Hendrik Swellengrebel


Hendrik Swellengrebel was the first and only Dutch East India Company governor of the Dutch Cape Colony who was born in the Cape.

Life

Swellengrebel was governor from 14 April 1739 to 27 February 1751. In his time, new districts were added to the colony. The town of Swellendam in the Western Cape is named after him and his wife Wilhelmina Helena ten Damme.
In 1751 he was succeeded as governor by Ryk Tulbagh. Upon return to the Netherlands, he bought the land now known as the Kaapse Bossen in Utrecht.