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Name: DE WAAL, Edward Hugo

Birth Date: 4 Dec 1850 Amsterdam

Death Date: 17 May 1912 Riversdale Farm, Uasin Gishu, fever

First Date: 1908 from Transvaal

Profession: Farmer

Area: 'Spes Bona', Eldoret, Eldama Ravine, 'Riversdale' Uasin Gishu

Married: In Potchefstroom, S. Africa 23 Sep 1881 Margaretha Susanna Maria Bierman b. 1859

Children: Margaretha Susanna (1880); Johanna Christina (1880-1880); Johannes Jan (3 July 1882 Pretoria-1961); Edward Hugo (23 Oct 1892 Pretoria-16 Apr 1981 Warmbaths, S. Africa); Edward (1908 Eldama Ravine); Dirk; Piet

Book Reference: KAD, Red 25, Hut, Red 31, EAMR, Red 22, Gazette, Medals, Red Book 1912, Habari 2009, Gillett, SE, Eldoret, Red 22, North

War Service: WW1 with EAMR - D Sqdn. 7/8/14 - L/Cpl. 26/9/14

General Information:

Red 22 - Justice of the Peace - Uasin Gishu
Red 22 - Steward, Uasin Gishu Gymkhana Club, Eldoret
Gazette - 7/4/15 - Liable for Jury service, Uasin Gishu Plateau - E.H. de Waal, Farm No. 46
?Edward Huge - KR 2954 (son)
Medals - Belfield's Scouts - Edward Hugo De Waal, EAMR, No. 281, Lance Corporal
Red Book 1912 - E.H. de Waal - Uasin Gishu [twice]
Habari 2009 - Hugo de Waal (b. 4 Dec 1850), father of John de Waal, was the former Inspector General of Customs and Excise of the Zuid-Africaansche Republiek ("ZAR"). His group included his other son Eduard (Eddie) de Waal (b. 23 Oct 1892 Pretoria)
Gazette 15/12/1912 - Probate and Administration in respect of the estate of Eduard Hugo DeWaal who died at Riverdale Uasin Gishu on 18/5/1912. Probate granted to Mrs Margaretha Susanna Maria deWaal, widow of the deceased of Riverdale, Post Office, Eldoret.
Gazette - 29/10/1919 - Register of Voters - Plateau South - Edward Hugo De Waal, Farmer, Eldoret
Red 25 - JP, Uasin Gishu Plateau.
Hut has Edward H. De Waal (1a), 1908, Eldama Ravine.
Hut also has De Waal (1) bought Breda Farm 1908 and son Eddie H. arr. 1908 at 17, 1st coffee in district, married Frolie Cloete
SE - E.H. De Waal - Eldama Ravine - Nov 1909
Eldoret - came here from the Transvaal when 17 with his father, mother and three other children in 1908. His father, who had had 600 under him in the Boer War, came to Kenya instead of being a mining engineer. After arriving in Mombasa they travelled to the railhead, then at Nakuru, and thence by ox wagon at the rate of about 20 miles a day in dry weather and a stumbling 400 yards a day in the wet. The family had heard of the area's agricultural promise from one of the four original Breda brothers. Each of the Breda brothers had acquired a 10,000 acre farm and Mr de Waal's father bought out two of the brothers and started farming 4,000 acres. Mr de Waal said when they arrived on the Plateau only game inhabited the plains. Neighbours were seen about every three months. A nearby forest dictated the siting of the farm; everywhere alse was game. The family's first house was of wattle and daub, later replaced by a brick house, the bricks being made on the farm. Later when the railhead moved to Londiani and a road to the farms was broken, Mr de Waal used to take the ox wagon to collect stores. Like many other pioneer settlers, Mr de Waal joined up in 1914. He was adjutant to a company of 92 men in the EAMR - 25 men returned. During the campaigning more than 300 horses had to be destroyed. Later he joined Belfield's Scouts, named after the then Governor. The first farmer in the district to plant coffee, Mr de Waal returned from the war to find the plants dying of neglect. Then most of his energies were directed towards wheat and maize growing and cattle raising, with his orchards as a sideline. In those days only wimbi was grown by the indigenous population, but they started planting maize after de Waal and other pioneers gave them seed brought from SA. Mrs Diesel was his sister-in-law. During their first meeting with the natives, they found them fascinated by the mysteries of the wheel, matches and fruit salts (cold water that boiled at once). They lived through locusts, drought and depression and produced fruit, trees, flowers and cereals where before there was nothing but wilderness on the borders of the forest.
Gazette 6 Dec 1938 Uasin Gishu Voters Roll
 

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