ Source:
   • The Genealogical Society of South Africa: eGSSA branch, South African Records Transcribed.A selection of historical records transcriptions. Source:Stellenbosch NGK marriage register 1689 to 1788. page 12 see document [1] Compiled by Ockert Malan. Seen and entered June 14, 2015 by Susanna de Bruyn
10. ↑ Source:
    • "South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Registers, 1660-1970," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12344-98020-15?cc=1478678 : accessed 21 May 2015), South Africa > Cape of Good Hope > Stellenbosch > Marriages 1700-1788 > image 6 of 39; State Archives, Cape Province. Transcribed and added by Susanna de Bruyn on May 21, 2015
11. ↑ Source:
    • Robertson, Delia.The First Fifty Years Project http://www.e-family.co.za/ffy/ Page: Michiel Otto Source: Lorna Newcomb and Ockert Malan, compilers, Annale van Nederduits Gereformeerde Moedergemeente Stellenbosch No 1.., CD-ROM (Stellenbosch) Die Genootskap vir die Kerkversameling, 2004 0-9584832-1-3), Baptism Register, Lorna: "Ott (Michiel); of Stettin; arrived as sailor in 1714 in the `Rijksdorp'; made superintendent of the wood cutters behind the Steenbergen; wishes to get married, and become an agriculturist; asks for burgher papers." - 1719 (Leibbrandt se Precis van Requesten p. 849-50); x 1719 Barbara Conterman; xx 1722 Anna Margaretha Siek, d/v Johan Siek en wed. van Barend Gildenhuys. Michiel het Vergelegen besit, eertydse plaas van WA van der Stel.. Hereinafter cited as Palmkronieke I Baptisms. Seen and entered May 21,2015 by Susanna de Bruyn
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Source:
    • KAB, CJ 834 Civiele Regtsrolle des Casteels 1740, pp. 45-47 (24.03.1740)
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} Source:
    • Will #171 of 1738-1745 - "Testamentregisters (will registers), 1689-1800 ; Index, 1721-1873 ; Inventory, 1689-1916", Dl. 4-8 1734-1752, Image 799-800 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BY-X9FK-5?i=798&cat=64687)
14. ↑ Source:
    • Inventories of the Orphan Chamber Cape Town Archives Repository, South Africa, Reference no: MOOC8/6.94 Reference no.: MOOC8/6.94. Seen and entered June 9, 2015 by Susanna de Bruyn
15. ↑ Van der Walt-440 17:12, 29 September 2015 (EDT)
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7} Sources:
    • Vince Otto: Genealogies of Otto Families (Thanks to research by Vince Otto jusottoATsympatico.ca) ;
    • http://www.geocities.ws/sa_stamouers/otto.htm
    Added by Werner Schneeberger 2 February 2013.