Jessie Isobel Kirk

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Family/Spouse: Norman James Chambers. Norman died on 3 Sep 1966. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Alfred John Kirk

Alfred married Jessie Forrester in 1883. Jessie (daughter of William Isaac Forrester and Mary Ann Pitt) was born on 31 Jul 1856 in Peddie, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 31 Dec 1856 in Empralana, Peddie (nr), Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Residence: 1920, Matatiele, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Notes:

Description: in Mr Powell's house

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Adam Alexander (Sgt) Kirk
• Occupation: a Soldier

Notes:

MILI:
Description: 7th Dragoon Guards

Died:
Description: Heart Disease

Adam married Martha Jane Webber on 11 Oct 1844 in Fort Beaufort, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Martha (daughter of Samuel George Webber and Martha Mary Newman) was born on 21 Nov 1823 in London, England; was christened on 11 Jan 1824 in St Marylebone, London, England; died on 19 Jun 1906 in Matatiele, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried on 21 Jun 1906 in Matatiele, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Martha Jane Webber 1826
• 1826 Shepherd party Settler: 1826

Notes:

The following obituary is taken from the “Matatiele Mail” of June 21st, 1906:

THE LATE MRS BLAKE

In the death of Mrs. Blake (born Martha Jane Webber), vanishes yet another of the few links left of the early pioneer days of South Africa. When she was only three years of age her father, Mr Samuel Webber, came out with Shepherd’s Emigration Party in 1826, and her earliest recollections were of the hardships and vicissitudes of pioneer life. Living at first near Grahamstown (in those days a scattered village where all in the High Street knew everyone in Settler’s Hill), she was closely connected with the various Kaffir wars, losing, as many of the early settlers did, not only property but near and dear ones as well.

Few are now living who saw the great Boer Trek in 1838 as she did, knowing personally some of the brave old Voortrekkers.

Fate seemed to decree that she should always live on the outskirts of civilisation, for by the time the Cape Colony was growing more civilized and peaceful, she and her first husband, Sergeant Adam Kirk of the 7th Dragoon Guards, thought to find a kinder fortune in moving North to the Orange Free State. But here again were wars and hardships unendurable except to the bravest of hearts. Mrs Blake saw this colony pass from a hopelessly poverty-stricken state, at war continuously with British or Kaffirs, to a prosperous, peaceful and independent land.

A great part of her later life was spent in or on the borders of Basutoland, and many are the tales she could tell of the midnight flights from undesirable neighbours amongst the people of Moshesh. Leaving at times most of their worldly goods, she and her family would be glad to escape with their lives.

Mrs Blake saw East Griqualand too in its earliest days. More than twenty years ago she first came here to join her sons, when the country was very young, and few inhabitants, as yet, had come.

This brings us to the last chapter of a long and noble life, full of and overflowing with hardships and self-sacrifices; of loving kindness and brave endurance. A strong yet tender loving woman, impressing all who knew her with her selflessness and quiet strength of character.

Those who knew of her suffering in the past few months (though her patience and kindly consideration for others never failed) will feel only joy at her happy release.

And so, at last, surrounded by her children and her children’s children, the brave old life has found rest. Years of toil and hardship had done their work, but the mind was unclouded, and time could not wither that which welled from the great heart.

see her memoirs in the documents section

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Occupation: a Transport Rider

Notes:

He was also granted land in the Peddie Area in the early days but did not stay there. William and his sons, Charles and Rupert did transport riding from Port Elizabeth to Jammersdrift. Taking grain, having it milled at Jammersdrift, and taking the meal to Kimberley. They were involved in the War of the Guns in Basutoland. Then they rode over the Drakensberg to East Griqualand where they could buy land. Thn as "Nomansland". The countryside looked uninviting so they returned to the Free State with the idea of buying ground, but within a short time they returned and bought a farm which measured 3000 acres. This ground, however, had double title deeds. George Charles Brisley (grandfather of Bettie Forrester) who was secretary to Adam Kok, took up the matter with him and Adam Kok decided that the Forresters could take the first farm on the west of Matatiel and named "Stanford". They must have taken occupation of their farms around 1889.

Description: Rev William Shaw

William married Mary Ann Pitt on 30 Mar 1854 in Grahamstown Church (Baptist), Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Mary (daughter of Robert Pitt, 1820 Settler and Mary Short, 1820 Settler) was born on 29 Apr 1836 in Free State (Orange Free State), South Africa; was christened on 12 Jun 1836 in Albany District, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 31 Aug 1873 in 'Karelsensaanleg', Rouxville, Free State, South Africa; was buried in Rouxville, Free State, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Occupation: a Housewife

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Samuel George Webber 1826
• 1826 Shepherd party Settler: 1826
• Occupation: 1830, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; an Under Jailor

Notes:

Cousin of Thomas Young of Wainwright's Party

Born in London in 1785, he went to sea as cabin-boy at the early age of twelve on the man o' war "Aboukir", under Admiral Parker, leaving his pay for his mother. After going through the usual course of training, he became Captain's steward, in which capacity he remained until he finally left to marry and settle in London

Samuel married Martha Mary Newman on 29 Sep 1817 in St Annes, Soho, Westminster, London, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Settler ID: 2094
• Name: Richard William Forrester
• Occupation: a Wheelwright
• Religion: the Protestant Church
• Settler: 13 Jan 1820, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
• Occupation: 1829, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; a Wheelwright

Notes:

1820 Settler, Liversage's party

MOOC 6/9/44 Ref 9280
Name of the Deceased: Richard Forrester
Place of Birth: Cheshire, England
Names of Parents of the Deceased: Father: Richard Forrester
Mother: Elizabeth NICKSON
Age of the Deceased: 62 years
Condition in Life: Farmer
Married
Name of wife not included
Date of Death: 15 September 1849
Place of Death: King William's Town
Names of Children of the Deceased and whether major or minor:
Sarah FORRESTER
John FORRESTER
Lydia FORRESTER
Richard Nickson FORRESTER Minor
Eliza Jane FORRESTER
Mary Ann FOSTER
Has the deceased left any property and of what kind: Immovable Two Farms 'New Essex' and 'Willmot Vale' and two businesses in Grahamstown and Beaufort West also a small farm 'Lemon Valley' near Bathurst
Signed by John Forrester, Son.

Sue Mackay in her reseach discovered that FindmyPast now has original images to parish registers for Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire. She states "However, I have found a possible marriage for Richard and his first wife Mary, but her surname doesn't agree with the surname on 1820settlers.com (PITT) or South African Settlers (SWAN). I am encouraged to think that the marriage I have found (to a Mary BIRKS, who was illiterate) might be the right one, as South African Settlers lists the mother of John FORRESTER, taken from a DN, as Sarah [sic] BURKE."


Grahamstown Journal : July-Sept 1847
Saturday September 18 1847
Died on Wednesday 16th instant at King William's Town, British Kaffraria, Mr. Richard FORRESTER, aged 60 years. Deceased was one of the British Settlers of 1820, since which period he has ever maintained the character of an honest man, a good neighbour and an affectionate husband and parent. As a Frontier farmer he has been a severe sufferer by the inroads of the Kaffirs.
After being twice driven from his home, his cattle carried off, fields trodden down and dwelling fired, he was compelled to seek subsistence by working his wagon, until he sunk far from his family, under the effects of exposure and those privations incident to the rough and harassing employment in which, at his advanced period of life, he found it necessary to engage.

He was a widower with 4 children. His first wife was Mary Pitt.
He came from Chester in Liversage's Party in the ship John. He was settled on
Wilmotvale on the Blaauwkrantz River with his first wife and three children,
John, Joseph and Sarah. Another daughter Lydia was born but Joseph seems to have died young.

See the Book "Richard Forrester, 1820 Settler and his descendants." by Verona Blake.

Settler:
Liversage's party on the John

Richard married Mary Randall, 1820 Settler on 12 Jan 1826 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Mary (daughter of James Randall, 1820 Settler and Mary) was born on 20 Jan 1805 in Westbury, Wiltshire, England; was christened on 10 Feb 1805 in Westbury Church (All Saints), Westbury, Wiltshire; died on 12 Dec 1847 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Settler ID: 678
• Name: Mary Randall 1820
• Occupation: a Housewife
• Settler: 7 Jan 1820, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England

Notes:

place of death could be Grahamstown ( Pat Eales)

Marriage to PLAISTER declared illegal

She was brought up by her step-mother and came to the Cape with them. She firstly married William Plaister but nothing further is known about this except that her first application to marry Richard Forrester was turned down because she was still married. Their second application was accepted as William Plaister had died. She & Richard had 5 children, 3 sons & 2 daughters. (All their descendants are shown in the book by Verona Blake "Richard Forrester - 1820 Settler and his" published in 1990 by the University of Port Elizabeth.)

She was an original 1820 Settler - arrived at the age of 14, the only one of
James' first family to accompany him to the Cape. She was previously married
to Richard Plaister, but the marriage was declared illegal by the Court. Banns
read - Request to be married 7 Jul 1825 denied. Banns read again - to be
married 12 Jan 1826 - William? Plaister had died removing the obstacle to
marriage.

Settler:
James's party on the Weymouth

Notes:

Married:
Description: Rev Thomas Ireland

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Settler ID: 2736
• Name: Robert Pitt 1820
• Occupation: a Shoemaker
• Settler: 15 Feb 1820, Gravesend, Kent, England

Notes:

Settler:
Sephton's party on the Aurora

Robert married Mary Short, 1820 Settler on 16 Jun 1835 in Grahamstown Church (St George's - Anglican), Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Mary (daughter of Joseph Short, 1820 Settler and Mary Edwards, 1820 Settler) was born in 1814 in Walcott, Bath, Somerset, England; died on 2 Sep 1872. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Settler ID: 2775
• Name: Mary Short 1820
• Settler: 15 Feb 1820, Gravesend, Kent, England

Notes:

Settler:
Sephton's party on the Aurora

Notes:

Married:
Description: Rev John Heavyside