Andrietta Smith Bain

Family/Spouse: William Nicol. William (son of Robert Nicol and Amelia Taylor) was born in 1817 in Cupar, Fifeshire, Scotland; died on 15 Aug 1887. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Maria Elizabeth Nicol
2. John Atherstone Nicol was born on 6 Feb 1880; was christened on 16 Oct 1880 in Trinity Church, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 27 Jun 1927.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Geologist, Road Engineer, Archaeologist, Poet & Au

Notes:

Andrew Geddes Bain came to the Cape in 1816, probably on the Princess Charlotte with his maternal uncle Col. William Geddes, who was returning at that time on leave from Scotland to rejoin his regiment at the Cape. He was classified as an Independant 1820 Settler by Hockly. For some years Andrew Geddes Bain worked as a saddler in Graaff Reinet and during this time he often contributed articles to the S.A. Commercial Advertiser of Cape Town and later to the Grahamstown Journal. He became interested in road engineering and undertook, without charge, to supervise the construction of a road through the Oudeberg and van Ryneveld passes, from funds contributed by Messrs Stretch, Murray, Perry and other farmers. This work was so successful that the inhabitants presented him with a medal. While still at Graaff-Reinet (1825) he made a long and dangerous trading expedition over the Orange River to Kuruman. Then in the company of J. B. Biddulph, 1820 Settler, he penetrated in 1826 as far as Molopolele in Bechuanaland. In 1829 these two explorers made an expedition from Grahamstown to the Umzimvubu River in Pondoland. Bain's last and most hazardous trip was to the Molopo River where Mafeking now stands. On his return journey his three wagons, together with their oxen and some riding horses were captured by the Zulu general Mzilikatze; Bain and his party only escaping after long and desperate marches. Bain kept journals of his latter expeditions, which have recently been printed by the van Riebeeck Society. During the Frontier War of 1834-5 Bain served as Captain in the Graaff-Reinet Mounted Burghers and later in the Fort Beaufort Levies when he was in charge of Fort Thompson on the Tyumie River. Through Bain's success in constructing the Oudeberg and van Ryneveld passes he was attached to the Royal Engineers (1837-45) and was responsible inter alia for the Queen's Road between Grahamstown, Fort Beaufort and another military road through Pluto's Vale to Breakfast Vlei. Under the newly established Central Road Board he was made Road Inspector in 1845. In this capacity he completed by 1848, with the use of convict labour, Mitchell's Pass between Tulbagh and Ceres and later Bain's Kloof (1854) for which he was presented with a large silver candelabra. He also greatly improved the passes of Gydo and Karroo Poort. His last important work was the Katberg Pass between Fort Beaufort and Queenstown, a four year task completed in 1864. During this period with the Royal Engineers Bain made an intensive study of Geology and Palaeontology (fossils) and in 1844 sent to the Geological Society in London an account of the Geology of the Eastern Province together with a collection of fossils including a new discovery which the Society named dicynodon bainii. He also has a freshwater fish, the Eastern Cape Rocky (Sandelia Bainsii) named after him. He was given grants by the Geological Society and the British Govt. By 1851 he completed a map and Memoir on The Geology of S.A. A year later he declined the post of Geological Surveyor of the Cape as he preferred to remain with the Roads Department. Nevertheless he assisted the Government by reporting on the copper mines in Namaqualand. . Bain subsequently wrote Reminiscences and Anecdotes, Geology of the Western Province and finally Geology of the Eastern Province. Perhaps his best known literary work is Kaatje Kekkelbek, first recited in 1838. Andrew Geddes Bain died in Cape Town on 20 October 1864 and was buried in the old Somerset Road Cemetery but when this was demolished his remains were removed to the Maitland Cemetery.

"A Fort Beaufort farm manager, Gert VAN DER WESTHUIZEN, found 253-million-year-old footsteps when he was working in the bed of the Kat River. The ancient footprints are of a were made by a large dicynodont that lived in the Karoo millions of years ago and walked along the edge of an ancient river that once flowed across the flat Karoo from south to north. The tracks had been covered by debris that was washed away in the recent rains and were spotted when digging up an old water pipeline.
The same species was discovered in the area in 1838 by Andrew Geddes BAIN.
In a historical twist, the 1838 discovery was found on a farm owned by the MILDENHALL family. The latest discovery was made on Bath farm owned by Justin and Barry MILDENHALL. The family have farmed in Fort Beaufort since the 1830s."

Baptised Thurso, witnessed by Neil Sutherland & George Miller.
Migrated to South Africa in 1816, married 16 November 1818 in Cape Town. Started a saddlery in Graaf-Reinet in 1822, & started trading expeditions in 1825 to the Kalahari & Botswana. Served as captain>
in the Beamfort Levies in the 6th Frontier War. Built Mitchell's Pass 1846/48 and Bain's Kloof 1849/53. Fossil named after him (Dicynodon Bainii) as well as a freshwater fish, the Eastern Cape Rocky >
(Sandelia Bainsii). Produced South Africa's first comprehensive geological map in 1852. Went to England on sick leave in 1864 & died on his return. Had 3 sons & 7 daughters.

Andrew married Maria Elizabeth Von Backstrom in 1818 in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. Maria (daughter of Johann Georg Friedrich von Backstrom and Johanna Georgina Spengler) was born on 1 May 1798; was christened on 6 May 1798; died on 19 Nov 1857. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Maria Elisabeth von Backstrom

Notes:

Of German immigrant descent. Possibly daughter of Johann Georg Friedrich von Backstrom who came from Wesel and who was either born, or arrived in South Africa, in 1764.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Joiner

Notes:

Married 29 July 1792 in Thurso, Scotland, witnessed by Archibald Bruce & Neil Sutherland. This would have made Alexander 17 and Jean 12 ! I suspect that Jean's birth year is wrong.

Alexander married Jean Geddes on 29 Jul 1792 in Thurso, Caithnesshire, Scotland. Jean was born in 1780 in Thurso, Caithnesshire, Scotland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married 18 June 1797 at Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa

Johann + Johanna Georgina Spengler. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]