James Ekron, 1820 Settler

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Settler ID: 2546
• Name: James Ekron 1820
• Occupation: a Ploughman
• Settler: 15 Feb 1820, Gravesend, Kent, England

Notes:

From County Roxburgh, Scotland. Of Pringles party . In Employment of Robert Pringle. Settler location was on Baviaans River on the other side of the Fish River at Somerset East. By 1825 he left the Baviaans River and Pringle's employment. ( info E Morse- Jones)

Grahamstown Journal. Vol I dated 25/5/1832 No: 22 there is a report of James EKRON murdering Serepinga, a Hottentot with whom he is living at Cradock. He got two years hard labour.

~~~
From The Scottish Settler Party of 1820 by JVL Rennie, in four volumes. This excerpt from pages 791 through 794, kindly photographed by Keith Meintjes from his copy of the books.

"JAMES EKRON
It was explained earlier that James Ekron left his employment at Clifton almost certainly in 1824, and there is no evidence that he then remained in the Baviaans River. The little evidence available suggests that he then went to the Cradock district. In June 1829 he was a witness at a baptism recorded at Cradock.

In May 1832 Ekron was the central figure in a most unpleasant incident, when he was found guilty of manslaughter by the Circuit Court sitting in Somerset and sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour. He had indeed been charged with murder. The newspaper report of the case is headed "James Ekron for the murder of Sepringa, a woman with whom he lived, at Cradock," and it reads: "It appeared in evidence that one morning in October last [1831] a constable in Cradock saw in the possession of a Hottentot woman who lived in the same house with prisoner, a pair of trowsers stained with blood, which prisoner had given her to wash. This led to further inquiry when the body of Sepringa was found dead. Other clothes belonging to deceased and prisoner were likewise stained with blood, as well as a brick mould, a chopper, a sambok, a piece of plank, and a stretcher on which deceased and prisoner used to sleep, besides a pair of girths which do not appear to have been so stained. "Several witnesses deposed to have seen and heard the prisoner beat deceased on the night before she was found dead, and Dr. Gill stated that on examining the body of Sepringa he found marks of several severe contusions on the head and face, and on opening the head a quantity of extravasated blood in a fluid state deposited on the left lobe of the brain, for which compression of the brain would necessarily ensue, and his compression would necessarily cause death. There was nothing else found that would account for her death. "On his cross-examination, Dr. Gill stated his belief that the chopper had not been used at all", and that "It was not improbable that the sambok and probably the girths had been used , but the buckles had not come into contact with deceased." What Ekron had to say about the affair is unfortunately not recorded. A certificate of good character was put in by a Mr Pringle, whose son "proved the truth of the matter stated therein", clearly a reference to old Robert Pringle of Clifton and to the appearance before the court of his son William Dods. A Mr Peacock who said he had known Ekron 'for the last 6 or 7 years' spoke of him 'as a mild inoffensible man.
While the prosecutor advised the jury that it "would have the painful duty of returning a verdict of guilty of murder ", the Judge's hour and a half of summing up included his opinion "that the instruments alleged to be used were not calculated to cause death." The verdict of the jury, guilty of manslaughter, followed a ten minute retirement. Presumably Ekron served his sentence, but with remission of a period in consideration of his having been in gaol awaiting trial.

Just under two years later, on 21 April 1834, Ekron was married by banns in St George's Church, Grahamstown to Ann Moffat, spinster, by the Reverend John Heavyside, Acting Chaplain. The register was signed by James Ekron and Ann made her mark, in the presence of John Yule and Elizabeth Pippin. Ann's official death notice, signed by her husband, refers to her as Mary Ann Ekron, born Moffat, and states that she was born at Sidon farm in Gloucestershire, her parents being William and Margaret Moffat; as her age is given precisely, it can be inferred that she was born on 5 April 1810. She thus turned 24 some two weeks before her marriage, and was about 16 years younger than Ekron. Nothing else is known about Ann's background.

It is said that early in January 1835 Ekron was at Klipplaat Drift in the Cradock district, where he farmed. This was possibly the farm of that name near the source of the Great Fish River in the F.C. Agter Sneeuberg, of which however he was not the owner; alternatively it may have been the Klipplaat Drift on the Swart Kei where George Rennie had traded.

On 27 April 1837 Ekron was one of the witnesses along with Alexander Scott, Ezra Ridgard and C.J.B. Sydserff, when Robert Pringle signed his will. A month later Ekron purchased the farm Haasjes Kraal in the upper reaches of the Klaas Smits drainage, well north of Queenstown. One wonders whether Robert Pringle had helped him by gift or loan. The centre of the farm is 6 miles (10 km) WSW of the site of the later Sterkstroom, and just below the Bushmans Hoek pass leading to the later Syfergat (Cyphergat) Station and Molteno. Diagrams show the farm wholly W of the Klaas Smits though extending E to a point on that river only 3 miles (4,8 km) from Sterkstroom.

When Ekron went there the Klaas Smits River was the local boundary of the Colony, which it had become when the Somerset district was created in 1825. It was to remain so until the Thembu (Tambookie) lands were annexed as the Queenstown district in 1853. The place 'Ehrons' (sic) appears on Henry Hall's well-known map but apparently incorrectly on the east side of the Klaas Smits River, though in the neighbourhood of Ekron's farm.

According to an explanatory letter written by Ekron from 'Hassieskraal' in 1849, when he was seeking title to the property, the original owner was one Jan Robbertse who gave it to his uncle Adriaan de Beer. The latter lived there for some time until he sold it to Ekron. To establish his claim to title, Ekron had appeared before W. Gilfillan, Resident Magistrate of Cradock, on 28 January 1848, and made the following statement. "James Ekron of the District of Cradock maketh oath and saith that on the 26th. May 1837 he and Adriaan Christiaan de Beer appeared before the Resident Magistrate of Cradock and made affidavit to the sale and purchase of 5415 morgen [4626 ha] of land now called Hassies Kraal bought by him from the said de Beer for the sum of Twenty two Pounds and ten shillings Stg. and that he on that deposited in the hands of Mr. Verster the sum of Five Pounds Stg. for the purpose of paying the transfer duty whenever the diagram should be issued." To this Gilfillan attached a covering report which included the explanation that "Mr. de Beer sold the place to Ekron the present proprietor, and soon after left the Colony and is since dead." Gilfillan said that the only relevant document possessed by Ekron was Verster's receipt for the transfer fee, and that in his opinion Ekron's claim was well founded.
Title was given to Ekron on 13 May 1850 by Sir Harry Smith, as a quitrent grant in extent 5215 morgen 45 square roods (about 4455 ha), in the Field Cornetcy Tarka, Division of Cradock, quitrent £ 5-5-0 p.a. An endorsement on the relevant document refers to the farm as 'Haasjes Kraal No.22 - Queenstown', and a much later document repeats this.
A reference has been found to his making application on 9 July 1850 to purchase 4000 morgen (3417 ha) in the district of Victoria, but the result has not been traced.

James Ekron and Mary Ann had the following children:
James, born 10 January 1835.
Margaret, born 9 November 1836.
Matthew, born 26 September 1837.
William Moffat, born 29 September 1838.
Janet Margaret, born 31 October 1840.
John, born 11 October 1842.
Mary Anne, born 10 October 1844.
Susan, born 2 February 1847.
Mathew Charles Linton, born 17 May 1849.
Thomas Edward, born 23 October 1852.
Three of these children died soon after birth, the second on 17 November, the third on 2 October, and Susan on 6 February, of the year concerned in each case. The remaining seven are listed in the official death notice of their mother, which gives their full names above their father's signature. The dates of birth were given to the writer by members of the family, and both full names and dates of birth were found to be in agreement with those given in the four baptismal records seen by the writer : those of James in the registers of St George's Church, Grahamstown, and of John and the last two boys, all three recorded as from Klaas Smits Riviar, at the N.G.K., Cradock. The full name of Janet is confirmed by her marriage record.

Mary Ann Ekron died at Hassies Kraal on 15 March 1854, aged 43 years, 11 months and 10 days, survived by her husband and seven children, all minors. James the eldest had then turned 19, when William the next surviving child was about 15½.

The further history of the family will be returned to later. "
~~~

name ECKRON in MD Nash
Grahamstown Journal. Vol I dated 25/5/1832 No: 22 there is a report of James EKRON murdering Serepinga, a Hottentot with whom he is living at Cradock. He got two years hard labour.

From County Roxburgh, Scotland. Of Pringles party . In Employment
of Robert Pringle. Settler location was on Baviaans River on the
other side of the Fish River at Somerset East. By 1825 he left the
Baviaans River and Pringle's employment. ( info E Morse- Jones)

Settler:
Pringle's party on the Brilliant

James married Mary Ann Moffatt on 21 Apr 1834 in Grahamstown Church (St George's - Anglican), Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Mary (daughter of William Moffatt and Magret, - wife of William Moffatt) was born on 30 Apr 1810 in Siden? Parish of Gloucestershire, England.; died on 15 Mar 1854 in Hassies Kraal, Cradock district, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Elizabeth Keen, 1820 Settler. Elizabeth was born on 13 May 1796 in Marylebone, London, England; died on 14 Sep 1870; was buried on 15 Sep 1870 in Queenstown Cemetery, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

James married Sarah Monro White on 11 Oct 1856 in Bushman's Hoek, Queenstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Sarah (daughter of John White, 1820 Settler and Mary Malony) was born about Dec 1838 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 27 Apr 1870 in Queenstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Family/Spouse: John Henry Pippin. John (son of William Pippin and Elizabeth Louisa, - wife of William Pippin) was born on 6 Aug 1838 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 19 Apr 1840 in St George's Cathedral, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 4 Aug 1884 in Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Family/Spouse: Anne Elizabeth Brummer. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Name: Mary Ann Ekron

Notes:

Description: Rev James Cameron

Mary married Marmaduke Thomas Hulley on 16 Oct 1860 in Queenstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Marmaduke (son of Richard Hulley, 1820 Settler and Ann Brangan, 1820 Settler) was born in Oct 1828 in Clumber, Bathurst (nr), Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 2 Nov 1828 in St George's Cathedral, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 5 Jun 1876 in Wodehouse, Barkly East, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in Barkly East, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Occupation: Klein Vley; a Farmer

Notes:

Description: Rev John Taylor

Matthew married Sarah Elizabeth Hulley on 2 Jan 1871 in Stormberg Chapel (Wesleyan), Stormberg, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Sarah (daughter of Marmaduke Thomas Hulley and Eliza Alice Eales) was born on 31 Oct 1854 in Queenstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 23 Dec 1854 in Queenstown Church (Methodist), Queenstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 10 Sep 1923 in Barkly East, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Notes:

Description: Rev John Taylor

Family/Spouse: Eliza Ann Hulley. Eliza (daughter of Marmaduke Thomas Hulley and Eliza Alice Eales) was born on 26 Jan 1853 in Somerset East, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was christened on 27 Feb 1853 in Somerset East, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 3 May 1890 in Glen Nesbitt farm, Barkly East, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Family/Spouse: Robert Alexander Scott. Robert was born about 1846 in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa; died on 26 Feb 1921 in Cedarville, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

James married Mary Elizabeth Kruger on 3 Mar 1891 in Dundee, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Elizabeth married Alexander Henry HockingBarkly East, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Family/Spouse: Lennie Erasmus. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

William married Sophie van RensburgMaclear, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Family/Spouse: Hester Petronella Noome. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Family/Spouse: Catherine Emma Hazel. Catherine was born on 26 Jun 1877; died on 15 Dec 1958 in East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Family/Spouse: Wilhelmina Booysen. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Charles married Emma Caroline Louisa Boardman on 24 Apr 1905 in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Emma (daughter of Philip William Boardman and Caroline Frances Thomas) was born on 31 Jul 1875 in 'Holbrook', Cape Colony, South Africa; was christened on 16 Jan 1876 in Lauriston farm, Barkly East, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 26 Jun 1961 in Stutterheim, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Notes:

Died unmarried.

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Notes:

Killed by falling from a horse.

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Notes:

Died young.

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Notes:

Died:
Description: falling from his horse

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Family/Spouse: Dorothy Miskin. Dorothy (daughter of Walter Edmund Miskin and Charlotte Annie Hulley) was born est 1898. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Notes:

Killed by lightning.

Died:
Description: killed by Lightning

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Arthur married Emma Matilda Staude on 24 Feb 1904 in Wheatfield, Maclear, Cape Province, South Africa. Emma was born est 1883. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Name: Amy Edith Eveline Ekron

Notes:

She and Lilly Victoria may be the same person.

Family/Spouse: Paul Shorten. Paul was born on 12 Jul 1865; died on 8 Jun 1916; was buried in Ugie, Transkei, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Lilly married Joseph Hedly Dodd on 2 Jun 1909 in Ugie, Maclear, Eastern cape, South Africa. Joseph was born est 1886. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Notes:

Killed in the Boer War.

Died:
Description: in Military Action, Boer War

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Family/Spouse: Joy Reed. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Residence: Stutterheim, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Cecily married Secliffe Lake in 1946 in Barkly East, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Secliffe was born on 3 Oct 1902. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Family/Spouse: Audrey Harding. Audrey died after 15 Jan 2005. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Family/Spouse: Annie Vorster. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Family/Spouse: Kenneth Hodgson. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Joseph Arthur Moore. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Family/Spouse: William Turnbull. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]