Hoof-Kmdt Andries Hendrik Potgieter (Voortrekkerleier)

Die Voortrekkerleier, Andries Hendrik Potgieter, wat op 19 Desember 1792 in die distrik Graaff-Reinet gebore is, het die Kaapkolonie teen die einde van 1835 verlaat.

Nadat hy, bygestaan deur Sarel Cilliers, die Matabele by Vegkop in Oktober 1836 verslaan het en in Januarie 1837 saam met Gert Maritz ’n suksesvolle strafekspedisie teen Mzilikazi gelei het, verlaat hy Thaba Nchu en vestig hom by die huidige Winburg. Teen die einde van 1837 het Potgieter en Piet Uys ’n tweede suksesvolle strafekspedisie teen Mzilikazi gelei. In April 1838 het hy en Piet Uys die noodlottige slag by Italeni aangevoer. Potgieter is deur ’n groep van die Trekkers vir die nederlaag verantwoordelik gehou. Hierna het hy Natal verlaat en hom langs die Mooirivier gaan vestig, waar hy Mooiriviersdorp, ook genoem Vryburg, gestig het. Die dorp is later, ter ere van Potgieter, tot Potchefstroom vernoem. In 1845 het Potgieter na Noordoos-Transvaal getrek, waar hy die dorp Andries-Ohrigstad gestig het in ’n poging om kontak met die Portugese hawens te maak en om buite die grense van die Britse invloedsfeer te leef. As gevolg van onenigheid tussen hom en JJ Burger, en ook die stryd teen malaria, het Potgieter en sy trek teen 1848 na die Soutpansberg verhuis, waar hy die dorp Schoemansdal gestig het.

Kort voor sy dood het Potgieter in die winter van 1852 ’n veldtog teen Sekwate gelei. Op 16 Desember 1852 is hy op Schoemansdal, naby Louis Trichardt, oorlede, waar hy ook begrawe is. ’n Grafmonument is in die kerkhof op Schoemansdal op 8 Desember 1938 deur die Sentrale Burgergraftekomitee in samewerking met die Schoemansdalse Geloftefeeskommissie opgerig. Die grafmonument is 2 m hoog.

Die regering van die ZAR wou Potgieter in 1891 in die Heldeakker herbegrawe, maar sy kinders het geweier, en op 10 Mei 1895 is ’n grafmonument ter ere van hom in die Heldeakker onthul. Die graf van Potgieter in die Heldeakker is egter nog leeg.

Aan die suidwestelike hoek van die Voortrekkermonument, Pretoria, is ’n 5,48 m hoë granietbeeld wat Potgieter voorstel, ontwerp deur die beeldhouer Frikkie Kruger.

Potgieter het ’n sterk persoonlikheid gehad en was selde sonder volgelinge. Sy veldtogte, veral teen die Matabele, het bewys dat hy ’n goeie militêre leier was. Hy was ’n rustelose pionier, wat sy aanhangers soos ’n aartsvader gelei het – dikwels sonder die hulp van ’n wetgewende liggaam.

Op 11 Maart 1967 is die borsbeeld van Potgieter, langs ’n bestaande Potgieter-gedenknaald op die Markplein op Zeerust, onthul. Die inskripsie by die borsbeeld lui:

Hoofkommandant Andries Hendrik Potgieter 1792–1852 het in samewerking met Gert Maritz die Matabeles van Silkaats by Mosega verpletterend verslaan op 17 Januarie 1837 en daarmee Zeerust en omgewing vir die beskawing oopgestel. Opgerig deur die Rapportryerskorps van Zeerust en die publiek. Onthul deur prof. C.H. Rautenbach op 11 Maart 1967.

Op die granietdenknaald, wat 3,66 m hoog is en in 1950 opgerig is, verskyn die woorde:

Ter herinnering aan Kmdt-Genl Potgieter 19 Desember 1792 – 16 Desember 1852. Mede-grondlêer van die Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek. Voortrekkerleier. Oorwinnaar van Moselakatse. Stigter van Potchefstroom.

Die Rapportryerskorps van Zeerust het die Volkspelebeweging opdrag gegee om die beeld te laat maak. Die bronsbeeld is anderhalf maal lewensgrootte en is deur die Pretoriase beeldhouer Johan Steynberg gemaak. ’n Replika is ook aan meneer BJ Vorster, toenmalige eerste minister, in Pretoria oorhandig.

Die onthulling is deur professor CH Rautenbach, rektor van die Universiteit van Pretoria, waargeneem. Doktor JF du Toit, voorsitter van die Rapportryerskorps van Zeerust, het in sy toespraak ’n beroep op die volk gedoen om hierdie beeltenis van Potgieter te aanvaar, aangesien daar geen foto van hom bestaan nie.

Nasate van Potgieter het ook die onthulling bygewoon. Die vlag by die geleentheid gebruik, is die Potgietervlag wat in die Voortrekkermonument, Pretoria, gehuisves word.

Bron: Van Heerden, M. 1989. Andries Potgieter. In Afrikanerbakens, FAK: Aucklandpark, pp. 160–161.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Inligting verskaf deur Alex Armenis -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

A.H. Potgieter was a Boer leader in the Great Trek; he took his party from the Cape Colony to in the Transvaal. He convinced the family to cross the Orange River in pursuit of the dream of an independant state (Volkstaat). The first Potgieter trek, which left the Cape Colony in 1835 under Hendrik Potgieter left a trail of Boer republics. Joining Andries Hendrik were his brothers, Jacobus Johannes, Nicolaas Johannes and their father Hermanus Potgieter.

He served as the first head of state of Potchefstroom from 1840 and 1845 and also as the first head of state of Zoutpansberg from 1845 to 1852.

(Added by Deborah POTGIETER) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
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Andries Hendrik Potgieter

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Andries Hendrik Potgieter (19 December 1792 - 16 December 1852) was a Voortrekker leader. He served as the first head of state of Potchefstroom from 1840 and 1845 and also as the first head of state of Zoutpansberg from 1845 to 1852.

Potgieter was born in the Tarkastad district of the Cape Colony, the second child of Petronella Margaretha and Hermanus Potgieter. He grew up to be a wealthy sheep farmer and fought in the Fourth and Fifth Frontier Wars. However, like many other Boers -- farmers of Dutch, French, and German descent living in the Cape Colony -- he decided to leave the colony in 1834. Delayed by the Sixth Frontier War, Potgieter and a group of Voortrekkers under his leadership left in 1835. Other treks under Louis Trichardt and Johannes Hendrik Janse van Rensburg had preceded him. The Voortrekkers' spiritual leader, Sarel Arnoldus Cilliers, later joined Potgieter's trek.

Potgieter and his party moved inland to the present Free State, where they signed a treaty with the leader of the Baralong, Moroka. The treaty stipulated that Potgieter would protect the Baralong against the Matabele raiders, in exchange for land. The tract of land was from the Vet River to the Vaal River.

The Matabele leader, Mzilikazi, was threatened by the white incursion into what he saw as his sphere of influence, which led to the Matabele's attack on the Potgieter laager in October, 1836, at Vegkop, near the present-day town of Heilbron. The attack was beaten off, but the Matabele made off with most of the trekker oxen, crucial draught animals for the wagons. The combined trek groups of Piet Retief and Gerrit Maritz came to Potgieter's rescue. Moroka also helped with oxen. His group joined up with Retief and Maritz at Thaba Nchu, where they formed a Voortrekker government and decided to move to Natal. Potgieter was not in favour of this plan and stayed behind in the Free State

In 1838, after Piet Retief and his party were killed by Dingane, and other Voortrekker parties were attacked at the Bloukrans- and Bushmen's Rivers, Potgieter and another leader, Pieter Lafras Uys assembled a military force. To prevent schism and discord, the new Voortrekker leader in Natal, Maritz, diplomatically pronounced that both Uys and Potgieter were to be in command. However, a struggle between the hot-headed Uys and Potgieter ensued. The divided force was lured into an ambush by the Zulus at Italeni, and both Uys and his son Dirkie, were killed. The surrounded and outnumbered force fled. Potgieter was criticized for his actions, and the force was called " Die Vlugkommado" or Flight Commando. He was further accused, unjustly, of causing the death of Uys by deliberately leading the force into the ambush. He left Natal for good soon afterwards and moved to the Transvaal.

Potgieter subsequently went on to found Potchefstroom (named after him) and served as its first head of state of the Potchefstroom Republic between 1840 and 1845. Later, in 1845, he also founded Ohrigstad (originally named Andries-Ohrigstad after Potgieter himself and George Ohrig) as a trading station. Owing to a malaria outbreak, the town had to be abandoned. The inhabitants, including Potgieter, moved to the Soutpansberg area, where he founded the town Soutpansbergdorp, later renamed Schoemasdal.

After the 1842 annexation of Natal by Britain, many Natal Trekkers moved to the Free State and the Transvaal. These newcomers and their leader, Andries Pretorius, refused to accept the authority of Potgieter, and a power struggle developed. War was averted, and in 1848 a peace treaty was signed in Rustenburg. Potgieter died on the 16th of December, 1852, in Schoemasdal. A number of African chiefs who held him in very high regard came to pay their respects before his death.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andries_Hendrik_Potgieter"

(Added by Yolanda SIM, 12 DEC 2009)

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Andries Hendrik Potgieter (19 December 1792 - 16 December 1852) was a Voortrekker leader. He served as the first head of state of Potchefstroom from 1840 and 1845 and also as the first head of state of Zoutpansberg from 1845 to 1852.

Potgieter was born in the Tarkastad district of the Cape Colony, the second child of Petronella Margaretha and Hermanus Potgieter. He grew up to be a wealthy sheep farmer and fought in the Fourth and Fifth Frontier Wars. However, like many other Boers -- farmers of Dutch, French, and German descent living in the Cape Colony -- he decided to leave the colony in 1834. Delayed by the Sixth Frontier War, Potgieter and a group of Voortrekkers under his leadership left in 1835. Other treks under Louis Trichardt and Johannes Hendrik Janse van Rensburg had preceded him. The Voortrekkers' spiritual leader, Sarel Arnoldus Cilliers, later joined Potgieter's trek.

Potgieter and his party moved inland to the present Free State, where they signed a treaty with the leader of the Baralong, Moroka. The treaty stipulated that Potgieter would protect the Baralong against the Matabele raiders, in exchange for land. The tract of land was from the Vet River to the Vaal River.

The Matabele leader, Mzilikazi, was threatened by the white incursion into what he saw as his sphere of influence, which led to the Matabele's attack on the Potgieter laager in October, 1836, at Vegkop, near the present-day town of Heilbron. The attack was beaten off, but the Matabele made off with most of the trekker oxen, crucial draught animals for the wagons. The combined trek groups of Piet Retief and Gerrit Maritz came to Potgieter's rescue. Moroka also helped with oxen. His group joined up with Retief and Maritz at Thaba Nchu, where they formed a Voortrekker government and decided to move to Natal. Potgieter was not in favour of this plan and stayed behind in the Free State

In 1838, after Piet Retief and his party were killed by Dingane, and other Voortrekker parties were attacked at the Bloukrans- and Bushmen's Rivers, Potgieter and another leader, Pieter Lafras Uys assembled a military force. To prevent schism and discord, the new Voortrekker leader in Natal, Maritz, diplomatically pronounced that both Uys and Potgieter were to be in command. However, a struggle between the hot-headed Uys and Potgieter ensued. The divided force was lured into an ambush by the Zulus at Italeni, and both Uys and his son Dirkie, were killed. The surrounded and outnumbered force fled. Potgieter was criticized for his actions, and the force was called " Die Vlugkommado" or Flight Commando. He was further accused, unjustly, of causing the death of Uys by deliberately leading the force into the ambush. He left Natal for good soon afterwards and moved to the Transvaal.

Potgieter subsequently went on to found Potchefstroom (named after him) and served as its first head of state of the Potchefstroom Republic between 1840 and 1845. Later, in 1845, he also founded Ohrigstad (originally named Andries-Ohrigstad after Potgieter himself and George Ohrig) as a trading station. Owing to a malaria outbreak, the town had to be abandoned. The inhabitants, including Potgieter, moved to the Soutpansberg area, where he founded the town Soutpansbergdorp, later renamed Schoemasdal.

After the 1842 annexation of Natal by Britain, many Natal Trekkers moved to the Free State and the Transvaal. These newcommers and their leader, Andries Pretorius, refused to accept the authority of Potgieter, and a power struggle developed. War was averted, and in 1848 a peace treaty was signed in Rustenburg. Potgieter died on the 16th of December, 1852, in Schoemasdal. A number of African chiefs who held him in very high regard came to pay their respects before his death.

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Andries Hendrik Potgieter was born in the Graaff Reinet district in the Cape Colony on the 19th of December 1792. He was the second child of Petronella Margaretha and Hermanus Potgieter.

He fought in the Fourth and Fifth Frontier Wars and was a wealthy sheep farmer when, like many other Dutch farmers at the Cape, he decided to leave the colony in 1834. In 1835 a group of Voortrekkers left the colony under his leadership. His departure had been delayed by the Sixth Frontier War.

Potgieter moved inland to the northern Free State where he developed cordial relationships with local Black leaders who were hiding from Mzilikazi. One of these leaders, Makwena, exchanged some land between the Vet and Vaal Rivers for 49 cattle and protection from Potgieter.

During this time Potgieter explored the surrounding area and travelled as far as one days riding to Zimbabwe. He returned to the Vaal River in 1836 and heard of Matabele attacks on Voortrekkers. He delayed his plans to migrate further north in order to punish these offences. At a Voortrekker meeting on 2 December 1836 he was elected as the Chief Commandant. By 1837 Mzilikazi and his Matabele were completely removed from the western Transvaal. In 1838 more Voortrekkers were attacked in Natal and Potgieter went to their aid. This time he suffered a severe loss when his forces were drawn into an ambush. The Natal frontiersmen blamed him for the incident. He was deeply offended and left the region and moved on to found the town of Potchefstroom in what is the North West Province today.

In the 1840s the British took control of Natal, but Potgieter refused to become part of the British Empire and Potchefstroom broke away from the Natal. He decided to establish the new Boer republic of Transvaal. Potgieter also developed an interest in Delagoa Bay as an avenue to the rest of the world. He visited the port city in 1843 and was welcomed by the Portuguese colonisers in the area. This, the advice of several of his Dutch friends and his desire to live beyond the 25th degree of latitude caused him to move closer to the Mozambique border.

In 1848 Sir Harry Smith annexed the Orange Free State and Andries Pretorius, Potgieter's rival, gathered a commando to help the Free State Boers regain their freedom. Potgieter was criticised for his lack of involvement and he decided to travel to Potchefstroom to fight for the Transvaal's independence. He had talks with Smith's representative in the Vaal River, Richard Southey, and they reached an agreement that the area north of the Vaal would be left alone.

Due to his commitments elsewhere Potgieter was not present when his trek to the northern parts of the Transvaal began. Jan Valentyn Botha acted as temporary leader and led the group to settle near the Soutpansberg and founded a town that was to become Schoemansdal. Voortrekker communities were spread far apart and it became clear that Boer leaders had to unite and work together under one government or Volksraad to guarantee the safety and well-being of the Voortrekkers all over South Africa.

Potgieter settled in the far north after the meeting to cement the new Voortrekker unity took place. He did not take an active part in politics because he was so far away. This gave Pretorius the opportunity to take the lead with Potgieter's support.

Although he was still relatively young Potgieter had lived a dangerous life, which eventually took its toll on his health. He died at Schoemansdal on 16 December 1852. He had been a recognised and charismatic military leader.

References:

• Potgieter, D. J. (ed) (1973). Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, POP-SLA. Johannesburg: Nasionale Opvoedkundige Uitgewery.

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The Great Trek by Oliver Ransford, issued 1972. Great Britain.

Page 32

POTGIETER dispatched two seperate family groups to blaze a trail to the Zoutpansberg. There they were to seek out suitable land to settle, and while waiting for the main body of POTGIETER's trek, attempt to open communications with the Portuguese at either Lourenco Marques lying on Delagoa Bay, Inhambane or Sofala. As leaders of the 'voorste mense' - the 'people in front' of the Great Trek - POTGIETER chose his cousin, Johannes VAN RENSBURG, and a prosperous farmer named Louis TREGARDT.

Added by Y. DROST, 21 APRIL 2015 https://www.revolvy.com/page/Hendrik-Potgieter
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Aanvullende Bronne:

1. Census Cradock Veldkornetskap Tarka 1824 - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YQQ-92Y?i=12&wc=Q8GM-...

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GEDCOM Source

@R1200312375@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.

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Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=106302622&pi...

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5 JUN 2019 09:03:06 GMT -0500 Wendy Herbert Herbert Web Site <p>MyHeritage family tree</p><p>Family site: Herbert Web Site</p>Family tree: 602509551-1 Smart Matching 602509551-1

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https://www.myheritage.com/person-1500545_267640501_267640501/andri... 3 Individual added by confirming a Smart Match Smart Matching 1:267640501-1-500545:0