I am interested in our paternal ancestress MARIE DESPRES/DUPREEZ who as teenager fled with her parents and siblings from KORTWIJK/COURTRAI (now geographically in Belgium) circa 1687. Je recherche re: famille de HERCULE DESPRES/DU PREEZ de Courtrai dans le XVII siecle - la fille mon ancetre etait MARIE JEAN. La Famille arriverait de Rotterdam a Cap de Bonne Esperance en Mai 1688 dans bateau "OOSTERLANDT" Interesting info: Jacques Theron (Dutch East India Company Soldier) who subsequently married Marie-Jean was with the Du Preez familie on board an East Indiaman OOSTERLANDT that docked in Cape Town in May 1688. This boat was lost in astorm a year later in Table Bay, South Africa. At the time of the 300 year Hug. Festival in the Cape the wreck has just been located and is stille being explored. Having been covered with sand for 3 centuries the ship is still in good preservation and many interesting artifacts are on display is Cape Town. Well worth a visit if you ever visit the Cape and do not miss the Coin Francaise (French Corner) where the 1688-contingent were settled and the town of the THERONS Tulbagh in the then farflung Red Sand Valley that was converted into a vine and fruit paradise by founding father Jacques and his older sons and descendants. Stan Theron