 However they constituted the first known deciduous orchard in the region, and Antonie Viljoen's farm workers deserve the honour of being the first true deciduous fruit farmers of Elgin.In 1903 an Italian South African family named Molteno began farming in the area.Two friends of Dr Viljoen, the young brothers Edward and Harry Molteno initially bought a small plot of land named "Glen Elgin", near the modern Elgin railway station, where they grew vegetables.