Family History

During the middle 1680's the Edict of Nantes was revoked and the mass persecution of the Huguenots started. During this time period all baptismal records from Protestant churches where destroyed so it is very difficult to determine precisely where many of the huguenots originated from.  The persecution started in the early 1600's and large numbers fled from France to save the lives of their families and their own. So did the 'father' of the Viljoen family.

Francois Villion had to flee from a town called (1) Clermont, France.  There were a few towns with the name Clermont, but it is believed that he originated from the one just 60km north of Paris in the province Ile de France.

In 1671 Francois went to (2) Middelburg, Netherlands to get a passage to the (3) Cape of Good Hope.  His wife, Cornelia Campenaar was from Middelburg, and it is believed that he met her there.  Five years later Cornelia followed him to the Cape where they where married in on 17 May 1676.  After their marriage Francois and Cornelia reveived a farm (Ida's Valley) near Stellenbosch from Governor Simon van der Stel where he lived until his death in 1689.

Francois was the first Huguenot who settled permanently at the Cape. The mass immigration took place during 1688-89.

Francois and Cornelia had six children (4 were born in the Cape and 2 on the farm).  Their 2 sons, Henning and Johannes Villion propagated the surname as we know it today (Viljoen). 

The following map shows the route which Francois Villion had to follow to the Cape of Good Hope.

Click for large map		(1) Clermont (France)
		(2) Middelburg (Netherlands)
		(3) Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)

Some interesting facts:

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