Wedderburn family history starting in the Lowlands of Scotland

In 2002 I bought a book that was privately published for the families of the 1820 Settlers.

It attempts to pull together as much history as possible of the Anderson, Morgan, Spoor, Holmes, Sinclair, Cawood, Dunbar and Wedderburn families.

Mom is mentioned as she contributed all her research on the Wedderburn's to the book.

She loved doing the research during the seventies, she collected photos, letters, even went to Grahamstown with Dad in 1989 to visit the graves of Dad's ancestors.

Her work is preserved in a huge album with Doreen and we plan to digitise it at some stage.

Wedderburn farms in the Bathurst District in the Eastern Cape

The Wedderburn's are a Lowland Scottish Clan, originating in Berwick and Forfar. The South African Wedderburn's are descended from a branch that migrated southwards to the northwest of England. They farmed first in Cumbria/Lancashire before moving to Manchester. They were involved in clothing manufacture during the time of the industrial revolution.

I have been collating the information from the book and the web to trace the Wedderburn line from 1727 to my father:

• John Wedderburn b. c1727  in Whittington, Lancashire, England d. Aug 1795, Purness, Lancashire, England

John and Ann lived in Cumberland, owning considerable property in the neighbourhood of Ennerdale Water when Christopher was born. Later moved to Ulverston, Lancashire.
The book on the Wedderburn's has a theory that John may have had to flee from Scotland after 1745 and an English witch-hunt that followed a rebellion and perhaps took refuge in the wilds of the Lake District, breaking all connection with the old Wedderburn family to save themselves.

• Christopher Wedderburn b. 12 Feb 1772 in Lindale, Lancashire, England (7th child of 8) d. 18 July 1848, Lindale Farm, Salem in Bathurst District South Africa

Businessman and tailor from Manchester.
His health and the depression following the Napoleanic wars were the trigger for Christopher to join the British Settlers of 1820 to the South Eastern Cape on board the Stenton, with his wife Ann and their 5 children, at age 48 years, from the Old Docks at Liverpool. It was 14 January 1820, the family arrived in Algoa Bay on Monday 8 May 1820.
First farm was called 'Greenfountains', near Kleinmonde River, Bathurst District. His wife Ann was the producer of excellent cheese and butter, her cheese press had a distinctive star and became well know in the district and in Grahamstown. They farmed here for 19 years.
In November 1837 he and his second son George bought a farm 3 miles from the village of Salem up the Assegai River. The farm was named 'Lindale' after Christopher's birthplace.
Died at age 76, buried in the Old Chapel in Salem.

Christopher and Ann Wedderburn, the 1820 Settlers

• William Wedderburn b. 22 Mar 1800 in Manchester, Lancashire, England (2nd child of 8) d. 8 Feb 1862, Grahamstown, South Africa 

Eldest son, gave up farming in 1826, he moved to Grahamstown and established a well-known business "Wedderburn's Emporium" and Wedderburn Wagons.

Married Martha Patrick in 1827 and had three sons, William, John and Christopher.

• William Wedderburn b. 19 Jan 1830 in Grahamstown, South Africa (4th child of 16) d. 27 Oct 1894, Grahamstown, South Africa

William Wedderburn, eldest son of William and Martha,
grandson of Christopher and Ann.

Eldest son. Fought in Kaffir Wars of 1835 and 1846. Went to Australia in 1852, served in the Gold Mounted Police. Town named after him, 140m NW of Melbourne.
Returned to South Africa, married Miriam Whiting and had 10 children.

• Alexander John Ennis Wedderburn b. 6 Jul 1855 in Grahamstown, South Africa (3rd child of 11) d. 17 Jul 1922, Bloemfontein, South Africa

Second son. Moved north to Colesburg with wife Susannah Alice Cawood at about time of railway expansion in late 1800's. Wedderburn wagon making and trading business had been rewarding due to Great Trek and diamond fields in Kimberley in 1860's and then gold fields in the 1880's.
Arrived in Bloemfontein in the mid 1890's, had 12 children. The family moved back to Grahamstown during the Anglo Boer War in 1899 and returned to Bloemfontein after 1903.

Alexander John Ennis Wedderburn, son of William

Transport business for pipes to the Modder River as well as coal for the mines. They also had a seed merchant shop as an extension to the grain trading.

• Percy Wedderburn b. 11 Jun 1889 in Bloemfontein, South Africa (7th child of 12) d. 4 Jul 1966, Bloemfontein, South Africa

Percy worked for the Bloemfontein Creamery after joining up in WW1 and was a director when he retired. His brother Barry was a magistrate, retired very early at 21, married Jessie Roberts whose family owned the Roberts Victor Mine, spent the rest of their lives farming at Kalkwal.

This farm passed by descent to Percy, who went farming after his retirement from 1943 to 1966. Ralph, Dad's older brother, continued to farm.

• John Ennis Wedderburn b. 22 Jun 1929 in Bloemfontein, South Africa (3rd child of 3)

Dad schooled at Grey College and moved to work at Iscor, the steel company, in Vanderbijlpark. Met and married Estelle, raised his family there before moving to Howick for a change of lifestyle. He was Major of the town before settling along the Natal south coast.

A postscript from a book called "How I became a Governor"
Williams, Ralph E. (2013). pp. 76-7. How I Became a Governor. London: Forgotten Books. (Original work published 1913)

It should be remembered that in 1882 railways did not go very far from the coast, as they do now, Beaufort West being the terminus on the Cape line, and I think Alicedale on the eastern lines. Lines much further on were in course of construction, but were unfinished. Grahamstown was then the recognised depot for the interior, and Mr Wedderburn, the wagon-maker, had the reputation of being the king of his business. He is, I believe, long since dead, and I do not suppose his name exists; but to this day the reputation of a Wedderburn wagon is

WHY NOT TAKE HER ? known in connection with the equipment of the earlier travellers. I went up to Grahamstown and stayed there a few days, planning everythingout and giving all instructions. Though I was a new chum in South Africa, I was not new to the needs of a traveller, and I think that my wagon, as turned out complete, was about the best and most practical of its kind that ever went to the interior.