Snewe, Timotheus * Warmbad, 1801 (?) † Warmbad, 9.10.1899. Foto Baumann, p. 25 Snewe worked in Concordiaville (Windhoek) amongst the people of Jonker Afrikaner and his brother Dawid Afrikaner in 1845, 1846, 1847. He was alone on the station between July 1846 and 1847, while WMMS missionary Haddy travelled to the Ridgill (WMMS missionary) remained in Warmbad till 1863 when the station was entrusted to Timotheus Snewe.1 Vedder mentions Samuel Snewe who became corporal in December 1868 under Willem Christian. Abraham Bondelswart died on 12.12.1868 in Warmbad and Willem Christian became his successor and reorganized the hierarchical structure of the tribe.2 " [...] son of a black man who came to Warmbad in 1793 and a Bondelswarts woman. [...] worked for WMMS and RMS in Namaland as interpreter, evangelist, school teacher during the 1840s. In 1867 he worked in these capacities in Warmbad but had also been elected under-chief. He resigned from this office in 1867, accepted it again formally in 1878, finally retired from it in 1898. Received a pension from German colonial administration;"3 When Jean-Marie Simon, who came to Pella as a priest of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales in 1882, visited the Bondelswarts chief Willem Christian in Warmbad in 1887 during the absence of Timoteus Sneeuwe [sic] and missionary Wandres.4 Was acting "kaptein" of the Bondelswarts in 1891 because he is mentioned in this function during a discussion with the Catholic father Simon who also wanted to work amongst the Bondelswarts and was rejected during this meeting with Snewe.5 Beris writes (without mentioning his source) about this visit to Warmbad: "When they arrived [in Warmbad] they were told that the captain was absent, but his deputy Timoteus Sneeuwe [sic] waited for them. Without much ado he informed the two visitors that they would meet each other in the court house. [...] When the hour had come two men came to warn the priests to proceed to the court house. When Father Simon arrived he was told to sit in the bench of the accused. The deputy-captain presided over the proceedings, assisted by the Lutheran minister and two other Germans who were definitely present to enforce the argumenst of the accuser. After a sign was given the Lutheran minister introduced his case. He took a small German brochure and read a passage of an article that he translated into Dutch, after which he added that the article had come from the pen of Father Simon [...] He complained that the article had insulted him and he demanded that justice would be done. [...] In one passage they had premitted themselves to laugh a little at the expense of the Lutheran pastor, who since the last visit of Father Simon had married. That was the challanged passage. Father Simon explained that the joke was not maliciously meant and that he apologised for any inconvenience caused. [...] the deputy-captain nevertheless asked the Lutheran minister which compensation he demanded, because of the defamation of his good name. The pastor was not interested in any financial compensation, but he demanded that the Catholic religion would be banned for ever from the territory of the Bondelswarts.6" On 1st May 1886 the farm Heirachabis, which was later sold to the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, was purchased from the Bondelswars at Warmbad by Charles Wheeler for £880. The deed of purchase was signed by the captain, deputy-captain Timoteus Sneeuwe [sic] and seven more members of the tribal council, after Snewe had ridden along the borders of Heirachabis, Ukamas and Hudab and had put up the marking pegs.7 Arrived with Haddy and Tindall in Windhoek on 03.08.1844, stayed on in Windhoek for a while after the two WMS missionaries left it in 1846. Snewe returned to Warmbad afterwards.8 Er war jahrelang Lehrer, erst bei den Afrikanern in Windhoek und später bei den Bondelswarts in Warmbad. Dort war er auch eine zeitlang Unter-Kapitän. Der Weslyaner Haddy hatte Timotheus Snewe aus Leliefontein mitgebracht. Timotheus war dann von den Wesleyanern in Windhoek zurückgelassen worden, und hat dann diese Rolle als Übersetzer für die Afrikaner übernommen. Sowohl RMG Missionar F. W. Weber hat Snewe 1867 in Warmbad gebraucht, als auch J. G. Schröder 1882 auch in Warmbad.9 In 1867 the WMMS had handed over the mission station Warmbad to the RMS. RMS missionary Weber, formerly Gobabis, was transferred to Warmbad. When the draught forced the Nama inhabitants to disperse into the surrounding area, the branch stations Wortel, Nabes and Blydverwacht were looked after from Warmbad. In the school the following "Nationalgehilfen" were working: Timotheus Snewe, Abraham Kaffer and Abraham Christian.10 "Snewe, Thimoteus born Warmbad 1801(??), died Warmbad 9.10.1899. Son of a black man who came to Warmbad in 1793 and a Bondelswarts woman. Snewe was schooled in Leliefontein in the Cape, worked for the WMS and RMS in Namaland as an interpeter, evangelist, and schoolteacher. In 1867 he was elected as deputy captain at Warmbad, an office from which he resigned only in 1898. He also conducted a regular diplomatic correspondence with Cape authorities. Apart from securing salaries and pensions from the Cape and, later, the German Government, he was also granted ownership of a farm by Willem Christian for his services in the Koranna war."11 When Weber arrived in Warmbad in 1868, he was confronted with the "Nationalhülfen" of the WMMS who might have looked different at theological issues. Rohden gives a clue in this direction: "[...] suchte sich mit den wesleyanischen Nationalgehülfen auseinanderzusetzten [...] He spoke some Nama, which was however not enough for the sermons. "[...] aber für die Predigt mußte er doch immer noch den Timotheus Snewe als Dollmetscher zur Seite haben. "12 Willem Christian and Timotheus Snewe received a yearly income from the Cape Government of £ 50-60. [Noted down by Wandres in 1885 and he remarks "[...] seit Jahren [...]"13 When Charles Wheeler bought the farm Nabas (North of Heirabachabis) from Willem Christian, the transaction was signed in Warmbath on the 01.05.1888. It was Snewe who indicated the border of the farm by riding along its border.14 In August 1889 Hegener [sic] on his inspection tour of Warmbad, mentions that Chief Timotheus Snewe had been excluded from the Holy Communion for a long time already because of his "[...] notorious drinking habits."15 Siehe die Erklärung von Kapitän Willem Christian von 1893, in der es um die Besitztitel an der Farm !Gabis/Alourisfontyn an die RMG geht. Diese Erklärung wird von Timotheus Sneuwe als "Ondercapityn" mit unterschrieben.16 Married: His wife was the sister of Daniel Dausab (see under Dausab, Gert ShortLink\418.doc)17 Children: * Education: "[...] S. had his schooling at Leliefontein, [...]"18 Other family members connected to RMG: Eduard Snewe is mentioned as a "[...] getroue medewerker" at Haib under the German missionary Hermann Nyhof at Warmbad.19 Stals mentions also a certain Willem Snewe, who was from Komaggas.20 Mission Stations: History with the RMG: Further Reading: "Nächst dem Häuptling Wilm [sic] Christiaan ist Timotheus Snewe jetzt Hauptmann. Viele sind nicht damit zufrieden, aber Niemand wagt es, offen gegen ihn aufzutreten. Trotz seine Schwäche und Nachgiebigkeit ist er dennoch eine brauchbare und ehrenwerte Persönlichkeit und ich wüßte auch Keinen, der geschickter für diesen Posten wäre, als er. Mit seinem inneren Leben scheint es auch besser zu stehen wie früher; seine Frau und Kinder sind dem Glauben näher gerückt und seinem Hause ist ein solideres Gepräge aufgedrückt."21 1 Mears 1968:??. 2 Vedder 1934:465. 3 Carl Hugo Hahn. Tagebücher 1837-1860. Diaries Part 5. Register and Indexes. A Missionary in Nama- and Damaraland. Archives Services Devision. Windhoek, 1985. S. 1241 - 1364. 1 Karte S 1292. (Lau gibt als Quellen an: Mears: Wesleyan Missionaries, 16,18; BRMG 1863, 85; WA ZBU WIId18, Bd.3; WA Quellen 8, 11 Oct. 1867; ibid., 4 June 1878; WA Quellen 9, 15 Oct 1899, reprot of missionary Kronsbein; Report of the Rehoboth Commission, 1926, 15 info. and ref. suppl. by Hillebrecht.) 4 Simon 1889:15 cited by Beris n.D.:9. 5 Van Sending tot Kerk. Herausgeber ELK in SWA. 125 Jaar Rynse Sendingarbeid in Suidwes-Afrika. Redaksie: Dr. J. Baumann, Karibib Karibib, 1967. p. 120. "[...] hoofevangelist Zacheus Thomas [...]", "[...] hoofevangelist Strydom [...]" p. 11, 12 rows from the bottom, right collumn. 6 Beris n.D.:11-12 cited Baumann 1967:11. Baumanns writes: "Allerhand moelikhede het die leraars van die Katolieke Kerk veroorsaak. Nie alleen deur onware berigte nie maar ook deur ingang in Warmbad se gebied te verkry. Op 28 September 1891 het die kaptein, die raadslede en Eerw. Wandres 'n vergadering met Pater Simon van Pella gehad, waar laasgenoemde rekenskap moes gee van sy gedrag teenoor die Rynse Sending. Die waarnemende kaptein Timotheus Snewe het die Pater Simon llat weet dat hy maar liewers anderkant die Oranje-Rivier moet bly omdat die Rynse Sending die werk onder die Bondelswarts doen." 7 Beris o.D.:20. 8 Van Sending tot Kerk. Herausgeber ELK in SWA. 125 Jaar Rynse Sendingarbeid in Suidwes-Afrika. Redaksie: Dr. J. Baumann, Karibib Karibib, 1967. p. 25 9 rows from above, left collumn. 9 Stals, 2001:78?? 10 Vedder 1934:480. 11 Heywood 1996: 247. 12 Rohden 1871:205. 13 BRMG 1885:210. 14 Stals 2009:89. 15 BRMG 1889.326. 16 AELCRN VII 35.1 Warmbad-RMG Gemeinde 1894-1912:n.N. 17 Heywood 1996:230. 18 Vedder 1934:480. 19 Van Sending tot Kerk. Herausgeber ELK in SWA. 125 Jaar Rynse Sendingarbeid in Suidwes-Afrika. Redaksie: Dr. J. Baumann, Karibib Karibib, 1967. p. 13, 6 row, left collumn. 20 Stals, 2001:78 21 Weber in BRMG 1872:177. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ 3/3 28.04.2021 3:06 C:\LOCG\Privat\EvangelistenProjekt\Snewe Timotheus.doc