John Matthew Koekemoer

John was born on October 12th, 1896.  John's father was Johannes Mattheus Koekemoer and his mother was Mary Hannah Martin (Hester).  His paternal grandparents were Marthinus Koekemoer and Isabella Susanna Van Staden; his maternal grandparents were Thomas Henry Martin and Hester Susannah Renecke. He had three brothers and four sisters, named Marthinus, Thomas, Gert, Isabella, Hester, Alexandra and Mary.  He was the third oldest of the eight children.