Norah Barker

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Norah married Robert Johnstone Pringle on 27 Sep 1911 in Adelaide, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Robert (son of Robert Piers Pringle and Martha Eliza Botha) was born on 1 Aug 1869. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Ronald Robert Pringle
2. Jessie Graeme Pringle
3. Gordon Pears Pringle

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Notes:

11 children.

George married Hester Ochse on 12 May 1864 in Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Hester (daughter of Christian George Ochse, 1820 Settler and Ann Mundy, 1820 Settler) was born on 12 Jul 1843 in Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 20 Aug 1843 in Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 28 Feb 1919 in East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Notes:

Settler George BARKER and his wife, Sarah, went by ox-wagon from Algoa Bay to the Bethelsdorp Mission Station (for Hottentots) about nine miles inland. From there they moved to Theopolis (also for Hottentots) on the Kasouga River, where BARKER built with his own hands the first primitive church, school-room, store and dwelling house.

His diary for this period (1815-28) records vast herds of the now extinct quagga and an infinite variety of other game, and constant trouble with elephant, buffalo, leopard and snakes. Depredations by Xhosa tribes from across the Fish River (then the Colonial boundary) caused much distress and anxiety.

In 1819 he was transferred back to Bethelsdorp, fortunately missing the Fifth Frontier War in which Theopolis suffered greatly. The diary records the arrival of the 1820 Settlers, many of whom he met on the beach at Algoa Bay. He also saw the completion of the Donkin pyramid on the 3rd February 1821. A few days later he returned to Theopolis where
he was Superintendent for nearly twenty years.

In the devastating floods of October, 1823, most of Theopolis was literally washed away. but more durable buildings were thereafter erected, using stone and lime quarried in and timber and thatch cut from the surrounding bush, and nails fashioned by BARKER in his own smithy. As his children grew up, they were sent as boarders to the famous Salem Academy (about twenty miles distant) founded by W.H. MATTHEWS, the most eminent of the settler schoolmasters. In addition to his onerous missionary duties amongst the Hottentots (an administrator, preacher, teacher, doctor, builder and agriculturist), the Rev. George BARKER was always ready to promote religious development in the Frontier area, often coming to the assistance of the Anglican, Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian denominations in addition to his own Congregationalists.
This entailed constant and tedious journeys on horseback or on foot or by ox-wagon, in all weather and at all times, to Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage, Grahamstown, Bathurst, Salem, Port Kowie and rural centres where churches and chapels had been or were being established.

A good deal of the fighting and skirmishing during the Sixth Frontier War of 1834-5 took place around Theopolis, causing much distress and damage, but the station just managed to survive.

Mrs. BARKER died on the 20th December 1836, and her tombstone still stands in the now deserted mission cemetery. In 1840 BARKER was transferred to the Paarl Station. He married Hilletje SMUTS in 1844, was compelled to retire from mission work in 1856 on account of total blindness, and died on the 9th May 1861. His and his daughter Elizabeth's tombstones may be seen in the Zion Cemetery just below Paarl Rock. The Diary mentioned previously, a contemporary water-colour portrait of Mrs. BARKER and a daguerreotype of the Rev. George BARKER are now in the possession of a great-grandchild.


SOURCE: Scouting Project

George married Sarah Williams on 4 Feb 1815 in St Mary's, Islington, London, England. Sarah was born in 1790 in England; died on 20 Dec 1836 in Theopolis, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Settler ID: 2885
• Settler: 15 Feb 1820, Gravesend, Kent, England

Notes:

Settler:
Sephton's party on the Aurora

Buried:
Cradock Street Cemetery, Block 2, Row 19, Grave 18, Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Christian married Ann Mundy, 1820 Settler on 31 Oct 1819 in St. Mary Islington, London, England. Ann (daughter of Reuben Mundy and Mary Missen) was born on 8 Sep 1798 in Melksham, Wiltshire, England; was christened on 25 Dec 1798 in Melksham, Wiltshire, England; died on 23 Nov 1881 in Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Settler ID: 2884
• Settler: 15 Feb 1820, Gravesend, Kent, England

Notes:

Settler:
Sephton's party on the Aurora

Buried:
Cradock Street Cemetery, Block 2, Row 19, Grave 18, Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Christian + Carolina Catharine Henriette Jacobine Wiepert. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Reuben + Mary Missen. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]