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Name: DE WAAL, Johannes Jan
Nee: son of Edward Hugo de Waal 1850-1912
Birth Date: 3.7.1882 Pretoria
Death Date: 25 May 1961 Waterpoort, Transvaal
First Date: 1904
Profession: Farmer with brother Edward. Claimed to be the first to be wed in Eldoret. He later married Mrs Dreyer. He is believed to have planted the first wheat.
Area: Eldama Ravine, Drumkey - Naivasha, Eldoret, 1908 Naivasha
Married: 1. In Eldoret 1912 Johanna Christina Wilhelmina Smith b. 1886, d. 1940; 2. Adrianna Johanna Dreyer, nurse, b. 30 Oct 1882, d. 28 Jan 1956 (prev. m. to Garnet Dreyer 1874-1930)
Children: 1. Eduard Hugo (13 Oct 1913 Eldoret); Elizabeth Johanna (m. P.A. Mouton); Constance (m. O.E. Jager, farmers Ol Kalou) (1925 Coligny, W. Transvaal)
Book Reference: Gillett, KFA, Eldoret, Drumkey, Red 22, Red 31, Hut, Gazette, North, Red Book 1912, Pioneers, Habari 2009, Red 19
General Information:
KFA - In 1905 John de Waal settled nearby [to the van Bredas]; he perhaps grew the first wheat on the Plateau, a variety called Fourie. When the rest of his family arrived in 1908, three acres of wheat were growing and were soon afterwards harvested - probably the first harvest in the area destined to become one of the main wheat-growing regions of the Colony.
Eldoret - letter from C.V. Cloete - "In October 1905 Father and family arrived, also John de Waal in 1906 approx. 1 month after Janie and Jan Viljoen came with their families. …"
Red 22 - J.A. de Waal, Naivasha
Gazette - 7/4/15 - Liable for Jury service, Uasin Gishu Plateau - J.J. de Waal, Farm No. 46
North - Johannes de Waal - b. 1882 Pretoria; arr. EA July 1904
Red Book 1912 - J.J. de Waal - Uasin Gishu
Hut has J. De Waal 1909 Molo
Pioneers - Eldoret - Letter to Mr A. Cloete - Dear Anaak, Yes, this long ago history you will have to show John de Waal, as he knows a lot about the things that happened then. Bon van Breda was pushed over the Portuguese Boundary by the English Forces in 1900 with other Burghers, as also John de Waal, but Bon managed to get away from the army and by slow stages arrived in Lourenco Marques. From there in early 1901 he took ship to Dar es Salaam and Mombasa. He worked sub-contracting somewhere near Nakuru. From there he joined a small party on a shooting expedition. They passed Eldama Ravine and on to the Plateau by native footpaths in 1901. In 1902, at the termination of the S.A. War, he went back and brought his two brothers, Dirk and Piet, with him in the middle of 1903. They applied and each received 10,000 acres. At the end of 1903 Dirk met Dad in Jo'burg and told him about the country. At the end of 1904 Dad and I came up, but the war with the Nandi was on. I stayed in Naivasha. ………… …In October 1905 my father and family arrived, also John de Waal in 1906 approx. One month after, Janie and Jan Viljoen came with their families. Together we trekked up to Nakuru with our stock, with untrained oxen. …… ……At the beginning of 1907 Dad and John de Waal and D and B van Breda took a trolley on the Sclater's Road, and that was the first wagon ever to be on the Plateau. Shortly after that I took our big wagon with Mother, Madge and Jos through. This was a very hard journey. So our family was the first to be on the Plateau as a family. ….. …..At the end of 1908 van Rensburg's trek came in. They all landed at Nakuru. After an expedition to the Plateau, they left early in 1909 (March approx.) I went with them, taking a load for us. From 1907, the first time we went up with the family, there was always one or other of us on the Plateau with the sheep and cattle ……. Ever Yours C.V. Cloete (C. Valerius 'Sonnie' Cloete)
Pioneers - Eldoret - Mrs John de Waal - …….. Then Mrs Dreyer, arrived on 31 January 1911 and travelled all over the countryside as a District Nurse on a mule in all weathers. There was only one doctor, Dr. Heard, who also went everywhere on a mule, and it was said that no call was ever refused. Mrs Dreyer delivered 9 of Mrs A. Cloete's 13 children. She was the first to have light from the power station (built in 1933) in her nursing home.
Habari 2009 - Johannes Jan (John) de Waal (b. 3 Jul 1882 - J.J. de Jager's maternal grandfather)
Habari 2009 - At the end of 1906, the Arnoldis, John de Waal and the Cloetes, joined by the Viljoens and Fred Loxton from Bethal, trekked with all their possessions to Nakuru. From there, in the beginning of 1907, Frans Arnoldi and John de Waal, accompanied by Sonny Cloete's father, Abraham Joubert and Fred Loxton travelled by ox wagon up the western wall of the Rift Valley to the Plateau (a hazardous journey lasting 2 months) where they stayed with the Van Breda brothers. Afterwards they settled on the Plateau. In the case of John de Waal, on farmland that he had bought from the Van Bredas, on which land he planted the first wheat to be grown on the Plateau.
Gazette 15/6/1913 - Appointment to be JP for the Uasin Gishu Plateau - Johannes Jan de Waal
Red Book 1919 - District Committees - Uasin Gishu - J. De Waal
Gazette 6 Dec 1938 Uasin Gishu Voters Roll
On Van Breda and Arnoldi trek
Gazette 12 Sep 1961 probate