Sri Lankan Burgher Family Genealogy

LANDsBERGER family of Sri Lanka. - Family #1029

The first Landsberger to arrive in Sri Lanka was Johannes Landsberger who was born in Zwighousen, Holland (a tiny village on the Dutch-German border). He went to Ceylon, as it was then known, with The Dutch East India Company. It can only be guessed when he arrived in Sri Lanka as I have not found any ships records as yet , probably between 1760 and 1776.The first record of Johannes in Sri Lanka, is his record of marriage in 1776. The Index from the Wolvendaal marriage register reads: Johannes Landsberger of Sighousen (note diferent spelling of birth place) Seargent, m:Maria Koch of Colombo.

1. LANDSBERGER

…2. Johannes Landsberger + Maria KOCH m:1-Oct- 1776 at the Dutch Reformed Church , Wolvendaal, Ceylon.

Maria Koch/Kok (there are a few variations on the spelling of this name) was born in 1747, possibly at Negombo. Baptismal records for the Dutch Reformed Church, Negombo, show Maria Koch was baptised on the 27th of July 1757 at the age of ten. Her parents were Hendrik Kok and Jubella Taldorp. Maria would not have been able to be baptised and take her fathers name untill her parents married, which may have been about this time.

……3 Jan Phillip Landsberger (1773-1820) + Wilhemina Hermina De WASS (1780-1841), m:1800 The Dutch Reformed Church, Wolvendaal .

………4. David Landsberger 1801-1856

………4. Solomon Landsberger 1803-1849

………4. Martha Euphrosina Landsberger 1804-?

………4. Carolina Wilhelmina Landsberger 1807-? + Philip Lucas MISSO, son of Piere Henry Misso and Anna Maria JANSEN, m:1823 at Kandy

………4. Johannes Landsberger 1808 -?(William Francis Landsberger's diary has a reference to a John Landsberger born 1809 ? if this is the same one)

………4. Bernhardus Landsberger b. 1841-1841

……3 Libertina Maria (1775-1858) + Berhardus ALVIS (1776-?), m:1800 at The Dutch Reformed Church, Wolvendaal. Berhardus was the son of Jeronimus Alvis and Leonara Maria PAULUSZ He was employed in 1800 as The Chief Clerk of the Commissioner of Revenue .

…2. David Landsberger was born in Colombo, died at Kurunegala. + Sarah TAYLOR on the 20/09/1826

……3. John Phillip Landsberger 1827-1828

……3. Ellen Barbra Landsberger 1829-1885 born at Kandy. m:1850 Cornelius Felsanius DANIELS (1822-) She was confirmed at the ? Wolvendaal Church 1849.

……3. William David Landsberger 1831-1896

---2 *2^nd Spouse of David Landsberger: + Merciana Van LANGENBERG on the 06/03/1838

……3. Walter David Landsberger 1839-1896

……3. Piere David Landsberger 1841-1899. + Agnes Matilda Misso. Daughter of Michael Bartholemew Misso, Surgeon, and Josephina La' BROOY. m:1876

………4. Cyril Walter Landsberger 1881-?

……3. Henrietta Blandina Landsberger 1847-1865

……3. Mary Ursula Landsberger 1856-1923 + Stephen VAN LANGENBERG.

…2. William David Landsberger was born at Badulla.+ Susan Magdeline De NIESE (1844-1883) daughter of William De Niese and ...unknown. m:1862 at Kurunegala, William Landsberger was a Lawyer. He died at Galagedara on the 6th of June 1896.

……3. William Francis Landsberger 1863-1925

……3. Ellen Emily Landsberger 1865-?. +E.P. SCHUILING m:1889

……3. James Peter Landsberger 1867-1923

……3. Susan Magdeline Landsberger 1869-? born at Kurunegala.

……3. Louise Mary Landsberger 1871-? born at Galegedera, christened at Colombo. + John WYLIE, m:1894 at St Raphaels Church. Galagedera,

……3. Aloysoius Landsberger 1873-1881 Died at Kandy.

……3. Joseph Phillip Landsberger 1875-?. + Agnes Mary De JONG, m:1904 at Trincomalee

………4. Joseph David Landsberger (1905-?) + Mabel Juliet BROHIER (1906-?), m:1931 daughter of James George Brohier and Emmie Annette ELIAS (Joseph David Landsberger changed his surname to BORGER)

………4. ? Agnes Landsberger (1909-?)

……3. Alice Maude Landsberger 1877-1901

……3. Caroline Landsberger 1879-1909 born at Galagedara.

…2. William Francis Landsberger was born at Kurunegala on the 6th of June 1863. Accountant. + Florence Mary Miller 1876-1963, m:1895 at Jaffna. Florence was one of twin girls born at Trincomalee. Their father's name was Miller, a Scotsman stationed in Ceylon with the British Army, their mother died in child birth. Florence was adopted by the STRATENBERG family and her sister by the CROWE family.Some details of the adoption are in the De Rooy Family bible. William Francis Landsberger died at Hudsons Rd. Colpety. Sri Lanka, on the 15th of Feb 1925.

……3. Charles William Melville 1896-1924. + Irene MAGGS. m:1923 (Charles died of wounds from W.W.1) He died at Shrewston, Salisbury, England.

……3. Helen Louise Landsberger 1897 - ? + Emil Camillus BERENGER (b 1899), son of Edward James Berenger and Augusta Hope Da SILVA, m:1923

……3. Leslie David Landsberger 1898-1974. + Bertha Ellen KWANKIS (1902-1982).

……3. Stella Hyacinth Landsberger 1900-1994, + Harold Joseph HERFT, m:1922

……3. Frederick Alphonsus Landsberger 1903-1915

……3. Dagmar Florence Landsberger 1905-1997, + Hendrikus George DeROOY (1903-1956) son of Hendrikus Georgious De Rooy (a Boer officer and prisoner of war sent to Ceylon) and Mary Helen STRATENBERG. Mary Helen Stratenberg was the daughter of Charles Alphonsus Stratenberg (1833-1909) Proctor of Kandy and Mary Louise Jan (1846-1907), m:1930

……3. Margery Eleanor Landsberger 1906-1980. m:1932.

……3. Reinhardt Mathias 1908-1979 + Esme Lilith BALTHAZAR (1912-1945) daughter of John Joseph Balthazar and Ada Lilian JANSZ.m:1929

……3. Iris Gwendolin Louise Landsberger 1910-1911

……3. Richard Francis Lancelot Landsberger 1912 - ? + Olivia Florence KWESIUS (?-1959), daughter of Oswald Stanley Kwesius and Mildred Florence RODRIGO. m:1943

……3. Florence Pauline Maude Landsberger 1913-? m:1938 Edward Francis YOUNG, son of Henry Thomas Young and Agnes Rosalind DRAPER.Edward died in London in 1980.

……3. Kingsley Mervyn Joseph Landsberger 1916-1996. + Dulcie NELSON, m:1937

…2. Leslie David Landsberger was born at Bambalapitya (Colombo 4) on the 17th of Oct 1898. In 1917 he in listed with the Ceylon Sanitary Corps and was stationed in Iraq. He re inlisted there with the 1st Royal Berkshire Regiment. He saw service in N.W.Persia (Iran) India and France. He was wounded and was "de mobbed" in England in 1922. He returned to Sri Lanka on the death of his father in 1925, only staying a short time before sailing for Singapore then to Malta, returning to England in 1926. From there he travelled to South Africa where he m:in 1927 in Cape Provence, Bertha Ellen KWANKIS, daughter of John Kwankis and unknown. About two years later 1930 ? they moved to England where all their children except the eldest child was born. During W.W.11 he was employed at the Royal Arsenal Woolwich and as an air raid Warden (part time), in London. When the factory was bombed in 1941, the personnel were dispersed to Lancashire, Manchester.

In 1945 he joined N.A.A.F.I. as a heavy duty transport driver in Europe. He travelled over 40,000 miles through Belgium, Holland, France and Germany. In 1946 he returned to England. In 1948 the family emigrated to Australia on the "Asturias". Embarking from Southhampton, with a short stop over in Sri Lanka, and finally arriving at Fremantle, West. Australia.

……3. Emma Florence Landsberger 1928-1981. Born in George Town, South Africa. + Peter Maxwell Lalor (1928-1966), m:1950 Perth, Western Australia

……3. William John Landsberger 1931-1969

……3. David Melville Thor Landsberger 1932-1934

……3. Leslie David Landsberger

……3. Bertha Landsberger

This brings us to the next three generations that will not be included here. I am the daughter of the above Emma Florence Landsberger.

There are many references in William Francis Landsberger's Journal, to members of the Van Langenberg Family dating back to the 1700s which have not been included here because I have been unable to ascertain their relationships within the family group. Likewise for the Stratenberg, Daniels and to some extent even the Landsberger Family. There is still plenty of digging to do and leads to be followed, any information on these families would be greatly appreciated. There is a little more information on the Landsbergers and other inter-marrying families that has not been included here, I am happy to exchange notes.

Special Thanks to members of the De Rooy and Landsberger families who helped me with my research, especially Theresa, great uncle Richard, his son Trevor Landsberger and Victor Melder.

Also to those whom many years ago had the foresight to compile the Journal Of The Dutch Burgher Union Of Ceylon, from records that date back to The Dutch East India Company.