Michiel van Breda explained

Michiel van Breda
Term Start:	1840
Term End:	1844
Predecessor:	Office established
Office2:	Grand Master of Lodge de Goede Hoop (South African Freemasons)
Term Start2:	1831
Term End2:	1837
Predecessor2:	Neethling, J.H.
Birth Date:	12 August 1775
Death Place:	Cape Town, British Cape Colony, British Empire
Spouse:	Gesina van Reenen, Beatrix Elizabeth Lategan, Maria Adriana Smalberger
Children:	9
Known For:	Founder of Bredasdorp, mayor of Cape Town

Michiel van Breda (12 August 1775– 12 August 1847) was a Cape Colony farmer, founder of Bredasdorp, Mayor of Cape Town and a Freemason.

Roots

Van Breda was born on 12 August 1775 in Cape Town. His parents were Pieter van Breda and Catharina Sophia Myburg. He married three times. Out of his marriages with Gesina van Reenen, Beatrix Elizabeth Lategan and Maria Adriana Smalberger he became the father of nine children. He died in Cape Town on 12 August 1847.^[1]

Merino sheep farming

In 1817 van Breda was farming on Zoetendals Vallei farm in the region which is today called Overberg. He imported Rambouillet Merino sheep from France, together with Merinos from Saxony in Germany, creating the South African Merino. He was the first person to start breeding Merino sheep in South Africa. His partner was F. W. Reitz.^{[2] [3]} A Merino is a sheep primarily bred for its wool, originally from Spain. The first Merinos date back to the 12th century. The sheep is particularly well adapted to low rainfall environments climates.^[4]

Bredasdorp

Van Breda and P.V. van der Byl wanted to build a church for the farming community in the Overberg, part of the Cape Province. They could not agree on a location, so both build a church, 15 kilometres apart. Two towns were founded this way. Today one is called Bredasdorp and the other Napier. Van Breda's church was built on the farm Langefontein in 1838. When a town started to develop around the church it was called Bredasdorp, a name derived from Michiel van Breda's last name.^{[5] [6] [7]}

Mayor of Cape Town

In 1840 Cape Town, founded as a provisioning station by Jan van Riebeeck in 1652, was declared a municipality.^[8] Van Breda was the first mayor and was in office from 1840–1844.^[9] He stayed on Oranjezicht farm.^{[10] [11]}

Freemason

He was a member of the Dutch section of the South African Freemasons. He was Grand Master of the Lodge de Goede hoop from 1831-1837.^{[12] [13]}

Notes and References

1. Book: The Cape Diaries of Lady Anne Barnard, 1799-1800: 1799. Van Riebeeck Society. 1999. 9780958411257. Lady Anne Lindsay Barnard.
2. Web site: A history of SA Merino farming. Farmersweekly Magazine. Erasmus, D.. 22 May 2014.
3. Web site: A changing rural economy and its implications for the Overberg, 1838 – 1872. University of South Africa. Wilson, E.W. . 1990.
4. Web site: Merino-breed of sheep. Britannica. 10 October 2018.
5. Web site: History of Bredasdorp. 10 October 2018.
6. Web site: History of Bredasdorp. Overberg.co.za.
7. Web site: Bredasdorp.
8. Web site: Cape Town timeline. 10 October 2018.
9. Web site: Merchants, Commissioners and wardmasters: 1840–1854. University of Cape Town. Warren, D. . 1986.
10. Web site: Historic city farm that gave Oranjezicht its name. Argus newsapeper. 16 August 2015.
11. Web site: History of the OranjezZicht Farm. 10 October 2018.
12. Web site: The origins and growth of Freemasonry in South Africa. Cooper, A.A.. 10 October 2018. 1980.
13. Web site: Prominent persons in history who were Freemasons.