Historical Heidelberg figures: Van Warmelo was a well-travelled Heidelberger

Nicolaas Jacobus van Warmelo was a local minister and well-known citizen of Heidelberg.

Van Warmelo was born in Gouda, the Netherlands, on September 8, 1835.

His parents were Gerhardt van Warmelo and Christina Deliana ten Bosch. Gerhardt was the minister of the Nederduitse Hervormde Church in the Netherlands.

Van Warmelo enjoyed his school teachings at a Latin school in Gouda.

Between 1853 and 1858 he studied at the University of Leiden.

After van Warmelo completed his studies he waited fruitlessly for a calling to be placed as a minister, but due to the surplus of ministers at the time, it never happened.

In 1862 van Warmelo decided to move to South Africa with the hope of being accepted in the Nederduits Gereformeerde Church of SA.

With all the university documentation requirements needed at the time to be a minister in the church, van Warmelo was not accepted to take up the post he dearly wanted as all the documentation had to be verified.

While waiting for a commission he met minister GW Smits from the Nederduits Hervormde Church in Rustenburg.
Smits was visiting Cape Town at the time. Smits convinced van Warmelo to take up a post in the Soutpansberg (Northern Transvaal) area, which he did.

Before taking up his post he returned to the Netherlands to marry Josina van Vollenhoven. They wed on February 17, 1864.

On June 30, 1864 van Warmelo was inducted as a minister in Soutpansberg by Smits himself.

Josina died on January 28, 1865, 11 months into their marriage.

The death, coupled with repeated attacks from enemy groups, forced van Warmelo to leave the area. He moved to Marabastad and then on to Heidelberg.

When van Warmelo arrived in Heidelberg there was no accommodation for him.

He rented a house from Heidelberg founder HJF Ueckermann.

On July 18, 1868, van Warmelo was inducted as the first minister of the Hederduits Hervormde Church in Heidelberg by minister AJ Begeman.

Van Warmelo married Maria Magdalena Elizabeth Maré on April 5, 1867. Maria was the daughter of Dietlof Siegfried Maré, magistrate of Zoutpansberg.

During their marriage seven children were born, five boys and two girls.

One of their daughters, Johanna van Warmelo (Brandt), became a well-known author.

In 1880 after the annexation of the Transvaal and the occupation of the British, van Warmelo gave a sermon that inspired the burghers.

In 1882 van Warmelo wanted to unite the Hederduits Hervormde and Nederduids Gereformeerde churches.

His plans to unite the two churches were not well received, with even his wife and children not supporting him.

Van Warmelo was instrumental in establishing the first school building and finding the first teacher in Heidelberg.
He died on April 21, 1892, and is buried in the Heidelberg Kloof Cemetery. Maria died in 1916.

References: Heidelberg Heritage Association Archives, Wikipedia