Robert Parkin the Boer Part 1

 Most of the followers of this page would know by now that John Parkin the 1820 Settler and his family played a huge role in the development of the city, Port Elizabeth and was considered a property mogul in the early years of the town's development.

John's property portfolio at the time of his death in 1856 had prime properties in the old Main Street (including the property where the station stands today) and the farms Baakens River and Hartbeesfontein which today make up a substantial portion of suburban Gqeberha.

But not many would know that his son Robert (b1817) was not far from a land baron himself, albeit some distance from Port Elizabeth.

Robert abandoned Port Elizabeth to trek with the Boers inland sometime between 1840 and 1843. Like many of the Boer settlers in the Eastern Cape, he was seeking better pastures and perhaps disapproving of the British govt imposing laws and curtailing freedoms.

En route, he met a young woman by the name of Johanna Christina van den Berg. The van den Berg family hailed from Graaff-Reinet in the Cape and were also moving further north, stopping in Colesberg where in January 1844, Robert and Johanna married and in April the same year, Johanna's parents had their last child. The newly married couple temporarily settled in and around Rietrivier area with there first 4 children baptised in the NG Kerk. Robert and the van den Berg family then moved further north / east from Colesberg / Rietrivier area to the Orange River Sovereignty (Free State) around 1850 and settling close to the newly established Bloemfontein (founded in 1846).

Robert was the only one of John Parkin's 15 children to marry into a Boer family and trek northward. There are two of his grandchildren, James, son of John (Jnr) who married Anthonetta Marthina Van Niekerk and Isaac, son of Cradock who married Helena Anna Rudolphina Wilhelm but both stayed in the Eastern Cape. The majority of Afrikaner Parkin family in South Africa are descendants of Robert. It is worth noting that James Parkin and his wife Anthonetta were Transvaal based around this time with descendants predominantly Afrikaans speaking, but this discussion is primarily about the Free State Parkin family. A number of James Parkin's descendants have provided significant input into the family tree and it is thanks to those like Garnet and Louis. (Part of this side of the family emigrated to South America as farmers in more recent decades.)

This decision of Robert Parkin to join the Boers provided an interesting juxtaposition in the family because Robert's side of the family integrated with the Boers and resulted in a number of Parkin family having their first language as Afrikaans. Just over Fifty years after Robert's arrival in Orange Free State Sovereignty, there was of course the 2nd Anglo Boer War and British Concentration Camps, which will be discussed in other parts.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1zPfALEKkeznYYfdnx7BxB0p6hok&usp=sharing

My interest in the Parkin Family genealogy began early.

As a young boy, my father had told the story of John Parkin having been an 1820 settler and that we were distant relatives. He was proud of the fact that we were of English heritage. When we had lived in Port Elizabeth in the early 60s, he had done a little research in the Port Elizabeth Library and always had this information vividly available in his memory. I didn't pay too much attention to my fathers stories a a boy other than having the knowledge of our English roots, perhaps too young.

Then, as a teenager, a letter from the 'Human Science Research Council' arrived in an official looking envelope addressed to me. Immediate thoughts were this had something to do with conscription, but in the letter, they described how a book had been written called "John Parkin, of Baakens River Farm and his Family" by N.P Sellick. The book was selling for R4.75 inclusive of GST. After reading the letter a few times, the letter was placed back in the envelope and into the bottom drawer of my desk and forgotten about.

Two years later, the dreaded conscription letter arrived, leading to military basic training in Heidelberg Transvaal. Lo and behold, bumping into another conscript with the surname Parkin seemed fateful. Attempts at conversation proved futile - his English was as bad as my Afrikaans, and communication was impossible.

So shocked at the thought that such an English surnamed person had his home language as Afrikaans, that during the next leave it was a point of discussion with my father. With laughter he reminded me that our side of the family was also Afrikaans and the only reason we spoke English at home is because his father, Christiaan Jacobus Parkin (who died before I was born) had sent all his children to English medium schools. My Heidelberg Parkin fellow 'roofie' (South African military slang for recruit) was a fairly close relative! But I never did come across him again.

The HSRC letter was still in the bottom drawer and I wrote back requesting a copy of NP Sellick's book. They wrote back – one copy left, same price, please send postal order. And so, my journey down the rabbit hole of Parkin Family genealogy began.

Which brings me to the Afrikaner Parkin family. The following is a series of posts exploring Robert Parkin and his family in the Free State. Some of the information still needs to be fleshed out with a visit to the deeds office and other institutions. 

But let's start.

 Hi Parkin Family

During a recent visit to Cape Town, I spent a little time in the Western Cape Archives researching John Parkin's records. I found two new interesting facts that were never mentioned in the well known book about John Parkin and his family of Baakens River Farm, by NP Sellick.

Although Sellick mentioned there are some records regarding some involvement with Frederick Korsten and even that John's one son was named Cradock after Korsten's development then known as Cradock Place, it appears Sellick did not come across some of the documentation now held in the Western Cape Archives.

There is a document which is a written appeal, dated November 1827, by John Parkin against a sentence that was imposed on him of a fine for 300 Rix Dollars (equivalent to about £21 then or around R25 000 today) for libel.

In the appeal, John describes the situation that resulted in the fine as follows.

John Parkin had gone into a partnership with John Damant, who at the time was married to Frederick Korsten's only child, Maria Johanna Charlotta (Korsten), to build a saw mill situated in Korsten's   farm area which he was developing into and industrial area. Korsten's farm, previously known as Papenkuilsfontein, and then in 1825 as Cradock Place or Town. It is not clear when the partnership started, but John Damant passed away in April 1825 while the saw mill construction was still underway and the partnership still ongoing. This would show that John Parkin was economically active and adding huge value to the development of Port Elizabeth in its very early development before 1825.

From John's appeal explanation, it appears in agreement with Korsten and his daughter, John Parkin continued with the completion of the saw mill project and once complete, wanted to settle the partnership agreement with Maria Damant. Whether this was a buy out or any other settlement of payment is unknown at this stage, however, John was at this stage told to come to agreement with a Notary, Mr Chabaud (Speak to my layer). 

After some negotiation and agreement on all but one aspect, Chabaud had told John that in the next day, he would come to agreement on the final aspect. After a some time, there was no final  agreement and Chabaud then reneged on their earlier agreed items and proposed the dispute be put forward for arbitration.

Angered, John had then written (he claims someone wrote on his behalf) a somewhat heated letter to Maria Damant, lamenting the fact he felt that Chabaud was using delaying tactics that would only benifit Chabaud and cause more costs for Damant and Parkin. 

Unfortunately, Maria Damant took the letter to Chabaud and he consequently sued John Parkin for libel resulting in the 300 Rix Dollar fine.

John went on in his letter of appeal that he was struggling to make ends meet with 9 children and having only arrived in 1820 (although he clearly had been making some money as he had just taken transfer of the farm Baakens River which he bought for £123 ).  He further said he was not educated in the laws of the Colony and did not know he should not have signed a letter with the language that was in it and that the letter was not for public scrutiny, addressed to widow of John Damant for her eyes only. He also argued that the damage to John Parkin's reputation now that the letter was made public through the courts was worse than a private letter which Chabaud should not have seen.

At the bottom of the document are 2 words written by whoever heard the appeal. "Cannot interfere" dismissing the appeal.

References - Western Cape Archives - Source CO, Volume 3935, Reference 127

The other interesting information discovered in the Archives is a large farm property that John Parkin purchased in 1834. In the archives is a memorial written by John Parkin on 14 Nov 1835 where he makes an appeal addressed directly to the Cape Colony Governor at the time, Sir Benjamin D’Urban G.C.B. to set aside the 4% duty on the purchase of the property which was due by Frederick Potgieter due to the complexity of the transaction.

The farm was Kragga Kamma, 2936 morgen (approx 1300 hectares) according to a Surveyor General drawing in 1816.

John Parkin attended an auction on 20 July 1834 for the estate of the late Adolf Landman after his wife, Isabela Elizabeth (Vogel) death where the Kragga Kamma farm was sold to one Frederick Evert Potgieter for Rx12170 (Rix Dollars - or around £953, a substantial amount of money in those days which would be equivalent to R3.5m today). Frederick was the husband to one of Adolf and Isabella's daughters, Jacomina Johanna Christina 

In the memorial written by John, he states that Potgieter could not get the securities required to finalise the sale of the property after the auctioneers hammer dropped and that John then paid Potgieter for the property so he could pay the auctioneer. In John's argument to remit the duty, he said Potgieter did not receive any benefit from the sale of the property to John in terms of money or anything else and the sale took place within an hour of the auction so Potgieter should not have to pay the 4%, but John would on the transfer to his name. His memorial was accompanied by a statement by the auctioneer, Litsman (?) confirming the sale to Potgieter and immediately thereafter to John Parkin.

It all seems a bit odd that one of the spouses of the children who were probably beneficiaries of the deceased, Adolf and Isabella Landman's estate, would purchase the property at the auction and then, not having secured funding, sold immediately to John. Perhaps a deal had been struck?

I am yet to come across the records of when John sold Kragga Kamma farm, but it was definitely not part of his estate at the time of his death in 1856. 

Reference     - Western Cape Archives - Source CO, Volume 3981, Reference 64

                      - SG Website - https://csg.dlrrd.gov.za/esio/searchproperty.jsp    

                         Farm - Kragga Kamma, Region Port ELizabeth, Parcel 00000023, Portion 00000

2026-01-16T10:16:36.000Z

With Christmas holidays spent in the Eastern Cape close to the 1820 settler original settlements, I was fortunate to do some cycling along the dirt roads and paths through some of the historical 1820 settler settlements along the Kariega river. What a stunning area. 

John Parkin's settler party was designated a piece of land they named Devonshire Farm along the northern parts of Kariega river. Today, this area is dominated by private reserves and in particular, the Rutherford owned farm 'Lands End Private Game Reserve' is in the middle of the original Parkin Party farm. 

If any of you are ever in this area between the old Grahamstown and Kenton on Sea, drive past this area and take a look how difficult it must have been for those early settlers. And for those who can afford it, book a night or two in the Old Pumphouse at Lands End.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=17GESsC5XOJKa48Ebspi_epz8t_0&usp=sharing

2025-08-27T13:52:12.000Z

Hi Family, 

A little mystery today that I am hoping someone could help resolve. In this screenshot is a family of South African Parkins who I cannot fit into the bigger tree. 

It appears that Gert Petrus Johannes Parkin's father was one of the many Robert Parkins in the family with unknown birth date, but possibly between say between 1880 and 1891. Robert was married to Christina Johanna (unknown maiden name). This makes it possibly 3 different Roberts, but with no real source information supporting this link. 

It is possible that many of Gert Petrus Johannes Parkin's children are all still alive, specifically those highlighted in the photo? If anyone knows of any of the names in the shot, please would you assist by making contact to see if this mystery can be resolved.

2025-09-01T15:19:59.000Z

In 1952, the South African Government of the day instituted a public holiday called Settler's Day, in recognition of the 1820 settlers, to be celebrated on the first Monday of September. The last time this was officially a day off was in 1979. 

I found this post today, the Monday 1 September 2025, celebrating our heritage as descendants of the 1820 Settlers which I thought I should share.

2025-08-18T08:35:17.000Z

Hi Parkin family, 

I was wondering if any Parkin family members would be happy to share old family photos of ancestors to be used in the family tree. If you would like to share, please post in the comments, or send the photos in a message. Please provide the names of those in the photo with birth dates for easier identification. Look forward to hearing from you.