**Louise Wilhelmine Flieth – 1845-1928

**denotes a direct ancestor of Sally-Ann Barker Clur in this text.

Birth and family in Brandenburg

**Louise Wilhelmine was born at 5 0’clock in the morning on the 26th July 1845 in Potzlow, Gramzow, Angermünde, Brandenburg, Germany. She was the legitimate daughter **Gottfried Flieth and **Henriette Louise Spann. (Germany, Prussia, Brandenburg and Posen, Church Book Duplicates, 1794-1874, volume 126, GS film number 1273006, Digital Folder number 004109915, Image number 00410).

“Französisch-Reformierte” is given as the family religion, suggesting that they were Huguenots. I find the birth details as given above difficult to correlate with the handwriting on the record unfortunately. I also read that she was baptised on the 10th August 1845 in Meichow. Possibly in the old stone church that dates from the 13th centuary and was rebuilt in 1772 when the windows were enlarged and the square plastered tower added. In the tower there are two bronze bells, the big one may date back to the 14th century, the small one is from 1662.

Photograph of the original record of Louise Wilhelmine Flieth’s birth and baptism in 1845. She is mentioned in row 10.
Meichow stone church. http://www.hugenotten-uckermark.de/Kirchen/17291_meichow.htm

An enlargement of the photograph of the original birth and baptism certificate of Louise Wilhelmine Flieth (row 10), born on 26th July 1845 to Gottfried Fleith, a labourer (arbeitsman), and Louise Spann and baptised on 10th August 1845.
Louise Wilhelmine was born on the 26th July 1845 at 5 0’clock in the morning, apparently in Potzlow, Gramzow Angermünde, but that last bit I have difficulty reading.
She was baptised on 10th August 1845 in Meirchow near Prenzlau Germany.

In various South African and other records, and other family trees alternative surnames are given for Louise Wilhelmine including Flieht, Fliedt, Wiedt , Fliek and Fleet. The confusion comes from difficulty reading Old German script. If one looks at the name of her father as written in the record of her birth and baptism it does indeed look like Flieth.

“Gottfried Flieth Arbeitsmann” – photograph of how Louise Wilhelmine’s father’s surname was given on her birth and baptism certificate.
A Wilhelmine Flieth is mentioned too (number 2), (witness) who may have been Gottfried’s sister (or other relative).

Johann Michael Clur and Louise Wilhelmine Flieth’s 13 children

Johann Michael Clur married Louise Wilhelmina Flieth in 1859 in South Africa, then only 14! and they had 13 children. I have not found any hard evidence for the date of their marriage, but they were together at least from the end of 1860 as Carl Friedrich, their first son, was born in August 1861. She was then 16 years old. Johann Michael would then have been 30, almost twice her age. On the 19th February 1860 both were baptized by Reverend Sandow according to the Bethany Emmanuel Baptist Church database. Johann’s occupation is listed as “bricklayer” and Louise’s as “wife of Joh. Clur”. There is a remark that Louise was readmitted on the 31st December 1882 and that Johann was re-admitted on the 21st of January 18th January 1883. See also **Johann Michael Clur – 1830-1902 and Eastern Cape Nostalgia.

  • **Carl Friedrich Clur (1st August 1861, Wiesbaden Br. Kaffr – 17th December 1913 ). He was baptized on the 6th June 1886 by Rev. Gutsche. His address was given then as Frankfort and his occupation as “farmer”. Remarks: Transferred to Johannesburg congregation March 1890. See also Carl Friedrich Clur (1861-1913 ) and Louise Caroline Puchert (1865-1953) and Eastern Cape Nostalgia.
    • Married L(o)uise Caroline Puchert (3rd January 1865, Cape Town – 1953). She was baptized on the 13th November 1881 also by Rev. Gutsche. Remarks: Transferred to the Johannesburg congregation.
  • Johann Michael Clur (7th November 1863, Wiesbaden – 13th July 1941). He was baptized on the 9th October 1881 by Rev. Gutsche. His address is given as King William’s Town (KWT) and his occupation as bricklayer. Remarks: Readmitted 31st December 1882.
    • Married Auguste Berndt (13th November 1869, Frankfurt Eastern Cape – 17th July 1940 Cambridge, East London) on the 25th July 1889. She was the daughter of Fer. B. (Friedrich Berndt) and baptized on the 6th November 1881 by Rev. Gutsche. Her occupation was listed as “wife of Joh. Clur jnr”. Remarks: Registered as spinster No. 97. Transferred No. 244
  • August Carl Clur (6th June 1867, Wiesbaden- 18th July 1943, KWT). August was baptized on the 6th November 1881 by Rev. Gutsche. His occupation is listed as a “spinster” in the German database of the Amathole Museum, clearly an entry mistake! In 1899 he is recorded as a mason. Remarks: Reg. KWT No. 331. He lived at 5 Ayliff Street in KWT. He was 76 when he died of “myocarditis, sudden heart failure”. His estate was mentioned in the Cape Mercury of 30th November 1943 pg 1, col 4. See also Eastern Cape Nostalgia. August Carl married:
    • 1) Louise Johanna Hermine Muller (16th March? 1872 – 17th February 1900 at KWT). She died of “heat stroke” aged 27 years 9 months and 1 day), (Buried main cemetery KWT, section new: 2L Row:4).
    • 2) Maria (Marie) Augusta(e) Pahl (1881 – 2nd September (August according to the Burial database) 1926) after Louise Johanna died. Marie died of carcinoma of the pancreas.
    • 3) His death notice lists a third wife, Hulde, born Brinckman in KWT. Hulde appears to have been married to a Staude before her marriage to August according to her gravestone. Hulde died 5 years after August Carl on the 30th January 1948 at 4 New Street KWT at the age of 59, of “Myocarditis heart failure”. Her death was mentioned in the Cape Mercury of 31st January 1948 pg 4, col 4.
  • L(o)uise Wilhelmine Clur (18th September 1869, Wiesbaden – 1929), married Herman Arndt in Febraury 1891. Baptized on 6th November 1881 by Rev. Gutsche. Lived near Izeli. Remarks: KWT No. 676. Registered as spinster No. 246. Transferred at No. 10
  • Wilhelm Gustav Clur (30th May 1872, Wiesbaden – 10th November 1918 -? of the Spanish ‘flu), Baptized on the 23rd August 1891 by Rev. Schmidt as a young man. Remarks: Reg. Stutterheim. He is listed as a Farmer in Wiesbaden with the qualification; Landowner, in 1899. Married:
    • Maria Magdalena Hofat (14th April 1879, Wiesbaden – 11th May 1959, Frankfort).
  • Daniel Clur (8th September 1874 – 1943), married Helen Emilge Bartel
  • Joseph Carl Clur (22nd January 1877 – 1954), married “Frederieke”
  • Maria Magdalena Clur (12th September or 11th September (according to BEBC ansd her death certificate)) 1879, Wiesbaden – 22nd July 1961), married Friedrich Hof(f)at on 23rd November 1899. Baptized on the 23rd August 1891 by Rev. Schmidt. Remarks: Reg. Stutterheim
  • Matthaus L. Clur (1st February 1883 – 3rd March 1883), died in early infancy
  • Martha M. Clur (1st February 1883 – 21st March 1884), died when almost 14 months old
  • Gottfried G. M. Clur (12th March 1885 – D 80 M E 1885), died in early infancy
  • Albert Johann Clur (9th March 1986 – 1951), married Hulda Mathilda Bartel
  • Lydia Auguste Clur (21st September 1888 – ), married Robinson and later Morrow.
  • Sources:
  • East London and Frontier Red Book (Pg 463)
  • Voting list KWT, re.CCP 11/1/39. Copy in HO with Cape Archives lists. Year: 1899, pgs 39 and 71.
  • Voting list KWT, 324.686 CAP pgs 23, 34 and 62.
  • Bethany Emmanuel Baptist Church database of the Amathole Museum
  • Burial Database of the Amathole Museum
  • “South Africa, Civil Death Registration, 1955-1966”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DHJK-2Q3Z : Sat Mar 09 23:55:15 UTC 2024), Entry for Maria Magdalena Clur  Hofat, 22 Jul 1961.

Louise Wilhelmine Clur nee Flieth died on Saturday the 4th February 1928 at her residence in East London; 10 Richmond Road. She was eighty-two years and 6 months old. This was 26 years after her husband Johann Michael Clur had died in King William’s Town in 1902. He was considerably (15 years) older than her. Her third born child, August Carl Clur was present at her death and signed the certificate. Of note her maiden name is typed as Fliedt on her Death Certificate. Several of her sons, Carl Friedrich, her first born, Wilhem Gustav, Matthaus L. and Gottfried had already died before her. Her daughter Martha M had also died in infancy. She left no immovable property and her estate was not worth more than 300 pounds. In her last will and testament, dated 25th August 1926, Albert Johann Clur, her “devoted son”, was appointed the sole executer of the estate. She chose him, “knowing as I do that he will see that my wishes are faithfully caried out”. To Albert Johann she gave “into his keeping the old family Bible, which I pray he will always reverently cherish.” Additionally, “To all my children I leave a mother’s lasting blessing.”

Death Cerificate of Louise Wilhelmine Clur. Note that her maiden name is now given as “Fliedt”, and that the three children who died young (Gottfried and the twins) are not listed. Photograph of Louise Wilhelmine Clur nee Fleith’s death notice. Note also that Hofat is spelt “Hofert” (South Africa, Cape Province, Probate Records of the Master of the High Court, 1834-1989″, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGPG-Y522 : Fri Mar 08 10:16:50 UTC 2024), Entry for Fliedt, 1928.)

Bernita Maria Schnell nee Clur, “Nita”, (16th December 1904 (King William’s Town, South Africa) – 1st August 2001 (Benoni South Africa)], is also listed in some family trees as a daughter of Johann Michael Clur and Louise Wilhelmine Flieth. This is not the case as Johann Michael died in 1902 and thus could not be the father, and Louise Wilhelmine would have been 59 years old in 1904 and very unlikely to have born a baby at that age. Nita is the daughter of August Carl Clur (Johann and Louise’s third child), and Maria Augusta Pahl. This is confirmed by the Death notice of August Carl Clur. Both Nita and her husband Schnell were present at his death.

Death Notice of August Carl Clur. Note that his mother’s maiden name is recorded as “Weidt” and not “Fleith“, while on her own death certificate (see below) her maiden name is recorded as “Fleidt“
Gravestone of Maria Magdelena Clur nee Hofat in the German Cemetery, Frankfort, King William’s Town, Eastern Cape South Africa. Note that “Hofat” is spelt with only one F and with an “-at” and not “-ert”. She married Wilhelm Gustav Clur
August Carl Clur (6th June 1867 – 1943), Louise’s third child.
Gravestone of August Carl Clur (1867-1943) and his second wife Maria Auguste Pahl (1881-1926) in the Main Cemetery, King William’s Town, Eastern Cape South Africa.

Gravestone of Johann Michael Clur (1863-1941) (second son of Johann Michael and Louise Wilhelmine), and his wife Auguste (1969-1940) in the Cambridge Cemetery, East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Gravestone of August Carl Clur’s first wife Louise HJ Muller born 1872 and died 1900, in the Main Cemetery, King William’s Town, Eastern Cape South Africa.
Gravestone of Hulde Clur formerly Staude (1888-1948), 3rd wife of August Carl Clur. They had no children. Gravestone is in the Main Cemetery, King William’s Town, Eastern Cape South Africa.

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