1 8 5 5 , ▁the ▁whole ▁Meyer ▁family ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Prince ▁Albert , ▁but ▁Or g ▁died ▁on ▁the ▁way ▁back ▁near ▁Col es berg . ▁The ▁ 1 3 - year - old ▁Jan ▁therefore ▁became ▁the ▁family ▁bread w inner , ▁helping ▁them ▁cross ▁rivers ▁and ▁protect ing ▁the ▁cattle ▁from ▁wild ▁animals ▁at ▁night , ▁while ▁heavy ▁ra ins ▁ro bb ed ▁them ▁of ▁fire wood . ▁His ▁brother ▁had ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁while ▁crossing ▁the ▁Ju ks ke i ▁River ▁during ▁a ▁storm ▁in ▁an ▁ox - w agon ▁to ▁gather ▁wood . ▁The ▁cattle ▁and ▁servants ▁fled ▁and ▁Jan ▁hid ▁under ▁the ▁w agon . ▁ ▁Jan ▁Meyer ▁married ▁Christ ina ▁Sal mina ▁Meyer ▁( no ▁relation ), ▁and , ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 0 , ▁they ▁built ▁his ▁first ▁house ▁where ▁the ▁Al ber ton ▁city ▁hall ▁now ▁stands , ▁on ▁land ▁purchased ▁from ▁his ▁step father ▁Abraham ▁Vil jo en ▁for ▁£ 1 3 . ▁His ▁corn field ▁and ▁fruit ▁trees ▁were ▁ir rig ated ▁by ▁a ▁d itch ▁from ▁the ▁Nat als pr uit ▁River . ▁Christ ina ▁died ▁giving ▁birth ▁to ▁their ▁fourth ▁daughter ▁on ▁July ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 8 7 0 . ▁He ▁remained ▁there ▁until ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁that ▁daughter ▁on ▁August ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 8 7 1 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 2 , ▁he ▁rem ar ried ▁to ▁the ▁wid ow ▁Steph ina ▁Pet ron