Jan Lourens (Johan Lorenz) BESTBIER, was born between 1715 and 1718 in Uffenheim orOffenheim Germany.He was an Assistent in 1737 in Cape Town. Free Burger in 1738 also "Lid van Weeskamer" and the "Burgerraad" in 1738 in Cape Town.
Jan Lourens Bestbier was nominated by the Freeburgers to represent them in the Orphan Chamber (Weeskamer) in the year 1751.
He was associated with the farm Groene Kloof (Mamre today) where the Frensch Astrologist De la Caile v. 1751-53 lived. In 1754 he delivered meat to the Dutch East India Company

Jan Lourens Bestbier † 1755, × 11/8/1737 Maria Elizabeth Catharina VAN DEN HEUVEL* between 1715 and 1718 (She ×× 4 Jan 1756 Jacobus Blanckenberg ≈ 10 Nov 1745, "Heemraad van Stellenbosch")
Two of Jan Lourens (Johan Lorenz) Bestbier`s sons, Johannes Nicolaas and Hendrik Oloff went to the Netherlands for further study and in 1751 they were enrolled at the Leyden University.
In 1760 Jan Lourens Bestbier asked permission for his two sons, Nicholaas 8 years old and Hendrik Oloff 7 years old to be sent by ship to the Netherlands.

Jan Lourens (Johan Lorenz) Bestbier and Maria Elizabeth Catharina VAN DEN HEUVEL had the following children.

b1 Maria Catharina, * 1738 ≈ 23 Nov 1738 × 11 Jul 1756 (b12c3) Hendrik Abraham Moller, (Moeller) widower ,Hendrik's first wife × 9 Feb 1755 (a2b2) Gesina Regina
Cloppenburgh ≈12 Sep 1734
b2 Johannes Nicolaas, * 1741 ≈ 2 Apr 1741, back to Netherlands in 1751 to study, register at Leidse University in 1760
b3 Hendrik Oloff,* 1742 ≈ 29 Apr 1742, back to Netherlands in 1751 to study, register at Leidse University in 1760
b4 Nicolaas Carolus * 1743 ≈ 1 Sep 1743
b5 Johannes Daniel, * 1746 ≈ 20 Mar 1746
b6 Franciscus Johannes, *1747 ≈ 2 Jul 1747 , Free Burgher Cape Town, × 30 Dec 1770 Anna MOSTERT (b3c3d3) * 1749 ≈ 1 Jun 1749 daughter of Cornelis Mostert and Isabella Engels, this Franciscus Johannes Bestbier was the only child indicated as married according to Heese.
When Franciscus requested his discharge from the Dutch East India Compnay (burger papers) in 1768, he stated that he had arrived at the Cape in the position of sailor on the ship "Huijs ter Meije"
b7 Jan Lourens Bestbier ≈ 21 Feb 1751

"Jan Lourens Bestbier was geassosieër met die astronoom La Caille.
La Caille het 'n klein sterrewag gebou in die agterplaas van sy huis. Dit was 'n klein teleskoop wat hy gebruik het waarvoor hedendaagse navorsers sal lag, maar daarmee het hy meer werk verrig as 'n belangrike sterrewag vandag.Hy het in die Kaap gebly vir minder as 2 jaar ,maar in daardie tyd het hy die posisies gekarteer van ongeveer 10 000 sterre , gegradeer volgens hulle sterkte. Hy het 'n paar nuwe konselasies bygevoeg sowel as vir hulle name gegee. La Caille het nie lank genoeg geleef om al sy navorsing te verwerk nie.Dit is later gedoen deur Britse astronome. Hy het ook 'n dagboek gehou van die weer en getuie terwyl hy gewoon het in Strand straat. Hy moes deur sy navorsing presies vasstel waar die posisie van die Kaap is sowel as die keerkringe ook om sodoende die ware vorm van die aarde vas te stel.
Om sy Kaapse oberservasies te verivieër moes hy die regte afstand hê tussen sy Strand straat sterrewag en Parys se sterrewag.So moes hy na die binneland beweeg om die geskikte plek te kry vir die berekeninge. Sy mees Noordelik punt sou wees die plaas Klipfontein naby Piketberg . Verdere observasies en berekeninge was gebasseer op die driehoek wat hy gemaak het tussen Strand Straat, Kapokberg naby Darling, Riebeeck Kasteel en Klipfontein.Die detail van sy werk is baie meer omvattend as wat ek hier kan beskryf . Hy en Jan Bestbier was bevriend, op daardie stadium het Jan Bestbier gewoon in Strand straat , die 2 de huis wes van Heerengragt (Nou Adderley straat) op die sy langs die Baai."

Bron:
Geslagsregister van ou Kaapse families, C.Pama en De Villiers

Saamgestel deur:

Annemie Lourens.