MELVILL, John ²

   Other names for John were MELVILL, John ⁷ and MELVILLE, John.¹

  General Notes:

John arrived in 1800 with his parents ¹

  Events

• Historical, 1799. ^{2 3} John Melvill wrote a journal of his life. Unfortunately, most of it has been lost and what remains only covers the time between age 12, when he arrived at the Cape to 17. This is reported in full in this source.

• Occupation. ² The Mossel Bay Advertiser reports in 1886 that John Melvill came to South Africa when quite young from New South Wales where he was born of parents of Scotch descent, and he first practised as a surveyor. Some few years later, when he had 2 children, he was sent by the Government as Surveyor-General of what were then the wild frontiers of the Colony. He was accompanied by his young wife and children. Before he left Cape Town he had become acquainted with Robert Moffat, the great pioneer of South African Missions, who had already established himself beyond the Orange River. To this no doubt is partly the fact that not long after he reached the frontier, he was moved by commiseration for the native tribes, to resign his post under Government and devote himself to Mission work under the London Mission Society, joining that noble band of self-denyng men, which included Moffat and Livingstone, and which had just lost another of lts zealous workers in the Rev.E.Solomon. And it is singular to mark how the one preceded the other at various posts, first at Phillopolis, then at Griquatown, and later at Hankey. Only a wide interval of time seperated them. For Solomon only began his mission work in 1840, when Melvill's long life's toll was nearly ended. In later years, Melvill and his family were employed in founding(?) a mission at Dysselsdorp in the Oudtshoorn district, and when health began to fail them they settled down in George Town in about 1847. Despite failing health and especially loss of sight, Melvill continued to preach and assist in ministerial work for some five years, up to the last Sunday of his life. He passed away on the 6th August 1852 at the age of 65.

• Occupation. ^{2 3} They lived initially in Dorp Street and then bought the 4 morgen Garden Wegelegen opposite the Castle (Cape Town). He also bought part of the farm Rustvliet at Salt River. In 1814,the year his father died, he was selling building lots at Garden Wegelegen. He continued buying and selling land in the Cape Town area for another 6 years, owned 52 morgen at Retreat, and in 1815 he was promoted to the position of Government Sworn Surveyor, and Inspector of Buildings in place of his superior Thibault who had died.

• Occupation, 1822. ^{2 3} After a preparatory visit to Griquatown in 1821, during which the residents requested his appointment as the Government representative, he and Anna with a 9 yearold, a 6 year old, Janet Susan aged 3, an infant, finally arrive there in 1822.

• Historical, Abt 1823, Griquastad, Cape Colony, Southern Africa. ^{2 4 5} Visitors from Griquatown to William Anderson at Pacaltsdorp in 1826, told of a battle between a Griqua commando and marauding Sotho-speaking tribe called the Mantatee, 3 years earlier, in which both John Melville and Rev. Moffat were present. They were involved in the middle of the battle trying to help the wounded and dying, especially the women and children, who it was stated had been placed as human shields by the invaders. Eventually they abandoned the attack and fled leaving all behind them including their weapons.

• Occupation, Abt 1841, Dysselsdorp, District Oudsthoorn. ^{2 4 5} After some years in government service, he resigned and joined the London Missionary Society, and worked at the mission at Dysselsdorp

• Occupation, 1827-1836. ^{2 3} He became one of the missionaries at Philippolis. Almost from the outset here the Griquas were in trouble. Political infighting developed and the missionaries had to deal more with material than with spiritual matters. In 1831 he was sent to Hankey where he worked till 1836. This mission was destined to suffer many tribulations and by the time he left it, it was virtually deserted.

• Occupation, 1838. ^{2 3} From Hankey, he was sent in 1838 to be the first missionary at Dyssels Kraal, later known as Dysseldorp. This station had been started as an outstation of Pacaltsdorp, and the Melvills now could visit the Andersons who were stationed there. It was thus not surprising then that Bartholomeus Ebenezer Anderson met Janet Susan Melvill who were duly married in Dysseldorp in 1842, and presided over by John Melvill, as recorded in the marriage register which has been preserved to this day.According to another source quoted under B.E.Anderson, this marriage took place at Pacaltsdorp). John Melvill continued to work at Dysselsdorp until 1846, and as his health began to fail he settled down in George in 1847. He suffered a stroke and died on the 6 Aug 1852.

• Alt Birth Place. A document on his life says he was born in London 10 Jun 1787 but may have visited New South Wales before coming to South Africa.

John married Anna Frederika STADLER, daughter of Johan George STADLER and Wilhelmina Maria Elisabeth WEDEL, on Jun 21, 1812 in Lutheran Church, Cape Town, Cape Colony, Southern Africa.¹ (Anna Frederika STADLER was born in Jan 1795 in Cape Town South Africa ¹ and died in 1886 in Mosselbay, Cape Colony, Southern Africa ¹.)

  Marriage Notes:

John and Anna were married in the Lutherna Church. ¹