Links (Lynx), Peter (Pieter) * ?, ? † 08.11.1839, Cape Town. (Source: Cheeseman 1910:50) Brother of Jakob Links, who had accompanied Threlfall and who was killed -together with the WMMS missionary - in Warmbad.117.doc "He was born in about , one of the sons of Keudo Links, a man of influence in his Namaqua tribe. Among his brothers and sisters were Jakob, Jan, Timotheus, Gert and Martha. Peter Links grew up at Lilyfountain Mission (south of the Kamisberg, the place called Garies nowadays), which WMMS missionary Shaw had established in 1816 and where the Links family settled. Shaw taught the Link's brothers how to read. He had no school books but used Dutch religious tracts, of which he had a plentiful supply."2 "Peter Links, [...] accompanied Cook on their journey. [from Cape Town to their first mission station in Warmbad]3 During Cook's conflict with the chief of the Bondelswaart in Warmbad (Nisbet Bath) in January 1835, Links found himself in the centre of the confrontation: "This evening held divine service to which I went for the first time with apprehensions that myself and interpreter might be murdered. The interpreter appeared much afraid, but after some conversation we decided that falling in our duty would be both safe and honourable, and therefore concluded to go. My interpreter suffered considerably from his fears, which were augmented by the people coming armed with sticks. I felt myself superior to fear, by the support of divine grace, and was enabled to speak with unusual liberty."4 When the conflict escalated even further, Links refused to translate by the end of January 1835. When the conflict over the authority on the station was solved in favour of Cook by March 1835 he appointed an administrative council for the station (with nine members from the community, the chief, Cook and Peter Links) and made the "male part of the people" to endorse it.5 In 1837 Cook was appointed as the post agent for Warmbad, a position which was taken over by Jackson, when he - Jackson - came to Warmbad in 1842. According to Van Schalkwyk, the enumeration of £ 22-10-0 (later it was £ 27) was paid to the local people who did transport the post from Kamiesberg to Great-Namaqualand.6 Cook took Peter Links with him on all expeditions into the near surrounding, and helped in all practical work (like constructing a sawpit) which was needed during the construction period on the station.7 On 20.05.1835 Peter Links family arrived from the Kamiesberg and settled in Warmbad. The journey with all their belongings took a month.8 Peter Links war kein Unbekannter in der Missionsarbeit der WMMS. Bereits 1823 war er von Kamiesberg aus dem Ruf gefolgt um unter den Kora zu missionieren. WMMS Missionar Hodgson traf Peter Links und seine Gesellschaft in Griquatown. Broadbent beschreibt Links als "one of the converted Half-castes who was designed to act as a native agent among the Koranas, for whih he was well qualified by his piety, prudence, Christian zeal, and knowledge of their language." Als im Februar 1824 der WMMS Missionar Edward Edwards zum Missionar der Kora ernannt wird, kommen weitere Mitglieder der Kamiesberg-Gemeinde in das Gebiet. Für einige Jahre werden die Nama Christen ("the Kamiesberg people") die tragenden Kräfte in der Missionsarbeit. "Despite, or perhaps because of, the missionarie's dependence on the assistance of these Christians, Hodgson was soon critical of them, charging that they had acquired the "haughty sentiments of the disagreeable Griquas". James Archbell beklagt den Einfluss der Nama auf die örtliche Missionsgemeinde und bedauert die Tatsache, dass sie hinzugezogen wurden, auch weil "they have openly declared they will only do what they like." Bereits 1826 sind die Meisten der Nama nach Kamiesberg zurückgekehrt. (Volz 2011:59). Peter Links were conducting divine services, much to the delight of Cook, and was prepared to be stationed at a remote place at the Orange River, where a piece of land was cultivated and workers of Warmbad came frequently to collect wood.9 In 1837 Peter Links left the station, discontented with his status as a mere 'native assistant'.10 "In 1839 the missionary [Cook] travelled to Cape Town with some Nama and Oorlams. Among them were Captain Amraal Lambert, his brother Adam and Peter Links, Cook´s former 'mechanis and interpreter', who had left the station two years earlier, discontented with his status as a mere 'native assistant'. Cook sold ivory skins etc. of £ 60 worth on behalf of his people. Adam Lambert and Peter Links, however, died during a dysentery epidemic raging in Cape Town."11 "Peter Links having taken the prevailing disease, the flux, died expressing his sure trust in the mercy of God."12 Married: By June 1836 Peter Links' wife was also in charge of holding confirmation classes.13 Children: * By 1836 Peter Links had two boys, both of them attending the School on the station.14 * Barnabas Links15 Education: Other family members connected to WMMS/RMS: Van Schalkwyk quotes from a letter of content ("verklaring van tevredenheid") which was signed - amongst others - by Petrus Lynx [sic] and Gert Lynx [sic]. WMMS missionary Jackson had initiated this letter (send through the WMMS superintendent Hodgson to Governor Sir George Napier) after a land dispute over farmland adjacent to the mission station, Leliefontein, was solved in favour of the Namaqua inhabitants.16 [Since this letter was dated 14.08.1843, it can not be the same Peter Links - who died in 1839 according to Cook.] Johannes (Johann) Links (from Warmbad) attended the five year long course of Fenchel at Keetmanshop from 1889 up to the examination in 1894 together with Frederik Hein from Richtersveld, Nikodemus Davids, Kornelius Zwartbooi from Walvisbaai, Tomy Alcock and Eduard Thomas from Keetmanshoop.17 Wandres writes on the 31.01.1895: "Der junge Schulgehülfe Johannes Links hat bis jetzt zu meiner Zufriedenheit gearbeitet, indes freue ich mich mit Zittern und lasse es an ERmahungen nicht fehlen."18 A Schoolteacher Links [no first name given] from Warmbad was imprisoned [POW] at Kalkfontein in 1903. Here he noted down the numbers of congregation members in Warmbad before the uprising of the Warmbad people in 1903.19 Johannes Links schließt sich 1905 den Kämpfern von Morenga an. "[...] in hochverräterischer Weise, nachdem er an den Trunk gekommen war [...]"20 While RMS missionary Nyhof was stationed in Steinkopf in 1906, waiting for the permission by the military to move to Warmbad, he encounters Johannes Links. Links asks for re-employement and is employed as a teacher.21 By the middle of 1909 it is reported in BRMG that Johannes Links had moved to the Cape and did not return again.22 Paul Links (Nama) attended the "fifth course" of the Augustineum in Okahandja. He was from Gibeon and born 1913. He attended 5 years school in Maltahöhe and worked on Kranzplatz before coming to the Augustineum. (His vita is therefore very much similar to that of Jeremias Vlermuis). He was confirmed in Maltahöhe. He was not married to Martha when joining the course. He spoke Nama. He completed the course with the examination on the 02.12.1938 and was send as teacher to the RMS mission school at Hoachanas.23 Mission Stations: History with the WMMS: 1 Cook 1849:23. 2 J. A. Millard (http://www.dacb.org/stories/southafrica/links_jacob.html 3 Dedering 1997:140. 4 Cook 1849:35. 5 ibid. 41. 6 Van Schalkwyk 1963:72. 7 ibid. 46. 8 ibid. 50. 9 ibid. 55. 10 Dedering 1997:150. 11 Dedering 1997:150. 12 Cook 1849:102 (Quoting Cape Archive File C. O. 519 No. 72: T. Hodgson to George Napier, 14.08.1843.) 13 ibid. 67. 14 ibid. 58. 15 Mears 1968:??. 16 Van Schalkwyk 1963:75. 17 Mentioned by missionary Ch. Spellmeyer in his speech "What methods and which aims should we pursue in the upbringing of our indiginous helpers? Or Why, how and for what do I train my indiginous helpers?", RMG 2.621 p. 208. 18 BRMG 1895:104. 19 JBRMG 1903:15. 20 JBRMG 1905:22+23. 21 BRMG 1907:198. 22 BRMG 1909:158. 23 AELCRN V 6.1:38-39. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------