User:Regina Marty/sandbox

Gate Mudaliyar Don Johannes Tillekeratne Abeyesekere
He hails from a very old elite Sinhalese family whose ancestors were precolonial chiefs as well as post-colonial headmen (Korale Mudaliyars) under the colonial administration of the Portuguese, the Dutch and then the British.

His family was one of the few that managed to keep its traditions alive despite the foreign invasions that occurred during the Portuguese, Dutch and British eras. With the coming of the Portuguese, they were converted to the Catholic faith  and it is said that the family refused to take the names given to natives by the Portuguese at the time of the Baptism and was never ready to change their religion under the administrations of the Dutch and the English.

Johanne's three children formed alliance with older families of Kandyan origin.

His only son Gate Mudaliyar John Abraham Tillekeratne Abeyesekere was serving as the Colombo Mudaliyar at the time of his death in 1911 and was married to Clara Alberta De Silva Pandittesekere Senewirantne Ekeneyake (daughter of Gate Mudaliyar Philip De Silva Pandittesekere Senewiratne Ekenayake and Lily Herat Senewiratne (Eldest daughter of Mudaliyar Johan Carlo Herat Senewiratne) of Madampe Walauwa.

His Eldest daughter, Donna Johanna was given in marriage to Mudaliyar Simon Gomis Abeysinghe of Malwatte Walauwa, Grandpass and the youngest, Regina to Mudaliya Philip Sriwardene of Malpandeniya Walauwa, Kegalle.

Having served the country in various capacities for 53 years starting from 1823, retired on pension in 1876 while serving as the Mudaliyar of the Adikari and Maha Pattus of Siyane Korale of the Western Province.