Lysbeth SANDERS, V.D.K.

Notes:

Said to be part Indian part African. She was a slave owned by Louis of Bengalehimself a freed slave

She was known as Lijsbeth of the Cape and also Lijsbeth Lowis(e), female slave of Mathijs Coemans, sold to Adriaan van Brakel for f160 3.3.1671 and shortly before 1680 to Louis of Bengal. Together with two daughters, she was freed 27.7.1683, sentenced 1696 on theft.

Du Plooy.paf: Wat die ander Lijsbeth betref het Mansell Upham die volgende geskryf:

Lijsbeth Sanders (possibly the daughter of Pladoor, a slave woman from Guinea) and Louis van Bengale had a violent love/hate relationship that spanned many years. Belonging to Adriaen van Brakel she was arrested in 1678 for theft and breaking into the house of Louis. Although she was returned to her master she caused her accomplices - two sailors - to be banished to Robben Island. Van Brakel later sold her to the Free Black Louis van Bengale - he having fathered 2 or 3 of her children. Louis finally freed his "meijt genaemt Lijsbeth van Cabo" & her 2 children in 1683. Louis, however, sued her for breach of promise of marriage in 1688, she meanwhile having run off with an Englishmen - her former lover's shepherd. The shepherd was punished, her children handed over to Louis who
married somebody else. Attempts (we know of at least two formal attempts 1688 & 1715) to have his former concubine put back into slavery failed. Lijsbeth was convicted in 1696 for stealing jewelry belonging to Jacob Cornelissen from Bengal - who once belonged to the Robben Island-relegated Mayken van den Bergh - was branded and had to serve 3 years in the public works. Thereafter Lijsbeth sought solace in the arms of Herbst (read all about him in Hoge) by whom she reputedly had 2 more children. I suspect, however, that Clara was fathered by the Englishman and not Herbst who fathered other children by other women...Lijsbeth was over 80 years old when she died circa 1742/3.

"Daar is nog onduidelikheid oor wie die moeder van Lysbeth Sanders was. Op grond van navorsing wat deur Mansell Upham gedoen is, het hy tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat haar moeder moontlik Lysbeth van Angola was. Hoe dit ookal sy daar bestaan geen twyfel dat Lysbeth Sanders van nie-blanke afkoms was nie. Lysbeth Sanders het 'n veelbewoë lewe gehad.

Sy het met verskillende mans verhoudings gehad en was die moeder van vyf dogters wat baie nasate onder blanke Afrikaners het. Sy is in 1696 gegesel en moes drie jaar in kettings deurbring nadat sy die juwele van Jacob Cornelissen van Bengale gesteel het. Nadat sy vrygelaat is, het sy by Johann Herbst onderdak gevind en die moeder geword van sy twee dogters Clara en Gerbrecht. Clara het getrou met Johannes Harmensz Potgieter en so het
Lysbeth Sanders ook die stammoeder geword van 'n deel van die Potgieter-familie. 'n Aantal van haar meer bekende nasate is pres. Paul Kruger, genl. Louis Botha, die Voortrekkerleier Andries Hendrik Potgieter en die bekende genl. Koos de La Rey. Lysbeth Sanders was al oor die tagtig jaar oud toe sy in 1742/43 oorlede is."

Bron: O.a. J.L. Hattingh: Die Blanke nageslag van Louis van Bengale en
Lijsbeth van die Kaap, KRONOS Vol. 3, 1980, pp. 5-51.

Family/Spouse: Johann HERBST(HARST), a4. Johann was born about 1650 in Bremen, Westfalen, Prussia; died after 1728 in Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Clara HARST, a4b2 was born in 1687 in Drakenstein, Cape, South Africa(Paarl); was christened in 1687; died on 22 Feb 1714 in Cape, South Africa.